What do you get when you pair a guy from Yale and a gal from Holy Cross? You get a couple who is not only in love with each other, but is deeply in love with their community as well. Mary and Bill are strong supporters of Detroit and just being the best human beings they can be. Take a look at their wedding day photos from the Townsend! Enjoy!

Wedding photography services at the Inn at St. John's and Temple Beth El was provided by Detroit Michigan wedding photographer Kellie Saunders and her team. Brian and Elise had such a beautiful and moving wedding ceremony. It was simply magnificant! This wedding was a shorter day for me than most, but it was just as lovely as all of my weddings. Brian and Elise started there day at the Inn at St. John where they both were getting ready. We photographed Elise and her friends and family while she prepared for the wedding and also Brian as he waited for Elise. They decided to have a first look at the Inn as St. John's prior to heading over to the temple for their ceremony. What a special moment it was for them. It was cold, being a winter wedding, so our time outdoors was limited, but I'm glad that they decided to brave the cold and take some portraits outside. After their first look we continued on for a while with some portraits there at the Inn and then we headed over to Temple Beth El where the real fun began! They signed their ketubah and had the most beautiful ceremony as friends and family watched on. Congratulations to Brian and Elise!!!

Photography services for the wedding ceremony at Meadowbrook Hall and Mansion in Rochester Hills was provided by Birmingham Michigan wedding photographer Kellie Saunders and her team. You can view Megan and John's engagement session HERE. There aren't many historical wedding venues in Southeast Michigan that can deliver what Meadowbrook can to couples looking for the perfect venue. I absolutely adore Meadowbrook. The mansion is definitely a five star premier wedding venue for discerning couples who demand elegance and historic value. The history, the architecture, the grounds, the landscape, the beautiful ceremony area outside, the staff and of course the view from the roof! It's always a special treat to work there, and I am so thankful to have the chance to work there with such a fantastic couple like Megan and John. Actually it was a surprise because when Megan and John first hired me they weren't planning on having their ceremony at the Meadowbrook mansion. When I found out the venue had changed I was over the moon excited! I wish I had a dollar for every wedding in 2016 where I ran into Megan and John! I think they are friends with almost every couple I worked with last year. It was like magic - I would turn around and there Megan and John stood, full of smiles and laughter. It made photographing their wedding that much more special to me since I already met many of their friends. Megan and John's love story started in Ann Arbor, where the two currently reside. They are both football fans (go Blue!) and met while tailgating. John had a feeling that Megan could be the one for him, so he had to ask her on a formal date, which they went on the following week. Although Megan was attending nursing school at Valparaiso University in Indiana and John was living in Michigan they continued dating although many miles were between them. John decided to make it official and propose marriage during Christmas break in front of the tree. Lucky for me their story continued with wedding planning and I received the honor of working with them! The day began at the Royal Park hotel in Rochester where Megan received the royal treatment from her on site hair/makeup artist from the Makeup Loft in Plymouth. After getting glammed up, the girls headed out to Meadowbrook for the ceremony. John may have been nervous but he never let on at all. He lit up like Christmas when I told him how beautiful Megan was and how excited she was to see him. I always ask my couples before they see one another for the first time how they are feeling. John may or may not remember what he said to me, but I will always remember his words. He said, "Oh me, how is Megan feeling? I want to make sure she's doing good." That told me just how selfless John is and how much he really cares for Megan. See, it didn't matter to him how he was feeling, he just wanted to make sure his bride was feeling good. That my friends is the way love is supposed to be. Putting another before yourself. If both partners do just that then you will have two very happy people for a very long time. Megan and John were married in the garden area outside of the Meadowbrook mansion. It was one of the hottest days of the year from what I remember, but that didn't stop guests from enjoying themselves and wishing the couple well. Directly after their ceremony we took family photographs and then I was able to spend a little time with Megan, John and their bridal party on the mansion grounds until we left for their reception at Twin Lakes. Once guests arrived at Twin Lakes, they were greeted with hors'd'oeuvres and cool drinks on their outdoor patio as they waited on Megan and John to arrive. It was laughter, good food and fun for the rest of the night! One of my favorite photos of all times is below when Megan hit the dance floor with her two grandmas! I hope you enjoy my favorites from their wedding day and join me in congratulating Megan and John on their marriage and wishing them all the happiness in the world!  

Wedding photography services in Glen Arbor, Traverse City and the surrounding area was provided by Michigan wedding photographer Kellie Saunders. Interested in hiring me for your Lake Michigan shoreline wedding? I'd love to chat with you! I am so excited about these Lake Michigan Wedding pictures taken in the Glen Arbor area near Traverse City. When you get married on a windy, cold November day in Michigan, you simply MUST have a summer wedding portrait session scheduled on Lake Michigan! At least that's what Angela and Ryan decided to do, and let's be honest, everyone should definitely consider doing if they have a winter wedding in a colder state. What is better than the shoreline of Lake Michigan, a beautiful bride in her wedding dress and a groom that's willing to jump in? Not much is better than this! Lake Michigan has become quite a popular wedding destination in our great state and I can certainly see why. With it's pristine shoreline and various spots of shallow water you can really get creative here. Because Angela and Ryan have such a great sense of adventure yet are calm people, working with them has been nothing short of wonderful! Take a look at their extra wedding photo session on Lake Michigan. I hope you love them as much as I do! To see their wedding photos click HERE

Metro Detroit Michigan wedding photography at the Mystic Creek Golf Club in Milford provided by Kellie Saunders and her team of creative wedding photographers located in Birmingham, MI. See their Lake Michigan Beach Wedding Portraits HERE Angela and Ryan have become two of my favorite people ever! Since our first meeting we were instant friends. I don't want to go into the whole story publicly, as it's not my story to tell, but Angela and Ryan were taken advantage of by another vendor and that's how they found me. They were lied to and taken for quite a ride. When we met and they told me their story I was so upset for them. Actually I was livid. I’m pretty sure Angela can attest to that. I don’t like hearing when people are taken advantage of and it breaks my heart when it’s in my industry. Because legally I can’t say anything more, what I can and will say is this, PLEASE research your vendors carefully. Check their reviews and also their business names. If they have changed their name a few times, there is probably a reason. Google, google and google some more. Then do it again. If a vendor uses a business name and not their personal name, google their personal name as well to see what comes up. You'd be surprised sometimes what you will find. If you find something suspicious, ask them about it. Maybe it’s nothing, but maybe it is something you need to be aware of. It may save you a lot of heartache and a whole lot of money. Once the two of them made it through that hurdle, we were off and away! I absolutely adored them and I think they felt the same about me, so we set a date for an engagement session and what a great session it was! You can see the photos from their engagement session HERE. I learn so much about my clients as I’m working with them, and while I can't share every little detail on a public blog post, especially when it comes to family dynamics and history, I can share how I feel about them. What I learned about Ryan and the kind of person he is made me believe in goodness once again. He is incredible and has such a pure and giving heart. I don’t mean to sound like I’m gushing over this guy, but those of you reading this who know Angela and Ryan personally will understand exactly why I say this. You are probably nodding your heads in agreement! They don't make many guys like him. Oh, and I won't forget to talk about Angela as well. She is just as selfless and loving. She is a giving mother and caring wife. She puts Ryan's needs above her own (and even though he is deserving, because hello... I just said he was amazing), she is also very much deserving of his heart. These two were truly made to be best friends and be married to each other. Now, on to their wedding. From the very beginning we knew that a holding a wedding in November was risky. In Michigan, you just never know what kind of day you will have. They planned an outdoor ceremony and indoor reception at Mystic Creek in Milford. Angela and Ryan also knew that they wanted special wedding portraits, even if the weather took a turn for the worse. So, we decided up front to schedule a second portrait session for them on Lake Michigan for later that summer. What a good thing we did because as it turned out, it was cold on the actual wedding day and we couldn't stay outside for long before noses turned red and eyes started to water from the wind. Their wedding day, cold as it may have been, was still very special. Angela and Ryan decided to have a first look to try and get some portraits out of the way before the ceremony. It worked out perfect because the sun was high enough in the sky at that time to offer us a tad bit of warmth. They also exchanged gifts, and Ryan knew Angela well because she received a fabulous new handbag and necklace in exchange for a custom-made duck call that she purchased for him. (I think that's what they are called - duck calls right?). It was cute and we all had a good laugh. We shot some portraits for as long as the weather allowed and then gathered for the ceremony. The wind started to pick up just before the ceremony and guests were cuddled tightly together in blankets that Angela and Ryan provided. (They truly though of everything)! Their vows were quickly exchanged as we shivered and tried to warm our hands and then we were off to the reception. Angela and Ryan's hit the ball out of the park when it came to their ballroom. There was not a detail that was missed. Angela is a DIY person, and she did an amazing job. Her centerpieces were so unique. Each table was named for a place Angela and Ryan had been. The tables were adorned with a lantern and photo that showed the couple at that particular location. To tie it all together was the seating chart which was a map showcasing each table according to region. See it below. It was very well thought out! They created a butterfly hanging chandelier made from paper that was a work of art! I think there were a thousand butterflies and each had to be hand cut and strung so delicately so that it hung perfect from the ceiling. Each butterfly was die cut and glammed up with a jewel. It was a site to be seen. They draped the ceiling with fabric that changed the room completely. They thought of everything! They even had two caricatures artists so their guests could take home something special. Even though it was darn cold, Angela and Ryan had a lovely wedding day! I've waited so long to post this because I wanted to also post their lake session that we had the following summer. I simply adore this couple and I hope you do too! Cheers to Angela and Ryan!