I met Charlie and Mallory in the Fall of 2015 shortly after they became engaged. Instantly, I knew two things:

Mallory was a woman who knew exactly what she wanted; she had this wedding & all it’s gorgeous details planned out in her head.
Charlie has a sensitive side to him that most people do not see every day.

Fast forward to their wedding day on June 25, 2016, my first impressions were spot on!

Charlie and Mallory were married on a beautiful Saturday afternoon at the Walled Lake Church of Christ. While they were dating, Charlie asked Mallory on the best date ever to check out this church. Instantly, they fell in love and knew this is where they belonged. They felt completely at home here; they even became baptized together a few months later. Their relationship with God holds a very special place within their hearts. They believe He is the foundation which they have built their relationship, and now their marriage, on. Their church community made them feel so welcomed & loved that they even invited the entire congregation to witness them exchange vows in His house.

Their reception was held at one of their groomsman’s home on Wolverine Lake. The setting was perfect for vision Charlie and Mallory had for their wedding. Mallory’s favorite flower since she was a little girl is the sunflower & was the foundation of all the details included in their lakeside wedding celebration. Everything from the burlap wrapped mason jar vases that held sunflowers & baby’s breath, to the wood dessert stands, to the do-it-yourself rustic finishes, their reception was exactly how I pictured it would be. They even had Charlie’s all time favorite BBQ restaurant, Dickey’s BBQ Pit, cater their reception.

The evening was filled with tons of laughter and dancing, which took place on a huge barge out on the lake. How many times have you had the opportunity to party on a barge on a lake?? There was so much love surrounding Charlie and Mallory as they celebrated their wedding day that no one wanted to leave! I am incredibly honored to have documented their perfect wedding day; it was amazing!

Check out some more details of their wedding, as well as a sneak peek at their wedding photographs!

The Deets:
Church: Walled Lake Church of Christ, Walled Lake, MI
Reception: Private residence, Wolverine Lake, MI
Bride’s & Bridesmaid’s Dresses: David’s Bridal
Groom & Groomsmen Tuxedos: Men’s Warehouse
Hair and Makeup: Zealand Spa Salon, Commerce, MI
Bouquets & Boutonnieres: DIY by the bride
Cupcakes: Groom’s sister, Christina
DJ: Tracy Bierkamp

The Jams:
Bridesmaid’s Processional: Somewhere Over the Rainbow
Bride’s Processional: All My Life (instrumental), KC & JoJo
Recessional: I Do, Colbie Caillat
Bridal Party Reception Entrance: Rock Party Anthem, LMFAO
Bride & Groom Reception Entrance: I Think I Wanna Marry You, Bruno Mars
First Dance: All My Life, KC & JoJo
Father/Daughter Dance: My Little Girl, Tim McGraw
Mother/Son Dance: My Wish, Rascal Flatts

Outside of the Church of Christ in Walled Lake, Michigan

Silhouette shot of the bride's beautiful wedding gown from David's Bridal

Detail shot of the bride's engagement ring & the groom's wedding ring on the bride's gorgeous DIY bouquet.

Mallory tying a corsage she made herself on her mother's wrist before the ceremony

Beautiful moment between Mallory and her Matron of Honor, Jennifer, as her bridesmaids help her get into her wedding gown

Mallory putting the final touches on her bridal look before the ceremony

Tearful first look between Mallory and her two sons.

The boys were so excited to see their beautiful mom!

Mallory's father stealing a glimpse of his daughter as he leads her down the aisle to her groom

Charlie's emotional first look at his bride was nothing short of amazing

Charlie teases Mallory that she can never keep a story short... so Mallory made sure to write her vows on a lengthy scroll of notes.

As a sign of unity of Mallory & Charlie with her two sons, they each poured a different color sand into a jar to represent their new family.

A final prayer before God, the foundation of their relationship

Awesome DIY shipping pallet sign at the reception

Personalized beer koozies served as wedding favors for guests

Beautiful sunflowers & baby's breath in mason jars wrapped in burlap were the focal point of the guest's tables.

Amazingly colorful & delicious cupcakes for dessert, made with love by the groom's sisternI

A modern guest book for all their guests to sign

It's not every day you get a escort to your reception on the water by the Wolverine Lake Police Department!

Charlie & Mallory sharing a cupcake... before he tried to smear it all over her face!

Beautiful bridesmaids Lucy, Lisa, and Matron of Honor, Jennifer, with the bride.

A quick capture of Charlie and Mallory during their Matron of Honor's speech

Speech by Best Man & brother of the groom, Chad

The newlyweds grinning ear-to-ear during their first dance

Charlie & his mother, happy as can be, during their dance

Paying tribute to Charlie's favorite BBQ restaurants, Dickey's BBQ.  PS- It was AMAZING! — Paying tribute to Charlie's favorite BBQ restaurants, Dickey's BBQ. PS- It was AMAZING!

Mallory sneaking a kiss while dancing with her son

Mallory's sons & Lucy's son acting silly during the reception

I grabbed Mallory's sons for a little surprise photograph for their mom!

Mallory and Charlie lighting a floating lantern with the Anniversary dance winners, Therese & Dave

Exiting their wedding reception in style, surrounded by the ones they love & sparklers!

About a month ago, I had the opportunity to hang out with sweet baby Cadence Jane for her first official photography session. Her parents, Chad & Janemarie are no stranger to my camera, as I’ve had the opportunity to capture a number of milestone events of their life together over the last couple of years. So, it was only fitting that it was time for Cadence’s debut!

Coming up with her name wasn’t an easy task for Chad & Janemarie. When they first found out they were expecting, they quickly developed a love for the name Caden. After finding out their baby was a girl, they started tossing around girl names, but never could agree on the same one, even though they knew they wanted her name to begin with the letter C. Once they came across the name Cadence in a baby book, they were hooked. Cadence’s middle name, Jane, was a no brainer. Since Janemarie was a little girl, she knew she would give her daughter the same name, after her grandmother, she was named after. Her grandmother was the sweetest person and everyone who was fortunate enough to know her knew how caring, generous, and how full of life she was. Even though baby Cadence never had the opportunity to know her great grandmother, her spirit will live on through her name.

Baby Cadence is the perfect combination of both Chad & Janemarie, and doesn’t really favor one more of than the other. Her eyes and lips seem to resemble Janemarie, while her overall face and shape look similar to Chad’s baby pictures. She definitely inherited her momma’s long toes though! In fact, it was one of the first things Chad noticed about their daughter when she was born, and even calls them her “finger toes”!

No matter how many parenting books you read, there are always unexpected things that first time parents experience. For Chad, he’s surprised by how much sleep they are actually getting. They’ve been very fortunate with baby Cadence, as she is already sleeping well through the night. For Jane, she is most surprised by the immediate bond they have developed with their daughter. Even though the connection between mother and daughter started longer before they ever laid eyes on her, to see and feel the connection since her birth has been unreal. Cadence recognizes her parents voices, and lights up with a smile and “happy eyes” when her daddy comes home from work. Even after a long day of taking care of her, Janemarie is comforted by the love and life they have given her. Although that might not be unexpected, the feeling is much more amazing than she ever expected.

Here’s a little glimpse at life with sweet baby Cadence Jane! I have gotten to know her parents, as well as rest of her wonderful family over the last couple of years. She is surrounded by so much love in her life, and even though she doesn’t realize it yet, she’s one of the luckiest little girls in the world.