Brian & Melissa // Kalamazoo Nature Center Wedding

Remember when it was hot out? Michigan is having some weirdly warm days recently but without any warning, it's 20 degrees again. However, back in September the sun was here and I believed winter would never come. 

Unfortunately, what comes with the magic of summer are bugs. We had time, the light was beautiful and the bridesmaids hair and dresses were so awesome I wanted to do individual portraits but while shooting them, a wasp got stuck in the neckline of my dress and stung the daylights out of me. Within a moment, those sweet girls I just met ran over, unzipped the back of my dress to make sure the wasp wasn't still in there and got me a ziplock bag of ice to help with the pain. 

So I had this hunchback look going on with a plastic bag full of ice shoved in my dress the rest of the day. Thank goodness for that since as long as it was cold and numb, it didn't hurt. I tell ya, weddings are just a non stop adventure! 

The Kalamazoo Nature Center is so beautiful, the property is lovely, the barn was adorable and all the details Melissa put into this wedding were just so pretty. I am all about this glam/vintage/rustic business! 

DeAnna & Zach // Kalamazoo Wedding Photographer

They said it was going to be a hot summer and boy were they right! However, that all played well in DeAnna's favor since she is apparently ALWAYS cold. So I suppose if everyone else is melting, she is at her perfect temperature so perhaps this 200 degree day was a gift :) 

While pondering on what to say here, I remembered what I told Ryan on the drive home from this wedding and it's that the world needs more people like her. She cares for everyone else around her and has this incredible sense of joy. I don't even know if it's something she tries to do, I think it's just who she is. I know that sometimes I have to choose joy every day and make an effort to seek out the best in life. With her, I think joy chooses her and what an incredible gift that is. And gosh, Zach, he's in for a wonderful life to be loved and supported by that kind of person. They go so well together and it was such an awesome experience to be present in them becoming family.

As always, we hope you enjoy the images as much as we do and just a huge thank you for having us be part of this incredible day. I'd like to say we were all sweating out happiness. That sounds more glamorous than regular sweat. :) 

Katie & Justin // frederik meijer gardens Wedding Photographer

Katie & Justin // frederik meijer gardens Wedding Photographer

Katie and Justin got married at the frederik meijer gardens in Grand Rapids and oh my word, this place is so beautiful! We had rain that was threatening us most of the day but it only started right when we were finishing photos outside, it was perfect timing! Even if there was more rain though, the inside is amazing. I really loved their cactus garden! We took all the portraits in their Japanese garden which was incredible. It's this big circle with the most beautiful plants and hills and walkways. Basically, this whole place is a dream! 

BASH 2016 // Bringing Sexy Bash

BASH 2016 // Bringing Sexy Bash

Every year our favorite power couple Ben and Mindy Peterson (owners of the Cheney Place, Fancy Fray and Studio 6.23) throw a huge party for all our favorite wedding vendors. They call it BASH! Every year is a different theme. From the great Bashby, to wedding Bashers and this year was bringing sexy Bash! We’ve been super honored to come shoot the details for them every year. With a ton of amazing vendors pitching in, this party is like a mini wedding reception and always a ton of fun. We would love to have any of these people at our weddings so spend a few minutes looking these people up who helped out… especially Kangaroo Kitchen because we’ve never had better wedding food in our career! 

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Welcome to The GAUPER Cottage // Christmas

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Welcome to The GAUPER Cottage // Christmas

Then there is this Cottage. This place was just made for Christmas and Winter. Neither of us ever like winter but this place just makes winter beautiful. We have been in this home for a year now and even the rest of the year, because it's a cottage style home, it still has that cozy, peaceful feeling that Christmas always gives me. My stress in the past has been at incredibly unhealthy levels and just a year in this cottage out in the woods has been so healing for me. I feel content, my days are so simple and every time I'm away working, I can't wait to go home. It might sound nuts, but honestly every day feels like a vacation out here. 

Kyle & John // Kalamazoo Wedding Photographer

Kyle & John // Kalamazoo Wedding Photographer

Besides all the pretty things, let me just talk about their family. It's always such a wonderful thing to just show up at these super personal events and get to know new people in such a short time by taking photos of them. Kyle is just full of energy and life and super kind. I didn't get to chat with John too much, but from just watching him with everyone else and the way he admires Kyle, I think he's like many of our other grooms that are the more laid back type that adore energetic, joyful women. Kyle's daughter has the same big laugh as her mom and I just LOVE photographing people with big laughs. It was such a casual event but at the same time, so personal and it was amazing to be there in the room to witness this great energy amongst such a close group of people. 

Jayde & Andy // Ann Arbor Wedding Photographer

Jayde & Andy // Ann Arbor Wedding Photographer

Happy Thanksgiving! This is my final blog until we start our winter weddings. It's been a crazy amount of work, but I'm so happy to have gotten blogs out to everyone in time for visiting with family on Thanksgiving! This is a perfect end to the fall season as Jayde and Andy are wonderful human beings. Since it's Thanksgiving, here are some things about them and their wedding I'm thankful for! 

Rob & Bri // Martha Clara Vineyard Wedding Photographer

Rob & Bri // Martha Clara Vineyard Wedding Photographer

This is a story about making it work, rain or shine! (literally and figuratively) 

We've had plenty of rainy weddings, but this was the first where it did not stop for even 15 minutes all day long. We also had all our flights delayed and canceled while trying to make it to New York during a hurricane. But Rob and Bri are amazing human beings and we were bound and determined to do great work no matter how much weird juju was being thrown our way. 

That is the thing about wedding photography...and marriage too actually! You walk into different situations with every event and have to make it work no matter what. Everyone had a good attitude towards the rain, we all had a lot of fun and I think the photos are so beautiful! Happy people trump bad weather every time! 

Emily + Jon // South Haven Wedding Photographer

Emily + Jon // South Haven Wedding Photographer

In my opening descriptions for these blogs, I always start with some sort of description of the couple or something notable about the wedding day. I've been sitting here for quite some time struggling to produce quality sentences that describe these two incredible people. I can only think of individual words so let's start there...

Joyful. Kind. Beautiful. Adoration.

Shauna & Brian // Grand Rapids Wedding Photographer

Shauna & Brian // Grand Rapids Wedding Photographer

Every now and then small weddings come my way and it's always fun to do something so simple and different. Brian and Shauna got married at the Kentwood Community Church in Grand Rapids and it just so happened to be super beautifully landscaped. Seriously, this awesome tree looks like it's from some crazy whimsical forest, not a church parking lot.

Nicole & Cliff // Crystal Lake Wedding Photographer

Nicole & Cliff // Crystal Lake Wedding Photographer

Nicole and Cliff are not your average couple getting married.  They weren't keen on the big, highly planned wedding with tons of guests. What they did have was lots of love. These two knew what was important to them and as long as they were together,  they would have a good time no matter what!

Will & Sara // Stetson Chapel Wedding Photographer

Will & Sara // Stetson Chapel Wedding Photographer

Laid back is definitely how I would describe Will & Sara's wedding day. Everything just sorta flowed really well and we love working with people who just let the day happen organically. They are both Reverends and Sara's dad is one as well. During his speech at night, he told a story about how she would come along with him when he officiated weddings at Stetson Chapel when she was just a little girl and when she played "wedding" she was almost always the officiant rather than the bride. haha! I guess things have come full circle and she can be both :)

Lynn & Brad // Yarrow Wedding Photographer

Lynn & Brad // Yarrow Wedding Photographer

The way a groom looks at his bride is one of the biggest indicators of how the day is going to go as far as photos are concerned. That look is everything. It makes brides less nervous and less concerned with the details of the day, it sorta just takes them out of the stress and into the moment. We always focus so much on brides but I just love a super supportive, laid back groom who visibly adores and well, is smitten by his bride and can't hide it. Lynn was pretty laid back anyways so his adoration of her just made things even better. You could tell they have a great friendship which I think is sometimes lost in the mix of what we consider love. Great love is built on a great friendship.  I enjoyed working with them so much and I'd really love to do this again when there are babies involved....just tossing that out into the universe!

Kristen & Brandon // Yarrow Wedding Photographer

Kristen & Brandon // Yarrow Wedding Photographer

Well well, wedding season is FINALLY here! We kicked off our season with Kristen and Brandon at Yarrow in Augusta Michigan. In typical Michigan fashion, the weather changes constantly and we were racing against rain. It almost never rains all day so we sorta have to pick and choose the perfect moments to get outside. However, we got lucky and it only rained in the morning and a little in the afternoon. I swear it could snow the morning of a wedding and then be 70 degrees and sunny a few hours later.

David & Brooke // Kalamazoo Michigan Wedding

David & Brooke // Kalamazoo Michigan Wedding

When Ryan and I shoot weddings together, we always decide on who will be the lead shooter based on the personalities of the clients. Ryan is more laid back and professional and I'm more high energy and humorous. After our first meeting with Brooke and Dave, I remember walking out to the car and Ryan said to me "If they book, they are your clients".  From our first conversation, I just knew brooke would be a blast to work with since she has the best laugh and that is my kind of person! I love happy, giggly brides who have men who love that about them.

Mark & Stephanie // Treasure Island Florida Wedding

Mark & Stephanie // Treasure Island Florida Wedding

Let me tell you a tale of how being up at 2am scrolling around Facebook can get you work and a new friend! haha

So I couldn't sleep and saw Stephanie update her status saying she still needed a photographer for her Florida wedding in December and since we were still open on her date, I saw an opportunity to see the sun again before April so I was ALL over it. Ryan and I pretty much only go on vacation when we can book a job in that location so this worked out really well.