When Bryan and I started planning our wedding, we knew we wanted something low-key and relaxed. I remember the first time I started planning for our wedding. It was one or two months after we had gotten engaged and we were kayaking in Northern Michigan with two of our friends. We had been on Lake Michigan for hours it seemed, kayaking 4-5 miles across a bay from the small island where we had set up camp the night before. My arms were sore from the trip out the previous day and our friend Kate was paddling next to me. We were talking about music festivals and I decided that was it – that was what our reception would be like. Laid back, outdoors, and filled with live music played by our talented friends and family. Kate, my lovely friend and kayak buddy, is one of the front-women in the local band The Crane Wives, so that started the wheels turning for the line-up for our wedding. By the time our wedding day arrived, we had also enlisted my younger brother, Garrett, and his friend to play, as well as my cousin Katie and her boyfriend. Once we had decided on the music-focus for the party, we started searching for locations. We lucked out and found an awesome lodge at one of our city parks, a little place tucked away in the woods with a wrap-around porch perfect for hanging out on a September’s afternoon.

Pulling together our wedding plans was a relatively simple process for us. Our ceremony was held at our church and we were so glad to be married in the beautiful tradition of the Orthodox Church. For the reception, we knew we wanted music and we knew we wanted it to feel like a big party. We also wanted it to be supportive of the great local food, beer and wine culture that we have in Michigan. We choose beer and wine from small local companies, as well as a few hard ciders to celebrate the autumn season. For food, we chose our favorite restaurant to cater an all-vegan meal for our 160 guests. The restaurant, Marie Catrib’s, has a great relationship with local farms and they designed a great autumn-themed menu for us. The meal is the number one thing that guests were head-over-heels with at our wedding and we’re still getting compliments on it. We had a local baker make an array of cupcakes, muffins, chocolates and truffles, all vegan, and my mom added to the sweets table with her famous apple pie and a tasty vegan pumpkin cheesecake. Another easy decision for us was choosing our photographers. Bobbi and Mike had taken our engagement photos (which is where Bryan proposed– I thought we were taking promotional photos for our website!), and after getting to know them we knew we wanted them to be a part of our day. They have such wonderful personalities and their work is, of course, just stunning. We were so happy to have them on board with us.

The other details of our day, all the smaller, frilly things – colors, decorations, flowers – were chosen rather easily. I am obsessed with the color mustard (my friends call me mustard mae), and well, purple just looked nice with it. I made most of the decorations in the last few weeks before the wedding, and it was a welcome excuse to get together with my closest friends and have a good time. The bouquets came from a local florist who grows flowers in her backyard and sells them at a local farmer’s market. I had found her through the recommendation of one of our past brides and I loved working with her. Since Bryan and I are wedding photographers, we were lucky enough to have a lot of support from our couples, and to even have one couple who shared their thrifted plate collection with us and another who shared mason jars with us. What a blessing!

So the day-of came, and it was beautiful. Sunny skies and warm for late September. I got ready with my friends, saw Bryan for our first look, and then we got married. And then it started raining. Right before our reception, which was supposed to be both indoors and outdoors. When we arrived at our reception, we were happy to see The Crane Wives, our cocktail band, playing on the wrap-around porch as rain beat down on the roof, with all of our guests on the porch as well. When we first arrived, we wove our way through the crowd and had the opportunity to greet all of our guests for the first time. It was such a wonderful experience. No one minded the rain, nor did they mind when the power went out because of the storm! When it went out, my brothers and our friend Matthew rushed to a local store and came back with hundreds of tea lights, which they lined the tables with. Some of our dear guests contacted folks they knew with generators and before we knew it, the party was back up and running, just in time for dinner and more live music. After dinner, the skies cleared, we snuck outside for a few more photos, and our guests were able to enjoy the lovely landscape and games that we’d set up. We danced into the night to a great mix by our awesome DJ. My favorite moment of the entire evening was after the party, when we ran out through sparklers. Bryan and I got to our car but before we drove off, we held each other and watched all of our crazy friends running around the lawn with the sparklers, yelling and having so much fun. It was beautiful and the best way to finish such a lovely day.

Photographer: bobbi+mike / Floral Designer: The Flower Garden / Invitation Designer: Hitch Design Studio / Desserts: Wednesday Evening Cookies / Wedding Gown Designer: Watters / Bridesmaid’s Dress Designer: Lulu’s / Rings: Touchwood Rings / Groom’s Suit: Topman / Caterer: Marie Catrib’s / Beer: Founder’s Brewing / Wine: Leelanau Cellars / Cider: Tandem Ciders / Veil: DIY / Fabric Flower Headpieces: Darci’s Doodads / Bride’s Hair: Hair by Kayley Heeringa / Cocktail Band: The Crane Wives

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Post tags: Babies, Baby's Breath, bobbi+mike, Bowties, Bryan And Mae, Burlap, Buttons, Casual Elegance, Chalkboards, Color Palette Yellow Purple, Croquet, Darci's Doodads, DIY Veil, Do-It-Yourself Inspired, Greek Orthodox, Hair by Kayley Heeringa, Hitch Design Studio, Leelanau Cellars, Lulu's, Marie Catrib's Founder's Brewing, Mason Jars, Michigan, Mustard, Northern Michigan, Outdoor Weddings, Quilts, Tandem Ciders, The Crane Wives, The Flower Garden, Topman, Touchwood Rings, Vintage Chic, Vintage Windows, Watters, Wedding Photography, Wednesday Evening Cookies, wildflowers
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Little Black Book Blog

Jon and I wanted a vintage/rustic theme that was elegant and warm. I found vintage plates, wine and champagne glasses that made the tables look so elegant and unique. Our colors were a product of the groom – navy and chartreuse – were the first colors he suggested and it sounded perfect. The colors looked so beautiful with the outdoor setting. The Bridesmaids got instructions to wear anything Navy and the Groomsmen got gifts of green check shirts and green ties that Jon picked out to pair with their favorite navy suite. It looks wonderful that everyone still was able to incorporate their own style. The good thing about planning a wedding in three months is once you make a decision – you have to love the decision move on and not think of 100 other options – it was a great experience!

We bought a lake house and lake front property up north Michigan as an investment and a place to go when we visit our families. My parents and grandparents also have lake houses there. All venues, destinations and ideas flew through my mind for a week – finally we decided that there would be no place as memorable than getting married at the lake house that we have together. We got engaged June 24th, 2011 – Once we picked the venue – we decided to not waste a second and get married this summer. So we looked at our calendars and picked a date – September 24th, 2011 – exactly three months after our engagement;.

We had our dads marry us! My dad got ordained to make the marriage official and it was the most beautiful and meaningful ceremony. It means so much when we look at the pictures and see our dads – who we both look up to and love so much reading our vows and my dad pronouncing us to our friends and family for the first time. We had our mothers be our ring bearers – they have always been there to provide advice, love and trust – it made perfect sense. Finally instead of cutting a cake – we decided to do an art project that everyone at the wedding took part in. Everyone left their mark in some sort of circle with blues and chartreuse. At the end of the night – Jon and I also put our own marks on the painting. It will hang in our lake house forever and always remind us of our wedding and everyone there.

I have so many wonderful memories from the day! I tried to always take deep breaths and enjoy the entire day. I loved seeing Jon for the first time when we were taking pictures – it was so relaxed and fun. Then the time I spent with my dad before I walked down the aisle – we practiced what we were going to say and just really made sure we were in the moment. When I started walking down the aisle – everyone told me that the clouds parted and it beamed sunlight – I could not tell because I was so overwhelmed but everyone said they had goosebumps as soon as the sun came out. I loved walking down the aisle looking at everyone – I wanted to stop and say hello and hug everyone! And finally when I was standing at the alter – I looked out into all of our family and friends and really took it all in – when else is everyone you love going to be together for a celebration? It was really intense.

Photographer: Kelly Sweet Photography / Cinematography: Jason Walen of Bigfoot Films / Floral Designer: M&M Special Events & Design / Event Planning & Design: M&M Special Events & Design / Cake & Desserts: Desserts by Tina / Wedding Gown Designer: Modern Trousseau / Bridal Shoes: Badgley Mischka / Bridal bouquet: Noaki Jewlery and Bouquets / Vintage Handkerchief & Saint Vintage earrings: Maxwells / Band: Ani

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Post tags: Ani, Badgley Mischka, Bigfoot Films, Broach Bouquet, Casual Elegance, Color Palette Green Navy, Desserts by Tina, DIY Projects, Do-It-Yourself Inspired, Etsy, Flower girls, Gladwin, Kelly Sweet Photography, Lakes, lakeside, M&M Special Events & Design, Maxwells, Michigan, Mismatched Bridesmaids, Modern Trousseau, Noaki Jewelry, Noaki Jewelry and Bouquets, Outdoor Ceremonies, Outdoor Weddings, Ring Bearers, Summer Weddings, Tina Marie Desserts, Water, Waterside, Wedding Photography, Weddings at Home, White Flowers
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Little Black Book Blog

Click here to see the full image gallery!

From Courtney McDonald of Petals Planning Company … The inspiration behind the photo shoot was the season “winter.” In Michigan, we consider our wedding season to run from April through October due to cold and snowy winters.  Too often, winter weddings are overlooked, when in fact, a winter wedding can be just as beautiful and breath taking as any other.

Design/Coordination: Petals Planning Company / Photography: abby rose photo / Flowers: Sweet Pea Floral Design / Reception Location: Vinology / Stationery: Elevated Press / Shoes: Benjamin Adams via The Gown Shop / Dress and Sash: Ivy & Aster via The Gown Shop / Veiling: Sara Gabriel via The Gown Shop / Jewelry: Haute Bride via The Gown Shop / Tuxedo: Renaissance Ann Arbor / Wedding Cake: Sweet Heather Anne / Hair: Lindsay Clark of Tricho Salon + Spa / Make-Up: Amber Kaczmarek / Lighting: Rockout Entertainment & Light Up My Event

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Post tags: Abby Rose Photo, Amber Kaczmarek, Ann Arbor, Benjamin Adams, Bubbles, Cake Balls, Color Palette Purple, Elevated Press, Haute Bride, Ivy & Aster, Light Up My Event, Lindsay Clark, Michigan, Modern Weddings, Petals Planning Company, Photo Shoot, Renaissance Ann Arbor, Rockout Entertainment, Sara Gabriel, Sweet heather Anne, Sweet Pea Floral Design, The Gown Shop, Tricho Salon + Spa, Truffles, Vinology, Wedding Cakes, Wedding Fashion, Wedding Inspiration, Wedding Photography, Wedding Planners & Designers, Winter Weddings
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Photo Shoot

Kris and I love to spend time outside and on the lake in the summer. We were looking for a venue between Detroit and Chicago that would allow us to have an outdoor ceremony, but other than that our search was wide open. At the last minute we decided to check out Waldenwoods, which happens to be within a few miles of our home. It fit the bill perfectly with its private lake, trees, beautiful landscaping, and wood paneled historic reception hall. We booked it immediately!

With our September third wedding date we wanted to keep the fresh green colors of summer in our pallete but also decided to incorporate a popular Michigan fall element, apples. Holly of Sweet Pea Floral Design did an amazing job using ivory garden roses and green flowers in the arrangements, also adding willow branches and green apples. After countless hours on Etsy and Style Me Pretty I decided on just a few DIY projects to personalize our day like the place cards, table names, programs and directional signs. I also customized our ceremony by pulling together pieces from friend’s weddings that I admired, and added an apple tree planting ceremony. But, overall with the unique details of the venue, we kept the theme very simple and natural.

The day of our wedding couldn’t have been more perfect. Although the forecast was threatening storms, the weather stayed sunny and hot for our ceremony by the lake. I had asked the bridesmaids to wear a green dress of their choice, and that morning was the first time we saw the colors come together. They coordinated beautifully! I felt like a supermodel in the custom Modern Trousseau gown that Stacy of The Gown Shop helped me pick out. It fit like a glove! Walking down the aisle towards Kris I felt so peaceful looking out over the water, sorrounded by our closest family and friends, about to marry my perfect match. Melissa of a girl in love photography truly captured that sentiment in her photos, and the joy and excitement we felt as we celebrated at our reception afterwards.

Photography: a girl in love photography / Flowers: Sweet Pea Floral Design / Ceremony Location: Waldenwoods / Reception Location: Waldenwoods / Stationery: Minted / Bride’s Shoes: J.Crew / Dress: Modern Trousseau via The Gown Shop / Earrings: Haute Bride via The Gown Shop / Groom’s Tuxedo: DKNY / Wedding Cake: Zingerman’s Bakehouse / Favors: Spicer’s Orchards / Hair: Simplicity Salon / Makeup: Posh Salon

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Post tags: a girl in love photography, Apples, Color Palette Green, DKNY, Do-It-Yourself Inspired, Haute Bride, Howell, J. Crew, Lake, Michigan, Minted, Modern Trouseau, Outdoor Ceremony, Posh Salon, Simplicity Salon, Spicer's Orchards, Sweet Pea Floral Design, The Gown Shop, Waldenwoods, Waterside, Waterside Weddings, Wedding Gowns, Zingerman's Bakehouse
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Little Black Book Blog

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the Bride… The theme of our wedding day became “True Love is a Big Deal”. I can’t take credit for the creation of it, instead I found it and saw ourselves in its truth. It was from then on that I decided, the only thing we needed was love. Unfortunately, love doesn’t host and cater for 150 people.  After searching through the usual choices of golf courses, country clubs, and halls, and being unimpressed, Chris and I knew that a more none traditional setting would make our day truly ours. We found a secret little gem, River Birch Lodge, about an hour away from us. After scouting out the property, I fell in love. From the large antler chandelier, the grandiose fireplaces, and rustic decor there was a warmth that seemed like home. The private estate would be ours for the entire weekend, making it the perfect backdrop to spend time with our family and friends.

On the day of the wedding, the weather took on a windy chill, that forced us inside. Instead, the ceremony was held in the lodge, in front of a large fireplace and under a very large moose. Everybody got really, really cozy while we said our vows. Rev. Bell pronounced us husband and wife, and Chris was told to “salute your bride”. This was followed by a brief pause, an awkward look and then Chris responded “Can I just kiss her instead?”

The weekend was an absolute dream and could not have been done without our amazing vendors, family and friends. Originally, I wasn’t going to hire a day-of coordinator in hopes of making room in the budget. That would have been the biggest mistake! Finding Jen House from A Moment In Time was like finding a new friend (one of the real genuine, honest ones!) Whether it was putting out all the fires on the wedding day, helping with some different family dynamics, or setting up all of our thought out plans, she was there every step of the way (well, more like 3 steps ahead). On top of that, she handcrafted the most amazing floral combinations which guest are still raving about. Not hiring a coordinator would have been a mistake, but NOT hiring Jen House would have been the BIGGEST mistake. We also must mention the talented Toole Art Photography. Crystal and Mike are some of the sweetest people whose work speaks for itself. We love re-living our magical day over and over through their beautiful pictures, while always reminding ourselves, “True love is a BIG deal”.

Wedding Photography: Toole Art Photography / Venue: River Birch Lodge (810-599-6587) / Coordination + Floral Design: Jen House of A Moment In Time / Catering: Crystal Gardens / Linens: Affordable Elegance Chair Covers + Linens / Wedding Cake: Aunt of the Bride, Karen’s Cookies and Cakes / Cookie Bar: Milford Baking Company / Cookie Bar Sign: Blue Pearls / Wedding Dress: Pronovias  via Birmingham Bridal Couture / Veil: Mother of the Groom / Jewelry: J.Crew / Bride’s Shoes: Steve Madden + Kate Spade / Jacket: Kohl’s / Hair + Makeup: Posh Studio / Groom + Groomsmen Attire: President Tuxedo / Ceremony Music: Rondo String Quartet / Entertainment: Dante of Music Box Productions / Celebrant: Rev. Bill Bell / Bridesmaid Dresses: Jessica Simpson via Macy’s / Guestbook Tree: Bleu de Toi / Bride and Groom Stamp: lilimandrill / Invitations: Senor & Senora / Wedding Signs, Paper Goods, Flags: DIY / True Love is a Big Deal: DIY by Bride’s Uncle

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Post tags: A Moment in Time, Affordable Elegance Chair Covers + Linens, Birmingham Bridal Couture, Blue Pearls, Crystal Gardens, Do-It-Yourself Inspired, Hartland, J. Crew, Jen House, Jessica Simpson, Karen's Cookies and Cakes, Kate Spade, Kohl's, lilimandrill, Macy's Bleu de Toi, Michigan, Milford Baking Company, Music Box Productions, Posh Studio, President Tuxedo, Pronovias, Rev. Bill Bell, River Birch Lodge, Rondo String Quartet, Senor & Senora, Steve Madden, Toole Art Photography
Post categories: The Blog, Traditional Elegance

I wasn’t quite done with this stunning couple, and I knew you wouldn’t be either, and lucky for us, 3rd Street Films has sent over a fantastic highlight film to extend our viewing pleasure!

If you can, imagine the feeling of a late summer afternoon, when a gusty breeze billows in with perfect timing, cooling and soothing your sun kissed skin. You feel rejuvenated, yet relaxed; the sensation is heavenly. That would be the best way for me to describe how our love feels. And that is exactly what I wanted our wedding to feel like, too.

One of the most helpful things that Eddie and I did to kickoff our wedding planning was to sit down and figure out, together, what exactly we envisioned for our big day. For Eddie, who is of Chaldean descent, it was important to incorporate Middle Eastern music and dancing into the reception entertainment. As for me, I’m very sentimental, so the color palette and the décor were the perfect opportunity for us to, in a way, tell our story. Collectively, we agreed that we wanted to allocate a significant portion of our budget to the cuisine and the cocktails, and if possible, to find a venue with the option for an indoor/outdoor reception, since Michigan is known for it’s comfortable and colorful autumn season.

We were married at the National Shrine of the Little Flower Catholic Church on historical Woodward Avenue in Royal Oak, Michigan. Eddie and I attended mass there on one of our very first dates, and it soon became our home parish. Also, we were blessed to have our wedding officiated by one of Eddie’s childhood friends, who grew up to become an ordained Catholic priest. To attempt to compete with the lavish interiors and the opulent finishes of the church would have been impossible, so we kept the décor to simple white arrangements (an assortment of hydrangeas, lilies of the valley, white roses, and calla lilies) that flanked the altar. Our ceremony was rich with tradition, yet completely personal, and I will cherish it always.

A considerable amount of our guests were from out of town, so we had our hearts set on finding a unique-to-Michigan venue. Meadow Brook Hall was the second spot that we visited, and I loved the look of excitement on Eddie’s face when we stepped out onto the terrace, where we would later host our cocktail reception; it reminded him of the University of Virginia’s campus, his undergraduate alma mater. The mansion, too, was warm and welcoming for our cocktail hour, during which docents provided guests with tours as they enjoyed Southern and Mediterranean influenced hors d’oeuvres. I like to think that dinner and dancing were held under the stars, but in reality, they were just a short chassé away from the mansion beneath a dreamy, white, canopy tent. The billowy draping was the perfect nod to our South Beach reception theme, along with our floral designer’s white-hot creations, some perfectly positioned lounge seating, and Mother Nature’s subtle breeze. Guests danced the night away to a mixture of live Chaldean songs, and the D.J.’s medley of chart toppers and quintessential, Miami house music.

As for the attire, we kept things tailored and traditional. I worked with Stacy Fork from Michigan’s newest wedding gem, The Gown Shop Ann Arbor, to customize my Modern Trousseau Mika gown. A simple, Thai silk bodice met with layers of gauzy silk chiffon, just below the hips, to create cascading tiers that sort of floated along with a romantic subtly. The groom and groomsmen donned Calvin Klein tuxedos with a modern fit, and a traditional bow tie, while the bridesmaids looked elegant in a ballet pink, fit and flare gown, accented with rose gold jewelry. Our flower girl was adorable in a custom, floor length tutu.

My advice for the soon-to-be-newlyweds would be to remain focused on the must-haves, get creative with the details, never underestimate the power of candles, and to truly not sweat the small stuff. In the end, it truly is about the love you share with your beloved, and that is the best décor, detail, and accessory of all.

Photography: Nicole Ladonne Photography / Cinematography: 3rd Street Films / Flowers: Bill Hamilton Designs / Event Design: Bill Hamilton Designs & Affordable Elegance / Event Planning: the Bride / Ceremony Location: National Shrine of the Little Flower Catholic Church / Reception Location: Meadow Brook Hall & Gardens / Invitations: DIY by the Bride / Shoes: Badgley Mischka, Humbie II / Dress: Modern Trousseau via The Gown Shop / Bride’s Earrings: Haute Bride via The Gown Shop / Veil: Haute Bride via The Gown Shop / Tuxedo: Calvin Klein / Bridesmaids Dresses: Impression / Wedding Cake: Le Cakery Bake Shop / Band: The Bells Band / Officiant: Fr. Tony Marques / Hair: Janice Preuett / Make-up: Jeff Marti

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Post tags: 3rd Street Films, Accessories, Affordable Elegance, Badgley Mischka, Bill Hamilton Designs, Calvin Klein, Chandeliers, Color Palette White, DIY Invitations, DIY Stationery, Do-It-Yourself Inspired, Haute Bride, Highlight Films, Impression, Janice Preuett, Jeff Marti, Le Cakery Bake Shop, Meadow Brook Hall & Gardens, Michigan, Modern Trousseau, National Shrine of the Little Flower Catholic Church, Neutral Color Palette, Nicole Ladonne Photography, Rochester, Tented Reception, The Bells Band, The Gown Shop, Tony Marques, Traditional Elegance, Veils, Wedding Cinematography, Wedding Dresses, Wedding Fashion
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Traditional Elegance

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

Oh, we’re not done with the cuteness just yet.  As promised, a darling DIY tutorial from the fabulous duo of Hey Gorgeous Events and Jenna McKenzie Photography.  Not only is this banner SO very adorable and a blast to create, but it works for ANY occasion.  Just in time for the holidays!  So, have fun… and enjoy!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

Supplies:

Wooden characters of choosing
Ribbon, lace, twine – anything to hang your characters from
Scissors
A hot glue gun and glue sticks
Acryllic paint
A paint brush
Cardboard or an old sheet to cover your painting surface

1. Decide what you want to spell out and find all of your characters.  I checked out Michaels, Hobby Lobby and then Joanne’s Fabrics before I found the font style I liked best. I think the letters and numbers individually were $2.99 each. Spread out all of your characters on a covered surface.

2. Remove all of the price tags and stickers on the wood pieces and paint away! I used a soft gray acrylic paint and the same old paint brush I used over here for this project. I used two little bottles of the paint for all of the letters and numbers and that seemed to be more than enough paint to get me through the project. I only painted the sides and fronts of the characters and once the pieces dried, I went back and added a second coat to areas where the wood seemed to peak through.

3. Flip over and lay down all of your dried characters in the order that they will sit/hang on your banner (be careful that your numbers aren’t backwards!) Find the middle character (ours was the ’9′) and measure out your ribbon or lace or whatever you will be using to hang the banner from that point out. We started with just one skinny piece of ribbon fastened to the ’9′ but quickly found that because of the weight of the wood characters we would need a little more of something for the sign to hang in a photographic way. So we quadrupled up on ribbon strands because we’re serious like that.

4. I found it easiest to put a ton of hot glue on the top back of each letter then to place the ribbon over top. Then I repeated this process over and over with each piece of precut ribbon, making sure to go back and put little dabs of hot glue in between where the ribbon may have not been adhered to the wood. It really looks like we used a ton of ribbon but you’d be surprised how heavy all of those letters were! We used two spare pieces of ribbon to anchor down the ribbon on the back of the ’9′ too. This was helpful!

5. For the ends of all of the pieces of ribbon, I clamped them together with a clothespeg and then tied, knotted and made a bow around all of the pieces to fasten them together. I wanted to make sure Grace and Ryan had a place on the banner to hold the sign by and the little bows seemed like a good marker. However, and this is important, do not tie your ends together until you have glued all of your characters to your ribbon and lace! I did this and ended up having to untie the ends because the ribbon had big bunches in it and wasn’t sitting properly on the characters. Tying your ends together should be the last step you make before cutting off the edges to make both ends equal!

From Hey Gorgeous Events… Jenna of Jenna McKenzie Photography and I, recently teamed up together to offer styled engagement sessions to both of our clientele; appropriately dubbed “Love Stories.”  It’s our hope that these shoots will allow our clients to feel like their love is represented in only the most personalized and unique way. So we were both so thrilled when one of Jenna’s sweet couples, Grace and Ryan, shared their interest and excitement in being a part of our endeavors. Soaking up the last little bit of Michigan’s Indian summer temperatures, we headed up to Port Oneida near Traverse City, Michigan which holds a special place in the soon to be newlyweds hearts. Not only do the two enjoy spending time up in Northern Michigan being outdoors and staying active, but it marks the spot where Ryan proposed to Grace.

Between snacking on their favorite flavors of cookies (peanut butter and chocolate chip) and flipping through Grace’s magazine of choice, the two enjoyed a mini picnic near one of Grace’s favorite barns. Making sure not to miss the dreamy light that completely saturates the Sleeping Bear Dunes right before sunset (Considered the most beautiful place in America on Good Morning America!) we headed down to the beach to play a little of frisbee, one of Ryan’s favorite games. And of course the shoot wasn’t complete without a few airplane rides for Grace; one of the things she loves most about being silly with her fiance. If their engagement session was any indication of their upcoming wedding, I’m confident their big day will be nothing short of amazing.

Styling, Floral Design + Coordination: Hey Gorgeous Events / Photography: Jenna McKenzie Photography / Floral Design: Hey Gorgeous Events / Wholesale Florals: J’s Fresh Flower Mart / Cookies: Cookies by Design / Location: Traverse City, Michigan / Ribbon, Lae, Paint + Wood Letters: Joann / Silver Frame + Picnic Basket: Vintage

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Post tags: Cookies by Design, Do-It-Yourself Inspired, Engagement Sessions, Hey Gorgeous Events, J's Fresh Flower Mart, Jenna McKenzie Photography, Joann, Michigan, Traverse City, Vintage
Post categories: engagement session, The Blog

Robbie and I wanted to be married at a place that was truly unique to Michigan, a place where our families from out of town could enjoy a vacation, and experience a place they have never been before.  The first time Robbie and I went to Mackinac Island we knew it was the perfect place for us.  We fell in love with the relaxed life style, surrounded by water with no cars, it was a place we could enjoy the outdoors and truly escape time.

Robbie and I love to bike ride together, and the Island is full of bike shops and bike paths, so we decided to create a bike theme for our wedding.  We really wanted to have fun on our big day and make the most of our time with friends and family. The day of the wedding we did a morning bike ride with all of our guests. We biked around the 8 mile long Island and enjoyed some fresh air before saying “I do.” It was so much fun!

On the day of the wedding, it was great to see all of the details come together. Robbie and I spent countless hours at Michaels Arts and Crafts.  It took a year of tears and smiles and a living room full of scrap paper. We created all of the invitations, save-the-dates, thank you cards, ect. for the big day. We spent a lot of time on the internet looking for ideas and other weddings for inspiration. Robbie’s mom handmade all of the tote bags for the arriving guests and we filled them with trail mix, taffy, and homemade cookies. We printed cards to welcome and thank our guests for coming, and also included an invite for the morning bike ride.

Robbie and I chose wedding colors that we loved to wear, and that would match our outdoor theme. The guys wore brown suits and the girls were in fun yellow summer dresses- my favorite color! I asked the florist to create bouquets that were soft and romantic, full of big white garden roses with a touch of coral. We really tried to keep the theme for our wedding as fun as possible, and we had a blast!

After the ceremony we jumped on a horse and buggy, and popped open a bottle of champaigne. The bridal party followed us on bikes to the downtown salon where we enjoyed a  drink to celebrate. Robbie and I then took the bikes down to the water and spent some time together laughing and playing around before joining the reception. It truly was the most fun we have ever had together. It couldn’t have been more perfect!

Location: Mission Point Resort / Photography: Kelly Sweet Photography, Second Shooter Paul Retherford / Dress: Paloma Blanca / Flowers: Weber’s Floral / Cake: Bella e Dolce / Invitations & Stationary: DIY by Bride / Event Planning & Design: DIY by Bride

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 19 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Beach Wedding, Bella e Dolce, Bicycles, Casual Elegance, Color Palette Yellow, DIY Stationery, Do-It-Yourself Inspired, Flower girls, Horse Drawn Carriage, horses, Kelly Sweet Photography, Lighthouses, Mackinac Island, Michigan, Mission Point Resort, Outdoor Wedding, Paloma Blanca, Paul Retherford, Queen Anns Lace, Summer Wedding, Weber's Floral, Wedding Photography
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Little Black Book Blog