Samantha & Brandon | Highlands Detroit
Wedding Day - Saturday, June 11th, 2022
I can’t believe it has been a year since Sam and Brandon got married downtown Detroit and they are now celebrating their first anniversary!
I was also very pregnant at Sam and Brandon’s wedding - and so thankful for how easygoing they were about it. Again, I have the best couples ever.
My little one was due on June 28th. Sam, Brandon, and I agreed - “If you’re still in, I’m still in” and we continued on. Sure enough, their wedding came on June 11th, and baby hadn’t, so I was able to be there for their wedding day! Despite being 8 months pregnant, I was so so glad to be able to witness the day we all had dreamed of and planned for!
Samantha and Brandon were married on the top floor (Floor 72) of the Renaissance Center in Downtown Detroit at Highlands Detroit.
360° views of Downtown Detroit and Windsor, Canada. - Need I say more?
I had the wonderful opportunity to work with Michelle Lippert as photographer again for this wedding and I was so thankful to have someone I could count on on the vendor team during a time I needed it most. (side note, Michelle announced she is now expecting her own little one - so exciting!!)
She did an amazing job working with the logistics of endless elevators, a large wedding party, and a tight timeline. She perfectly captured all the beautiful and sacred moments of this day.
The florals that Amy from MI Honeybee Flowers put together… are you kidding me??? so pretty.
Samantha and Brandon had a Jewish wedding, and I was so honored to help plan and witness a wedding with such a special and sacred set of ceremonies. The first being the signing of the Ketubah.
The Ketubah is a Jewish marriage contract signed before the ceremony. It outlines the responsibilities of the groom should anything happen that would prevent him from continuing to be married (death or divorce). It outlines how he would provide for her even after those circumstances with food, shelter, and finances. It is a very ancient tradition with the oldest surviving ketubah dating back to 440 B.C.E and written in Aramaic¹!
While it sounds very business, it also serves as a promise of the married couple to provide for each other and commit to each other in this life. Many couples, including Sam and Brandon, choose to display theirs in their home as a reminder not only of their wedding day but of this commitment to one another.
After the Ketubah was the ceremony! The natural light coming in created a glowing veil around the couple and their family. I was in awe.
MAZEL TOV!
The rest of the afternoon and evening was filled with lively celebration and dancing.
The band was awesome, the food was excellent, the spirits were high - what more could you ask for?
Congratulations on your first year of marriage, Sam and Brandon! Missing your energy and wishing you both a continued lifetime of happiness!
So thankful for our awesome vendor team!
VENDOR TEAM
Venue: Highlands Detroit
Photography: Michelle Lippert Photography
Florals: Amy, MI Honeybee Flowers
Hair/Makeup: IDo Crew Detroit
Band: The Crasherz Band
Cake: Heather Landau, Oak Park, Heather’s Homemade Cakes
Planning & Coordination: Wholehearted Events
Honorable mention: Sam scolding me for getting on the floor 8 months pregnant while I fixed her dress, and me not listening lol
Amanda & Alex | The Henry Ford Museum
Today is the first FULL day of Spring! While this wedding took place in the late summer, the florals could make anyone swoon ANY time of year.
Even with Alex halfway across the world in Kuwait serving in the Army and Amanda working through a rigorous school program, these two were the epitome of “make it work with love”.
Throughout the whole planning process, they were always so thoughtful and down-to-earth. My kind of couple! Even with the immense time difference, they were both just looking forward to that end goal of being together in the same place, something many of us take for granted.
And when the day of their wedding finally came, man you could feel that sense of “finally..” - the biggest breath of fresh air.
Shelby Monnette captured this weekend and man she is so freaking good at capturing the perfect emotions of weddings. I cannot recommend her enough if you are looking for someone to not just take pictures, but to capture moments.
All of the first looks of the bride were so heartfelt. From her father, to the groomsmen, to the groom himself, words can’t describe..
After the ceremony, the wedding party took a private Model T Car and carriage ride to Greenfield Village to snap some shots before the ceremony
The florals were perfectly in season and created the most perfect frame for the moment. You already know I’m a sucker for wildflowers and perfect florals, these had me beside myself.
Their ceremony took place in the courtyard of the Henry Ford Museum.
It was a MOMENT
Then onto the reception!
Very random fact: the food at The Henry Ford is TO DIE. One would not expect a museum to have such incredible food, but every time I’m fortunate to dine here, they do not disappoint! Just a little note when you’re choosing venues - haha!
Signature Henry Ford shot. A modern couple with a classic love ~
The bride, groom, and all the guests danced hard. Both Amanda and Alex ended up rocking all the way to the ground at one point.
Such an indescribable energy. Party of the year!
Thank you Amanda and Alex for so brightly demonstrating what genuine love looks like. It was such a joy working with you and I wish you a continued lifetime of happiness ♡.
Vendor Team
Photography: Shelby Monnette Photography
Venue: The Henry Ford Museum / Greenfield Village
Florals: Ching Tan, Design Quintessentials
Videography: Ben, Mike Staff Productions
Hair: Tori Finzel, TMK Hair Care
Makeup: Jordyn, Detroit Glam
DJ: James, Mike Staff Productions
Wedding Cake: Elite Sweets in Livonia
Some more shots of the day because I just couldn’t pick a favorite…
honorable mention:
XO,
Sam
Daniel & Caitlin | Thornapple Pointe
Fun and light-hearted wedding at Thornapple Pointe in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, it is my absolute goal that the bride and groom are focused only on each other and the celebration on their wedding day. Doing this for such dear friends, it is a mantra of servitude.
My husband and I met Dan in college when Dan rushed the fraternity that John was in. Before Dan even joined, I remember John and I talking about how HILARIOUS Dan was and when we met Cait? - omg it was TWICE the fun! They were perfect for each other, and always so fun to have around.
When they asked me to be their wedding coordinator, I was beside myself. Knowing they trusted me with such a special thing was an honor like no other.
It was seriously the most beautiful day! Sometimes I feel like I have some sort of wedding day blessing where its most always beautiful weather on wedding day.
Robin got this shot of the church before the reception - what a beaut!!
I snapped this beauty on my phone before the ceremony
Seriously?? Look at the sunset we had during the reception!
Dan and Cait chose not to do a first look before the ceremony, so their first time seeing each other was as Cait walked down the aisle. The genuine and full love displayed here was incredible..
It was such a sacred moment.
Typically when you are with Dan and Cait it is in a lighthearted and fun atmosphere, but during this moment, they were so calm and steadfast in eachother in a whole new light. These weddings that make one feel reconnected in your own marriage and its sanctity are the best.
After the ceremony, the celebration immediately began! As a special touch, they had an ice cream truck show up at the church after the ceremony for guests to enjoy!
The wedding and celebration was the perfect reflection of Dan and Cait being both purposeful and poised, but still fun and goofy.
I absolutely loved their centerpieces! A collection of thrifted and scouted delft blue vases and gold accents - plus they were so cool for guests to bring home at the end of the night! Each one was unique and soo pretty!
Without further ado, here are the rest of the photos of the day!
Dan and Cait, thank you so much for the honor of being there to guide your wedding day. It was my absolute pleasure. Wishing you a continued lifetime of happiness!
Wedding Team!
Photography: Robin K Photography
Florals: The Ashley Rose
Ceremony Venue: St Patrick’s Catholic Church, Ada MI
Reception Venue: Thornapple Point Golf Course (“Planes, Trains and Automobiles” IYKYK)
Catering/Bar: Thornapple Point
Entertainment: Music Host Entertainment
Rachel & Derek - The Lumberyard Event Center
Rachel and Derek’s Wedding Recap from June 2021!
Rachel and Derek’s Wedding was on June 4th of 2021. I clearly have a bit to catch up!
I met Rachel originally when were both working at Panera Bread in Big Rapids, MI. Even elbow deep in broccoli cheddar soup she kept level-headed amid chaos. Little did we know, just a few years later, that loveable Ferris State Football player she was dating would propose to her and I’d be coordinating their wedding??
Rachel and Derek had to postpone their wedding celebration a year due to the pandemic, but that did not stunt the excitement. On their wedding day, I was reaffirmed these two were the perfect balance for each other. Their joyful-spirits were perfectly reflected throughout the day from the partying during photos to their so sweet first dance.
Look at these two!! So sweet!
Their wedding party was nothing short of a fun-loving band of liveliness, Derek and Rachel leading the laughter. You could tell that everyone was having a blast and this truly was a celebration!
It was such an honor going from a bushy tailed associate to being the one in charge of ensuring Rachel and Derek’s wedding went perfectly. I was truly beside myself watching the two of them glide gracefully through the day, smiles never leaving their faces.
The Pizza Truck provided by Camzies was delicious! You all know if pizza is involved that I am ALL IN.
Naber & Girls Bartending were awesome, cannot recommend them more if you are looking for a mobile bartending service in West Michigan!
Then the sparkler exit at the end… this night was unforgettable beginning to end!
and OLIVIA, was AWESOME! Here are some more of the moments she perfectly captured..
Wishing you both a lifetime of happiness!
Our Team:
Photography : Olivia Schoen Photography
Venue : Lumberyard Event Center, Wayland, MI
Catering : Camzies Pizza Food Truck
Bartending : Naber & Girls Bartending
Cake : NattyCakes Michigan
DJ Entertainment : DJ Jeff, EZ Entertainment