Spring Wedding at Lapeer Country Club

My first wedding of 2025 happened back in March, and what a wedding it was to kick off my 2025 season. A week before this wedding I managed to break my foot on vacation (you can read about that here), so I worked the entire day in a boot. A little ole’ broken foot and rain wasn’t stopping me from working as normal.

About the Couple

I met Aaron and Jillian at the Packard Proving Grounds Bridal Show back in 2024. It was my first ever expo and I decided I loved it because I could meet couples in person and learn about them quickly. Soon after, we had their engagement session and I got to know them even better (so hint hint couples, schedule an engagement session to get to know your photographer). Jillian is incredibly laid back and has the best laugh. When she laughs, you can’t help but laugh with her. Aaron is incredibly devoted to his family. Together they have 3 kids and I really witnessed the love he has for his family on their wedding day. Together they make such a sweet family, and I’m so happy I had the opportunity to work with them!

Getting Ready at Best Western Lapeer

We started our day at the Best Western in Lapeer. The bridesmaids were in one room while the groomsmen were right next door. Perfect location for the kids to walk back and forth between rooms! Jillian spent her afternoon with her bridesmaids eating all the snacks and getting pampered by her glam team. Aaron and his groomsmen spent their afternoon drinking whiskey and recovering from the previous day’s round of golf. Both had decided not to do a first look before the ceremony and kept tucked away from the other throughout the afternoon.

Wedding at Lapeer Country Club

We arrived at the venue right before the ceremony, which was already set up. The team at Lapeer Country Club was simply the best. We had golf cart access for the property, and the bartenders made the best Shirley Temples. As a rule of thumb, I don’t drink while working and not many events do mocktails. Nothing beats a nice, iced coke during dinner service- and I’m not a pop drinker. I’ve noticed mocktails peeking into trends for 2025 and I totally love this! If you’ve decided to have a dry wedding, I highly recommend looking into mocktails to provide to your guests.

The ceremony started promptly around 4:00pm, and the lighting through the country club’s windows was perfect. While it rained pretty much the entire day, the sun peeked through during the ceremony creating the most dreamy light. Aaron and Jillian’s children were part of the wedding party and got a little shy right before walking down the aisle. Aaron walked back up the aisle twice, walking with each one separately and creating the sweetest moment for their children. During their ceremony, Aaron and Jillian had a short unity ceremony where they poured glass beads into a vase. I’ve seen something similar done with sand, especially with kids involved in the ceremony. Each person gets their own color and pours their sand/glass into the bigger container. It’s a great unity ceremony idea!

The reception kicked off shortly after the ceremony with a grand entrance for the wedding party. Toasts were made by the maid of honor and best man. My favorite speech of the night was given by Jillian’s father. He spoke about their father/daughter relationship and how wonderful his grandchildren were. He gave the couple a funny gift of a hard hat and rolling pin during the speech, and then had his dance with Jillian. It’s always the father of the bride that makes the night emotional- the heartfelt speeches and dances just get me.

The dance floor was hopping throughout the night. Aaron’s father was so excited to hear the Cupid Shuffle and was the star of the dance floor quite a few times. The kids stayed on the dance floor all night, and really had a blast. My favorite moment of the night was when Aaron and his friends got together on the dance floor to sing “Pink Pony Club”- a big crowd favorite at wedding receptions. It was just such a genuine moment between friends.