Where to begin…..since the beginning is so so far away.
Liz and I met as children. Our parents were good friends, we were playmates (though I was “slightly” older), and we spent a lot of time playing, piano lessoning, and living life together. Until her parents moved far far far away – like 45 whole minutes. I was almost graduating from high school, and Liz, aka BETSY, still had a few years to go.
Fast forward a few years, I reconnect with Brian & Rachel, her siblings, via facebook. Brian also loves photography, and we’ve chatted about it a time or two.
Before Betsy/Liz got engaged, Brian shared my work with her, and when she DID get engaged, she tells me I was the first one she thought of to be her wedding photographer. However, her uber-talented graphic designing fiance Deke had some weight to pull in the decision.
Last fall/winter, we finally met, and what a sweet reunion it was. To see Betsy grow to be Liz, this gorgeous, intelligent young woman, who by the way was working on her residency as a physician (see, I said she was smart), was so precious for me. And joy of joys, they said yes! (To me, AND to each other.)
Now I know I’ve been talking about having three weddings this weekend, and each spectacular couple deserves their own blog post, and they will get it, soon….but because Liz has been, and is so dear to me, I chose her first today. And the blog post is huge, so settle in, get some popcorn, and enjoy!
We started the lovely day at Trillium, a sweet little salon in downtown Petoskey, MI, where Liz got super treatment – I mean SUPER. The staff there was lovely, and so good to her.
A little lunch with the bridesmaids at the Mitchell Street Pub, then off to the Perry Hotel for her getting ready, and to check out the amazing details. From the save the date I received, to the invitations, to the KABAM KABOOM AMAZING DETAILS, this wedding is one to enjoy. They chose a theme centered on the word “whirlwind,” incorporating pinwheels, the flavor of Dr. Seuss, and a selection of fabulous colors. A close family friend of Deke’s, Jackie, owns Skys the Limit in Petoskey, but I think it should be called “Way Above And Beyond,” because she knocked it out of the park – every detail was perfect for these two, and I could tell, really exceeded their expectations.
A sweet, tearful ceremony ensued, and then they let me have them….crawling over rocks, onto the lakeshore, and sharing their joy & beautiful personalities through portrait. Trust me, you’ll look at these two and just automatically want to be close to them.
Their love is so precious, and the way they look at each other will bring tears to anyone’s eyes.
The dinner reception at the Perry was so tasty…..but not nearly as yummy as their expertly choreographed first dance. We all had goosebumps! While the night ended too soon for me (the wakeup call for the next wedding was coming soon), I know these two danced away the evening celebrating with their family & friends.
Liz & Deke, THANK you for having us be a part of your day. Dan & I enjoyed it so much!
Speaking of Dan, this was his second wedding with me….and I’m not even going to go into it in this blog post, but he far exceeded my hopes & expectations. I couldn’t have done this weekend without him, and I’m so glad I don’t have to!
So once again, sit back and enjoy!
– Lynell