Morgan + Kaleb's Michigan Wedding

From the Bride: Two weeks before our wedding date, Kentucky Covid restrictions changed and we were forced to come up with a completely different wedding plan. At the time we were heartbroken, feeling like everything we had planned and dreamed of for our wedding day was being taken away. Within days of finding out we had to change our wedding plans, we went from planning a 300 plus guest, beautiful venue wedding in Louisville, KY to moving everything to Michigan, where my husband is from, and reducing our guest list to just close family and friends. My husband and I took a weekend trip to choose a place outside that we thought would be a beautiful backdrop for our ceremony no matter the weather but we were praying for snow. We decided that a beautiful tree canopy in the middle of Manistee National Forest was the perfect place because it was beautiful without snow and would be even more beautiful with snow. It also provided such an intimate feel with the tall pine trees and forest all surrounding you. We began telling our family and friends of the change and prayed everything would work out how it was supposed to.

So many details fell perfectly into place for us those last ten days leading up to our wedding day. I called one of my best friends right after we found out about the new restrictions to tell her about our change of plans and to get her opinion on some of the smaller details for our wedding and how we could make them work. Right away she offered to make my bouquet, cake and dessert table, AND do my hair. Without her, our wedding day would not have had all the beautiful small details that brought everything together and helped make our wedding day so perfect. After having to change everything we had planned for our wedding day and to completely re-imagine the day and get everything moved to a different state in a different setting, I am so amazed every time I think back to the day and how magical everything played out. When I found out we had to change our wedding I canceled my dress alterations appointment thinking I would just get a different dress for this year and save my original dress for next year. Well, after some more thought, a week before the wedding, I decided I was going to wear my original wedding dress after all! Thankfully Marie Gabriel Couture Bridal and their staff as well as Young's Alterations were so amazing to work with and they had my dress altered and ready to go and pick up on my way to Michigan within four days! The next step in having to change our plans was to figure out who was going to capture our special day. At first my husband and I thought we would just have a friend take some pictures and keep it casual and we would save our photographers for our big ceremony the following year. Well again, after much thought, deciding to wear my wedding dress, and knowing how beautiful the new spot we chose to get married at was, we decided we wanted to have professional pictures to remember our original wedding day. The Monday before our wedding I called T&S Photography who took our engagement pictures and was booked to capture our original wedding day in Louisville. I had already told them about having to delay our big wedding until next year but I asked what the possibility was for them to come up to Michigan and capture our small ceremony as well. Without hesitation they said they would be there! I believe my wedding stands out from the rest because of all the amazing people behind everything it took to give us our perfect wedding day. That was something special money couldn't buy and no plans could have ever of planned for. It was the generosity from our family, friends, and people in our lives who just wanted to help make sure we had the most special day to remember. Our beautiful snow covered fairy tale pictures that I will cherish forever stand out from other weddings from the outside, but for me, God painting the perfect background and all the people behind the scenes who went out of their way to make that day possible for us will be what I'll always remember and forever be thankful for.

My favorite moment from our wedding day was our blind personal vows that my husband and I wrote for each other and read before the ceremony. We stood back to back in the snow against a beautiful snow covered tree and we were able to have a moment just the two of us before the ceremony where we could share our own vows and promises to each other. It was such an intimate moment that meant so much to the both of us. I also loved being able to have this moment while also saving our first look until he saw me walking down the aisle. The groom's favorite wedding day moment was looking out among our closest family and friends at the beginning of the ceremony and then seeing me walk down the aisle through all of the people we love who have shaped us into who we are and who have played huge roles in our life and relationship. He said that nothing else mattered in that moment and everything that didn't go the way we had planned prior to that day was forgotten because in that moment he was the happiest he had ever been.

Photography + Videography: T&S Photography and Production Location: Luther, MI Venue: Manistee National Forest Florals + Cake + Beauty: Brooke Riess Bride’s Attire: Pronovias from Marie Gabriel Couture Bridal Groom’s Attire: Woodland Tailoring Credits: (Bridesmaids’ + Groomsmen Flannels) Bass Pro Shop