3 Cheers for my last wedding of 2023!

Tabatha & Lane were my last wedding of 2023. I was blessed to work with them as a second shooter for Rachel, owner of Two Birds One Stone. It was such a beautiful day, and the setting sun made for an unbelievable golden hour & shadows! Their venue was Hilltop Memory Makers, located in Coral, MI. It was so peaceful & serene out in the country- a perfect venue for these two.  

Being a second photographer allows me to experiment creatively & pushes me to work with groomsmen. As a lead photographer, I typically follow the bridal party around all day so being able to interact with the groomsmen is super fun. It was also so much fun to work with Rachel. When you find someone you work well with everything just flows. We creatively bounce off each other & we’re each other’s cheerleaders. 

Details on the Farm

I loved all the details from Tabatha & Lane’s wedding day. Tabatha had made newspapers as favors for their guests. They were so cute! The newspapers had information relevant to the couple and their wedding day, as well as activities within for guests to do. While hanging out with the groomsmen, I noticed the bar signs were dedicated to the Labelle’s dogs- all huskies. The bar had drinks dedicated to the dogs which is a super unique detail I haven’t seen at other weddings. Another unique detail were the custom whiskey glasses that the groomsmen had. They each had the guys’ initial on them, and they all took a moment to have a glass of whiskey together before the ceremony started. I also got a really cool photo of the boys smoking cigars together.

With their wedding being in November and just a tad chilly, the hot chocolate bar was an amazing touch. I don’t drink alcohol when I’m working, so when I saw that hot chocolate bar I was stoked. I haven’t worked many weddings this year without non-alcoholic drinks (besides pop which I don’t drink). So when I saw that hot chocolate bar I knew I couldn’t not get a cup & let me tell you: it was delicious. They had chocolate chips, whipped cream, peppermints, caramel, more chocolate, etc. It was the perfect drink for this chilly day!

My favorite detail from Tab & Lane’s big day was her shoes. She had THE Betsey Johnson boots. You know the ones. The beautiful, gorgeous sparkly ankle boots. I don’t know anything about high end fashion- I don’t keep up with anything and I wear what makes me happy & comfy (aka sweatpants). I don’t even know designer names. BUT these boots are a dream. I wanted them for my own wedding, but had a hard time wrapping my brain around the cost of them. So being able to photograph a bride who had them was a dream in itself. They were the perfect boots to walk around in and complimented her gown beautifully.

Wedding Ceremony in Coral

Before the ceremony, Tabatha had a first look with her father and bridesmaids. Tabatha had kept her dress completely secret from everyone and the reactions we captured from them were authentic, unbridled joy. Everyone cried. It was such a beautiful moment. After the first looks, I ushered everyone away so the couple could have a few moments alone. Tabatha was super nervous and she needed a moment with Lane to calm her nerves. They had a first touch instead of a first look. They met around a corner of the house they got ready in so they wouldn’t see each other. They had their moment and then we went to line everyone up for the ceremony.

I hung back inside one of the barns with Tabatha while everyone else walked down. As a second photographer for the day, my priority was getting different angles than Two Birds One Stone was getting so I opted to get a shot of both Tabatha and her father walking down the aisle. I fluffed her train so it would be perfect on her walk down to Lane. Lane had the best reaction to seeing her walking towards him. Capturing the emotions on his face is something I will never forget- he wasn’t afraid to show his feelings and it resulted in a really beautiful moment.

I’ll also never forget the looks on her bridesmaids faces during the ceremony. They often cried or tried not to cry and they really took in the moment. The bridesmaids were all siblings so they really were feeling all the feels seeing their sister and brother marry. The sun was setting during the ceremony, creating the most perfect golden hour for their first kiss as husband and wife. It was an absolutely dreamy moment.

After the ceremony, we ushered the guests into cocktail hour and quickly captured some couple portraits throughout the last of golden hour. The photos turned out stunning. The sun couldn’t have been a better paid actor. Rachel and I then captured the Labelles signing their marriage license and interacting with their family. Family portraits were held inside the bar area because it quickly got cold outside after that sun went away.

Hilltop Memory Makers is quite a unique venue and I’ve never seen a set up quite like it. They have multiple areas you can choose from for an outdoor ceremony. They also have two barns and a house on the property able to be used. The third barn/shed like building is for storing all the decor they have! Tabatha and her bridal party stayed at the house the night before and used it for getting ready. One barn was used as the bar area and then the second barn sits directly across from the first and was the dinner/dancing area. There’s a small pavilion in between the two barns that I’m sure is lovely to use in the summer!

Wedding Day Vendors

Lead photographer: Two Birds One Stone located in Bay City Michigan; DJ: Two Birds One Stone located in Bay City Michigan; Venue: Hilltop Memory Makers located in Coral Michigan