Wedding Photography

November 9, 2019

Rainy Lake Michigan Wedding | Styled Shoot

Xav and I love shooting outdoor weddings!! It is our happy place and we have found that outdoor weddings are perfect for couples who love nature! This fall, I got to collaborate with over a dozen other wedding vendors for a styled shoot. Our aim was to feature the beautiful beginning of fall and we wanted to incorporate stunning wedding inspiration and a few trendy but affordable wedding ideas.

Although we had every intention of capturing a gorgeous fall day, the weather took a wild turn and it ended up being incredibly rainy and windy! The wind was whipping rain sideways and the lake was dark and brooding. Thankfully, despite the weather, all of the vendors came together to make it the dreamiest, rainy day setting imaginable!

Inspiration
I’ve been dreaming of a Prince Edward Island themed shoot ever since we visited the island a few years ago. Literary characters came to life and there was such a mix of classic charm and wandering freedom represented by the architecture and landscape. Every bride wants a perfect blend of genuine moments and delightfully intricate details and PEI was the best inspiration!

Dress
When planning this shoot, I started where most brides start, with the dress. After days of searching, I came across this custom-made, gown with a simply amazing overlay . It is a bit unusual to work with an Etsy shop for stylized shoot, but Yana from StylishBrideAccs made it such a wonderful experience and this dress was so worth it! Not only does the gown feature puffed sleeves and the most elegant train ever, but it can also be worn without the overlay for a simple, classic look. One of the top celebrity wedding trends right now is to showcase two different looks and wear a separate dress for the ceremony and reception. A versatile dress like this one provides the opportunity to feel like a celebrity without the cost of buying two dresses. Our groom also wore two different looks for the day as well, adding a tie to his ensemble for the reception.

Floral Designer
One of greatest signs of a true wedding professional is their ability to take a vision or idea and create something new and unique! Sarah from Blossoming Vines did just that! She took the overarching ideas and color palette and created the perfect bouquet, boutonnière, and table centerpiece. Not only did our bride and groom rock two different looks, but so did the reception flowers! Sarah joined our team for the whole day and helped wherever there was a need! She had the great idea of turning the gorgeous table centerpiece into a statement piece after dinner. By adding smilax and plumosa ferns and changing out the low compote for a vintage brass trophy style urn, Sarah was able to decorate both the head table and the dance floor with the same bunch of florals designed in two different ways.

Cake Designer
Our enthralling, blue wedding cake was designed by Moriah of Curio Cupcakes and decorated by Sarah of Blossoming Vines. The tall triple layer cutting cake created the perfect backdrop for the cascade of flowers down the front. Specific, unique pops of color made this rainy day feel so much brighter!

Makeup
Lisamarie from Wonderfully Made Makeup created this effortless, radiant, and natural makeup look that survived wind, rain, and dancing!

Hair
Megan DeMass designed the perfect, romantic hairstyle that fit the classic bridal look with the wild and free feel that we were hoping to achieve.

Earrings
Because this dress had two different looks, it needed jewelry that would compliment both the simple, v-neck, silk dress as well as the high neck, straight cut overlay with small pearl details. Emily from Mod-ish created a custom, bridal set of earrings that was absolute perfection!

Paper Suite
Our incredibly classic paper suite was hand crafted by Carey at Sol Paparie. She took the vision board and made the font simple but stunning. Not only did we get to see her work represented in a full wedding invitation suite, but she also designed a seating chart, matching envelopes, brilliant menus, and the most adorable place cards.

Catering and Coffee Cart
Our models and the other vendors were delighted when they found out that Stan Diego Baja Taco Kitchen was catering for the styled shoot. Everyone loves tacos and their fresh ingredients and delicious flavors brought delight to the whole team!
Caleb Painter from Catalyst Coffee Cart brought in his coffee cart through the rain and made everyone warm, hand crafted coffee. It was delicious, unique and totally perfect on this rainy day.

Getting Ready Space and Reception Venue
The darling Airbnb where the day began was an intimate, and adorable place to start preparations. The ceremony/reception venue was initially picked for the gorgeous landscape and the stunning grounds, but when the rain began to pour, everyone was so thankful to have the magnificent barn to retreat to for dinner and dancing.

Furniture and Dish Rentals
The whole look and feel of the shoot came together with the seating vignette and table designed by Emily from Fancy Fray and Holly from Gigi & LaClede llc. The chandeliers in the barn set the stage for our dance floor which was highlighted by the rich, intricate rug. For dinner, the rug and coffee table were surrounded by a magnificent, blue, curved sofa, a pair of white cane side chairs, and a small, wooden, end table. The massive, statement farm table from Fancy Fray was presented with by ten gold, Tolix chairs and the tablescape was completed with a smokey gray, hand-dyed table runner, paris blue goblets by Fostoria, modern organic white dinner plates topped with delicate blue and gold rimmed salad plates, and matte gold flatware.

Summary
Just because it rains doesn’t mean you can’t have the wedding day of your dreams! This team of vendors proved that your day can still be absolutely amazing even if it downpours. Justin and Maggie, our models for the shoot were simple wonderful! They got drenched multiple times but they were up for anything… that is the best part about outdoor brides, they know that the day will be beautiful rain or shine and they just need to go with the flow. It was so much fun to plan and photograph this shoot that I’ve been dreaming about for so long and to see it come together more splendidly than I could have imagined was the cherry on top!

Special Thanks
I truly could not have pulled this shoot off without the help of Erin from Sunshine Picture Co. She gave me the push I needed to make it happen and then graciously coached me through the entire process! I also have to give huge props to Colette from Bracken and Bloom and my sister, Samantha who both came along for the day to help set up and tear down and keep things running smoothly! They are my heroes and I could not have done it without their support and help!