Leah + Graham - A Backyard DIY Wedding

This one was special. Leah + Graham invited us up to Saginaw, Michigan to be a part of their wedding weekend, which took place in Leah's mom's backyard (aka garden). They planted wildflowers which were used for the bouquets, they planted vegetables which were used for dinner, and they planted goodwill and joy in the hearts of everyone who attended.

We just love the all-hands-on-deck approach to weddings. Getting your family involved produces a genuine response of love, commitment, and care from the people closest to you, and this was so evident all weekend. Leah's sister picked veggies, while Graham's mom mixed sangria. Graham assembled the sweetheart tent while his best friends set up the ceremony audio. Leah's mom delicately arranged the decorations lining the aisle and the cocktail party. Her uncle smoked a pig. It was beautiful to witness.

Add to all of that a threat of rain, and you'd think panic and frustration might take over, but the way their families handled everything was graceful and patient. The rain also gave us an excuse to come back the following day for portraits in the sun.

Proof that simplicity wins and family is first.

Lily + Joseph // Grand Rapids Wedding Photography

This is the third wedding that we’ve shot in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Grand Rapids has easily been our most popular city to shoot outside of Ohio, and the most interesting thing is that, according to some of our friends from the area, Grand Rapids has the highest number of professional photographers per capita in the country. I won’t say how accurate that is, but it’s fun that people are still inviting us to come up there instead of hiring a local. Lily + Joseph are such a perfect couple, their love is so evident when they’re together. And like their siblings said during their toasts, each one has an infectious laughter. We had a blast wandering through the small town of Lowell searching out some great spots and enjoying the weather.

Which turned sour. We had great partly sunny to overcast skies during our bridal party photos, and almost on cue when we returned to the venue the rain started. That meant packing up all the chairs and moving the whole ceremony inside. I couldn’t believe how great their attitudes remained and how calm they both were about everything. Their friends and family worked with the staff, and the whole thing was set up in about 10 minutes it seemed.

Despite the setback, the ceremony was beautiful, with Joseph washing Lily’s feet and vice versa. What a beautiful picture of humility and servanthood, it was pretty powerful.

Congratulations guys, we had a great time with you and your families, and thanks again for having us come up to the mitten state to be with you!

Ceremony + Reception: Grand Volute Ballrooms