Laura & Ryan's Clarkston Wedding Photos!

It’s always fun to hang out with a couple who are young, and way into each other. The looks Ryan gave Laura all day long would melt anybody’s heart. The Clarkston couple got married in their Methodist church, a cute and interesting church to shoot in. They had a beautiful room for Laura to get ready in (can you believe that window light???). The boys got ready in the teen room - complete with a wii to keep the boys occupied! Afterwards we went to the White Lake Oaks Golf Course for some funky photos to show off their spunk (they jumped twice and ended up with two really cool photos!) and Laura’s cathedral veil. Loved watching Laura interact with all her younger sisters and her dad all day. Ryan and Laura have been together for a long time despite their youth and have been through a lot together. Their patience and connection were really wonderful to witness.

Jen & Nick's Kensington Wedding in Troy and Indian Springs Metro Park Reception!

I’m beginning to feel like a broken record, by I once again had a bride and groom who didn’t seem phased at all by the pending doom and gloom clouds gathering all Friday long. Jen had planned out some cool spots to take photos (like the Birmingham Historical Society) as well as a cool hill at their reception site at Indian Springs Metro Park. Not even a drop of rain before the biggest downpour in the history of weddings. I really thought my car might float by the reception hall after a few hours! This was also a rare experience for me in that the day went by way too quickly. I know this is fairly typical for the bride and groom, but when someone mentioned the time, I swore they were kidding.  The whole day sped by too quickly, even for me! Cool guests, cool and well prepared bride and groom. The whole wedding was well planned, well designed and well executed. I’d never shot at the Kensington Church in Troy. Their chapel is better built and lit than most stages in the U.S., so shooting with great access allowed me to get some really cool and different ceremony shots. The Environmental center at Indian Springs Metro Park is place I really wish we could’ve carved out more time to explore and shoot at. I would say next time... but that just doesn’t sound right!

Coolest Save The Date Card EVER!

I get beautiful stationary, some very special, some very funky wedding invitations on a fairly regular basis. What can I say? My couples tend to be creative and unique people. This save the date card blew me away. My groom to be, Jeffrey, is an artist and he designed and executed this 3-D  piece of art. Cut outs and vinyl are his playground. I wanted to share this with you. If you're ever looking for an easy going, artiste, Jeffrey Karolski is your man! Can't wait to see the actual invite from Sarah & Jeffrey! Another cool feature on this puppy is there is a teeny almost flat magnet in the round flat that served to hold it closed. Works like a charm. Think I'll have this one hanging around a long, long time!

School's OUT!

Happy Summer, everybody! I know most of you have been out of school for a while now, but it's great to finally have my family home with me. This is my favorite time of year when  everybody starts hanging out together, weddings are in full swing and nobody's started complaining because it's too hot! So now is a great time for all you official high school seniors to make an appointment before we all get swept up and away with our summer plans!

Ashley & Travis's Grosse Ile Wedding in Michigan

Planes, trains and automobiles anyone? Okay, so we didn’t go on a train, but a boat! With thunderstorms predicted all day and knowing we were planning to spend a lot of it outdoors, I’m pleased to report that once again, it didn’t rain on my wedding! It’s only rained during a handful of my many, many outdoor weddings, so my streak is still holding! The major overcast weather didn’t phase Ashley or Travis even knowing that so many of their plans would have to be scrapped if it did start to rain... very cool indeed! This Michigan wedding took place out on Grosse Ile in perhaps the darkest church I’ve ever shot in. Turns out despite multiple queries to the “church ladies”, they didn’t have ALL the lights on after all (which the priest discovered afterwards)! Oh well, still photographed some fun images during the service. Travis is really into photography and I caught him checking out what I was doing, how I was doing it and what I was getting throughout the day! Got to ride for a while in an antique car (a Packard? a Hudson?) before roaring off in a speed boat. We were trying to kill some time outside in anticipation of a fly by from an old bomber since Travis is in the air force. Sorry I don’t have all the makes and models... not much transportation junkie, I’m afraid.  The old bomber made smaller and smaller circles over the Grosse Ile Yacht Club. This was a tough one for me because in order to get Travis, Ashley and the plane in the frame, the plane appears much smaller than it actually was. In one frame a bird flying by appears to be bigger than the bomber! Still... it’s a cool memory... one that will be treasured for a long time. Ashley’s dad really started the waterworks during his toast and speech. Not only is Ashley getting married, but they’re moving to Alaska where Travis is stationed... a tough adjustment for any family, I’m sure. Loved, loved, loved their DJ, Craig Martin from Mystro’s Entertainment. I hadn’t worked with him before and he’s a real pro, easy going, helpful AND he kept track of me and what I was doing and needed (most DJs aren’t particularly interested in what I’m doing!). Fun family, great emotions. Hope Travis can steal a bit of my photographers skills from watching me so closely all day long!

Emily and Brian’s Macomb, Michigan Wedding

We arrived at the church with plenty of time to get lots of getting ready shots of the bridal party, the ladies oohing and aahing over the flowers, the dresses, all the details. It’s always great when everything looks just the way the bride wanted it to. It’s always such a bummer when something doesn’t quite come out the way they anticipated. What struck me at this wedding was how joyous it was for everybody. Everybody cried... pretty much the whole day. Happy tears... lots of happy tears... well, until the Red Wings went down in flames on the final game of the Stanley Cup! I loved that Emily’s mom AND dad were both really emotional and supportive. Brian was pretty much grinning from ear to ear the entire night surrounded by his fun, goofy and sometimes inappropriate (yes, you, Steve!) groomsmen. Everybody seemed to gel together really well. I thought the poor DJ might have trouble getting this group dancing when there were still four couples out dancing during the anniversary dance when he called out “Fifty years or more”. Nope, no problem... this group ALL danced and wormed boogied like there was no tomorrow!

Ben & Sarah's Henry Ford Estate Wedding!

Many, many of my wedding couples are from out of state. That’s almost become the norm for my couples. But Ben and Sarah were not only from out of state, but from out of country. They are currently working in Geneva, Switzerland (where I spent five years in high school!), so all of their Henry Ford Estate wedding was planned long distance. Neither set of parents are local to the Detroit area either, so they really had to rely on family and all their professionals to help pull it together. Kudos to the Henry Ford Estate work force. Not only did they step in to make executive decisions to make it all happen behind the scenes, they were polite and friendly not only to Sarah and Ben, but to all of us working there as well. It’s a very special place indeed that treats us as nicely as they do the bride and groom, so THANK YOU Henry Ford Estate staff - you are AWESOME! They also weren’t even phased by the huge and ominous clouds that got darker every minute we got closer to the ceremony and just went with it! One of the decisions I loved about this wedding was to keep it small. Sarah and Ben stuffed everybody silly with the tastiest hors d’oeuvres ever, a great dinner, and a dessert tray that wouldn’t quit. That meant there was plenty of room to move around the dining hall and the dance floor. Skye set up the photo station in the hall against this funky wrought iron wall in the main hall and people knocked themselves out to get the most original and silly photo booth photos ever! We debuted our hats at the photo station and that went over really well. Okay, so now I’m outing you, Sarah... but I thought one of the cutest things I’ve ever heard at a wedding was when you turned to me as wondered aloud if the DJ could make an announcement so all the guests would face the wall while you had your first dance! I hope I was able to capture your innate beauty, shyness and joy in all its glory. In spite of being the center of attention (hard not to do, since, well... you’re the bride!), you seemed to have the BEST time!

Bill & Wendy at the Henry Ford Museum

5/30/09  When Wendy’s funky and hip invitation came in the mail, I knew every detail had been attended to. Turns out her mom designed the cool invites and helped oversee a lot of the planning. Wendy isn’t what you’d call a girlie girl, which could throw a bride totally off. What I loved is that she seemed as comfortable in the white dress, the hair and make up as she is on the lacrosse field (she’s a coach... this isn’t some totally random reference). She and Bill met at the clocktower at the Henry Ford Museum before the wedding and shared a well documented, yet intimate first moment together.  Then, at Wendy’s suggestion, we went traising around the Greenfield Village for a while before heading  back to rest tired feet and to see what the iffy weather had in store for us. Looked pretty gloomy doomy there for a bit, and again... the antithesis of most brides, Wendy didn’t seem to notice or care that it started to look pretty stormy. After everybody rested up for twenty minutes before the ceremony, the sun came out... providing one of the best Saturday outdoor wedding weather I’ve seen in years and I loved that neither Bill nor Wendy were worried one bit. Just going along with the flow of the day. The reception was in the museum itself (a first for me) with all the exhibits. It’s a gorgeous location with lots to see... so much so that I thought all the guests had left early. Turns out they were exploring the museum to their heart’s content. Nice, gracious and relaxing couple... just my kind of folks!