Michigan Weddings

You’re days about to get a whole lot brighter! Leave it to Camryn Brook Events to design a celebration that’s so jaw-droppingly beautiful we can’t help but smile. Just one look at this 9-foot floral ceremony arch in soft, summery hues is sure to sweep you off your feet. Angelica Marie Photography exquisitely captured the special moments, including the bride and her father in a horse-drawn carriage! Asymmetric floral arrangements by Evergreen Flower Company, echoing the feminine color palette of the day, gave an elevated elegance to the space that left guests speechless. You’re going to love every bit of this romantic wedding in the full gallery.

From Camryn Brook Events… Haley and John both grew up in the midwest spending most of their childhoods on a farm, so a wedding under the Michigan sky at Zingerman’s Corman Farms was the perfect setting to join their stories together.

On the wedding day, storm clouds came rolling in minutes before the ceremony started, so we had guests enjoy pre-ceremony cocktails inside while we waited for it to pass. We were so glad we made this last-minute decision! Haley wanted the ceremony outside since the grounds of the Farms are so beautiful and the floral designer created a custom 9-foot floral arch that was too special to be left behind.

As the evening concluded, guests made their way outside for a sparkler exit. As they left the party, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” was playing. That was one of many favorite moments from their wedding day!

Photography: Angelica Marie Photography | Florals: Evergreen Flower Co. | Wedding Gown: Galia Lahav | Cake: Zingerman's Bakehouse | Stationery: Ciarra Claire Fine Art | Catering: Zingerman's Catering | Makeup: Emily Gray Makeup | Hair: Heather Mendelsohn-Buie | Hair: Danielle at 6 Salon | DJ: DJ Lufru | String Quartet: White Pines Entertainment | Wedding Venue: Cornman Farms | Planning: Camryn Brook Events | Rentals: Detroit Chiavari | Silk Ribbon: Frou Frou Chic

What happens when you combine an art museum in a fabulous college town, sparkly bridesmaids dresses and an adorable couple? You get this wedding right here, in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Blaine Siesser captured all the pretty pieces, from these fantastic dresses to a stunner of a cake, courtesy of Sweet Heather Anne. See these and more in our Vault right this way!

From the Bride.. Sam and I fell in love in Ann Arbor and had many beautiful dates at the UMMA. We wanted to share our college town and the museum with our guests by creating a warm, welcoming atmosphere that highlighted the special space. I was most excited to marry my best friend and to celebrate with all of our friends and family. We had worked very hard for several months on the planning and we couldn’t wait to share the day with our guests. The best part of the day though was seeing Sam at the end of the aisle. I could feel my heart bursting. My favorite photo is of Sam and I walking together out of the church. I find it to be such a lovely snapshot that captures our relationship so sweetly. He has his hand on my back in a beautiful, supportive way and you can see his ring so clearly. To me it symbolizes us walking into our new future together.

Photography: Blaine Siesser Photography | Event Design: Jean K. Cote | Event Planning: The China Closet | Floral Design: Bellisario Florist | Wedding Dress: Mira Couture | Wedding Dress: Carol Hannah | Cake: Sweet Heather Anne | Invitations: Arzberger Stationers | Ceremony Venue: St. Joseph Catholic Church Dexter | Reception Venue: University of Michigan Museum of Art | Shoes: J. Renee | Rings: Ethan Lord | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Adrianna Papell | Catering: Forte Belanger | Calligraphy: Calligraphy by Cristine | DJ: Chante Cutter | Favors: Dexter Cideo Mill | Groom's Attire: Men's Wearhouse | Transportation: Tecumseh Trolley | Beauty: Guerlain

One of my favorite details entwined in most fall weddings is the gorgeous, rich color palettes so often used. But who says you have to wait until the leaves change to embrace the jewel tones of autumn? This summer celebration is infused with the prettiest layers of burgundy and it makes for a wildly good looking day. With florals + planning by Kaitlin Parisho Designs and so many gorgeous images by Emily Jane Photography, get lost in a gem that blends the look and feel of two seasons into one undeniably stunning day.

From the Photographer… Chris and Elise’s Wedding took place on a calm summer day. Elise wanted to shy away from the usual blush wedding and opt for a deeper hue as we were approaching fall. The contrast between the burgundy and grey was stunning on their sunny day, the two were nothing but smiles all day for each other. Kaitlin outdid herself with so man amazing florals throughout the day, even making a little crown for the cutest flower girl!

Cake: Sweet Heather Anne | Florals/Planning: Kaitlin Parisho | Hair Styling: Nici Forner | Makeup Styling: Megan Murphy | Wedding Photographers: Emily Jane Photography

If you can think of a better way to begin a marriage than with a sentimental celebration in your parent’s backyard (complete with anemones, Sweet Heather Anne and rustic touches), I’d love to hear it. Because as far as I’m concerned this Ann Arbor fete is downright divine. Kelly Sweet captured at home elegance and with Hey Gorgeous Events behind the day, and it’s a gallery that gives meaning to home is where the heart is.

From the beautiful Bride… I have always held a special connection to my parents house. It’s not only where I grew up, but it symbolizes an innate sense of comfort and support. Holidays and events at home have always been so special to me. Knowing this, Matt proposed to me on Christmas Eve of 2013 at my parent’s, surrounded by my family. Matt and I had been together for 7 years prior, so after the excitement of taking this next step together had settled, it didn’t take long for us to decide that the wedding should be held at my parent’s home. Convincing my parents to host 200 people in their backyard took a bit more time… Enter Rhiannon.

Rhi entered our lives and immediately brought a sense of calm to the whole event. I had a vision of what I wanted the night to look like, but Rhi truly brought it all to life. We envisioned a unique, elegant affair that our guests would still feel perfectly comfortable at. A subtle color palette, rich textures, and a touch of rustic materials came together perfectly for the day of. We worked with our paper company to create a black and white floral motif for our invitations, which translated perfectly through the whole event. Rhi even had a custom linen created for our cake table with the pattern.

I asked my bridesmaids to pick a gown in a shade of cool gray, veering towards blue. I hadn’t seen all of the dresses together until the morning of the wedding (which is SO unlike my Type A self) but I couldn’t be more impressed with how they all came together. We kept the guys classic with black tuxes and bowties. Rhi was able to bring in a soft blue tone in our florals, and was even able to find black centered anemones for my bouquet, which had been previously unavailable.

Looking back at our amazing photos from the day, I am so pleased to see how Kelly captured everyone’s pure joy. Matt and I are grinning ear to ear in every photo, and it’s a true testament to how perfect the day turned out. We are so grateful for such a special memory that we will always cherish.

Photography: Kelly Sweet Photography | Event Planning: Hey Gorgeous Events | Floral Design: Hey Gorgeous Events | Cake: Sweet Heather Anne | Invitations: Smitten on Paper | Catering: Katherine's Catering | Band: Hale Koa phineas Estate | Men's Attire: Men's Wearhouse | Bridal Shoes: Joie | Photography - Assistance: The Jon Hartman Photography Co. | Wedding Dress Boutique: Mimi's Bridal Boutique | Wedding Gown Designer: Watters

We always say that it’s the little details that you add into your day that will leave your guests with that warm and fuzzy feeling. So, so true in today’s wedding. Although the beautiful bride admits, her DIY projects took a little bit longer than anticipated, they were a big part of creating her wedding, her way. With Ana Skidmore of TwoFoot Creative and Jeffrey Lewis Bennett Photography by their side, this bride and groom have tons of wonderful memories to cherish forever. Take a look at the gallery for more of this delightful Ann Arbor wedding.

From the Bride… I met Steve at my summer job shortly before I left for
 graduate school. He was essentially my supervisor, but all of our 
co-workers were rooting for us. They used to spy on us from the second 
floor windows when we ate lunch together, and they conspired to leave 
us alone after work at happy hour. A couple of years of dating, 5
 years of engagement, a move to Michigan, and one Ph.D later, we
 finally tied the knot. We had spent most of our relationship living
 in southern California, but we quickly came to love Ann Arbor and knew 
it would be a beautiful place to plan a wedding. I knew I wanted 
a classic estate feel, and Earhart Manor was perfect. Located on the
 Huron River, the home has beautiful stone architecture, early 20th
 century furnishings, and mature landscaping. We were married between 
two white hydrangea trees on the west side of the manor, had cocktail
 hour on the stone patio, and moved on to a gorgeous tent for the 
reception. Out of some unholy combination of ambition and insanity, I 
decided to make the table numbers, bunting, menus, signage, and bar
 decorations, but in the end I think it came together well. We also 
brought in two ridiculously high-backed chairs from our living room 
and used them for our reception table. It’s actually a lot of fun to 
look at them every day and remember how much fun we had. We also
 planted the two hydrangea trees in our yard, side by side. It was a
 perfect day, due in no small part to my amazing planner and her staff.
 And I couldn’t be happier with the pictures, which I know we will
 always treasure.

Wedding Photography: Jeffrey Lewis Bennett / Wedding Venue: Earhart Manor, Concordia University, Ann Arbor, Michigan / Wedding Planning: Ana Skidmore of TwoFoot Creative / Floral Design: Wedding Flowers by Heidi / Cake: Sweet Heather Anne / Dress: Ivy & Aster (Blossom) via The Gown Shop Ann Arbor / Earrings: Haute Bride Design via The Gown Shop Ann Arbor / Rentals: Chair Covers & Linens / Lighting: Quest Productions / Ceremony Music: The Panache Group / Band: Collision 6 / Hair + Makeup: Posh Hair & Makeup Studio / Bouquet Preservation (on Canvas): Curly Art

Planning your wedding creates so many new memories and pretty often, so many new friendships. You work side by side with your vendors – usually for months – and as Ana, the principal event planner at TwoFoot Creative will tell you, when the sun sets and the day is done, it’s often a bittersweet moment. Such is the case of Ariana & John’s classic Ann Arbor wedding. Seeing all of your clever collaborations come to life is a breathtaking moment that few planners – or couples ever forget. Brides around the globe will agree that the day goes by way too quickly – but these knock-your-socks off  images from A Girl In Love  do a phenomenal job of conveying this couple’s story – from first look to closing bell. Join us in the gallery for a tasty macaron from Sweet Heather Anne and the museum wedding reception!

From Ana of TwoFoot Creative… Ariana & John were married on May 12th, 2012 in the Pendleton room at the Michigan Union in Ann Arbor, MI. I worked with them for the past year and it was bittersweet to see all their amazing details come to life – I am going to miss talking to them all the time! I arrived with Zingerman’s bagels and coffee in hand at 11am to the Bell Tower to make sure the ladies were getting off to a good start that day. Imagine Three did an amazing job with their hair and makeup, and then everyone got dressed and ready to go! Ariana & John had their first look at Ingalls Mall. Before the ceremony, as Ariana & John signed their ketubah downstairs in the Tappan room, guests began to arrive. They were given non-alcoholic welcome drinks with gold and white twisted straws that Ariana had imported from New Zealand. A quartet that her brother Jason organized played music in the background.

Immediately after the ceremony, guests were ushered downstairs for a group photo on the steps of the Michigan Union. We flipped the room for cocktail hour, and when they came back up, they were served drinks and appetizers for over an hour while all the details for the reception were finished. At 7pm on the dot, guests began their walk across the street to the University of Michigan Museum of Art (UMMA)! Ariana & John greeted guests as they entered the Museum. Guests found their seats via escort cards tied to champagne glasses. Once seated, they were greeted by a platter of Zingerman’s crudités (just in case they were still hungry after cocktail hour). After the couple’s grand entrance, we heard a few toasts and then dinner began!

Bill Hamilton Designs did an amazing job with all the decor for Ariana & John. A friend of hers (Sloane Harmony Design) created all the beautiful paper products. Zingerman’s served salad and a third course, and then the band (the amazing Killer Flamingos) came on for their first set. Almost everyone got out of their seats to dance! After a 30 minute dance set, guests sat back down to enjoy the third course which was followed by chocolate éclairs and coffee. The party really got started with the hora – and it was non-stop from there!

From the bride… We met in Ann Arbor, Michigan while going there to graduate school. We decided almost immediately after getting engaged that it would be the perfect destination for our wedding since I am from New York, John is from Wisconsin, and our family and friends are scattered throughout the country. We loved the beautiful atrium of the University of Michigan Museum of Art for the reception, but decided to hold the ceremony in the Michigan Union. John and I wanted the ceremony to be intimate, personal, and a real celebration of our relationship. One of our best memories was the letters that we wrote to each other that were read during the ceremony. My brother, a violinist, arranged all of the instrumental music for the ceremony, processional, and cocktail hour. We also invited a number of our close friends to participate in our ceremony, and we loved hearing their wishes for us.

Since the wedding would take place in two different venues, we decided that the ceremony décor would be natural, rustic, and capture John’s love of the outdoors, and the reception would have a more modern, romantic feel. We entered a room flooded with candles, walked down an aisle lined with floating lights and flowers, and were married under a chuppah constructed from branches.

After the ceremony and cocktail hour, we proceeded across the street to the reception. Since the museum is elegant and airy, we did not want to compete with the beauty of the space. Rather, we tried to complement it with neutral colors, burlap linens, simple table design, and gorgeous white and blush flower arrangements. After we had difficulty finding the perfect tables, our event planner, Bill Hamilton, built by hand long wooden farm tables, which became one of our favorite touches. We did add a little brightness to the space with a colorful photo booth backdrop, created with my mother’s help and a lot of crafting glue on the floor of our hotel room in the days leading up to the wedding.

John and I agreed that the most important aspects of the wedding were those that directly contributed to the enjoyment of our friends and family. We wanted our guests to have an endless amount of food, champagne, and delicious desserts. We hoped to encourage a dance party throughout the evening, so we both felt that live music was crucial. Although the day went by far too quickly, it was everything we hoped it would be, and we had such an incredible day with all of our favorite people.

Wedding Photography: A Girl In Love / Wedding Ceremony: Michigan Union / Wedding Reception: University of Michigan Museum of Art / Wedding Planning: TwoFoot Creative / Floral Design & Decor: Bill Hamilton Designs / Wedding Cinematography: Owen Video / Catering: Zingerman’s Catering / Cake: Zingerman’s Bakehouse / Macaron Favors: Sweet Heather Anne / Wedding Dress: Anne Barge / Rentals: Chair Covers & Linens / Band: Killer Flamingos / Paper Products: Sloane Harmony Design / Hair & Makeup: Imagine Three

At the risk of being a little too cheesy, this couple has got chemistry – and I’ve totally fused right onto it. Petals Planning Company planned a soiree perfect for two self-proclaimed chemistry nerds, complete with blooms in beakers. Based on Heather Jowett‘s images, I’d say the day was a knock out, or an A+ if you will. Make sure to do your extra credit in the gallery – because that is some homework you’ll absolutely enjoy!

Click here to see the full image gallery!

We met at a company picnic in New Jersey while not taking part in the Electric Slide. After several additional awkward encounters, we discovered we shared the same love of music and roller coasters. Our time together was short lived as I had to return to my home state of Michigan to finish out my last year of college. Not to be discouraged, Dan hopped on a plane and met me on Labor Day weekend. A trip to a theme park sealed the deal.

We decided that the two most important qualities in a venue were our ability to provide our own caterer and one that would have an intimate feel. We are planning to travel to Japan for our honeymoon and we wanted to bring Japan to our guests in the form of the dinner menu.
As soon as we visited the Matthaei Gardens we knew it was the place we wanted to get married. The conservatory used natural elements to create a quiet space that was ideal for the small, intimate ceremony we envisioned. We were also able to reserve the auditorium space to host our reception (using our own caterer!) which allowed us to keep the entire event under one roof.

We are both chemistry nerds at heart and wanted to pay tribute to this mutual love. At the same time we didn’t want it to overwhelm the senses. We wanted our wedding to be subtly nerdy while brightly elegant. Purple has always been my favorite color, and I loved how it played with the equally prominent cornflower blue. Pink and yellow were used as accents throughout the design.

What made our wedding so special to us were all of the personal touches we had included. My grandmother passed away two weeks before the wedding, so I wanted to honor her at the wedding. Dan’s mother passed away when he was younger, so we had already planned to incorporate a small dedication to her that would be more personal. We set the tributes by one another in the reception area so they would be a part of the celebration. I also attached my grandmother’s engagement ring to my bouquet for my “something old” and “something borrowed.”

We took every opportunity we could to insert bits of our personality into the wedding. Music was one of the things we clicked over, so we used songs by the first band we bonded over during the ceremony. At the reception, flowers were in flasks and test tubes, and we added stacks of science fiction novels from our book collection for an extra personal touch. Our wedding favors were small flasks with almonds to honor the Italian tradition.

Photography: Heather Jowett / Flowers: Sweet Pea Floral Design / Event Planning & Design: Petals Planning Company / Venue: Matthei Botanical Gardens / Invitations: BlimpCat / Shoes: Kate Spade / Dress: Modern Trousseau via The Gown Shop Ann Arbor / DJ: Mike Staff Productions / Videographer: Mike Staff Productions / Caterer: Food For All Seasons / Bride’s jewelry: YJ Design / Cake topper: Tilly Biedron / Flask favors and beakers: Lake Charles Manufacturing / Almonds: Oh! Nuts / Sash: Ivy & Aster via The Gown Shop Ann Arbor / Veil and headpiece: Sara Gabriel via The Gown Shop Ann Arbor

This wedding is possibly a little moodier that the weddings we feature regularly on SMP, but it is every bit as fabulous – and even maybe a little extra romantic. It looks like it was a phenomenal party put on by TwoFoot Creative and thanks to Jeffrey Lewis Bennett and his camera, we definitely feel as though we’ve gotten to know the couple a little bit – and we LOVE them. As soon as you pop into the gallery, you’ll fall head over heels as well!

True love happens when you least expect it, at least for Sarah and Nils it did. Their meeting wasn’t just by chance, and as they now reflect on how they met, they know it was meant to be. Nils had just returned from Germany, where he was serving in the US Army, to begin a dental specialty residency in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Sarah was also embarking on her professional career, also beginning a dental residency at the Hospital. Mutual friends introduced the couple and their story is continuing to be written. Nils often comments that it was “the best birthday gift a man could ever ask for, and that was to meet the woman of his dreams”. The two became inseparable almost instantly, and they knew there were destined to be bride and groom. However, with demanding schedules, the proposal was 2 years in the making. After long days of work, Nils and Sarah often drove by their favorite home, where they would often dream about their own home, life, and future together. It was on October 19th, 2010 that one such drive took place, and the romantic proposal in the front yard of that home, took Sarah completely by surprise.

The ten-month engagement was filled with fun and excitement. The detail-oriented couple enjoyed planning the affair from the beginning, deciding to focus on creating a modern event that reflected their personal style, and that family and friends would enjoy and leave knowing the couple more personally. Planning was easy because the couple had the same dream. Every appointment and little detail they planned together, which made it so much more special to the two of them.

The bride and groom could hardly sleep the night before the big day, which would take place at the historic Michigan Theater in downtown Ann Arbor, the town where the couple met. The Theater, built in 1920, had ornate elements with gilded textured walls, adding to the elegant feel. Emotional vows were exchanged on the main stage in front of their guests who were treated to champagne and popcorn in movie theater fashion. The couple was entranced to one another at first site and, during the service conducted by a patient and friend of the couple, never took their eyes off the other.

The reception was held in the Rogel Ballroom at the Michigan Union, also downtown. Amidst campus football game-day fever guest were transported by Pedicabs, while getting a tour of campus on a beautiful September day. Together, along with the help of their wedding coordinator and event designer, the reception was designed to feel like an elegant upscale nightclub with a great vibe. Dinner and all night dancing to a local band, the Killer Flamingos, kept guest both young and old rockin’. A photo booth was a popular sidebar element and a guest favorite was the caricature artist who drew couples as they are truly seen by others.

Following a next day brunch hosted by the Brides family the couple embarked on a two week California adventure of the coast between San Diego and San Francisco. It was on their first adventure as Husband and Wife that the next life adventure was conceived; a baby girl!

Photography: Jeffrey Lewis Bennett / Ceremony Site: Michigan Theater / Reception Site: Michigan Union / Wedding Coordinator: TwoFoot Creative / Floral and Event Designs: Bill Hamilton Designs LLC / Wedding Gown: Monique Lhuillier “Sunday Rose” from Roma Sposa / Crystal Belt: Monique Lhuillier / Bride’s Shoes: Enzo Angiolini / Bride’s Ceremony Veil: Erin Cole from Roma Sposa / Bride’s Reception Veil: Custom made / Bride’s Jewelry: Swarovski Jewelry Collection / Groom’s Suit: Armani Collezioni from Saks Fifth Avenue / Groom’s Belt & Shoes: Ferragamo / Groomsmen Tuxedos: President Tuxedo / Bridesmaids: Dessy Collection from B. Ella Bridal / Custom Engagement Ring and Wedding Bands: Metals in Time / Groom’s Watch: Bell & Ross Timepiece from Metals in Time / Live Band: Killer Flamingos / Linens: Chair Covers & Linens / Makeup: Jamie Clemons / Paper Design: JDesigns

This is the kind of wedding that you just feel love pouring out of every detail – most of which were created by the lovely bride herself. The flowers somehow feel a little sweeter, the laughter is definitely a little louder, and the adoration is so beautiful, it fills Jeffrey Lewis Bennett‘s images fully. And the gallery is one of the most romantic we’ve seen in a while!

Matthew and I couldn’t have asked for a better day to celebrate the start of our new lives together. Our vision for the day was a laid-back celebration, with tons of personal touches, where we could laugh and play with all of the people we loved. It was so amazing to see our friends and family come together to pull it all off (especially because most everything was homemade). It’s in times like this that you really see how blessed you are and we will cherish those memories always. The whole day was full of sweet love, laughter and friendship… it couldn’t have been more perfect (even when the heat started melting our cake during dinner)! We put so much work into the event: from me hand designing and letter-pressing the invitations and sewing banners, to Matthew engineering cute bubble dispensers for our ceremony exit (I know, I’m a lucky girl, right?). But friends and family did so much too! I’m extremely lucky to have many talented and generous friends who took their time and energy to help (craft my veil, hairpiece and many decorations) and a mom and sisters who made the succulent and herb centerpieces and many of the other projects Matt and I couldn’t drive back from Boston. My sister, Lindsey, a talented cosmetologist and make-up artist, even did all of our hair and my makeup before the wedding as well as her own!

Our day was particularly special for us because we don’t get to see many of our friends and family often enough. We landed in Boston after graduating from the University of Cincinnati where we spent our first 3 years (of 5, so far) together. Most of our family and friends are in the Midwest, so we wanted to have our wedding in a place that was close to home. We chose Ann Arbor because of its location and friendly, eco-conscious atmosphere. Misty Farms was the perfect venue for our vision: a casual wedding with vintage touches. We actually gathered most of the wedding decorations we didn’t make from antique shops along New England and at various flea markets and thrift stores. It’s amazing what you can find, including many things we will repurpose in our new home together! The beer featured at our wedding were from breweries in Michigan and New England to symbolize our love for both locations and we tried to make environmentally friendly decisions like using compostable bamboo plates and re-purposing green bottles we used over the year as centerpieces.

I think my favorite wedding touches were the Polaroid pictures taken for our guest book, and the envelopes we have filled with letters of encouragement and advice for each of our first 15 years of marriage (one at each of our 15 tables). I can hardly wait to celebrate each anniversary and re-live our memories through the words of our loved ones!

Photography: Jeffrey Lewis Bennett / Flowers: Thrifty Florist, Ann Arbor / Event Planning & Design: The Bride / Ceremony & Reception Location: Misty Farms / Invitations: The Bride / Shoes: Circa Joan & David Luxe  / Dress: Pronovias, Rebecca / Veil: Alyssa Work / Hair pins: Justine Miller / Cake: The Gourmet Cupcake Shoppe / Groomsmen Suits: Target / Groom: Indochino / Guys Shoes: Urban Outfitters / Guys Ties: J.Crew

When two talented wedding photographers tie the knot and enlist abby rose photo to capture every special moment, there is no doubt it will end up being an SMP fave. And you are about to see that very scenario play out through all the pretty pictures below. With perfectly edited deets by VLD and florals by Passionflower so pretty I could cry, this gallery is one that cannot be missed!

From the Bride… We were perfect targets for a pre-mediated match on behalf of our best friends. We were both passionate about the art of photography and eventually became partners in work too — we are now a husband and wife team of photographers. We have been a part of so many couples’ weddings but being at our own was totally surreal. We feel so lucky to have had friends and amazing photographers document our day. Our wedding was small — 50 guests. We wanted our day to feel intimate. The entire event was in Kerrytown, which is a lively marketplace and a unique setting for a wedding. We just loved the feel of Zingerman’s Events on 4th. We wanted our dinner reception to be cozy and warm and the rustic brick was a nice touch. The courtyard being so close was perfect — we definitely wanted an outdoor ceremony. Steve’s mom had the idea to put ribbons in the tree we got married in front of, and Sue from Passionflower brought her idea to life! It was the perfect setting, complete with a breeze to blow the ribbons and my veil with the sun falling behind us. Steve’s dad (William) was physically unable to attend the wedding, so in his honor, we chose to give sweet william plants as gifts to our guests. My dad passed away three years ago, but we were lucky to have a beautiful acoustic (guitar) piece of music he wrote and recorded, which we played when I walked to my groom.

I gave the color palette, along with the cafe light idea, to Sue (Passionflower) and Alison (VLD) and let them do their thing. We had 100% faith in their creative judgement and were totally happy with the outcome. I also hired Bonnie Daws to make a custom dress based a few of my ideas. She did a beautiful job my dress featured a chantilly lace bodice and a charmeuse skirt with a georgette overskirt, all in ivory. Our favorite part of the day was our first look. It was so nice to see each other privately before the ceremony .. it was a such special moment. We wanted to make sure we had plenty of time for photos and be able to relax after the ceremony. Abby and Tommy knew the perfect secluded spot in the woods, and the pictures from that part of the day were beautiful. Our day was perfect — it was the happiest day of our lives!

Wedding Photography: abby rose photo / Wedding Venue: Zingerman’s Events on 4th in Ann Arbor, Michigan / Event Design: VLD / Floral Design: Passionflower / Wedding Dress: Custom by Bonnie Daws / Bride’s Shoes: Vince Camuto / Bridesmaid’s Dress: Adrianna Papell / Bride’s Head Piece + Bridesmaid’s Necklace: Copper Clover Glass Works / Groom’s Suit: Rubin / Groom’s Shirt: Hugo Boss / Groom’s Tie: Hart Schaffner Marx

I just can’t help it. I love this couple. The bride is SO beautiful with a smile that never stops and which shows us all just what it feels like to be in love. And her adoring groom? Well, adorable for sure. It’s the perfect highlight film for this lovely Spring Saturday. Epic Motion, it’s fantastic.

[iframe http://player.vimeo.com/video/35324107 601 338]

This video is a “highlight reel” from our July 15, 2011 wedding in Ann Arbor, MI. The video was produced by the fabulous Epic Motion out of Royal Oak, MI, and this highlight clip really captures the essence of a very special wedding. You will notice that the first part of the video begins with Charlie (the groom) reading a letter that Amanda (the bride) wrote to him. What’s really special is that Epic Motion captured shots of Amanda that fit with the words of her letter that Charlie is reading.

Photography: Special Moments Photography / Cinematography: Epic Motion / Flowers: Enchanted / Event Planning: Kathy Bishop, Fantastic Functions / Ceremony Location: St. Thomas the Apostle Church / Reception Location: Barton Hills Country Club / Stationery: Adele Brinkman, The Write Touch / Shoes: Cinnamon Wedding Shoes, Pink by Paradox London / Dress: Pronovias, The Wedding Bell / Hair: Utopia Salon & Spa / Make-Up: Posh Studio

January is the quintessential Winter Wonderland Wedding month – so when the lovely ladies over at The Gown Shop sent over a winter inspired shoot in my snowy home state (Michigan) – I was excited. And then I saw the line up of the fabulous vendors who worked on the shoot – abby rose photo, Petals Planning Company, Sweet Heather Anne, among other all stars, and I knew I had to share. It’s a glam take on the winter nuptials, and we love it. Don’t forget to click here for more!

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

Oh where to start with this one? How about with the killing me it’s so freaking fabulous venue designed by none other than Frank Lloyd Wright. Are all of you architecture buffs squealing yet? Now drape it in yellow chandeliers and whimsical bunches of paper lanterns, add some lovely florals whipped up by The Parsonage, and have it all captured by Heather Saunders Photography and I bet all of you wedding lovers are going to be squealing too. We have one fabulous little number on our hands and there is plenty to more to swoon over in the gallery.

Click here to see the entire image gallery!

From the Bride who also happens to be a FABULOUS wedding photographer… As veteran wedding photographers, Tommy and I had a unique perspective when it came to planning our own day.  We had some big advantages, in that we already had established relationships with many of the best vendors in our area – so, we had a good idea of who we wanted to work with, and pretty much had our pick. We also had some pretty strong ideas of what kind of wedding we wanted to have.  While my parents would have loved for us to have a big ballroom wedding with a band, we really wanted our wedding to feel more like a night out at an incredible restaurant.  We opted to forgo a DJ, and instead amassed a collection of handheld vintage radios.  A radio transmitter allowed us to pump an ipod playlist through them, and it was the perfect backdrop for the evening.

Since our wedding was basically a dinner party, the food was really important to us.  We explored the idea of a strolling supper, but decided that since we weren’t doing a dance party, a seated, multi-course dinner would lend a bit more structure to the evening, and be a real treat for our guests.  We interviewed several caterers before deciding to go with Forte Belanger – we wanted to work with a team that could WOW us with an innovative menu, accommodate some vegan friends, and source ingredients sustainably.  They did just that.  People are STILL talking about the amazing food at our wedding.

As soon as we found the Frank Lloyd Wright Palmer House, we knew it was the perfect location.  It’s Ann Arbor’s only Frank Lloyd Wright home, and is beautifully maintained.  It’s only recently been made available as a rental property, and we were actually the first (and possibly only) wedding to be held there.  The property did present some interesting challenges in terms of staging an event – and we took a BIG gamble planning everything outdoors – but we were so lucky to have perfect weather, so it all worked out.

I knew from the begining that I wanted a short, 50’s-style dress, and I kept on coming back to dolly couture.  I was incredibly nervous about ordering a dress sight-unseen online, but I just couldn’t find anything local that compared.  So, I sent along my measurements, and 6 weeks later the dress arrived – and fit perfect right out of the box.

Limiting our guest list to just 60 of our closest friends and family really allowed us to splurge on the things that were important to us.  We hired an incredible team of vendors that we trusted implicitly, and really let them do their thing.  We had a gorgeous invitation suite designed by local letterpress artist Michelle Baker of Elevated Press.  We gave Michelle a lot of creative leeway with our design and she totally NAILED it – the invite actually references the layout of the Palmer House with it’s geometric lines, and we were able to incorporate that triangle theme through much of our design.  We had a local beekeeper friend harvest the cutest little jars of honey for our wedding favors.  This also lent itself to a really cool display that added some visual interest.  The amazing Liz from Parsonage Flowers was so much more than just our florist – she pretty much styled the entire wedding.  During our initial meetings, I showed her some tearsheets of elements that appealed to me.  Tom and I wanted to incorporate a midcentury/vintage feel, but without it becoming a parody of itself.  I knew I wanted yellow to be prominent, and that I loved succulents and ranunculus.  But beyond that, I was clueless about HOW to actually stage a beautiful wedding.  And with the months leading up to our wedding being, well, wedding season – we were so crazy-busy that we really needed someone to go the extra mile in helping pull the design together.  Liz was such a rockstar – sending me mockups of so many incredible ideas, sourcing the coolest vintage furniture pieces from god-knows-where,  hunting for the perfect fabrics, sewing things together – just about every beautiful detail you see is thanks to her.

Of course, as photographers ourselves, choosing a photographer was a little tricky. We are so lucky to call some of the best photographers in the country friends – but in the end, we could only hire one.  There is so much local talent right in southeast Michigan that almost immediately we ruled out flying someone in.  Than it was just a matter of narrowing the field. We wanted to make sure we hired someone who really excelled at shooting the kind of wedding we were having – outdoors, lots of natural light.  We wanted very organic imagery and knew we were less interested in posed photos.  And of course, we wanted someone who was actually excited about the prospect of working with us (shooting for photographers can be tough!!).  We’re so glad we went with Heather, who is not only a amazing photographer, but such a fun person to be around as well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While our ceremony was fairly secular, it was important to me that we incorporate some Jewish traditions.  Liz fashioned a beautiful ‘chuppah’ out of clustered paper lanterns.  We created our own spin on the ketubah – asking our close friend to create a piece of art for us that we signed just prior to the ceremony.  Tommy also broke the glass.  The ceremony was officiated by our friend’s father, and featured a reading from Tom Robbins’ ‘Still Life with Woodpecker’.  I walked up the aisle to Iron and Wine’s ‘Love and Some Verses’ played acoustically by a friend.

I loved every minute of being a bride! (Well, except for all the stress of planning – but, honestly, that all faded away the minute my wedding day began.)  I will always remember standing with Tom during the ceremony, looking around at how amazing everything was, and bursting into the happiest tears (yep, I blubbered at my wedding!).  After years in the wedding industry, it was such a treat to be on the other side of the wedding experience.  And it’s so true what everyone says – it goes by in a blur (so make sure you hire a great photographer!!).

 

 

Wedding Photography: Heather Saunders Photography / Wedding Venue: Palmer House / Wedding Dress: Dolly Couture (Avilla Bay) / Bride’s Shoes: Stuart Weitzman / Bride’s Hair Flower: Lo Boheme / Groom’s Suit: Vintage / Groom’s Shoes: Cole Haan / Catering: Forte Belanger / Wedding Invitations & Paper Goods: Elevated Press / Calligraphy: Betsy Dunlap / Floral & Event Design: The Parsonage / Day Of Coordinator: Laura Davis Events / Makeup: Amber Kaczmarek / Hair: Patty Perone of Luigi Bruni Salon / Photo Booth: The Traveling Photo Booth / Tent & Event Rentals: Special Events Rental

We’re traveling to my hometown today – beautiful Ann Arbor, Michigan. And there’s no better way to visit, than with this University of Michigan Museum of Art wedding stuffed full of all sorts of sweet and quirky details. Like the Penguin Classic hardcovers as centerpieces for the book editor bride? Genius. We were so excited when we got this one from the always fun, always talented Jess + Nate Studios. Ann Arbor is such a cool place to have an artistic, unique wedding. Honestly, it’s a great place to have ANY wedding (I had mine there!). So enjoy this one, and then feast your eyes on more in the gallery!

From the bride … Pat and I were living in Brooklyn when we got engaged, but we wanted to get married in Ann Arbor, where we met and fell in love while students at the University of Michigan. I had been an English major and was working as a book editor; Pat had been an architecture student and was working at a boutique architecture firm. We wanted a location that captured our personalities, that was unique and that had a sense of fun.

When we discovered that we could hold our wedding at the University of Michigan Museum of Art on the school’s campus, we knew we had found our dream location. The museum is beautiful—originally built in 1910, with a brand-new modern wing added in 2009. It pleased Pat’s architectural whimsies and it also tickled my little liberal-arts heart. Plus, our guests could peruse the museum’s collection during our reception!

Reverend Tom Burdette officiated the ceremony, and our talented string quartet provided stunning contemporary music – I walked down the aisle to the Beatles’ “Here Comes the Sun.” We followed the ceremony with a cocktail reception in the museum’s new wing. Then we laughed and danced the night away while our DJ spun tunes.

The lovely Gwen Kassa from University Flower Shop provided our flowers and created our sweet dahlia centerpieces, in which she used cool red and blue glass vases and gorgeous Penguin clothbound classic books.

Our day-of wedding coordinator was the fabulous Kathy Bishop. She made our day worry-free, even going on a beer run when the supply was low. Our photographers were the absolute geniuses of Jessica Johnston Photography, Nate and Jessica Johnston. Their photographs of our wedding day still leave me speechless. Our wedding day was a dream. It rained, and it didn’t even matter. There truly is nothing like being surrounded by friends and family who love you.

Photography: Jess + Nate Sudios / Wedding Gown: Vera Wang / Ceremony + Reception Venue: University of Michigan Museum of Art / Officiant: Reverend Tom Burdette / Ceremony Music: Panache Entertainment / Catering: Katherine’s Catering / Bride’s Headpiece: ban.do / Bride’s Shoes: Bloch from Laney’s Place / Jewelry: Kate Spade / Bridesmaid Dresses: J. Crew / Floral: Gwen Kassa of University Flower Shop / Day of Coordinator: Kathy Bishop / Entertainment: Lee Walch of Mike Staff Productions