Ashley & Jon’s wedding

I’ll never forget at the end of our first meeting when Jon chimed into the conversation Ashley and I were having and congratulated us on becoming friends.  Together, this lovely couple had come up with a clear vision for what they wanted their wedding day to look like and how photography would play into that vision.  From the moment I met Ashley I could tell her style was elegantly classic and she told me that this was what she wanted her wedding to express.  I think the ability for me to connect and to Ashley’s vision gave us the ability to really work smoothly throughout the entire process.  On the day of the wedding I was so excited for this couple because their wedding matched perfectly with the vision they had described to me.

As beautiful as all the details were, none of them could compare with the amount of love that was expressed on their day as well.  Jon captivated the room with his loving speech that thanked his parents who came all the way from Hong Kong, expressed his gratitude to his new in-laws, and his incredible expression of love and commitment to his bride.  The night went on with guests crowding the dance floor and the couple joining right in.

Jon and Ashley, I hope your wedding day was a dream-come-true for you and that you feel these photos capture that.  Congratulations!

Ashley's niece was a complete sweetheart the whole day!

Becca & Bill get married

Becca and Bill are the kind of laid back couple you just want to hang out with and get to know.  This made my job so incredibly easy, and fun, on their wedding day.  There was something kind of sweet in the nervousness that they both expressed before the ceremony started, and Bill’s face when he first looked at his bride said everything about how much these two love each other.

I have to say, I loved the cobalt blue and bow theme that Becca brought to almost every part of this wedding.  Everything just seemed so fresh and summery and I was happy to translate that theme into their photos.

I have to thank Julie and Hannah, my lovely sisters and business partners, for doing an awesome job with hair and make-up and making an already gorgeous bride even more gorgeous.

Congratulations Becca and Bill and I hope you had an awesome time in St. Lucia!

Nika & John wedding

Usually when I arrive on someone’s wedding day and ask the bride how she’s feeling, it’s answered with some sort of hope about the day running smoothly.  When I got to Nika’s parents’ house and found her already in her dress, she told me that today felt ‘amazing’.  I don’t believe I have ever met  a happier bride, and her groom wasn’t about to be outdone in that department either.

I love my two sisters, but I have to say that Nika’s sisters were three of the sweetest people I have ever met.  They were incredibly helpful all day and did everything they could to make this day special for their sister.

Nika and John’s Orthodox Christian ceremony was beautiful and filled with stollen glances at each other and huge smiles.  I think one of my favorite photos is of the couple’s sweet moment that was captured just after they walked down the aisle as husband and wife.

This is one of the largest previews I’ve posted and I just couldn’t help myself with all of the sweetness and love oozing out of these photos.

Nika and John, I was privileged to be a part of your day and to learn about beautiful new (to me) traditions.  I wish you both the best and I hope you will always look at each other the way you did on your wedding day!

Amanda & Justin’s wedding

Something new for me at Amanda and Justin’s wedding was not actually meeting them face to face until two days before their big day (or at least I couldn’t remember which couple they were at a wedding show).  I like to go into a wedding having a little bit of insight into who the couple is, what their tastes are, what their relationship is like, and having developed some sort of relationship with them that leaves us both feeling comfortable.  After we went through the church the Thursday before the wedding, I was glad to feel that Amanda and Justin were excited and relieved to be working with me.

By the end of their wedding day, Amanda, Justin, and their wedding party had me laughing harder than I ever have while working.  I was glad to see everyone enjoy themselves all day long and celebrate this awesome couple.  I think one of my favorite parts was when Justin got a great surprise from a large amount of the male guests in attendance.  I’ve been told that at every wedding Justin attends, at some point he breaks out a tuxedo t shirt.  Little did he know that tuxedo t shirts were hiding under the clothes of many of his friends, groomsmen, and even father and father-in-law until they revealed it to him on the dance floor.  Check out Justin’s reaction below, which still makes me laugh every time I see it.

Amanda and Justin, I hope you had a blast in Hawaii and continue to have this much fun your entire marriage!

(A majority of my couples are making me extremely jealous with their awesome island-hopping honeymoons to Hawaii this year.)

 

Rachel & David’s beach wedding

It might be because I made some of the best memories of my childhood there, but I think there is something almost magical about northern Michigan.  Ever since our first meeting, I had been looking forward to Rachel and David’s wedding at the Menonaqua Inn in Harbor Springs, MI and I have to say it didn’t disappoint in any way.  Family and friends filled the Inn the whole weekend and I don’t think anyone could have asked for better weather.  David and Rachel were married on the Inn’s private beach under a beautiful birch awning, followed by a tented reception on the lawn of the Inn overlooking Little Traverse Bay.  Guests enjoyed the live band into the late hours of the night.

 

It was an incredible weekend even for me and of course much more special for Rachel and David.  I enjoyed working barefoot, eating some amazing local food, wonderful scenery, and going to bed in the Inn listening to what was an amazing party.  I kept finding myself thinking, “this is what a wedding should be”.

To David and Rachel, if your first day of marriage is any indication of the future, I know you will have an amazingly loving relationship filled with happiness and lots of fun.  Congratulations again!

Rachel's 9 year old son said he wanted a picture of David holding his mom like they do in cartoons. Love it!

 

Nikki & Shaun’s wedding

There was so much I loved about Nikki and Shaun’s wedding.  Nikki is an art teacher and did such an amazing job hand-making many different parts of her wedding.  She had a fantastic vision and did a wonderful job making it come to life.  I loved at our first meeting that she basically told me to have free reign in the creativity department because she wanted her wedding photos to stand out.  It’s always amazing to have a bride that is up for anything and I really loved all of the locations that Nikki herself picked out for photos.  It was really wonderful to incorporate a lot of downtown Toledo into Nikki and Shaun’s photographs since this is where they both grew up and now have started their own family here.

Nikki and Shaun’s two year old daughter was also a big part of their celebration.  I was told that she just might steal the show, but she did a fantastic job walking down the aisle and actually fell asleep on the altar steps during the ceremony.

Nikki and Shaun, I’m happy you chose me to capture such a personal and wonderful day to celebrate the beginning of you relationship as husband and wife.  I wish so much happiness to your wonderful little family!

Check out little miss Mia totally passed out!

Margaret & Paul

Sometimes I’m taken aback by the fact that I am not only invited to document one of the most intimate and personal days of a couple’s life, but just to even witness that day is an incredibly special thing.  Sure, the flowers, the dress, and the venue are all beautiful, but I am honored to see some breathtakingly beautiful moments occur as well.  When I see family and friends come together to so genuinely and lovingly celebrate the lives of two people joining together, I’m reminded that this is not just another day at work.  It wasn’t one special moment that stood out from Margaret and Paul’s wedding, it was just one day set aside, to commemorate two people in love, and the people who love them.

Margaret and Paul, I had a wonderful time working with you two and I hope you feel I captured just how special your day was!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lisa and Gary’s wedding

Something that I love about each one of my brides is that they all have such different taste.  It makes my job so exciting to see the same event done in so many different ways and executed beautifully each time.  Best of all, the unique details of each wedding express the couple and the lives that are being joined and celebrated at each of these ceremonies.  Gary and Lisa were no exception at their beautiful, vintage-inspired wedding at the stunning Michigan Theater and reception at Weber’s.  These two are one of the sweetest couples I have ever met, and their day was so happily filled with love and support from family and friends.

My wonderful sisters hairstylist Julie Hill and make-up artist Hannah Butler, the other two members of Imagine Three, joined me at this wedding and did an amazing job of bringing to life Lisa’s vision of herself on her wedding day.

Lisa and Gary, I hope you are fully enjoying your time as newlyweds and have a blast on your trip through Europe!

Book Lovers!

 

Caitlyn & Larry are engaged

In the midst of all the rain we’ve had for what seems like forever, we had a rare beautiful day of weather for Caitlyn and Larry’s engagement photos.  We started out at the park down by their apartment which was the setting for Larry’s actual proposal, and then headed over to U of M’s campus for some shots as well.  I had so much fun with these two and I totally cannot wait for their wedding next June.  I mean, who wouldn’t want to work with a couple that were all for hopping in a fountain during their engagement shoot?  I had a hard time picking my favorites, and I hope you enjoy a little peek!

Megan & Nathan get married

Megan and Nathan officially kicked-off the start of my wedding season with their May 7th wedding in Ann Arbor.  They had a beautiful ceremony at First Congregational Church followed by  a sweet and intimate reception at the Gandy Dancer.  After having met them over a year ago and photographing their engagement session, it was wonderful to see them finally enjoy their big day surrounded by family and friends.

A big thanks goes out to Courtney McDonald of Petals Planning Co. for keeping the day organized, and of course everything she helped this couple with during their planning process.

Megan and Nathan, I wish you so much happiness!