I photographed so many amazing weddings last summer. One of my favorites was Morgan and Dale’s wedding at Crooked River Weddings in Gladwin, Michigan. I had only shot at that venue one other time, but as soon as Morgan mentioned it I remembered exactly what it looked like! It’s one of my all time favorites. That’s the first thing that told me this was going to be a GREAT wedding to photograph.


The second happened after I arrived. When I saw everyone’s dresses, my jaw dropped. The bottom of Morgan’s was so flowy and made for amazing shots when you threw it around. The rest of the ladies wore different styles and colors of dresses with gorgeous intricate beading designs on each one. To this day, they’re still my favorite bridesmaids dresses of all time. The final things were all the sweet moments before the ceremony even started. Dale’s family surprised him with a letter that reads as if it’s written in his late grandmother’s point of view. There were a lot of tears shed. Right after, I took him and Morgan to a corner of the barn so they could stand close without seeing each other and read letters they wrote. Morgan was laughing with tears in her eyes and it was amazing to see. I love these special quiet moments before the ceremony and everything gets busy. They're some of my favorites to photograph.


The great thing about Crooked River Weddings is the variety. The ceremony spot is down by the river. To get there, the wedding party walks down a long flight of stairs and through a covered bridge. It makes for such an amazing entrance and Morgan was glowing--while Dale shed a few more tears ;). Next to the ceremony location are some gorgeous woods with an amazing clearing. The light was something out of a fairytale while we did couple’s portraits back there. Then there’s the barn. It’s huge, white, and gorgeous. There are strings of lights hanging all over and a huge statement piece of a chandelier hanging in the center. The chandelier is made of a large old wagon wheel and mason jars. It has such an elegant rustic feel. If you want some super rustic photos, there is also an incredible old fashioned rusty truck in the backyard! The back faces west so I love taking my couples out there in the evening for a little breather and some golden hour photos. We had time to hit every single one of these areas on Morgan and Dale’s day and I’m so happy with their entire gallery.

Collage of wedding dress, rings on pink shoes, and the bride getting dressed.
Collage of the groom getting dressed and a groomsman being thrown in the air by the group.
Bride and bridesmaids standing on a large porch. The bridesmaids wear different styles of dresses with intricate beading
Collage of photos of the bride. She has a long flowy dress, medium length veil, and brown hair in a side braid.
Groom getting a letter written in his late grandmother's point of view and crying.
Bride and groom reading letters around the corner of the barn.
Wedding rings and watch on tree branches and shots of the big white barn.
Collage of black and white groomsmen photos and color groom photos.
Black and white photos of grandparents and parents as the ceremony starts.
Bride and her dad starting down the stairs.
Bride and her dad walking down the aisle. The groom crying as he sees her.
Collage of moments during the wedding ceremony.
First kiss and the couple walking back down the aisle hand in hand.
Photos of the entire wedding party standing together in the woods.
Bride and groom in the woods in various poses. The light is glowing and has a fairytale feel.
Groom kissing the bride's nose in the woods.
Bride and groom standing in a clearing in the woods. The bride swinging her dress.
Bride and groom leaning in a dip while smiling at the camera.
Wedding party standing in front of and on an old truck.
Collage of toasts inside the barn. There are twinkly lights on the back wall and a mason jar wagon wheel chandelier.
Bride and groom kissing during first dance in the barn. Lights are strung from the ceiling.
Collage of first dance, mother son son, and father daughter dance.
Bride twirling her dress while the groom spins her in front of a field at sunset.
Bride and groom in various poses in a field with golden sunset light glowing behind them.
Bride and groom standing in front of an old brown rusty truck.
Bride and groom standing near an old fence, running through a field hand in hand, and posing with a tree swing.