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!

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.

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!

Olivia and Tom - Kalamazoo Kik pool engagement photos

Olivia and Tom are incredibly special people. I had been following Olivia on Instagram for a while, and was such a fan of her creativity and artistic mindset. When she reached out to me, and we started talking engagement photo details, I was completely over the moon when she suggested Kalamazoo’s Kik pool as one of their locations. I had my eye on it for weeks, and was just dying for the perfect couple to shoot there, and oh my goodness were they ever the perfect couple!
I could not think of a more ideal person for Olivia than Tom. He matches her energy, her creativity, and her joy for life. When I asked Tom when he knew he wanted to marry her, he said he couldn’t put his finger on a specific day or moment, but it was the years of becoming who they are together, and building their life. Knowing when you don’t want to spend the rest of your life without your person is such a crazy wonderful thing, and that is exactly what they found.
The engagement shoot was full of so many laughs, dance-offs, and all the color your heart could want. Congratulations Tom and Olivia, I can’t wait to see the dance moves on your wedding day!

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!

Rachel and Dustin - Big Rapids engagement photos

Rachel and Dustin have some of the biggest hearts out of anyone I’ve met. They’re kind, genuine and put others before themselves, and it’s such a beautiful thing to see.
Rachel wanted to show me the venue where they’ll be getting married this September as one of the engagement photo locations at golden hour (Probably the most beautiful farm of all time), but there was still the first location to figure out. When she asked Dustin what he wanted in engagement photos, he said “cold beer”. Not wanting to disappoint, cold beer was exactly our first location! We met up at Raven Brewing and BBQ in Big Rapids, and I was so thrilled that we did. Not only did it set the mood so perfectly, but it also made for a laid back and effortless engagement session afterwards.
I had so much fun with these beautiful humans, and I can’t wait for the wedding day!

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!

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!

Kelsey and Billy - Weko beach maternity photos

This is the third time Billy and Kelsey have appeared on the blog, and I really can’t get enough of them. From their golden hour engagement, to their elegant and perfect rainy wedding, and now to the next step in their lives together: starting a family!
It would be hard to find people who take as much joy in each other as these two. Their little boy is already so loved, and will have some really amazing parents.
Congratulations Billy and Kelsey, I couldn’t be happier for you!

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!

Kerrie and Robert - Ludington engagement photos

If you’ve been around me for longer than five minutes, you may know that I’m mildly obsessed with dogs. When Kerrie and Robert pulled up to our decided engagement photo location with probably the most precious pup of all time, I knew it was going to be a good day. (Spoiler alert: he’s also the ring bearer at their wedding, giving a new meaning to “golden retriever”)
Robert’s family has been making memories in Ludington Michigan every summer for generations, so it was a no-brainer where they wanted to document the next step in their lives together. These two have infectious smiles, big hearts, and great taste in dogs.
Congratulations Kerrie and Robert, I’m so excited to document your wedding in August!

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.

Jayna and Brandon - Downtown Kalamazoo engagement photos

Jayna and Brandon’s engagement session was scheduled on a day with the oddest weather I’ve seen (maybe ever). Checking the forecast the morning of, predictions kept flipping from cloudy, to sun, to thunderstorms and I wasn’t quite sure what we were going to end up with.
I called Jayna to see if she wanted to try for a nicer day, and to my surprise they were completely ready for engagement photos no matter what! I couldn’t have been more thrilled with the results. We chose a spot downtown Kalamazoo where we could jump inside for a second if the conditions did get well and truly crazy, and it just so happened to also have awesome texture and leading lines for days.

The rain stopped and started FIVE TIMES as we were shooting, and they didn’t flinch once. At one point, I looked over and saw that the sun came out as it was still pouring, so I asked them “Hey, what if you went and danced in the rain?” and with no hesitation, they embraced every bit of it.
They are both easygoing, wonderful, and so perfect for eachother.
Congratulations Jayna and Brandon! I can’t wait for your November wedding.

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!

Emma and Bryant - Kalamazoo Al Sabo engagement (featuring Bell's Wedding Ale)

These two are beautiful and unique individuals. They are full of joy and adventure, and they have built the sweetest life together. Emma contacted me about their Bell’s Brewery wedding a few months back, and I was over the moon (Not only are brewery weddings pretty much my favorite, but Bell’s is an incredible venue. Come on). We started talking engagement ideas, and Emma and Bryant’s adventurous nature led us to Al Sabo preserve as our location.

Just a few short weeks before the engagement session, Bell’s releases their wedding ale: an Imperial Wheat Ale brewed with honey, coriander and orange peel, sure to make any wedding day a party. Between the name, the venue and the description, clearly we needed to incorporate it into their engagement session.
After a weather reschedule (Thanks Michigan false spring), we ended up shooting on the absolutely perfect golden afternoon in May. I could not have asked for nicer conditions, or more pleasant people to share them with.

Congratulations Emma and Bryant, I’m so glad I get to celebrate with you next year!

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.

Kristin and Will - Downtown Grand Rapids engagement photos

The day before Kristin and Will’s engagement session was mid sixties and sunny, great photo weather you might think! The day of our shoot comes around and the springtime air was replaced with low forties and enough wind to ruin just about any mood. You would never know it to look at these two. They took the whole thing in stride, laughing through the entire session, and joyfully pointing out every dog we saw along the way (I care deeply about that, Kristin gets me).
We wandered around ta few of the great locations downtown Grand Rapids has to offer, and then finished up with a pint at City Built Brewing. Honestly, it was perfect.

Congratulations Kristin and Will! Your October wedding is going to be magnificent.