Kayla and Mark had such an intimate and special backyard wedding.

In the beginning of the day, the whole wedding party got ready near Lake Michigan. Afterwards, Mark took Vincent and I to the lake to scout out a perfect spot for the first look. Kohler-Andrae Park was breath taking. All the wedding party photos, family photos, first look and bridal portraits were shot at lake Michigan. This was the first time I shot in direct sunlight. I was super nervous to see how the photos would turn out and struggled trying to position everyone where the sun complimented them instead casting a hard shadow… But when I began editing these photos, I immediately fell in love with them. The lake was dark crystal blue (in real life too!!), it wasn’t too hot and the skies were clear. Also, Kayla’s dress was so beautiful. The photos I took on the beach look like scenes to a new Korean drama.

The ceremony and reception took place in the backyard of Kayla and Mark’s church. Guys… there were literally butterflies fluttering during the whole wedding day. This simple wedding was so personal and intimate. Right after the ceremony, guests were ushered into a small break before the reception. This was such a brilliant idea. The bride and groom were able to meet their guests and people were given the option to grab a drink like boba or Thai tea to enjoy themselves. The reception followed right after with heart felt speeches that made me tear up a bit as I photographed the special moments. Then, I sneaked in some golden hour photos of the bride and the groom. I think this was my favorite part of the day. During weddings, it’s so easy to get caught up in the business of the day that we can forget to cherish intimate moments with our loved ones. I wanted to create a small moment for the bride and groom to enjoy one another. So I played a song for them as they took their first dance during golden hour. The golden hour photos give off a different feel than the direct sunlight photos I took at the beach. However both will hold special moments of feelings and memories for Kayla and Mark.

I feel so honored to be part of Kayla and Mark’s big day, and I can’t wait to see what is in store for them in this new season.