Did you know that referrals mean a lot to small business owners like me? It’s true. It means the world that you support me and loved working with me enough to share your experience with others. A referral is exactly how I was able to work with Kalleigh & Kyle for their wedding day, and it means so much to me. Kalleigh’s mom was our real estate agent when looking for a home, and she was fantastic. We were clueless to the process and Leigh made it all so smooth and stress free for us. Also, as 2 young adults who have never been homeowners, she kept an eye out for us for red flags.

Getting Ready in the Barn

Kalleigh and Kyle held their wedding at their property in Kimball- while it’s not home quite yet for them, it is in the process of being built! I thought this was so special to not only share your special day with family and friends but to have it where your forever home is going to be is just sweet.

We spent the first part of the couple’s day getting ready in their barn. This day was incredibly hot outside so I made sure to come prepared- I always carry an emergency bag with me on each wedding day. In my bag I carry a crochet hook (for buttons), band-aids, tampons, pads, tide stick, electrolytes to stay hydrated, and more. On super hot days, I keep a battery powered fan on stand-by for my brides. In between getting ready photos, I decorated the tables under the tent and helped organize the bar area. I love when I get to help decorate spaces!

The groomsmen had a room in the downstairs area of the barn while the bridal party used the room upstairs to get ready. Their daughter was so happy to be a part of the day and she got ready with the bridal party. She was so excited to put on her dress and shoes. Kalleigh’s mom and daughter helped her get ready- Leigh had saved a garter that has been in the family for several years. This garter was caught at Leigh’s parents’ wedding, then used at Leigh’s wedding, and finally at Kalleigh and Kyle’s. I made sure to capture the moment between the three of them because of how special it was. After that, we did a first look between the couple. During Kalleigh and Kyle’s first look, their daughter ran to him with a huge smile on her face. It was so stinkin’ cute.

One of my favorite parts of the day was capturing the portraits before the ceremony. Now full disclosure: in one of the images below you’ll see the outline of their house on the property marked with sticks and colored Gatorade bottles. This is something I would normally take out of a photo before I deliver the gallery because it can be distracting to the portrait. I left it in on purpose this time because I felt it would be sentimental looking back, especially when framed and hanging in their home. In instances like this, I’ll usually deliver the original (with bottles) and a further edited copy (without bottles) for my client to decide which they like best! If you haven’t caught on yet, I’m an extremely sentimental person so I like to provide the option in case you are too!

Ceremony by the Pond

Right before the ceremony, Kalleigh’s dad did a first look with her before walking down the aisle together. It was so sweet. After that, we helped everyone line up to walk down the aisle. The couple had chosen to hold their ceremony in the open yard outside of the barn. Planted there was a baby tree, which was a memorial to Kyle’s sister who had passed before the wedding day. It was a beautiful way to honor her and the family by including it in the ceremony. The pond and so many trees were in the background, making it the perfect spot to say their vows.

After the ceremony, we took all the formal family portraits and even recreated a photo of Kalleigh and her brother from when they were small kids. If re-creating a photo is something you’re interested in for your wedding day, here’s a tip: send me the photo before your wedding day so I can help scout out the best spot to do it and use it as a reference on the wedding day. We want to recreate it to the best of our ability!

Wedding Reception in the Tent

A week before the couple’s wedding day, I learned the Kalleigh was expecting baby #2- an unexpected but wonderful surprise for the couple. Kalleigh had told me she wanted to announce it to everyone in a thank you speech during the reception. Another tip: tell your photographer of any surprises you have planned (even the last minute ones). Because Kalleigh had told me, I made sure to be in a prime spot to capture her face while telling everyone and also capture her mom’s reaction to the news. I had my assistant for the day film the moment as well since there was no videographer- it was just a cell phone video but I was happy to include it in their gallery!

Looking back, it was a little funny because at their rehearsal dinner Kalleigh’s mom came up to me and said “she just seems so miserable, her wedding day is tomorrow and I don’t know what’s wrong”. Mom has always been super observant and Kalleigh really didn’t want her to find out before her planned speech. In reality, Kalleigh was hiding her morning sickness and was feeling miserable. I was trying to reassure her that everything was fine so mom wouldn’t catch on. It was an honor to be a part of such a big moment of their life and capture it for them to remember.

After the speeches and the announcement, the dance floor was packed with family and friends dancing and congratulating the couple. This group loved dancing and it was so fun to see how everyone included the kids while dancing. Those kiddos loved being on the dancefloor.

Vendors of the Day

Venue: Private residence in Kimball Michigan; Gown: Joy’s Bridal in Port Huron Michigan; Catering: Lakeshore BBQ in Lakeport

Lakeshore BBQ is where we take my father in law every year for Father’s Day. It’s a family favorite and I highly recommend checking them out! They catered my 30th birthday this year and it was a hit!