Krista & Matt's Holy Family Church Wedding

Could these two be any more beautiful together?! Seriously!


Krista started off the day getting her hair and makeup done at home along with her family and friends. I think this next image captures that feeling of being wrapped up in the day...


I just love the next image of her and her father in the limo as they're getting ready to go to the church...


Can't you just feel Matt's anticipation as he tries to see his bride at the end of the aisle?


The ceremony was held at the beautiful and historic Holy Family Church in downtown Detroit, where names from several generations of Krista's family were literally carved into the church's history.




At the end of the ceremony, the priest said, "Photographer! Come here!" For a minute I had that "who me?" look, but quickly made my way to the front, feeling pretty nervous! Turns out he just wanted me to take a picture up close of the couple with their marriage license! How funny! Since I was there, I also happened to grab this moment when he thought I was done taking the picture he wanted me to take... which of course, I like even more. ;-) That's the first time I've seen the priest kiss the groom!


These next photos sum up the trip between the ceremony and the reception... at least the PG-13 parts...




The reception was held at Sycamore Hills Golf Club in Macomb, MI and showcased details of rust, orange, and red roses, as well as many hand-crafted details made by none other than the groom himself, whose family is known for their custom carpentry and craftsmanship. Each table was named after a specific type of tree and included a stand that showcased that particular wood. Check out the beautiful frame on that seating chart too! So, as a shameless plug, if you're looking for custom carpentry in the Detroit area, definitely call Zuckero & Sons. ;-)


There are a few things you can count on at pretty much every wedding, and one of them is someone asking for a look at the bride's ring!


While guests were enjoying cocktails inside, we went for a little joy ride around the golf course...



When I first met Matt, he was the best man for Kelly & Brian's wedding and quite the prankster! I have to say, in Matt's role as the groom, he was definitely the tamest I've ever seen him! It was Brian's turn to be the best man, and even though he's not one to speak in front of large groups of people, he gave a very moving speech.



... but the tears didn't stop there...


Mmmm..... bananas foster and fire....


What I love, love, love about this picture is the couple in the foreground and both sets of parents in the background, from youngest to eldest couple...


We had a gorgeous sunset!



I love playing with light, and I loved being able to photograph Krista & Matt's wedding! Thank you so much!!! I'm going to miss this group of friends!!

Tracy & Jeff's Wedding

Tracy & Jeff are two of the sweetest people I've met and they absolutely glow when they're together!!! Their wedding had vintage inspired details of lace and ribbons, but with an updated color palette of deep purples, bold pinks, and soft champagne. I've always loved looking at inspiration boards pieced together by designers, so I thought I'd create one to show off all the wedding details in one place! ;)



Her shoes were FABULOUS!!! Check out that ruffle detail..


A few rose petals go a long way to soften up the pavement and the urns with roses and branches made a great focal point for the ceremony site..


OK - enough of the details... I just had to warm you up before this next image. ;-) Tracy is SO awesome for giving me permission to show this!! This is one of those small things we don't often think about until it's a little too late, but after spending tons of time on getting your hair & makeup just perfect, the last thing you want to do is pull a shirt over your head and potentially mess it all up!! What's a girl to do if she's not wearing a button down shirt?? Cut if off!! Could their expressions be any funnier?! Tracy reminds me of a superhero getting ready for action! I LOVE IT!


Just before walking down the aisle...


Mom couldn't hold back any longer..


The way Jeff smiles when he looks at Tracy is just heart melting... and he ONLY smiles like that when she's around.


A very sweet reading of lyrics from "I Will Be Here" by Stephen Curtis Chapman.


This is what happens if you show up late to the ceremony..


Rain clouds were rolling in quickly and there were a few drops of rain here and there, but one of the things that Tracy really wanted was a large group picture of all of her guests. The coordinator really tried to persuade us not to do it, but if they were lucky enough to hold off the rain for their ceremony, I think they were lucky enough to have time for a large group shot. This bridge had a good vantage point and was nearby, so we called the guests over and went for it! Now that I think about it... that bridge probably wasn't made to hold that many people but we got the shot and no one fell in, so it was a success!!


Such a sweet moment..


The weather seemed to be holding off, so we took time to get a little creative...


Tracy's veil was so long and the wind was throwing it all over the place. I just love how this image represents romance in times of stormy weather, which somehow seems very fitting for Tracy & Jeff... I think they'll be able to weather a lot together.


As photographers, we love to show the romance and fantasy of the day (after all, that's what sells), but let's get real here... this is what it's really like, and the more photographers/videographers/coordinators you have - the more crowded this scene gets. A big hug to Delia (pictured here in the middle) who has been apprenticing with me for most of my Michigan weddings, and doing a great job. I generally shoot alone, and all of the images you see here are mine, but I'm happy to let photographers second shoot with me for the experience and my brides always seem happy to have more paparazzi around. (Sorry I don't remember who the videographers were!)


Motion is really difficult to communicate in a still photograph, but I made it a secret mission for this wedding to really communicate movement in different ways...




So what do you think? Mission accomplished?

There were some great toasts!


I love it when kids get bored..


Since the wedding and reception were at Burning Tree Golf Club in Macomb, MI; Tracy wanted to have a little fun on the golf course after dinner and the important dances were out of the way, so she slipped on her cozy Converse and off we went..



I just don't know what to say about this except that Jeff is a very brave and trusting man!!


Thank you so much Tracy & Jeff!! I love you guys and hope you have lots and lots of super cute babies that I can photograph when I go back to visit Michigan!!!


BLOG READERS: Please vote for your favorite image by leaving a comment below!! The blog reader favorite will be given to Tracy & Jeff as a gift 8x10 print (but they get all the files anyway, so vote for your FAVORITE, even if it's not the purdiest.)

Kelly & Brian's Wedding

Kelly is outgoing and talkative while Brian is reserved and quiet, which definitely makes this a case of opposites attract! However, when you see them together, you'd never think they were so different because as a couple, they compliment each other so well.




The ceremony and reception were held at Tina's Country House, and even though the sky was covered in clouds, the rain held off long enough for a beautiful outdoor ceremony. Thanks to the rain, I was able to grab this awesome shot of the groomsmen waiting with Brian in the parking lot before the ceremony started...



Speaking of groomsmen, the best man pulled a hilarious stunt by creating a larger than life poster of what Kelly & Brian's children might look like. I'm confident that their children will look much better than the oddly morphed picture you see here, but he definitely had the entire room rolling in laughter!



I think it was another set of friends that snuck these PEZ dispensers on the wedding cake when Kelly & Brian weren't looking, they were even nice enough to ask me if I already had pictures of the cake before they placed their little surprise. Definitely one of the coolest cake toppers I've seen!




There must be a lot of love in this group of friends because I already know of two other couples getting married in the next year!! I definitely think love is contagious and once you've caught the love bug, it's hard to get rid of. ;-) Congratulations Kelly & Brian!! Click on any image to see more images from their wedding day.