James + Jeffrey are two of the most fun and kind people I have had the pleasure of working with and I am so thankful that we are connected. From the moment we first FaceTimed to speak about the potential of working together, they had me laughing. The entire duration of their engagement session and of course their wedding day was pure joy, and it is evident that they spread that joy to others wherever they are. 

For several years James + Jeffrey maintained a long distance relationship, crossing the US/Canadian border every weekend to make it work. Last November, surrounded by their family and friends at the Gem Theater in Detroit, Michigan, they made their union official and became Husband + Husband. The festivities were complete with a traditional Chinese Tea Ceremony following an endearing and personalized exchange of vows. 

It was difficult to catch a moment not filled with laughter, which I am sure is a testament to the beautiful life these guys will share together. Congratulations James + Jeffrey, love you both!

I met Eric & Kris at Eric’s sister’s wedding (remember Issa & Jaime from last year) and was super excited when they contacted me to photograph their celebration at Bells Brewery in Kalamazoo. What made this wedding even more incredible than it was already planned to be was that the ban on gay marriage lifted the day prior and Eric & Kris were the first gay couple in the state of Michigan to legally tie the knot. 

This is the second wedding I have shot for the Braman family and I am 100% convinced that they are magic. I have fallen totally in love with their closeness, the love that they have for each other, their endless casual family choreographed dances, and the work that they do with LGBT youth. Being a witness to their stories has been an honor and a blessing. 

"We are people who believe every child is entitled to life and liberty and the pursuit of happiness. There is so much more work to be done to extend the full promise of America to every American. But today, we can say in no uncertain terms that we’ve made our union a little more perfect. That’s the consequence of a decision from the Supreme Court, but more importantly, it is a consequence of the countless small acts of courage of millions of people across decades who stood up, who came out, talked to parents, parents who loved their children no matter what, folks who were willing to endure bullying and taunts, and stayed strong, and came to believe in themselves and who they were.

And slowly made an entire country realize that love is love.” -President Barack Obama