Winter weddings are be-a-u-tiful!!  Photos are always a little trickier because of the cold, but so totally worth it! 

Kyle and Alison had an amazing winter day for their wedding....the sun was shining, there was lots of white fluffy stuff on the ground and the roads weren't too treacherous!  :)  It was a sweet and happy day filled with laughter, lots of smiles and even a few happy tears.  A wonderful beginning to a great love story :)

Allison's Allure dress was one of my all time favorites.....there is even a surprise in store for later with it :)

Kyle carried his grandmother's handkerchief in his pocket for the day. 

The church was decorated beautifully....with purple lighting even brought in by the florist....simply divine!

These little kiddos were so cute!  They were even still going when we left the reception!!

This photo makes me want to get married again....in January....with white trees....and the same guy :)

Mr & Mrs!

Don't they just look cold?

....but so worth freezing your buns off :)

LOVE this shot that Terra captured!

Alison loves sunset photos......if you can remember back to their engagement session.....so we made sure to take lots on the big day!

So pretty...

Not too shabby himself.....

The reception was held at the Lakehouse at Shoreline Inn.....love this location! 

Delicious cake from Ryke's Bakery!

In order for the bride and groom to kiss....guests had to make a putt!!  Love it!

This couple had some tricks up their sleeves!  Kyle surprised Alison with a choreographed dance by him and his groomsmen!

Here is Alison's surprise!  During a fun song, Alison's bridesmaids pulled off the bottom portion of her dress....                                          which turned it into a short dress for dancing!  So...Much...Fun!

The party wasn't even close to being over when we left. 

We hope you two had a blast!!

 

Have a great time in Georgia!  (eat some peaches for us...lol)  :)

 

Here is a little more info on their fab vendors!

Ceremony:  Unity Reformed Church - Norton Shores, MI

Reception and Cocktail hour: Lakehouse at Shoreline Inn - Muskegon MI

Caterer:  Lakehouse

Cake:  Ryke's Bakery - Muskegon, MI

Florist:  Chalet Floral - Muskegon, MI

Transportation:  Trolley

Music & Entertainment:  LPentertainment

Hair & Make-up:  Salon 297 - Norton Shores, MI

Dress:  Allure

It's that time of the year again .... where we go through some of our favorite images from the short year before!  2011's recap is going to be great!  We will be posting anything from wedding details and best kisses to our favorite sunflares.. If you have anything else you would like to see, let me know!!

Katie A's Dress

Caryn's Dress

Desirae's Dress

Megan's Dress

Terra's Dress

Alicia's Dress

Amber's Dress

Andrea's Dress

Lauren's Dress

Kuirsta's Dress

Meg's Dress

Rachel's Dress

Trina's Dress

Shellee's Dress

Jessica's Dress

Katie D's Dress

Sarah's Dress

Erica's Dress

Michelle's Dress

Christine's Dress

 

Andrea called me late summer/early fall to set up a time to take her "LTD" photos (Love The Dress).  I was looking forward to this session for a few months....then had to wait until now to post the photos.  Good thing I had lots of work to do that helped me keep my mind off of it....b/c I was so excited to share these :) 

Andrea wanted to give some of these photos to her husband, Michael, for Christmas....I cannot believe that she kept the secret for so long!  Every year for Christmas, I have to buy Joe's gifts w/in a few weeks of the holiday because I can't wait! 

Here are some of my favorites from her session.  I love the fall look to them :)

There are even some pumpkins left in this shot!

I love these two...so pretty!

A couple of my faves!

 

Although we didn't "trash" her dress.....it was still fun to take photos in a different location from the wedding day.  I love these sessions soooo much because it gives us so much more time....even a second chance for a new hair-do or fun accessories. 

And if you are a little daring....rolling around in the dirt in your cowboy boots and fishnets may just be a good idea :)

Ten years later .... they said "I DO"!!  Jerid and Michelle have been together for, yes, 10 years!  They met in high school and have been together ever since.  Not only are they sweet, happy, fun-loving and just simply wonderful, but they happen to be good friends of mine too!  It always is so special to me to be able to be such an important part of a friend's wedding day. 

We met up with Michelle and her bridesmaids at All Saints Church in Fremont where they were putting their final touches of makeup on and slipping into their pretty dresses.  I had been so excited leading up to this day because I knew it would be a fun reunion of old friends and lots of good times!  And it was definitely nothing short of that!!

It was a gorgeous fall day .... we were sooo lucky!

Michelle wore her grandmother's ring as her "something old"

Their adorable daughter, Brooklyn, on the left!

Michelle is very close with her family.  These next few shots of her and her parents are so sweet!

Michelle was so excited to finally marry Jerid....her smile gave it away :)

Married!

After the wedding, we drove to Heritage Farms to take lots of fun wedding photos.  The scenery is so pretty there.

I love this shot of Jerid.  He looks so handsome!

Michelle was such a gorgeous bride!

Their wedding party was so much fun!  They were laughing and joking the entire time.

.

LOVE this photo and the light!

After the photos were taken, we headed to Leighton Hall in White Cloud for a fun party!

Little Brooklyn, watching mommy and daddy's first dance :) 

I have to admit...I may have shed a tear...or several while editing these dancing photos.  Love the emotion and the happiness!!

And one more of cute little Brooklyn!!

 

Jerid & Michelle -

Thank you for asking me to be there to capture all the tears, smiles, hugs and kisses on your wedding day.  It means so much to me!  I hope your day was perfect and that the next ten years are even better than the first!!  Congrats!  - Kellie

 

Wedding Vendor Details:

Ceremony - All Saint's Catholic Church, Fremont MI

Reception - Leighton Hall - White Cloud MI

Cake - Judy Wallace, Fremont MI

Hair - Snipperz, Fremont MI

Flowers - DIY

Photographers - Us!

The day started off perfectly....the sun was shining, the temperature was nice and I was excited to go into our last wedding weekend of the year!  We met Christine and her bridesmaids at the JW Marriott in downtown Grand Rapids to photograph her preparations and beautiful details.  From the time that they opened up the hotel door, we felt welcome!  Christine was smiling from ear to ear and so excited to see her groom.  The bridesmaids were making sure every last detail was in place and ready to celebrate their sister's big day!  Terra and I had our cameras in hand, ready to capture every moment of it!!

Christine's Alfred Angelo dress was so pretty.....and very detailed. 

Yes!  Purple shoes.....in love!

I love when couples incorporate details that are meaningful to them.  Here is Christine holding her grandmother's handkerchief.

Christine made a gorgeous bride!

One of her sisters even made these cute hangers! 

On the way to meet her man.....

Rob's expression is priceless!  LOVE!!

Christine's bouquet was so pretty!  Shelly from Shelly's Designs is ah-ma-zing! 

Romantic shots like this make me swoon! 

After photos downtown, we headed to Thousand Oaks Golf Course for a few more photos and the ceremony and reception!  What a stunning venue!! 

The ceremony room was so pretty.  I just love these chairs!

This image of Christine entering the ceremony with her father gives me goosebumps.  It is dramatic and exciting all at the same time!

Mr. & Mrs.!!

Thousand Oaks did a great job with the cake!

Congratulations Rob & Christine!  We had so much fun with you!  We hope your honeymoon to Hawaii was a blast!

 

Here are some of the vendors who helped make their day so special:

Ceremony & Reception Location:  Thousand Oaks Golf Course - Grand Rapids, MI

Caterer & Cake:  Thousand Oaks Golf Course

Florist:  Shelly's Designs - Walker, MI

Music & Entertainment:  Music Host Productions

Hair & Make-up:  Design One - Grand Rapids, MI

Bridal Preparations:  JW Marriott Hotel - downtown Grand Rapids, MI

Wedding Gown:  Alfred Angelo - Grand Rapids, MI

Photographers:  Us!!

Tyler & Erica were married at Remembrance Church in Grand Rapids, MI.  The wedding was absolutely stunning!  Tyler's mother, Shelly, is the owner of Shelly's Designs....and she is an absolute amazing florist!  She pulled out all the stops for her only son's wedding.....with gorgeous floral arrangements everywhere in sight....focusing on an earthy/natural feel.

Tyler and Erica are so sweet and so happy in each others presence.  Their first look on their wedding day was so special and so emotional.  I was definitely brought to tears!  After their "I Do's" were said, we headed to English Hills in Grand Rapids, MI for a crazy fun party and more of Shelly's breathtaking floral goodness!  After dinner, the couple and their guests munched on delicious cupcakes prepared by Cake Connection and candy!  Did I mention that their cupcakes were displayed on a large cupcake tree created, again, by the groom's mother? 

What a perfect day!!

 

Fun, energetic and totally in love ...... that is how  I would describe Joe and Sarah.  They are so much fun to be around and always the life of the party!  I know I have been saying this all year long....but 2011 was the year of photographing old friends from high school!  Sarah and I have been friends for a long time!  Our dads even worked together back in the day!  When Sarah was born...my parents had to quick choose another name for me b/c they planned on naming me Sarah.....how funny!  Once Sarah contacted me about engagement and wedding photos...I was so excited for them!  Once I got to know Joe, I could see how right they are for one another!!

We had plenty of time for pictures in Muskegon because Sarah and Joe decided to see each other prior to the ceremony.  This always allows for more photo time!!  The rain held off until the second they stepped back into the limo...what luck!  The rest of the day went quite smoothly....ending the night by celebrating with good friends and family.

Joe & Sarah - I wish you all the best!  I cannot wait until you have little babies for me to photograph :)  Good luck with everything in the future.  I hope you had a blast on your honeymoon!

Here are some important vendors from their special day:

Ceremony Location:  First Congregational Church - Fremont, MI

Reception Venue:  All Saints Catholic Church - Fremont, MI

Catering:  Moondance Cafe - Fremont, MI

Cake:  Judy Wallace - Fremont, MI

Florist:  Newaygo Floral - Newaygo, MI

Transportation:  Lakeshore Limo

Music: DJ Mystery

Hair:  Snipperz - Fremont, MI

Photographerse:  Us! :)

It all started back when a friend of a friend of a friend introduced them.  Well....there may not have been that many friends involved, but whatever happened work!  Who knew that a couple years later Nick and Katie would become husband and wife. 

Both, Nick and Katie, were so excited to marry one another.  Katie anxiously waiting to see Nick for the first time at the end of the aisle and Nick excitedly anticipating his first view of Katie as his bride!  What a perfect day!  There were lots of happy tears and non-stop happiness from friends and family, making their day all the more enjoyable. 

Katie & Nick - Thank you for asking us to be there on your special day.  We felt so welcome with your families and cannot wait to see what the future holds for you two.  We hope you had a blast on your honeymoon in Italy!

Here are some of the amazing vendors that we worked with on Nick and Katie's wedding day:

Ceremony Location:  Faith Covenant Church - Manistee, MI

Reception Venue:  Little River Casino & Resort - Manistee, MI

Caterer:  Little River Casino & Resort

Cake:  Sheer Delight

Florist:  Stacey's Flowers - Manistee, MI

Trolley:  American Classic Luxury Transport

Music & Entertainment:  Northern Michigan DJ

Hair & Make-up: Fiesta Hair Salon - Manistee, MI

Photographers:  Us!

Ever since Jessica was a little girl, she wanted to be a princess.  So, of course, she always dreamed of a princess wedding in a beautiful castle!  This even became more evident throughout their wedding day, because everyone kept on calling her "Princess"!  I loved it :) 

Aaron and Jessica met several years ago....even moving to Las Vegas together!  I laughed a little to myself when I found out that Aaron's dad lived in Canadian Lakes, MI because in order to use the one and only castle around here for a wedding, you had to have someone who lived in Canadian Lakes reserve the building for you.  That solidified my feelings that they were meant to be together!! 

Jessica found her handsome prince and Aaron finally married his beautiful bride!  It was a beautiful day that they will enjoy looking back on for years to come! 

Here is a little preview of their royal wedding day :)

 

Some more of the fabulous wedding vendors that we were able to work with are:

Ceremony & Reception Venue:  The Castle - Canadian Lakes, MI

Caterer: Mayfair Restaurant

Florist:  DIY

Music & Entertainment:  Pete Sodini

Hair:  Diane Smith

Photographers:  Us :)

By the way....if you were wondering if that was Joe a few photos up dancing with the big glasses....well...yes...that is him.  He decided that he wanted to dance all of a sudden .... I am so proud :)  haha

Dave and Shellee's day started off perfectly .... even after the rough night they endured the evening before.  During their wedding rehearsal, Dave became extremely ill, even being rushed to the ER, staying late into the night.  As a testament to their strong relationship, Shellee stayed by his side the entire night....caring for him and preparing to possibly put the day of their dreams on hold along with a honeymoon of a lifetime to Ireland.  With lots of praying, some hoping and a little bit of luck, Dave pulled through and was able to enjoy their amazing day!  And I am so glad for that!

With the talk of Jersey Shore and big hair, Shellee excitedly got ready with her closest friends and family....waiting to see her groom for the first time at the end of that aisle!  While Shellee was finalizing her makeup and slipping into her gorgeous gown, Dave was....as men normally do....goofing around with his friends, taking hilarious photos near the location of their soon to be vows!

After it was all said and done, Dave and Shellee had a beautiful wedding day (with a few interesting twists) that they will be able to remember forever.  Hopefully these photos will help them remember it well!

Here are the vendors who made their day possible:

Ceremony Location - Luther Church of Christ - Luther, MI

Reception Venue - Fox  Hill Event Center - Cadillac, MI

Caterer - Blue Heron Cafe

Cake - Tasty Cakery - Fremont, MI

Florist - Patterson's - Cadillac, MI

Cocktail Hour Music - The Chamber Players

Reception Entertainment - DJ Dean Armstrong

Hair & Makeup - Tracy Kanous of Chaos Spas

Photobooth - Shutterbooth

Photographers - Us :)

 

This year has been full of brides and grooms that I attended high school with.....and I feel so honored that they chose us to photograph their weddings!  Trina was a year older than me in school, but we grew up playing softball together and her and her twin sister, Mari, were as sweet as could be!  Being both gorgeous, smart and super talented, I knew that Tom was one lucky man!  After spending a little time with them during their engagement session, I knew they had something special and I became so excited to document it with photographs for them!  Their wedding day was spectacular....everything about it was beautiful.  Beautiful church, beautiful bride, beautiful dress, beautiful bridesmaids....ths list goes on and on!!  I loved everything they chose for their wedding day.  Here are some images for you!!

Here is a little wedding day info!

Ceremony location:  St. Mark's Episcopal Church - downtown Grand Rapids, MI

Reception Venue:  Eve at the Bob - downtown Grand Rapids, MI

Caterer:  Gilmore Collection - Grand Rapids, MI

Cake:  Cakes by Michele - Howard City, MI

Florist (bouquets): Barb Sova - Grand Rapids, MI

Florist (centerpieces and favors): Ashley VanLuyn - Rockford, MI

Transportation:  Five Star Sedan & Limousine Service

Music (Ceremony): String Trio with Diane Whittle and Annette Henry

Music (Reception):  Extreme Creative Entertainment

Hair:  Cheveaux - downtown Grand Rapids, MI

Brides Dress:  Casablanca - Becker's Bridal

Bridesmaids Dresses: Bill Lerkoff - Bridal Gallery

Groom & Groomsmen Suits: Michael Kors - Men's Warehouse

Photographers:  Us  :)

 

Richard and Rachel have been together since high school.  I love a love story that dates back to high school....doesn't happen very often!  They even attended Ferris State University together!!  Their wedding day was extremely hot and extremely humid, but they didn't care!  They were finally getting married after all of those years!! 

Some of their wedding day details:

Ceremony location:  All Saints Catholic Church - Fremont, MI

Reception Venue:  All Saints Catholic Church

Caterer:  Shake It Up BBQ

Cake:  Ryke's Bakery - Muskegon, MI

Florist:  Fairview Floral - Fremont, MI

Music & Entertainment:  Nightbeat Entertainment

Hair & Make-up:  Snipperz Salon - Fremont, MI

Photographers:  Us!  :)

 

Dave and Meg are such a sweet couple.  I have known Meg for many years, but just met Dave on their wedding day!  They were great!  We felt so comfortable with them all throughout the day, and knew instantly that they were meant for one another!

Dave and Meg have that kind of love that just works....you know?  Their personalities complimented each other so well, making it seem that one was not complete without the other.  They were each other's "one perfect match" and that was evident throughout their entire day.  Couples like this make me happy ... make my heart happy ... and make my camera happy :)  There were lots of tears during toasts and vows ... which made it all the more special. 

Here is some of their wedding day info:

Ceremony Location:  St. Anthony of Padua - Walker, MI

Reception Venue:  The Bluff - Grand Rapids, MI

Caterer:  The Bluff

Hair Stylist:  Jessica Bull - Fremont, MI  (also a bridesmaid and aunt of Meg's)

Music & Entertainment:  Pete Sodini

Photographers:  Us :)

They had one of the sweetest first meetings.  Meg was SOOOO excited to see him that she almost started to run!

These two ladies wanted to have a contest to see who could end up on the blog .... I couldn't decide who's pic was worse, so I posted both!  haha.....!

After the cake was cut, the garter was thrown and the bride ditched her bouquet .... the rest of the evening was a full-blown dance party!  LOVE it!!

Country weddings .... love 'em!  Seth & Kuirsta were an absolutely fabulous couple!  Kuirsta and I have been in touch via email for months now, so it was so great to finally get to meet her and her now-hubby!  Kuirsta has a love for photography just as I do, so it was fun to get to work with such an appreciative, interested bride!!  They were so much fun and so happy with one another....which makes me love my job more and more!  They welcomed us into their family's home and made us feel so comfortable!  We just love these two!!  Here are some details and a list of their wedding day team which made the day amazing!!

Ceremoy Location:  Stieg Farms

Reception Venue:  Evart Fairgrounds

Catering:  Dawn Fresh Catering - McBain, MI

Cake:  JP Cakes

Florist:  Blue Iris - Evart, MI

Transportation:  Family's cattle trailer :)

Music;  Steve Wessels

Hair & Make-up:  Sisters of the bride, Helena & Kendra

Photographers:  Us :)

Sean and Lauren were such a fun and nice couple to work with.  You could instantly see that they love one another dearly within ten seconds of meeting them.  They had a beautiful June wedding day in downtown Grand Rapids to celebrate that love!  Everything went smoothly...and I couldn't help but shed a few tears during their funny and sweet toasts during dinner.  Even several out of country family members were able to attend - bringing along some fun Danish wedding traditions ... like cutting the bride's veil for good luck and a traditional Danish wedding cake.

Sean & Lauren - we wish you two all the best in your future together!  Good luck with everything and enjoy each other :)

Here are their wedding day details!

Ceremony Location: St. Mark's Episcopal Church - Grand Rapids, MI

Reception Venue: The Pinnacle Center - Hudsonville, MI

Catering: The Pinnacle Center

Cake: Zeeland Bakery - Zeeland, MI

Florist: Shelly Johnson Designs - Grand Rapids, MI

Hair & Make-up: Sculptures Salon - Vicksburg, MI

Transportation: Affordable Limo

Dress Designer:  Maggie Sottero

Photographers: Us!