Huffington Post- Thanks for the Love!

I fully admit to checking my website statistics and analytics at least once a day. I like knowing where people are coming from and where they're choosing to go once they see my work. You can imagine my surprise, when one day I start seeing my statistics literally FLOODED with Huffington Post links in to my blog. Dude, someone at the HuffPost dug my work enough to link to it?! To me, that's about as awesome as if I were sitting across the desk from Ira Glass or John Stewart for an interview. What didn't surprise me, was the post they were linking to after I noticed their feature was about Iconic and Offbeat Detroit Wedding Venues.


I didn't notice any of my actual images featured in the article- they used flickr images that allowed creative commons use and had no watermarks... which may be how I was discovered and is exactly why I always put my watermark on my online work so that people will contact me before using images of my clients. However, the fabulous writer, Kate Abbey-Lambertz did something even BETTER than using my images by linking directly to my entire blog post of Mary & Matt's Detroit Public Library Wedding. (Kate, I forgive you for misspelling my first name- and I thank you, so that the Huffington Post google rank doesn't out-power my own personal website in searches for my name!! I love your articles on Detroit!)


Mary & Matt's wedding has been one of the most popular Detroit weddings on my blog because of its unique location and probably because I'm one of the only photographers who has been able to photograph a wedding there! I got lucky because Mary's parents pulled a LOT of strings to make that wedding happen AT the library. It's such a beautiful venue that I hope they make it more accessible for weddings to support its ongoing preservation and restoration. It's a gem in Detroit's history and architecture, so I'm happy that at least I can share a little of its beauty within the context of a beautiful wedding day. Mary is a Wedding Photographer in Western New York who takes beautiful & fun images as well- so I'm very honored that she chose me for her wedding day. ;-)


If you live in the Detroit area and are up for a Mission Impossible adventure... you might be able to sneak out of the window on the second floor like I did for this image (at your own risk of course), to see some GORGEOUS hidden tile work on the inside of the small archway above the windows. It just amazes me that they put that much thought and detail into something only window washers may ever see.

Mary & Matt's Detroit Public Library Wedding

I love libraries and historic buildings. So, when Mary told me that there was a possibility her reception would be held at the gorgeous and historic Detroit Public Library, which I used to roam in wonder as a child... I was so excited that I squealed like a fat bellied pig!! I absolutely love photographing weddings and receptions in non-traditional, unconventional locations! It's pure inspiration!!! I'll get back to that later. First... some candid images while everyone was getting ready...


Can you believe those lashes are natural!? Those could be dangerous!!

Mary's sister is the music teacher for the church- so all of the girls were able to get ready in her music room. Shortly after moving the piano so it would be out of the way, the sisters burst into a rockin' version of Heart and Soul...


Their wedding colors were mostly black & white (graphic designs by Mary) with little touches of pink, including pink champagne!


I'm always looking out for little moments like this. ;-)


This feels like it could be a scene from the Three Stooges... "You missed a spot! Just one more snip..."


A few moments of prayer before the ceremony...



The ceremony was held at the beautiful and historic Iroquois Ave Christ Lutheran Church in Detroit, MI. I just looooove how much storytelling there is in this image and the fact that you can see so many different expressions on the faces of the guests as the flower girl walks down the aisle...


Just before Mary walks down the aisle with her father, I turn around to see Matt's reaction, but am also intrigued by the reactions of the minister and the best man...


The new Mr. & Mrs!!!


Maybe the ring bearer wanted to do it all over again?? I love the combination of the shadows and scattered petals here as well as the way that the light outlines the guests...


Mary & Matt wanted lots of creative (posed) shots... so, in rare fashion, I'm going to show you tons of posed images!!




Traditional rules of photography tell you to watch your backgrounds and avoid making objects come out of people's heads. Well, when Mary walked by this painting- I suddenly saw her turn into a butterfly... and it was perfect!! Some rules are meant to be broken. ;-)

This was not posed... it just cracks me up!


This year I have seen more wedding parties playing up their grand entrance than ever before!! Work it!!


The view from the front....


... and the view from the balcony that I crawled out of a window to get on. Notice the reflection of the sky and the DIA across the street? In order to capture what was happening inside, while lining up the reflection on the outside, I used my body to block the reflected light allowing the light from the inside to shine through the window... yeah... I'm S-M-R-T smart! HA! ;-)


This photo might scare some librarians- just imagining one of those books accidentally making a graceful fall onto a slice of frosted cake... it just makes me really hungry...


Speaking of cake... I've also seen many more cupcakes this year instead of full size cakes!! Yummmayyy...



OMG- this guy seriously ROCKED THE ROOF OFF!!! I have to admit that as a flute player in a former life, I never really cared for clarinet players... until I heard Dave Bennett turn my world upside down!! I wasn't the only one!! During dinner, people actually gave him a standing ovation!! Do you know how rare that is at weddings?! Seriously! He's also a great singer and plays a mean Great Balls of Fire on the keys! If you're looking for a tight jazz ensemble that can also swing.. definitely talk to Dave!!


A little first dance action... (and the bustle that took nearly 30 minutes and 4 girls to bustle!!)


Way to go Matt! The ladies loooove the big dip!

Girls really just want to have fun!!


Yummmayyy...


Mary & Matt snuck away from the reception for a little library lovin'... caution: HOT!!




Mary & Matt - could you be any more awesome?! Seriously! I had wayyy too many favorites to blog- and I couldn't even cram all of my favorites into the slideshow!! Thank you for hiring ME to photograph your wedding!! I'm truly honored- and the day was absolutely perfect. I can't think of a single thing I'd do differently. ;-)