I just finished the Mackinac wedding Expo weekend yesterday.. and it was soooo much fun!!!

I've been fighting off a bit of a cold... so to be honest was kind of dreading last night... I was a little nervous I would not be able to talk to anyone.. and that I would just sit in the corner and hide...  well NOPE!!  There were soo many cool brides and grooms... and parents... and grandparents... etc.  I swear I never stopped laughing!!  How often does an expo .. talking to strangers... make you laugh. 

Mission Point  (and Zoe!!!) did such an amazing job for the closing night event. It was a lovely dinner party with Dancehall Dj's  (James & Amy) playing the tunes...  Kim & Lisa from Bella e Dolce providing yummy cake... and Jay at Webers doing absolutely gorgeous centerpieces...

And a very special thank you and props to Mary and Chris with the Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau for organizing and hosting the whole weekend... it is SUCH an awesome event!! 

I can't stress how much fun it was... I even forgot I had a cold!!!!

To all you brides out there who made it... THANKS!!  You really did MAKE the whole weekend.  I hope to hear from some of you...  feel free to email or call me anytime with any questions...

and by  the way ..LEAVE A COMMENT HERE ... (I was shocked to see how many of you actually follow my blog... thats awesome... thanks!!)

Have a great week!  I'll be MIA for a bit...  my computer is being shipping away tomorrow... and I'll be heading back west to my sunny Cali on Friday!!  yeah ... time to go home .. just before the snow hits!!

Love,
A

So there are not enough words I can say about this couple... they are seriously my new best friends!!!  .. and I may now become a Notre Dame fan (granted my Dad has ALWAYS been an ND fan.. he'll be quite happy)...  even though the big Michigan ND game was the day of the wedding.. .they ALL still showed up anyways ... granted I made sure group pics were done just in time for kickoff...  so the happy couple and their families could watch at least a little of the game!!

ALthough ND lost...  all was not gloomy as Faith and Mark walked down the aisle .. the sun was shining tears were in eyes... and laughter (a lot of it)... was just around the corner!!

Seriously.. I had soo much fun with everyone at the wedding...  they were funky, fun. musically inclined (as Mark showed his skills on the drums later that night at Horns Gaslight bar)... and were dancing fools (which I am ALWAYS a fan of).. I love being right there in the middle of the crowd dancing along taking pics... heck its the best way to really capture the feeling. .and show off my moves ;-)

This wedding will definitely stick with me...  not only because of the wedding day but most of the guests stayed around the island for a few days after... and I love running into everyone on the street... it really was like we were all new friends... I mean come on how can you not love a group that is out dancing EVERY NIGHT boogie down on the multiple dance floors found around the island.. (granted I think they were more just DJ Brevin groupies.. but who wouldn't be.. he rocked their wedding and then transformed into the club DJ seamlessly making the whole island shake it)... even Mom and Dad were out their jamming!!

I also have to pay props to Margaret's Garden at the Grand... Mimi, you are amazing... Faith and her mother had spent the last year collecting antique glasses to fill and use as centerpieces and Margaret's did  an amazing job making mini arrangements for each piece... soooo beautiful!!

Faith & Mark... I feel so lucky to have been a part of your beautiful and amazing day...  You two made me so happy to be a wedding photographer!!  I wish you both the a lifetime full of joy love and laughter... you two truly deserve every bit of it!!

Just a couple more props...
Bella e Dolce Cakes... did a classy and elegant job as always.. Kim .. you never cease to amaze me
Inn at Stonecliffe... did an amazing job making sure everything went smoothly and the beautiful locations

And a very special thank you to my dear dear friend Kim for backing me up and assisting me... she and I met up on the island in 2000 (she was a photographer for the grand back then) and we have been BFF's every since.. .this was her first time back to the island since then... and what an amazing time!!

Hope you all get inspired by the people around you doing what they love... I feel blessed to be surrounded by people and their talents and their passions... it is so inspiring!!

Love,
A





 

 

I'm not sure if you remember this couple.  I shot their engagement pics in Cincinnati a couple months ago... and they introduced me to Skyline Chili (btw I'm still craving that stuff... Thanks guys...  don't know what I'm going to do now)

Okay sooo.. .the wedding was absolutely gorgeous. Laura (and Dale) did such an amazing job designing it... I loved all the little details.. from their logo to the flowers tied to every chair.. .to the cute"L-O-V-E" buttons on her bouquet... sooo fun.

And the carriage ride was even better.. my awesome assistant Kate Levy (one amazing island photographer by way of Colorado) and I had a blast piggy backing our way across the island chasing their carriage.

Laura and Dale have such a sense of laid back elegance... I think that's the best way to put it... they knew how to have fun... laugh .. joke all the while with total grace!!

L&D I hope you too are having an amazing fall and not traveling too much!!  Can't wait to be back in Cinci this time we'll get the ice cream too!!

Love,
A

I can't let this blog go by without mentioning the amazing team of vendors that made it all possible...

The wedding was held at the Inn at Stonecliffe

Weber's Florals... flowers... GORGEOUS, Jay!!!
Bella e Dolce... cake...  BEAUTIFUL, Kim!!!!
Dancehall DJ's... music...  right on cue as always, Brevin!!!

SO...  I am not one to do wedding shows... honestly.. in my opinion.. its unnatural...100 brides in a conference room with 200 vendors... can we say overwhelming.. nothing like what a wedding should be like... brides keep their heads down... as not to be dragged into a booth by a pushy vendor when... especially when the bride already has that service...

Now... don't get me wrong... I have many friends who love these expos... its like a reunion for vendors... and if your good at talking to strangers... Which may be where my bias comes in...  this is going to be surprise to most... BUT...  I'm kind of shy... I know most people would never believe it... an expo is like torture to me.. not only a room of strangers... but a room of strangers where I have to talk about myself.

WELL.. now to my point...  THE ONLY EXPO I do... is this one... its AWESOME.. .and completely natural as a wedding should be.  The Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau hosts an annual "DESTINATION DREAM WEDDING WEEKEND" on Mackinac Island.

Let me just tell you...  this weekend takes place all over the island. It introduces every couple to more than a conference room in a hotel but intmately lets each couple visit every venue... and at each venue different vendors (like myself) will be around to chat.  There is even a mock reception. 

I have to say I actually have a blast doing this show.  Not only have I booked a few weddings but more importantly I have met amazing couples who have ultimately become my friends!!

If you happened to go last year... and remember the little extra surprise you got from me... this year... something different and I think even better...  don't worry if your not coming back...you just might get one in the mail anyways ;-)

Sooo.. if your debating about going this to the expo ... I say DO IT... even if you have everything booked already it gives you a much better understanding of the island and a chance to see your vendors!!

Hope to see you all there!!

Love,
A

Mackinac Island Destination Dream Wedding Weekend
October 9-11th
Mackinac Island, MI
You can get more information by contacting Chris West (chris@mackinacisland.org)

OH MY GOODNESS... this was by far the coolest shoot I have ever done...  in the ocean (not just them... Me too!)... in Mexico ... the day after an AMAZING wedding...

Elizabeth & Will were  splashing around... having fun... loving on each other..and not caring about a thing in the world except for having fun and being in the moment... and these pics can definitely show it.

Elizabeth and I had been talking about this shoot for months...  Will, I think, may have been a little hesitant at first (and he wasn't even wearing the dress)... but the minute the volleyball court came into play... he was all about it...  he just kept asking...  "can I throw her in yet... can I throw her in yet ..."

SO MUCH FUN... man I love my job!!!

Take a look...