Andrew & Sarah

June 10th, 2017

Belsolda Farm - Marquette, Michigan

Ohhh, these two! I met Andrew and Sarah for the first time last summer for their engagement session around Marquette's lower harbor, black rocks, and Mount Mesnard. I instantly knew we were an amazing fit to work with each other due to our mutually apparent optimistic attitudes and adventurous spirits. While photographing them that evening, the way we conversed made it feel as though we'd known each other for ages. The way we all clicked was simply incredible!

They chose to marry in Marquette, Michigan as their love story began while attending Northern Michigan University off the crisp coast of Lake Superior. For an unusually prolonged spring season this year, their wedding day was graced with high 80's and refreshingly gusty winds.

I swear God was listening carefully to this giddy photographer! The other day I only really just noticed the Watermarq vacation condos overlooking the old ore dock where I first took Andrew and Sarah's photos and thought, gee, I would loooove to photograph a bride getting ready in there! Well folks, Sarah made that dream come true! It's so cool to see the amazing Airbnb's popping up in the UP!!

Sarah and Andrew opted for a first look early in their wedding day to do what I believe all couples should do: actually spend a heck of a lot of time together!! So often we don't budge from tradition and push to hide the bride and groom away from each other, but why? The truth is, if you're anxiously hiding away from each other all day, most often I see my brides and grooms not really finding a moment to truly soak in each other's company. There's an awful lot going on throughout the day between greeting guests, trying to cram all post-ceremoy events in a smaller window, and no matter what the timeline, you're bound to be tired in the end. Because Andrew and Sarah saw each other hours before their wedding, they had the time and freedom to get creative with no stress for their portraits, they were able to mingle with their families and bridal party beforehand to the extent they wished, and guess what? The aisle moment was still just as magical.

Upon leaving Presque Isle, we made our next stop at the expansive beaches along M28. There was hardly a cloud in the sky which set Lake Superior a tempting oceanic blue. Per Sarah's request, we went leaping off of sand dunes and trudging through the calm waters all in her dress, pre-ceremony. When you only wear your wedding dress one time, why not have fun when it's definitely going to get dirty anyways?!

I must also take a moment to recognize my two wonderful second shooters, Jessica and Jenna. Earlier in the week before the wedding, I was hit hard with norovirus and hospitalized for dehydration. They were absolutely incredible in stepping up their game when I needed a hydration break, and ever so accommodating to both me and the wedding crew!

...and then came the riot. This wedding party was the bomb, and for the sake of my audience I'm leaving out the more PG-13 and nearly R images, hahaha.

By the time we were through with the beach photos, we still had plenty of time to take a cool down break at the farm and knock out more photos before there ceremony. In this next image, Sarah is showing her grandpa the handkerchief sewn into her dress finished by her grandmother years ago.