The Photos N
issa Olson, owner of Nissa NaKia Photography in Mankato, is known not only for her wedding photography, but also for her Little Black Book and Rock the Dress sessions. The Little Black Book is a boudoir photo session that many brides do as a gift for their grooms. At first, many brides find the idea of sexy photos a little scary, but what begins as a gift for their groom usually ends up being a gift for the bride, explained Olson. “I know what it does for women. It’s empowering. Their self esteem goes through the roof,” said Olson. “You don’t have to lose that 10 pounds or be a size two. You need to celebrate who you are or what you are right now.” Olson tells brides to choose clothes or lingerie they feel confident in. She suggests one outfit that has something to do with their groom’s profession or hobby — a mechanic shirt, police badge or team jersey. During the session, both the lighting and poses are flattering. “I am super careful about making sure it’s done with class,” said Olson. Rock the Dress is a popular post-wedding trend. These magazine-style photos are done at parks, waterfalls, woods, fields, old barns and buildings. The more texture the better. “It’s more editorial. You can’t get those images on the day of the wedding,” said Olson. “They can take the time and do more posing, high-end photos and remote Photo courtesy of Decadent Desserts
Small cakes with cupcakes and bite-size treats are have become popular wedding desserts. “We do a lot of bite-size cheese cakes, cake pops and cupcakes — it’s a dessert table,” said Amy Otto, owner of Decadent Desserts.
28 • February 2013 • MANKATO MAGAZINE
locations.” While Olson takes many traditional photos on the wedding day, most couples want some artistic and unique photos — often shots they’ve seen on Pinterest.