This is a wedding day I will never forget. Jenna and Joe had booked me through Zola– a wedding planning platform for couples to find and connect with vendors. There are so many different planning websites today, and Zola is a great resource for couples. It has registry, guest list, and wedding website capabilities. I highly recommend checking it out if you need a little extra help keeping things organized for your wedding day! I also recently joined Loverly– a new wedding planning platform but have yet to hear of any couples using it for all their needs.

Getting Ready in the Bridal Suite

I started Jenna and Joe’s wedding day in the bridal suite with the bridal party. The couple had chosen Impression Farms as their venue- it’s located just outside of Port Huron Michigan in the countryside. The girls were all so happy and Jenna was absolutely glowing with excitement and beauty when I arrived. The moms were flitting about- setting up desserts, fixing the table decor, and making sure everything was perfect. Soft Christian music was playing, giving a sense of peace in all the excitement of getting ready.

Joe had arrived to the venue while Jenna was getting ready. He was helping set up all the desserts when we discovered he forgot his tie. We sent out a groomsmen to go pick out another one, and we were nervous with how long it took for him to get back! Jenna and Joe were set to have a first touch rather soon and we wanted to avoid having guests arrive during this private moment. Thankfully, right when I brought Jenna to Joe, her dad was helping Joe put on his tie. A sweet moment my second captured. The couple had their first touch and prayed together over the day before we started the ceremony. This was probably one of my favorite moments of their day. Spending a moment in prayer together was a wonderful way for them to connect before the busyness of the rest of their day.

Outdoor Ceremony in the Fields

Jenna and Joe’s ceremony was held under an arch out in the fields of Impression Farm. The guests were so excited to be there and kept trying to peek back at the wedding party hidden within the trees. I positioned myself behind the arch so I could see the wedding party walking down, and also Joe’s reaction to everything. Once Jenna and her dad got about halfway down the aisle, I moved to the side until it was just Jenna and Joe up there. My approach in moving my position is going to be different at every venue based on the space. Impression Farms was easy to move around at with it being an open field. I’m careful to stay out of anyone’s way so everyone can see, and my camera lens can change lengths, making it easy to capture things at a distance!

When it came time to say their vows, the couple had chosen to write and say their own. Jenna’s vows were flawless and she said them with a huge smile on her face the whole time. Joe’s vows were really emotional. He choked up a couple times, which resulted in Jenna comforting him in the moment. It was a sweet moment to witness and capture. After the vows and once they were pronounced husband and wife, Jenna grabbed her bouquet and danced back up the aisle. They both stopped about halfway up the aisle for a dip, and then a second dip at the end of the aisle. Jenna was so happy, she danced the entire length of the aisle with a wide smile.

Reception in the Barn

The barn was beautifully decorated for the couple’s reception. Guests were mingling and we finally directed them to their seats for the grand entrance Jenna and Joe had planned. And what a grand entrance it was. The wedding party entered first and really hyped up the crowd of guests. Jenna and Joe finally made their entrance to “We Go Together” from Grease. They had a little dance they did that included the Hand Jive, which was so much fun. We went right into cake cutting after their grand entrance and then we were ready to hear the toasts and speeches.

We listened and teared up to the speeches given by the maid of honor, Jenna’s sister, and best man. Both speeches were quick but emotional as they talked about growing up with the couple and how much it meant to them being involved in their day. Jenna and Joe had given a thank you speech to everyone and prayed over the food before dinner. The food was so good, and the guests loved it. At the tail end of dinner, we kicked off the dances. My favorite dance (besides the couple) was Jenna’s surprise dance with her mom. Jenna was so thankful to her mom for all her help with the wedding, she thought it was only right to include her in the dances. This is becoming a trend for weddings now and I absolutely love it! Jenna was joined by one of her sisters during the dance and it was so sweet to watch the three of them dance together.

Before the end of the night, Jenna slipped into a reception dress to be a little more comfortable throughout the evening. Dress two was just as gorgeous as dress one, and I was able to get some sweet photos of Joe helping her with her dress. We did a few more formal portraits of them because of the outfit change, and then we partied. Jasmine (their DJ) played such good music. I’m always a fan of the older hits and it was just one banger after another. Because they were older hits, I saw more guests dancing. Older guests that were singing along to every word and having a blast. It was so much fun!

Vendors of the Day

Venue: Impression Farms located just outside Port Huron Michigan; Catering: Achatz Catering which has since closed for business; DJ: Jammin’ with Jasmine located within St. Clair County Michigan