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.
