Amanda & Ron - An Exquisite Summer Wedding at Grand Traverse Resort & Spa - August 19, 2018

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5 years ago, Amanda was decidedly not the "marrying type".

It seemed clear to her that marriage was the place where love got lazy and went stale. Vulnerability and passion got traded for the numbness of everyday life, and people stopped caring for each other after the honeymoon ended.  Amanda had concluded long ago that the kind of selfless and enduring commitment that her grandparents had together was simply not possible in today's society, and she was certain that nobody could change that.

Enter Ron.

The kind-hearted man who could always be found wearing a backwards hat and a wide grin began frequenting the bar where Amanda worked. The two became friends almost immediately. Amanda was drawn in by the warmth of Ron's personality. "He would get excited about the smallest things. He was always kind, and his outlook on life was so positive. He has a child's soul." That was fall of 2006. A couple years passed, with Ron moving out of state to train in Arizona with Border Patrol. The two lost touch. Once Amanda became a nurse, she ran into him one evening at an event at the old bar where they first met. They were quick to pick up the conversation where they had left off, and their bond quickly grew stronger than ever. They began dating in July of 2013. Over the next 5 years together, Ron steadily challenged Amanda's preconceptions about love and commitment with his resolute pursuit of her. She was moved by the way he never wavered in his dedication to her, still the same person she was drawn to on the first day they began this adventure together. Amanda's barriers were being crushed by the very thing she feared would undo the love they had: the little everyday things. It was here that Ron proved his dedication to her. 

August 19th was a long-awaited celebration of something truly beautiful. Amanda and Ron exchanged heartfelt vows beside the water of Grand Traverse Bay, and topped off the evening with a bountiful dinner and dancing late into the night at the area's iconic Grand Traverse Resort. What a joy it was to share such a significant day with this special pair of lovers!

Ceremony & Reception Venue, decor, cake and catering by Grand Traverse Resort & Spa - Liz Kondik, Coordinator

Hair by Up North Perfection

Makeup by Adriana Cristina

Bride's gown by Piera’s Bridal

Guys' attire: Men’s Wearehouse

Flowers by The Blossom Shop

Gillian & Casey - A Summer Wedding on Old Mission Peninsula

Gillian met the "Burrito Boy" for the first time in 2006, while Casey was skillfully rolling burritos at the Blue Corn Cocina in the Vanderbilt cafeteria. Thanks to their mutual friend Eric Chung, Casey and Gillian became friends in college.  That friendship eventually blossomed into a romance in 2008, at the beginning of Gillian's senior year.

Over the next 8 years, Gillian and Casey trailed one another from Nashville to Chicago to Detroit, coordinating jobs and school in order to be near each other.

Then, on December 10th, 2016, Casey lied to Gillian for the first time ever. He convinced her that his intramural flag football team had made it to the Championship Game (although they had actually been knocked out three weeks prior due to injury, cheap shots, and poor officiating. Casey was not bitter). When Gillian arrived at Nichols Arboretum, she saw Casey standing next to a picture-perfect view and dressed in a suit. He took a knee to propose, and of course the rest would become history! At that moment, Gillian’s pup Ted came bounding out of the woods, clad in a little tuxedo to celebrate the occasion.

July 14, 2018: Gillian and Casey chose the natural splendor of Northern Michigan as the setting for their long-awaited wedding day. The historical Peninsula Room is surrounded by vineyards, and perched on a hill overlooking stunning Grand Traverse Bay. With the warm sun shining and their dearest friends and family surrounding them, Gillian and Casey made their vows to each other along the shimmering water of the bay. Here's just a little glimpse into the magic of their beautiful day.

Ceremony and Reception Venue: The Peninsula Room, Traverse City, Michigan

Caitlin & Lawrence - A Medieval Wedding Celebration Under the Harvest Moon - Grand Traverse Resort & Spa, October 5th

"May they be to each other both strong and gentle. 
May all who follow their lives with interest and affection have cause to rejoice not alone in their happiness, but in their brave and generous living which makes life beautiful and significant.”  Áine Minogue, A Celtic Wedding

Caitlin and Larry are two souls from a bygone era, and the love they share is one for the ages. Their story began in 2010, when a significant friendship formed during their time working together in the same banquet kitchen. 7 years later, on the rolling green hills of this same special place, the Grand Traverse Resort and Spa, Caitlin and Larry began their lives together as one. Under a towering oak bathed in warm rays of autumn sun, surrounded by the love of those dearest to them, they exchanged sacred vows. In true medieval fashion, the celebration continued late into the evening over a bounty of rich food, lively games on the lawn, and roaring fires.

Venue, and Feast: Grand Traverse Resort and Spa

Bride's Gown: Armstreet

Floral and Design: Sensational Events

Susanna & Jared - Greenville, Michigan, September 9

Down to earth by nature and both wonderfully congenial people, Susanna and Jared were destined to fit together as effortlessly as peanut butter and chocolate. It was in 2013 that their paths first crossed in an unexpected way. Susanna was a banker at Chase, and Jared was filling out a deposit slip in her branch when she saw him for the first time. Jared came in many times after that, never speaking to Susanna but always making a point to smile at her as he walked past. One day, following his usual routine, Jared got as far as the front of the bank before stopping and turning around to walk straight up to Susanna's desk. Visibly shaking, he at last mustered the courage to ask her out.

4 years later, they remain head-over-heels for each other. The two share an infectious sense of humor, a love for their pups, a strong bond with their families, and an adoration for beautiful Wabasis Lake, where Jared grew up and where their beautiful home is located on the water's edge. It only seemed fitting to start this new chapter together on the shores of this special place.

September 9th was bright and cloudless but perfectly cool as Susanna and Jared exchanged their vows by the shimmering water. The celebration that followed was as relaxed and welcoming as the bride and groom themselves: savory BBQ dinner, lawn games and bonfires, a lively dance floor, and a boat ride to the sand bar in the late evening light.

Ceremony & Reception Venue: Wabasis Lake Campground

Bride's gown: Becker's

Hair design by Shelly Alberts

Floral and decor by Laura Donavan

Naomi & Jody - Wedding in Honor, Michigan

The Scene: 

A little red brick playhouse in small-town Northern Michigan, situated at a cross street in view of the shimmering bay. It's 2013, and the newly assembled cast of Les Misérables is beginning to get acquainted before rehearsals. In the midst of an introductory exercise, Jody decides to confidently approach Naomi, takes a blurry selfie with her, and initiates a conversation that would continue for the rest of their lives.

During those months of production, Naomi and Jody would become inseparable, drawn in by the other's courageous openness and warmth. When Les Misérables wrapped up, the love story was just beginning. Years later and closer than ever, these two hold each other up with determination and respect, and the friendship they share is perhaps the most apparent thing about them. They effortlessly draw those around them into that friendship, and it's easy to fall in love with these two! What an honor to share such an important day in their story!

Ceremony & Reception, Décor and wedding coordinator: Greystone Mansion, Honor, MI

Bride's Gown: David's Bridal

Floral: The Flower Station, Traverse City

Cake: Brulotte's Cakery and Sweets

Hair and Makeup Styling: Up North Perfection and Sasha Rosenthal

Kirstie & Kyle - Wedding on Old Mission Peninsula

A year ago, I spent a rainy afternoon with this pair of lovers, climbing the dunes along the Sleeping Bear Lakeshore to snap some blustery engagement photos while we discussed our mutual love for global travel. Their wedding day dawned with similar torrential splendor, throwing some last minute changes into the mix. Despite the plot twists, Kirstie and Kyle's day was a celebration that perfectly reflected the class, adventure, and tangible love that characterizes the two of them. This is just the beginning of their greatest adventure together!

Florals by Hooper Farms - Venue: Peninsula Room, Traverse City, MI - Bride's Gown by Stella York, Australia - Live Entertainment by Brena, Grand Rapids Michigan

Ellora & Marcus - Wedding at Grand Traverse Resort & Spa

July 23rd was a perfect summer day to celebrate a  match made in heaven. Ellora and Marcus made their vows to each other on the beach of shimmering Grand Traverse Bay, and followed the ceremony with a joyous reception at the Grand Traverse Resort. (OH the dancing!)

Transportation, design and venue: Grand Traverse Resort & Spa

Florals: Marla Courtney Wood