Esquire Photography

The longer I live, the less convinced I become that my biggest challenges are external.

Most of the time, the battle is internal.

Fear disguised as wisdom.

Comfort disguised as contentment.

Control disguised as responsibility.

Casey & Kit | Japanese Gardens at Como Park

Every wedding tells a story.

The most memorable ones tell several.

Casey and Kit’s wedding at the Japanese Gardens at Como Park was a beautiful celebration of love, family, and tradition. Nestled among winding paths, lush gardens, and peaceful water features, they exchanged vows in one of Minnesota’s most beautiful settings.

One of the most meaningful moments of the day was their traditional Chinese tea ceremony held beside the pond. Rooted in centuries of tradition, the ceremony honors family, gratitude, respect, and the joining of two families. Watching these moments unfold added a level of depth and emotion that photographs alone can barely describe.

Years from now, these images won’t simply show what happened.

They’ll remind everyone why it mattered.

📸 Esquire Photography

I love Psalm 42 because it feels real.

No pretending. No fake positivity. Just an honest person wrestling with life and choosing hope anyway.

“Pain heals. Chicks dig scars. Glory lasts forever.”

Your wedding is not a committee project.

It’s a love story.

Somewhere between Pinterest boards, family advice, TikTok trends, and wedding blogs, couples can lose sight of their own vision.

“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent. — Eleanor Roosevelt

The most beautiful weddings are not the ones that impress everyone.

They’re the ones that feel unmistakably like you.

At Esquire Photography, we’re privileged to document life’s most meaningful moments. Over the years, one lesson has become increasingly clear: success is most rewarding when it is connected to purpose, faith, family, and service.

We believe the moments that matter most aren’t measured by possessions, but by relationships and legacy.

“If I’m not serving Jesus, who am I serving?”

It’s a question that has challenged me lately.

We all serve something—our ambitions, our comfort, our fears, our faith, or our purpose.

The question isn’t whether we serve.

The question is who or what sits at the center of our lives.

Create or Consume

The most meaningful lives aren’t measured by what we watched, but by what we built, shared, and experienced.

Save this reminder and choose creation today.

Hot take from a wedding photographer:

The couples who seem happiest on their wedding day are usually not the ones spending the most money.

They’re the ones who stay emotionally present.

Wedding planning can become a lot:

budgets, timelines, family opinions, social media pressure, expectations…

But years later?

Nobody remembers the chair covers.

They remember:

• the tears during vows

• the laughter

• the hugs

• the feeling

“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.”

— Theodore Roosevelt

Timeless. Sexy. New Romantic.

Home, healing, and officially powered by titanium. 💛 After a full right hip and partial right leg replacement, I’m back in my cozy corner of the world—resting, recovering, and blasting “Titanium” by David Guetta ft. Sia as my personal theme song. 😉

I can’t thank you enough for the outpouring of prayers, messages, and support. Every word of encouragement has helped lift my spirit and remind me that the road to recovery, while bumpy, is absolutely worth it.

An ultimate thank you to God and Jesus for carrying me through this, and a massive thank you to Kristine and my personal “Coach” (and our EMO support kitty, Baby Stevie) for their infinite patience, tough love, and constant encouragement—especially when I’d rather not do those painful exercises. You’ve been my rockstars in sweats and fur, and I couldn’t ask for a better team.

As I’m taking the next couple of months to rebuild, I’m already looking forward to coming back stronger, with more gratitude—and a bionic strut. 🙏✨

Enjoy a picture of me walking (YES! Walking!) a few hours after my surgery.

Monday Prayer 🙏

Lord, this week may bring challenges I can’t predict — but You are already in the middle of every mountain I face.

When this road feels impossible, remind me that nothing is too hard for You.

Help me walk in faith, not fear… and trust Your strength when mine runs out. Amen. ✝️💪

Saturday Prayer 🙏

Lord, thank You for the gift of rest and reflection.

Quiet my heart, renew my spirit, and remind me that Your plans are greater than my worries.

Help me trust You fully today — with joy, peace, and unshakable faith. ✝️☀️

Collect moments, not things.

Because the best parts of life don’t come with price tags — they come with purpose, presence, and people.

Live R-A-W — Real. Authentic. Worthy.

Create memories that outlast the trend.

I see your hard work — even on the days you don’t want to do it.

And I believe in you.

Your dreams are still worth the effort.

So show up, even when it’s hard. It’s not the destination, it’s the journey.

Be R-A-W — Real. Authentic. Worthy. 💪🔥

6 Things God Will Never Do:

❌ Leave you

❌ Stop loving you

❌ Break a promise

❌ Ignore your prayers

❌ Fail you

❌ Give up on you

Even in silence, God is working. Trust His heart, even when you can’t see His hand. 🙏✝️💛

Stop waiting to feel 100% ready.

Clarity comes in motion — not in perfection.

Start where you are. Use what you have. Be R-A-W — Real. Authentic. Worthy. The dream doesn’t need more waiting. It needs you. 💥🚀

You are indoctrinated when another person’s skin colour affects your perception, action, and reaction to them. ~ David Esquire