Erin and Athens - Sundance Secret Garden Wedding Photos

I’ve been pretty excited to share a full blog from this ultimately colorful wedding, and today seemed like the perfect opportunity to spread some Love.

A few things that I adored about Erin and Athen’s big day that were sweet, and unique:

1. They had a list of VIP guests as opposed to a traditional wedding party. Everyone got to choose a cool outfit, and we took a singular group photo which left plenty of time for partying.
2. They hired THE Dj Myint (If you know, you know.)
3. They decided to both change their last name, giving them the opportunity choose one that really meant something to the both of them. The announcement was a surprise during the reception, revealing that they had hidden it in decor and teased it all over the wedding. That Name? LOVE.
I died.

The day was genuinely all smiles. These two are the best people, and they attract the best people, and I left absolutely grinning from ear to ear.

Congratulations Erin and Athens!

Haily and Sean - The Union at Railside wedding photos

With active work always taking priority, I haven’t been blogging nearly as much as I’d like from finished portrait sessions, and especially wedding days. Lately, I've felt motivated to revisit and share some of the past weddings that absolutely deserve to be appreciated, so buckle up for more throwback days filled with gorgeousness and inspiration.

So with that, another one from the archives, here’s Haily and Sean’s colorful day at The Union at Railside!
They added personal touches to everything, which I love, and the team at Alder Hair studio killed it as they always do. It was a great day.

From the archive: Casie and Matt - Blue Dress Barn wedding

The crazy thing about wedding season is it’s just that: a little crazy. There’s a lot of photographing, backing up files, editing, answering emails, and delivering galleries.

I love it. I definitely feed off the momentum, but it means that I prioritize doing the immediate tasks, and have to decide what can wait until a little later. Blogging has become the thing that I know will still be there, and because of that, I haven’t yet gotten to share some of my favorite weddings, portraits, and couple’s sessions even dating back a year or two!
Well, the time has come, and I’m excited to start rolling out a little bit of past work from the archives that still deserves it’s spot on the website, starting with Casie and Matt’s gorgeous Blue Dress Barn wedding from 2021 in Benton Harbor, MI.

Enjoy the summer vibes and the lovebirds being gorgeous.

Britt and Zach - Blodgett Wedding Barn wedding photos

Zach and Britt are genuinely some of the best people you will ever meet in your life. They love their friends and family so big, and deserved the best of wedding days, which thankfully, they absolutely got.

They had all the perfect midwest touches, like microbrewery growlers to hold the floral centerpieces, classic cornhole boards (“Bags” for those who like controversy), and a “Flower Bro” with a fanny pack who took his job very seriously. Britt did the cutest thing for the bridesmaids preparation outfits, and made it into a Goodwill challenge. Each girl was given a small, specific budget, and had to grab whatever they wanted to wear during hair and makeup within a few minutes of being in the thrift store. This resulted in some pretty fire looks, and no two will ever be the same.

They opted for a touching first look, which gave them a ton of time to just focus on partying with their favorite people into the reception.
I wish you both the most happiness for all of the years, I’m so glad I got to be a part of your day!

Whitley and Chris - Ludington wedding portraits

Whitley and Chris had the coolest idea for wedding portraits.
Rather than choosing between either:
1. Taking a ton of time out of their wedding day to have photos done away from guests

or

2. Missing their golden hour beach portraits

They decided to get all dolled up a few days before, and head to a few of their favorite spots around Ludington (With us playing paparazzi of course). Often wedding vendors will do hair and makeup trials to make sure you’re super happy with the look before the wedding day, and this can seriously be the perfect opportunity to document the fabulousness.
The past year has really shone a light on cool couples that want to do their own thing and choose their own priorities on their big day, and these two are no exception.

Congrats beautiful people!

Best of 2020 wedding photos

Oh 2020, what can I say about you that hasn’t been said already?

There is no doubt that one year ago, none of us had predicted what we would be put through, but sitting here on New Years Eve, waiting to wave goodbye to 2020 with only the middle finger on each hand, I am truly humbled at all the wonderful moments this year also contained.

I wanted to share some of my personal favorites of the 2020 wedding season. Some of these photos represent what the year was, some show my progression as a photographer wanting to take more unique and risky portraits, and some just show the amount of love that continued to show itself through a historically challenging time.

I grew in a lot of ways this year, and I thank you all for growing with me.

Here’s to you beautiful people making the most of it, Happy New Year.

Kayla and Noah - Ypsilanti backyard elopement

Kayla and Noah’s June elopement was one of the first weddings we documented after the stay at home order was lifted, and it was a small and sweet backyard wedding with the perfect amount of golden hour light.
When they had to shift from a traditional wedding setup, Kayla and her support crew were able to repurpose the centerpieces for a dope geometric ceremony backdrop while keeping all the special details they had woven through their day:

- Game references everywhere, including the vows.

- The cutest ring bearer, Nikko.

- Enough “Painkiller” cocktail to dull even the year 2020.

Congrats you two, I hope you always stay your unique and wonderful selves!

Shauna and Conway - Clifford Lake Inn elopement photography

Shauna and Conway are super sweet people who had their original wedding plans fall through due to Covid, so when Lindsay from Something to Remember Event Planning reached out to me on Instagram about documenting their elopement in Stanton, I was pretty thrilled I had their new date available.
We customized a short and sweet package for them, and Lindsay absolutely killed everything on the planning side (Which is no small challenge this year).

This elopement has everything from a tear-jerking first look with dad to a scenic lakeside ceremony. All the best things.

Congratulations lovely people!

Brittnay and Brandon - Michigan rose garden elopement

Brittnay and Brandon have been champions of the year 2020. Their wedding, which was first scheduled for late March, was then downsized to an April elopement, and then rescheduled for later in the year yet again, only to be told that wasn’t possible either.
No matter what life has thrown at them over the past few months, they have been rocks for each other, and completely unwavering in the goal that all they want is to spend the rest of their lives with one another.

When they told me they were finally making it happen, I was completely overjoyed to still be there to document their love!
They gathered close family and friends for a stunning (and safe) elopement ceremony in the middle of a Lansing, MI rose garden, and it was well deserved.

Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Kyles. The party will be so worth the wait!

.

Stacey and Bill - Kalamazoo social distance wedding

Stacey and Bill were originally planning an April 25th 2020 wedding, so we all know what that means at this point…

They re-arranged the whole thing like rockstars.

Their full audience was replaced by a small group of friends and family, and the wedding day outfits now had masks included. While on our Zoom video call consultation (the most 2020 phrase ever I think) I asked if they wanted us to try and avoid shooting any of the specific Covid details, which they laughed off and said “Nope, this is how our wedding day is happening, document all of it!”.

I love their mindset, their kind hearts, and their beautiful day.

Congratulations Stacey and Bill, I hope your lives are always full of happiness and puppy adventures!

Allison and Josh - Holland Michigan intimate wedding

Allison and Josh are definitely a 2020 superhero couple. As the year progressed, and it became obvious that their original wedding day may have some alterations, they never once doubted if they still wanted to be married asap. Regardless of what the celebration looked like, they were going to make this happen on the day they had planned.
Allison’s family remembered plenty of times as the wedding day got closer that they would receive a phone call with her on the other end saying “Okay, new plan!”, and I have to say genuinely that the new plan was absolutely perfect.
They invited immediate family and closest friends, kept everything in the open air as much as possible, and had all the time in the world to document their wedding day portraits in all of their favorite spots around the property. The cutest airbnb ever served as the ideal intimate celebration spot, and you felt like you had to be deep in nature with the amount of trees and peaceful solitude the location provided.
No matter how many adjustments to their expectations, Josh and Allison are now married people, and I can’t wait to see them all again for the big party a little bit down the road.

Congratulations lovely people!

Chelsea and Nick - Intimate Kalamazoo wedding ceremony

When Chelsea reached out to me in July, I could tell immediately this wasn’t an average wedding inquiry. Her wedding celebration was scheduled for a date in September when I was sadly not available, so when I got her message asking about July availability, I knew there was a very good reason for it.

Her dad was very close to losing his battle with stage four cancer. He was slipping a little more each day, and they knew the likelihood of still having him with them in September was almost completely none. Rather than feel sorry for themselves or moving dates, Chelsea and Nick decided to have a private ceremony in her grandmother’s home so that her father could experience the joy of giving her away.
I was so honored to be asked to document such an important event for them, and at the time I had no idea just how much it was going to affect me.

There was an unmistakable energy in the house when I arrived, preparations just like any other wedding ceremony, Chelsea wore her dress, and Nick his suit. They went through the motions of their Irish knot ceremony, Nick completely unable to take his eyes off his future bride the entire time.
Chelsea had chosen the absolute perfect song for her first dance with her dad: “Daddy” by Abby Anderson. At this point, it wasn’t possible for her dad to stand comfortably for the entirety of the song, so Chelsea got down on her knees and held him close for their dance. The lyrics perfectly communicated all the words no one could find, and there was genuinely not a dry eye in the room, mine included.

This day was gorgeous, and perfect. It had so much joy, and also such a weight on the little time we have with those we love. Chelsea’s father passed away eleven days before their wedding celebration. This day truly made me reevaluate the importance of photos, and documenting memories. We often take for granted the opportunity to capture and hold a moment, always thinking there will be another one down the road, but the truth is you never really know.

Hold the ones you love.
Take lots of pictures.
Tell people you love them.

Gillian and Stephen - Dayton Ohio wedding photos

There’s so much that was special about Gillian and Stephen’s wedding that I’m not even sure where to start.

First of all, Gillian is mad talented, and so many of their wedding details was hand made by her. I’m not just talking centerpieces here, she made her silk gown (With pockets!), hand knit her veil, and even baked their wedding cake from scratch from her grandmother’s recipe.

Second, these two are so in love and perfect for each other, it was truly moving. They didn’t bother with a formal first look as Stephen was such a help through the dress making process that he had already seen it, but was still blown away by her. We did all of their portraits before the ceremony in the gorgeously low November afternoon sun, and I could’ve easily shot with them for hours.
Their wedding parties were also the sweetest. Nick, the best creative partner and second shooter around, made a cameo in the groomsman portraits at the demand of everyone else in them, and it’s still one of my favorite group shots ever.
The ceremony and reception were nothing but friends and family having an amazing time together and complete laughter from everyone there, and the dance floor constantly showed the swing dancing portion of Stephen and Gillian’s history.
Now, one of my favorite moments.
Gillian and Stephen were so thorough in making sure all their guests were taken care of and had champagne for the toast, that they forgot their own. Thankfully, someone had gifted them a bottle of whiskey, and so they toasted with full champagne flutes of the good stuff.
The whole day was an amazing time, and the best way to finish off the 2019 season. I will 100% be a destination wedding photographer any day.

I adore you sweet people, congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Bloomingdale!

Melanie and Mike - Downtown Kalamazoo wedding photos

I’ve known Mike for years, and I can say with certainty that there is not a better person in this world for him than Melanie.
She’s a real-life Disney princess, and brightens up every room she walks into. Mike is confident and fiercely loyal to the people he holds dear. Through the months leading up to the wedding, every time I received a message from Mel about a new detail or photo request, I grew even more excited to be there documenting their day.
The ceremony took place at the First United Methodist Church of Kalamazoo (excuse me, stained glass like this should be illegal) and the look on Mike’s face when he saw his bride was making it hard for anyone to not lose it.
They took the cutest trolley to The Fountains banquet center to start the party to end all parties. Their wedding included the most unique garter toss of all time, and I dare anyone to top a surprise lightsaber fight.

Melanie and Mike, you are incredible people, and I hope your future together is as magical as every Disneyworld vacation you will take.
Congratulations!

Jayna and Brandon - Bay Pointe Inn wedding photos

Jayna and Brandon’s wedding was a super special day, and came exactly when I needed it to.
Not only is Jayna a gorgeous bride, but she's an incredible human.
Theirs was the first wedding we had in November, which means all the craziness of October portrait sessions and edits was coming to a close, and the amount of sleep I was averaging was a whole lot of not much. Jayna was like hitting a creativity reset button.
From the first moment we arrived, she was asking what we need, and telling us how much she trusted us to do what we need to make the photos amazing. She was telling all her friends and family about how she chose me, and how passionate I am about my work. She made me so excited to shoot her wedding, and get incredible photos for them, and I genuinely fell in love with the work all over again because of her.

The weather on their wedding day was pretty similar to their engagement session (The parking garage rain photos that are still to this day some of my favorites) so I knew this would be the right group of people to embrace it, and not shy away from a little rain, hail, snow, and wind. Literally all of those within just a few hours, and not a single complaint out of any of the wedding party, once again resulting in some of my favorite photos.

A few things I learned that day:
1. Brandon and Jayna are not afraid of showing emotion, and I am so about it.
2. Always check to see how many Fireball shots are being taken at a reception before you offer to pay for it (Thankful to learn this one second hand haha).
3. A military wedding isn’t a military wedding until there is a pushup competition.

Mr and Mrs Miller, you two are so good for each other. You bring so much joy and encouragement to those around you, and I wish you nothing but years of happiness!

Abby and Shane - Kalamazoo Loft 310 wedding photos

There is a lot that was special about Abby and Shane’s wedding.
They initially planned the ceremony to take place at the Skydeck above their reception venue in downtown Kalamazoo, but when the weather had other plans, the Entertainment District came through with a stunning plan B: What I’m pretty sure is THE most beautiful minimalist chapel of all time. These two took it all in stride, and were genuinely just happy to be marrying each other.
Additionally, Abby is the queen of rentals, and I mean that in the best way possible. She had on a stunning Rent the Runway dress for their engagement photos, and all the flowers at the wedding were created by Events by I Candy, and loaned out for the occasion. I seriously had no idea they weren’t real until I picked them up, I am still kind of floored at how perfect they were!
Also.
I am not even ashamed to say that I cried on their wedding day, and here’s why.
Abby had helped to care for Holly, an incredibly sweet girl with downs syndrome, and became very close to her family. She knew Holly may never get a wedding day of her own to cherish, so she decided to share her day with Holly and her father so that they could walk down the aisle and have their first dance together. The amount of love and selflessness that Abby and Shane have for other people is moving in so many ways, and I hope to make even a fraction of the difference that they make in the lives of those around them.

Abby and Shane, it was an honor to get to know you and your story. I’m so excited for all the memories you’ll create together through the years, congratulations again!

Kristin and Will - Downtown Kalamazoo wedding photos

I’m going to be perfectly clear and just start out by saying Kristin and Will are badasses.
They met in the military and are no strangers to hard work and commitment. Their hobbies, interests, and goals all compliment each other so well, and the amount of fun I had on their unseasonably cold engagement session day told me the wedding was going to be incredible.
The ceremony took place at St. Lukes in downtown Kalamazoo, and we had a stunning October day for two people to promise their lives to each other.
Kristin is one of the few people who I truly think rivals my obsession with dogs, so their puppers obviously had to make an appearance in the wedding photos post-ceremony (dressed to the nines in appropriate wedding fashion). We then took a break from the wedding party to walk around downtown and adventure over to the reception venue.
I’ll be perfectly clear about something else real quick: there is nothing I don’t love about Loft 310. Their staff is lovely, the amount of white everywhere makes lighting so flattering, and their dance setup truly reflects the party that was Mr. and Mrs. James. The dancing started and didn’t stop, and I was in heaven for all of it.

Congratulations Kristin and Will, you two are made for each other!

Rachel and Dustin - Big Rapids farm wedding photos

Rachel and Dustin are down-to-earth people with huge hearts. She contacted me about being their wedding photographer before they were even engaged (He asked not long afterwards, and it was an easy yes from her) and I was beyond honored to get to know them so much through this process!
It didn’t take long to see that they are such a good fit for each other. They both have great senses of humor, and never take themselves too seriously. They were good friends that became the best of friends, and everyone who knows them can see it was meant to be.

The wedding took place on the property of some of their dear friends, and it was completely stunning any direction you look. I had the opportunity to see the farm at their engagement session, and I had been looking forward to their day even more so ever since!
Their wedding included everything from an emotional first look with Rachel’s dad, a hayride through their hometown, and a cake cutting with Dustin’s pocket knife (you do what you have to do!). Dustin’s vintage truck made it into some of our last portraits of the night, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Congratulations you beautiful people, thanks so much for letting me be a part of it all!

Natalie and Libby - Michigan backyard wedding photos

I don’t even know where to start with Natalie and Libby.
On our engagement adventure last year, their humor and taste went so well with my own, that we just naturally kept in touch through the planning process. They have shown me nothing but genuine care and friendship, and that’s how they affect those around them.

Their wedding day was one of my favorites. I adore shooting small, intimate weddings and it’s even more of a bonus when the location means so much to the couple. The ceremony took place on the property belonging to Natalie’s dad, where she grew up and made memories. They did a first look (there were definitely tears) and left such a good amount of time for portraits that I fell in love with too many not to edit an actual ton.

Natalie and Libby, I hope you have an amazing life and many more cats together! You deserve all the best, and I was so thrilled to be part of your day.

Amanda and Mark - The Treasury wedding photos

These two people are pretty special.
I first met Amanda as I shot her sister Kristi’s wedding, and I could already see how thoughtful and caring she was to everyone around her. Mark compliments her perfectly with an equally big heart, and adoring eyes that he never seems to take off Amanda.
Their wedding day was filled with personal details, from the paper flowers that Kristi hand made, to Amanda’s wedding dress that was originally worn by her mother and customized to be the dream gown that she rocked with a pair of Converse all day.
The venue itself was insane. The Treasury in Pontiac Michigan was once a bank, with an incredibly designed ceiling, grand windows all along the mezzanine (where we did their emotional first look)and a retired vault that the super accommodating staff let us take photos in. By far one of the most unique spots I’ve had the pleasure to shoot in, it was incredible.

I genuinely feel like these two are more than a couple who’s day I documented, but they’re amazing people who I am honored to call friends.

Congratulations Amanda and Mark!