Ice Skating Engagement! Caitlin and Matt

Grand Rapids, MI
Rosa Parks Circle

Congratulations Caitlin and Matt! What a fun day for ice-skating in the city! It was actually beautiful, warm(er) for Michigan in February, and the sun was out. These two are so cool (not just because they were ice skating! Hee hee). Their warm personalities make you feel like you've been friends for years. I instantly connected with these two. Smiles, jokes, a little insecurity about skating and falling on your arse (Caitlin)... I am so excited for this couple and can't wait for the wedding! They are having their reception at McKay Tower, which is reflected in the buildings in some of these shots. Pretty cool.

(They never fell on their arses, but other people did. They're in the background in some of these... Thought it was funny since it's the Olympics and everyone cringes on the edge of their seats waiting for people to fall. You know you do.)

Caitlin and Matt met at her cousin's wedding. Matt actually crashed it- well, kind of. The best man asked him to go. But Caitlin says he crashed it. They were together for two years when Matt proposed. There was a love note on the bed, and when Caitlin turned around, he was on his knee. He always tries to surprise her, and it never works, so this time he didn't plan anything and just did it. He wanted to propose on the blue bridge and got shot down for lack of originality. Ha!

Well, just look at these two! I am genuinely so, so happy for them. My heart gets bigger knowing people like these guys...

Millenium Park Engagement- Barbara and Haddy

Grand Rapids, MI
Millenium Park

Congratulations to Barbara and Haddy!  They met at work, and have been together for about three years. Haddy proposed while they were on vacation in Florida, at sunset, over the Martin Luther King holiday. 

This engagement session was beautiful and easy, with that magical golden light at sunset. The photo album that Barbara made of their journey together was beautiful and a surprise for Haddy. I loved that they were so lively with their dips and twirls and such! I do not ask people to pick up other people, they just did these things! It was very entertaining. What a beautiful couple, right?

The couple is from the west side of the state, with ties to GR. The wedding will be in Detroit so stay tuned!  I am so excited for June 30, 2018! 

Enjoy the preview:

Zingerman's Cornman Farms-KATIE AND BRENDAN

Zingerman's Cornman Farms
Dexter, MI

Congratulations to Katie and Brendan!! What a gorgeous celebration of their story! 

Brendan and Katie met eight years ago in Boston through a mutual friend, and started seeing each other at all the concerts and sporting events they both liked.  He decided to take a trip to Germany to visit his family in July 2012, and invited Katie to go along, and they have been together ever since. So, technically, their first date was a two and a half week European vacation!  They went to Amsterdam, Berlin, Vienna, Bratislava, Salzburg, Munich, and Zurich on that first trip. 

He proposed in Germany, overlooking Neuschwanstein castle. Sounds like a fairy tale to me...

In case you missed their beautiful fall engagement session, you can view it here:
http://lookatthebiggerpicture.com/blog/engagement-session-katie-and-brendan


So, the best thing about the wedding day--- ALL of the crazy things that went WRONG!! We Italians believe in signs and that many "unfortunate" things, like rain, which there was a lot of that day, is actually good luck. So, as all of these things kept happening, we just kept saying how much luck this marriage was now blessed with!! Things like... the officiant having a heart attack (rest in peace) and not having a back up, trouble booking and saving hotel rooms, trouble with the dress and seamstress, the hotel where family and guests were staying flooding, the best man missing his flight, a hole in a bridesmaid dress, the rain, the florists not getting the order correct, the photographer getting stung by a wasp (Yea-- I was inside too! That was an Urgent Care trip the next day with two weeks of medication and shots), and it went on...

But these two kept "the bigger picture" in front of them all day and they were just so happy and cheerful. They way they lit up when they looked at each other was really something to see. I am so, so happy for my dear old friend and her hubby.

Thank you again for choosing me to document your story. Special thanks to Caedy Convis for being the amazing second shooter that she is!! 
Here is a preview of the day...