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!

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!

Deziree and Mike - The Barn at Monterey Valley wedding photos

When I first arrived on Deziree and Mike’s wedding day, I was immediately floored at how stunning the venue was. Like, any direction you point a camera has nature, rustic charm, or a beautiful detail. Turns out it only got better! Their wedding party was full of supportive people who adore them, and Deziree and Mike were completely deserving of all the beauty that surrounded them. They care for each other, aren’t afraid to show their feelings, and have built such a great example for their family of what it is to be loved.

Through all the festivities, the Barn at Monterey Valley staff were so sweet and helpful, and genuinely added so much to the wedding day (For real, I will shoot here again any day).
The evening included a s’mores pit, sundae bar, the most intense cake cutting I have ever witnessed, and the first piggyback sparkler entrance in my eight years of documenting weddings.
It was a great time.

Congratulations Mr and Mrs Double!

Tammy and Paula - Sherman Lake Outdoor Center wedding photos

What can I even say about Tammy and Paula that could possibly do them justice? You can’t help but love them when you first meet, they are both such bright, beautiful l influences on your day, and you can tell their hearts of gold touch everyone they come in contact with. They balance each other perfectly, Tammy is steady and organized to Paula’s enthusiastic and spur-of-the-moment additude. They support and love each other, and it’s genuinely an inspiration.
Their wedding day took place at the stunning Sherman Lake Outdoor Center. Their first look took place at the lakeside fire pit, and ceremony at the outdoor chapel. I absolutely love first looks. We were able to get most of the important photos out of the way beforehand, and you could not beat Paula’s reaction as Tammy walked towards her down the aisle. You could see so much genuine joy in all the faces of the guests for these beautiful humans, and we were honored to be a part of it.

Congratulations Tammy and Paula, you have so many happy years ahead of you!

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!

Simone and Keith - Kalamazoo Bell's Brewery wedding

Simone and Keith are the perfect example of making your wedding day your own. Simone is a rabbi and has seen her share of weddings, so they took the pieces of a traditional wedding that really meant something to them, and customized everything else. Instead of having a wedding party, they included close friends and family in the wedding ceremony readings. Instead of floral centerpieces, they placed non-perishable food items on the tables to be donated to a food pantry afterwards. They took themes of both family backgrounds, as well as their own interests (her bouquet was made from pages of Harry Potter books!) and incorporated them wherever they could.
Their ceremony was so full of laughter, and the reception was full of loving people who were ready to dance.
Simone and Keith, I hope you always have this much joy in your life, congratulations!

Maddie and Connor - Kalamazoo Bell's Brewery wedding

Maddie and Connor had so many special details woven through their day that really personalized their wedding in a wonderful way.
Their venues of St. Thomas More and Bell’s Brewery traced back their Kalamazoo roots (and by the way, that church is completely stunning). Maddie wore her mom’s veil, and wrapped her bouquet with a piece from her grandmother’s dress. Every detail was gorgeous, and we were in heaven documenting it.
Their midday portraits took place in the beer garden under direct overhead sun. That can typically be pretty challenging to make sure everyone is in consistent lighting, but the setting and complimentary lighting we pulled together made these some of my favorite sunny day portraits. Of all time.
These two exceptional people compliment each other so perfectly, and I’m so excited we got to be a part of their day!
Congratulations Maddie and Connor!

Lisa and Randy - Arcadia Brewing Kalamazoo wedding

Lisa and Randy are two beautiful souls who are very much meant to be. After nearly a decade of being together, they promised forever in front of the river at Acracia Brewing Co. (barefoot nonetheless, because it couldn’t have been any other way).
We were blessed by patio dogs, gorgeous weather, some genuinely fabulous house DJ’s and Myrtle the camper van that has been the source of so many adventures. And of course, no Kalamazoo brewery wedding would be complete without an appearance of the train during the first dance. It was iconic, and perfect.

Congratulations Lisa and Randy, I’m so excited for this next chapter for you both!

Hannah and Zach - Kalamazoo Bell's Brewery wedding

Hannah and Zach are the perfect example of doing a wedding their own way, and absolutely rocking at it. They wrote their own vows to each other promising the things that really mattered to them, they opted out of a formal wedding part in favor of photos with all their family and friends, and decided that for portraits they wanted to adventure around downtown Kalamazoo to capture the city they fell in love with together.
Also, Bell’s Brewery is easily one of my top wedding venues of all time. Everything about the day was a dream to photograph, especially Hannah and Zach.

Congratulations you two, I hope your life together is every bit as beautiful as your wedding day!

Eryn and Al - Michigan backyard wedding

Eryn and Al are genuine people who are absolutely meant for eachother. Our first meeting lasted almost three hours just because I was having such an amazing time with them, and the engagement session followed right along with that.
Their wedding took place on the property of Eryn’s sister (I’m in love with backyard weddings always), and was full of the people who love and support the two of them and this next step for them. Some of the other highlights include: amazingly personalized vows, sunset portrait sneak away, a high-five receiving line, and possibly the most enthusiastic chicken dance of all time.
Congratulations you two, it was such an honor to celebrate your life together!

Janel and Ben - WMU Heritage Hall wedding

Getting to know Janel and Ben has been an extreme pleasure. They’re both incredibly unique, but fit together perfectly. Janel planned their Heritage Hall wedding (or East Hall for you WMU OGs) with an art deco theme, stunning details, and live plants everywhere. Janel’s own father officiated the ceremony, and there was barely a dry eye in the whole place. Their day was not only beautiful, but a completely pleasant day to celebrate from start to finish! Everyone from her planner, to friends and family came together to make sure it was as smooth and amazing as any wedding I’ve been to in my 8 years of shooting. Even with rain looming during portraits, they took it completely in stride, and embraced the weather for show-stopping portraits.
Congratulations you phenomenal people! I am so honored to know you, and I can’t wait to see what your future together holds.

Becky and Tom - Kentucky derby wedding at the Amway Grand Plaza

Nick and I got to know Becky and Tom pretty well over the course of their wedding plans, and their day was special to us in so many ways. When the two of them chose the day of the Kentucky Derby for their wedding, they decided to completely embract the theme: roses everywhere, the best hat game I have ever seen, and even asked guests to dress in their best derby day wear. Well, their friends and family rose to the occasion, and every direction I pointed a camera was an amazing detail or a themed look. They even aired the race during cocktail hour with the table numbers correlating to the horse you should be cheering for.
The first look took place at the Kent Country Club, the ceremony in one of the many stunning ballrooms at the Amway, and the champagne toast on top of the helipad of the JW Marriott (I mean, seriously, who gets to do that??). But even with a complete fairy tale of a day coming together in every way right down to the weather, the most memorable part of the wedding has to be is the couple. Becky spent her time in preparations complimenting everyone around her, telling others how beautiful they looked, and making sure everyone was taken care of. Tom was in no way afraid of showing his emotions, and how thrilled he was to promise forever to his best friend. These are two exceptional people, and they deserve every ounce of happiness.

Congratulations Mr and Mrs Jones!

Stephanie and Ryan - Three Rivers engagement photos

Winter is here, and soon the blog will be filling up with snowy engagement sessions. I live for getting to know people while shooting, and I’m so looking forward to the next two months of doing just that!
In the meantime, I want to share with you a throwback to one of my favorite engagement sessions from before I was any good at consistently updating the blog: Stephanie and Ryan.
Stephanie is energetic, adventurous, and sweet. Ryan is equally energetic, thoughtful, and would literally do anything for Stephanie. Oh my goodness, I could tell from the first meeting with them that the attitude of mutual love and respect they had for one another would set them up for so much happiness for years to come.
Their wedding day was no exception. It was full of the sweetest first look, loads of laughter, and even fireworks (Check it out here)
I will forever adore these people.

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!

Mr and Mrs Price - Dark Horse Bewing Co wedding

What can I even say about Greg and Kristi? The minute you meet them you realize they’re exceptional people who are madly in love with each other. Our initial wedding consultation took place over craft beer, their engagement session fell on national beer day, and of course their wedding itself took place at one of my favorite breweries in Michigan. By the time the day was over, I felt like I had known them for years. I adore these people.
Chilly October temperatures made for some excellent reception blanket dancing (Best favor ever for outdoor fall weddings by the way) and the whole thing was laid back and beautiful, just like Greg and Kristi.

Congratulations you two! Looks like the Price was right.

Mr and Mrs Roberts - Southern Exposure wedding

When we shot Billy and Kelsey’s engagement session earlier this year, I could tell they had an adventurous side. They’re the type of people that aren’t quick to let anything get them down because being together is what really matters. I absolutely love that about them, so when the forecast leading up to their wedding day called for nothing but straight rain, I wasn’t worried. The umbrellas were packed and the energy was high.
Well, this is Michigan, and the entire day’s prediction was changing hour by hour. The ceremony was moved indoors to be safe at the last minute, but we had a few dry skies here and there that we absolutely took advantage of! Kelsey didn’t stop smiling the entire day, and the whole wedding party was 100% down to grab umbrellas and adventure outside for photos. I’m so so happy with the results, it just goes to show there’s nothing to fear about a little rain on your wedding day.

Congratulations Mr and Mrs Roberts!

Mr and Mrs Harrington - Intimate backyard wedding

Felicia and Josh are very much in love with each other, and that was obvious the entire day.
The wedding took place on her parent’s property where Felicia grew up, and it was an unbelievably perfect venue to host the most important day of their lives.
It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of backyard weddings, I just love to see a couple share the day with the people who are the most important to them, and these two did exactly that!

Congratulations Mr and Mrs Harrington, I’m so happy for you and what the future holds!

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!