Emily and Tom's day was one for the books. The first time I met them, we sat down at a local bakery and started going over their details. I knew right away they were over the top for each other. This was going to be good, you could just tell.
The morning of their big day, they both got ready at The Cheney Place in Grand Rapids, which was just spectacular. The entire venue is designed with photography in mind, so it looks amazing in every direction.
Getting ready in the same place also saves shooting time so we loved that! Since they weren't seeing each other until the ceremony, we split up shooting duties to get the groups done separately, and to make sure we had unique perspectives from both photographers. We also loved Emily's perfect pink dress!
After the ceremony, and group shots on the iconic Civic Theatre steps, we had a little bit of time to spare downtown so we made our way over to Rosa Parks Circle and got the bride and groom out onto the ice! They were up for anything all day and I think it really shows. We strolled around downtown, got some great candid shots, and crossed a few bridges for a view of the Grand Rapids skyline. The light was soft and even, but plentiful. Perfect for wedding portraits on the go! A few more shots with GR as the backdrop, and we jumped on the trolley and headed back to the Cheney Place to get ready for the reception.
Against a background of their initials silhouetted in the window, they were toasted (and roasted) at the head table by those closest to them, and then they got to celebrating! After hours of and dancing and music and smiling, we grabbed some extra ring shots with the bouquets and the night came to a close.
We leave every wedding by finding the parents and letting them know what little aspect of the day we found truly remarkable and unique. There's always something, and it's always different for every couple. From the cute ways they share private moments, to how beautiful the hand-made details were, there's always some remarkable detail worth mentioning. Emily and Tom had them all. The looks they gave each other, the view of an amazing venue, the bond between family and friends and the intelligent and thoughtful approach to life, they had it all that night. And will continue to have it all with each other. You can just tell.
COMPANY: Rob Wilkinson Photography