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!

Michelle and Drew - Traverse City winery tour engagement photos

As long as I’ve known Michelle and Drew, they’ve been one of the most effortlessly cool couples. Always down to explore, show their family and friends a good time, and find new passions together.
For us as photographers,a huge goal whenever we shoot an engagement session is to incorporate special details or locations that help tell a couple’s story. When they talked about Traverse City and the Suttons Bay area and all the memories they hold, it was such an obvious choice for the engagement session. I am also a huge fan of Northern Michigan, and will look for literally any excuse to venture up that way. These two hold wine memberships at more Michigan wineries than I think most people do in a lifetime, so we started with two of their favorites (Blustone Vineyards and Black Star Farms) before finishing up in the winter igloos of Hop Lot Brewing Company.

Will shoot Traverse City engagement photos any day.

Congratulations Drew and Michelle, your 2020 wedding will be the party everyone talks about and you deserve all the happiness you bring each other!

Kerrie and Robert - Greystone Golf Club wedding photos

From the moment I met Kerrie and Robert at their Ludington engagement session earlier this year, I could tell two things:
1. They love their dogs so much (same, I also love their dogs).

2. Their wedding was going to be an incredible day.

Both of these proved to be completely true. They had personalized details all over their wedding day, from the “Meeple” cufflinks that Robert made his groomsmen, to the cutest and ring bearer ever (You could call him a gold retriever) to the stunning floral headpiece Kerrie’s sister made for her, and the beloved classic car her dad prepared to be the perfect transportation for the day. Every detail was so thought out and special.
The weather for an outdoor Greystone Golf Club ceremony was about as beautiful as any day this year, blue skies as far as you could see, and ideal conditions for golden hour portraits right on the golf course.
The party went on late into the night fueled by reception pizza, a s’mores bar, and a cowboy hat that I think graced the head of every single person on the dance floor.

Congratulations Kerrie and Robert, I hope you always smile like you did that day!

Breanna and Robbie - Dark Horse Brewing Co. wedding photos

I first met Breanna and Robbie at a brewery (which is always a good sign) and I could tell immediately that they were my kind of people. Our meeting was probably 50% actually talking about the wedding and 50% discussing shared interests of beer brewing, their amazing early dates at the zoo, and other completely unrelated topics. It was wonderful.
They decided on Dark Horse Brewing Co. as their venue, and that is still easily one of my all time favorites. The setting, the staff, and of course the beer, all make for a fantastic day all around. Wanting to keep their wedding carefree and simple, they chose a relatively short amount of photography coverage, and I was completely in awe of what we got to capture in that amount of time.
Breanna, I have no doubt that Robbie will always look at you the way he did when you first walked down the aisle.
Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. O’Neill!

McKenzie and Brandon - Chicago engagement photos

McKenzie and Brandon moved to Chicago and immediately felt right at home. They embraced both the urban environment and natural parks near their home, and knew they wanted to incorporate the windy city, as well as their furbaby Theo, into their engagement photos. When our first engagement shoot day got rained out (One of the many reasons I trust weather predictions about as much as I trust a 5 year old who tells me my hair looks fine), we picked an early July date and watched the forecast like a hawk. The day finally arrived, and there was hardly a cloud in the sky!
The two of them had one request though: They wanted the essence of Chicago as a resident would see it, not a tourist. Rather than showing attractions or main streets full of people, we walked around their neighborhood and adventured into the Wrigleyville area, looking for great textures and settings. They were up for anything, and we had an incredible time documenting that.

Congratulations McKenzie and Brandon!

Amanda and Mark - Kalamazoo Sweetwater's Donut Mill engagement photos

When I first started talking engagement photo ideas with Amanda and Mark, she had one simple request: Her donut obsession needed to be represented. Obviously, Kalamazoo engagement photos meant Sweetwater’s was the clear option, and now I’m looking for any excuse to work delicious donuts into photo shoots!
These two are so unique and talented, and I have complete confidence their wedding is going to be a perfect reflection of who they are.

Congratulations you lovely people, I can’t wait to celebrate your marriage!

Favorites of 2018 - Kalamazoo wedding photographer

What a fantastic year 2018 has been!

Some really special people promised forever to one another. The more I got to know many of them, the more it felt like was photographing an old friend’s wedding, and I was celebrating their love right along with the guests. I’ve been so honored to have been trusted with some of the most important photos of these wonderful people lives, and I wouldn’t trade that for anything. Here are a few favorites from the 2018 season that have always made me smile when I come across them.
Thanks for being part of my year, I can’t wait to see what 2019 brings!