Cierra + Erica share one of the most beautiful love stories I have had the honor of being a part of. When Cierra and I first sat down to discuss the possibility of working together I knew that these ladies would leave an large impact on my heart. When Cierra + Erica first started dating, getting married wasn’t an option. They didn’t have that choice, so it wasn’t something that had been thoroughly discussed. When the equal marriage laws did pass, Erica began to prepare a proposal. For one thousand days EVERY single day, Erica would send Cierra notes beginning with “I Love You Because…” One thousand love letters, that she then incorporated into her proposal. She had family and friends come to their home to read these letters to Cierra, even those from out of state read their part over Skype. 

These women have a love that will move mountains. A bond and a friendship stronger than I have ever witnessed. They truly adore each other and have continuously supported one another through school and careers and hardships. Their wedding day was living proof of that love and how it had inspired all of those in attendance. One of my many favorite parts of their wedding day was that they wrote personalized notes to each and every guest at their reception. After dinner everyone opened their special letters and read about how they had individually touched the brides’ lives. 

Cierra + Erica’s wedding day was in a complete 1920’s theme. Even the vendors had dressed the part. After getting ready and an emotional first look at the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center in Downtown Detroit, we made our way up to New Center for some artsy fun and then finally to Cliff Bells, the well known historic jazz club for the ceremony and reception. 

I am excited to finally be able to share the images from this wedding, and grateful that these women have and will remain my friends. I look forward to watching their love and family grow and be present for more beautiful moments. Congratulations Cierra + Erica, so thankful that you choose to celebrate these days with me. 

Tinne contacted me just weeks before about photographing her backyard wedding in St. Louis, Michigan. Her and her now husband, Mohamed live in Cairo, Egypt. They had initially planned to marry in Cairo but Tinne’s father’s health began to worsen and they knew that they needed to make this wedding day happen sooner than later. In just six short weeks Tinne not only organized and planned this entire affair, but with the help of her siblings she also made a majority of the beautiful details herself. 

Family and friends traveled from across the globe. From places like Belgium, Egypt and Minnesota, they came to a dairy farm in rural Michigan to celebrate the union of these two incredible people. 

As the day approached I continued to check with Tinne regarding her Father and despite a few scares, he was with us to walk Tinne down the isle and share a very memorable dance with her. During Tinne’s speech to her guests she thanked her father for all he did to make the day so special . She said “We know that most of you here are more excited to see him, than you are us, and that’s okay.” The guests rose to their feet clapping and honoring his presence in a standing ovation. 

Mohamed + Tinne’s wedding was a very beautiful and emotional day for everyone. It was a personal experience of growth for myself and the way I photograph for my couples. I was so intentional about the way that I shot this wedding day, the way that I edited and delivered this gallery. Each picture I took I remember thinking, this could be the last one, like the importance of these images weighed so much heavier than it ever had before because I knew there wasn’t much time left. Looking back on this gallery I realized that it is one of my favorite weddings I have photographed to date. And not just because the couple is phenomenal or each and every detail is gorgeous, but because I told a story and I found meaning in moments I may had overlooked before. 

Mohamed + Tinne, I will not ever forget this day, the love between you both and those that surround you, and the celebration of life that you shared with me. Congratulations, and I hope we cross paths again soon. 

Matt + Maura were home from Chicago for a quick weekend and wanted to squeeze in an engagement session. Due to our schedules the only time we could make it work was at sunrise. So these guys woke up at 5:00am with me to travel down to Belle Isle in Detroit to watch the sun come up over the Detroit River. 

It was immediately obvious that Matt + Maura were very much in love and very excited about their wedding taking place in just a few short weeks. I admired how much they admired each other and would brag about the other’s accomplishments. They talked about the future and their ideas for new businesses. They laughed a lot, which I expected being somewhat familiar with Matt’s personality from social media. 

After I delivered the session Matt sent me an email that left goosebumps on my arms. His message read like this:

"You captured how beautiful She really is. And I'm serious when I say I get emotional looking at them. These photos are something I never knew I needed, but now they are something I could never really live without. Thank you for sharing your gift with us, the passion you put behind your work, and leaving us with these photos to always hold onto." 

So yeah, sunrise engagement sessions, beautiful people, and forever love.