KATIE + TROY | OSTEGO CLUB WEDDING IN GAYLORD

Up North in Michigan wedding photography in Gaylord provided by Kellie Saunders and her gal pal Leah Moss, two fabulous MI wedding photographers.

How do I even begin to describe Katie and Troy's wedding day? Katie and Troy wanted a beautiful fall wedding. They planned their wedding in October around the best time for leaves and colors in Michigan. They even booked a beautiful venue (Ostego Club and Resort) up north in Gaylord. How did their day go down??? Well, let's start with snow. Next comes wind. Then sun. Then snow again. Then rain. Then snow with sleet, followed by sun and add a little rain at the end of the night. Most brides would call this a disaster. But, these were the cards that were given to Katie and Troy on their wedding day. Let me try to tell this story.

Let me start at the beginning. Katie is my first cousin's wive's sister. So she's kind of like my first cousin once removed or something like that. Katie's sister contacted me and told me that her sister was about to hire another wedding photographer and she felt super pressured. I won't go into details, but like I tell all of my clients (family or not), you should never feel pressured to book any vendor. If it doesn't feel right, it's because it's not a good fit. Hiring a wedding photographer shouldn't feel bad. You should feel fantastic after you find "the one". Anyway, Katie and Troy decided to hire me to photograph their wedding in Gaylord and I'm so glad they did!

The day before the wedding I picked up my gal pal Leah Moss (who is a fantastic wedding photographer), and we pretended to be Thelma and Louise (minus the death scene at the end) and turned our car towards Gaylord. About an hour into our trip I woke Leah up who was snooring way too loud in the seat next to me and said, "What the hell is that???" She looked at me and said, "Oh my god... I think it's SNOW!" We couldn't believe it. It wasn't a little light fluffy dusting of snow we were seeing. We were seeing the beginning of a snow storm. We discussed what we would do. We knew Katie would be a little upset when we saw her that evening.

We checked into the resort (which by the way - Hilltop is amazing - and I'm a hotel snob), and immediately went to see how Katie was holding up. Her and her friends were drinking wine and talking about how the next day would go. Katie was upset. She wanted a fall wedding and this was definitely not what she had ordered up. Leah and I sat down with her and pulled up some winter portfolio shots and showed her that we will be able to get lovely images for her no matter what the weather. I could tell she was scared. Leah and I, along with her sister assured her that it would be fine. And then we kept giving her more and more wine. The more she drank the better she would feel - right??? Okay I am kidding. We did not get her drunk.

The morning of the wedding was alive and vibrant as it always is. We looked outside and with the four inches of snow on the ground knew we were having a winter wedding in the fall. It just was the way it was going to go down. Little did we know what mother nature had in store for us that day. Katie had come to terms with the fact that she wouldn't get all of the fall photos she had wanted so badly.

The outdoor ceremony was moved inside but it was still just as gorgeous! The lodge is beautiful and the fireplace they were married in front of really made the wedding feel like it was in a private lodge. As Katie was walking down the aisle the most spectacular thing happened. The sun came out. Not only did the sun come out, but the sun came out in full force - like with summertime heat! Within the 30 minute ceremony, four inches of snow had melted. I looked at Leah during the vows and we gave each other a secret high five with our eyes. We knew this was good!

So it started. We went outside right away to begin their wedding portraits. No sooner than when I hit the shutter release button on my camera the sky darkened and I heard thunder. Yes - it was a thunder snow storm. Katie and Troy looked at each other and agreed that we would just go with whatever we were given. So, we jumped on a couple of golf carts and off we went into the thunder snow storm. As our golf cart entered a part of the club that was known for gorgeous trees the sky opened up once more and the sun - with all it's heated glory dropped in for a visit. Leah and I worked fast. The sun stayed out long enough for us to create some beautiful pictures for Katie and Troy. They sky changed colors so many times in that hour - it was truly unlike anything I've ever experienced.

Weddings are wonderful days full of the unexpected. Michigan is Michigan. Three seasons in one day is the norm. Sometimes the sky opens up and gives us a little bit of love. Michigan, you did not disappoint on this fall day. You were your old ornery self. But you were beautiful!

Katie and Troy, I wish you all the happiness ever! You guys are really amazing!

Michigan wedding photography by Kellie Saunders, Detroit Michigan wedding photographers. Kellie Saunders is one of the best Metro Detroit Wedding photographers around. She is a professional artistic wedding photographer located in Birmingham, Michigan. Her work has been published both locally and nationally in print and online. Her studio serves the entire metro Detroit area and offers wedding photography at it's best. Each wedding is treated with love, creativity and care not found in larger studios. She has an authentic documentary style and specialized in creating sophisticated and timeless wedding portraits.