Bali

Bali Indonesia has been on David’s and my collective bucket list as long as we’ve been dating. With about 33+ hours of airport lines and plane seats (everyone’s favorite, right?) before even arriving, it was always a little hard to find the time we were able to dedicate to the travel alone. When considering options for our honeymoon, it was the obvious choice.
Our typical travel style is adventurous and gritty, spending very little time in our lodging, and probably ruining at least one pair of shoes on any given trip. This one was a little different, and it was perfect. We rented a villa near Singaraja for the first 5 days, and the thing had everything we could have possibly wanted from a private infinity pool, to open air dining (open air everything if I’m being honest) with an insane view of the sunset. We took our time on this trip, enjoying each other’s company, the space we were in, and the local area without worrying about how much we could fit in or how many photos I should take. We had amazing food, swam in banyumala falls, and visited a coffee plantation complete with tasting.
The last few days, we ventured south to Seminyak, enjoyed yet another awesome villa, the city life, and the Bali Sea. I wore next to no makeup the entire time, and loved every minute of it.

Things you should know about going to Bali:
- The roads are insane. Most are actually paved better than Michigan roadways, but with curves, three or four abreast scooters, and narrow lanes, we were beyond grateful that our driver knew what he was doing, and we didn’t have to.

- The food is excellent, and you should definitely go for spots off the beaten path. David’s favorite dish was nasi goreng, a fried rice dish. Mine was definitely cap cay, which is a soup filled like heck with amazing fresh vegetables. Order with satay for sure.

- It’s okay to be where the tourists are, but feel free to explore some of the lesser known areas. Our one wish was that we had more time to seek out the less popular waterfalls and views, there is so much to see!

After the hecticness of the summer, and all the work that never seems to seem less than urgent, it was an incredible time and I got to spend it all with my favorite person, and my lifetime adventure buddy.

Until next time Indonesia, thanks for the memories.

Jessica and Scott - Leila Arboretum family photos

Jessica contacted me months ago to schedule this session, and I was immediately thrilled. Not only does she have a beautiful family, but she is also a fellow photographer with stunning work! (Check it out here) It was such an honor to hang out with them and document all their love for each other. We even managed to snag a few of those elusive Michigan April blooms. It was everything.

Mr and Mrs Kammer - Bowens Mills wedding

Brandon and Kati’s wedding day was a roller coaster of wonderful emotions, and not even one unexpected event could take any of the joy away.

As soon as we arrived, the rain poured absolute buckets with no sign of stopping. I’m talking torrential downpour the likes of which we hadn’t seen all year. Everyone had agreed the outdoor ceremony would be moved inside to the reception hall, and preparations went on as normal with Kati keeping her calm like a boss. She laughed with all her bridesmaids as though the monsoon outside didn’t exist.
It’s almost as though she knew something we didn’t, because as soon as the preparations ended and I was about to move the portraits to plan B, the rain stopped with only a light cloud cover remaining. By the end of the ceremony, the sun was out in the most perfect golden portrait light!

The dancing was legendary, and we couldn’t have asked for a more perfect end to the day. Congratulations Mr and Mrs Kammer, you two are perfect for one another!

Mr and Mrs Higgs - The Cheney Place wedding

Kristina and Mike’s wedding is special to me for so many reasons.
Not only is Kristina a massively talented individual who creates gorgeous video, but she’s also one of my best friends. This meant juggling the tasks of bridesmaid as well as photographer, which I was all too thrilled to do!
Mike is also wildly talented (He built Kristina a dream editing computer) and they compliment each other in tons of ways, from their love of music, to their sense of humor right down to the shared dedication to their cats.
We have known these two for years, so when they asked David to be the officiate the wedding, it was an easy yes.

The venue was unbelievable, and that made photographing the day incredibly enjoyable! Details as far as the eye could see, and an awesome second shooter made this one of my favorite albums yet.

Congratulations Mr and Mrs Higgs, we’ll be celebrating your life together for years to come!

Tonya and Rick - South Haven engagement

Tonya and Rick are exactly what I'm talking about when I say the best photos happen when two people are just genuinely interacting with each other. There was so much laughter during the entirety of the engagement session, not to mention the way my heart melted every time I saw the way Rick looked at her. These two are very much in love, and I can't wait to photograph their wedding!

 

Mr and Mrs Ramsay - Asylum lake anniversary photos

These two are some of my favorite people. Bethany is everything that is classy and graceful. On top of having mad style, she is crazy skilled in all things writing and PR, and that doesn't even begin to cover why she's amazing. 
Ben is talented and steady. A phenomenal leader and source of support and, on top of all that, can brew a mean beer.
I had the massive pleasure to shoot their engagement photos, capture their wedding, and now celebrate their anniversary with them the best way I know how: More photos. 
We even went to back to the location where Ben proposed! 

Congratulations on one year married Mr and Mrs Ramsay! Keep being awesome to one another.