Who doesn’t love options? Well, Michigan has so many that it will make your head spin! Whether you are looking to get married in a barn or tie the knot in a big city, you are sure to find the perfect location for your big day.

Photo Source: Aruna B Photography from the fabulous Bliss Weddings renewal of Anat & Nick at River Birch Lodge

If you are looking for something that screams Michigan wedding, check out the following locations. Keep in mind that these are just a few examples of the thousands of venues the Mitten State has to offer.

Source: Heather J. Photography Cobblestone Farm – Ann Arbor

1. River Birch Lodge, Hartland. When I think of Michigan, I picture places like this. Picture a beautiful lodge, the size of a small mansion, with natural wood and stone. This amazing location is charming, warm and inviting. All things that give a wedding that cozy feeling that Michigan is known for.
2. The Rattlesnake Club, Detroit. If you are looking for something a little more modern, consider this fabulous venue. With world renowned food, a river front view and fantastic customer service, the Rattlesnake is a winning locale.
3. The Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island. This place is straight out of a fairy tale! Not only is it located on one of the most amazing islands in the US, it also is one of Michigan’s most popular wedding destinations. It is the perfect mix of nautical, nature and high-end resort.
4. The B.O.B., Grand Rapids. This location is just plain fun in the heart of a great city. The BOB features exposed brick walls and lots of windows.
5. The English Inn, Eaton Rapids. The name says it all. Once you walk onto the property at The English Inn, you are taken to a completely different place. It has the feel of the English countryside and the amenities of a 5 star wedding venue. You can even host your ceremony in the beautiful gardens!
6. Don’t forget the amazing fields and farms, beautiful beaches, plenty of museums, vineyards, orchards and more! This list could go on for ages!

Photo Source: West Park Photo at Comerica Park in Detroit

Photo Source: Abby Rose Photography of Detroit Skyline

What a gorgeous couple! When I met Nicole & Travis and Nicole’s mom, I knew that we would have a blast working together. I literally started working with them three days before their wedding day, when they realized that they needed an extra set of hands organizing the last minute details and keep things running smoothly on the big day. (Huge THANK YOU to Sylvia, of Bridal Beauty on Location for the referral!)

Nicole & Travis live out of state and planned their beautiful wedding in Michigan. Specifically at Beacon Hill! This was my second time working at the venue and I have yet to be disappointed. The staff is wonderful and attentive, the food is delicious and the scenery is outstanding. The weather wasn’t the greatest, with huge gusts of wind and lower than normal temperatures, but everything went off without a hitch and it ended up being the perfect day for a wedding.

Watching these two interact with each other and the 28 (!!!) members of the bridal party, including the ring bearers and flower girls, was an absolute joy. Everyone is insanely gorgeous and absolutely hilarious. What a great day!

Below are a few of my favorite shots of the day, taken by Jim Van Luven from Mike Staff Productions. Enjoy!

Team of Pros:

• Coordination: Amanda of Bliss Weddings & Events
• Venue: Beacon Hill Golf Course & Banquet Center
• Photographer: Mike Staff Productions
• Hair & Makeup: Bridal Beauty on Location
• Video: Dark Lake Video
• Officiant: Rev. Mike Fry
• DJ: Eddie Hakim of Happy Hour DJs
• Flowers: Flowers by Amore
• Photobooth: Qwik Picz
• Chocolate Fountain: Maximum Delights

The past few months have been absolutely crazy with events, two vacations and a ton of details in the midst. I promise to be back to the regularly scheduled program in the next week as things start to slow down. In the meantime, I will leave you with some eye candy from recent events. I hope this bribe little taste will keep you satisfied until we meet again. ;)

Photo 1: Bates Photographic Photo 2: Mike Staff Productions

Just in case you missed it, here is the video of our inspiration shoot done by the amazing Jamie Honce Productions. I was blown away when I first saw this! My only request from Jamie was to make it feel natural and effortless. Boy, did he ever nail it!

Flirty at the Fair | Carnival Inspiration Shoot from Jamie Honce on Vimeo.

Have questions about the shoot? Leave a comment or shoot me an email! I would love to answer questions and hear your feedback.

My biggest concern when creating the details of the recent inspiration shoot, was to make it easy to recreate without breaking the bank. So often, inspiration shoots are completely unattainable by the average couple and can lead to frustration and envy. That is why I told all of our vendors to keep it natural, fun and easy! This was especially true with the decor for our fabulously fun shoot.

It might sound strange, but my entire design concept was based on two things. Cotton Candy & our Blue Striped Paper Straws. In order to keep the setting feeling soft and light, I went with a cotton candy pink and a lighter shade of a teal blue. The linens were actually poly cotton with sheer striped overlays. The combination of the two was under $25 per table, which is really good for linen pricing!

For the flowers, I wanted to stick with mainly pink with punches of red. In order to mix it up a bit, I wanted the shades to be darker that the colors in the linens and paper products. I think it meshed beautifully! What do you think?

Now, I am a sucker for a good prop and I was fortunate enough to have been introduced to Terri, the owner of the super cute Frank & Me, in Clarkston, Michigan. While eying the amazing trinkets and vintage items in her shop, I stumbled across a beautiful 1940s smoked glass cake stand, a beautiful pink & gold frame, and the vintage cake server, among other things that I fell in love with. All worked perfectly for the design.

The adorable dress was made by our model, Allison, and the flower hair accessory was made by BlissAccessories! Flowers by Watkins Flowers, creative design and linens supplied by Bliss Weddings & Events. Photography by Nicole Ladonne Photography.

I LOVE Cupcakes. Everything about them. They are easy to handle, the perfect portion and oh-so cute! When I was thinking about the delicious desserts that were to be featured in our inspiration shoot, my mind immediately went to simple, sweet and charming details. I wanted to feature adorable cupcakes, a DIY looking cake, colorful drinks and lots of variety. Thankfully, Robyn new exactly the person to assign the cake making duties. Kerri, from Cherry Chip, is seriously creative! I cannot believe how spot on her designs for the cake and cupcakes were (and super delicious, by the way!).

Kerri mixed the perfect hues of pink and blue and created a very DIY inspired single layer cake. What is your favorite element? Mine are the little white dots on the cupcakes!

For the drinks, I had to have pink and blue, with a punch of red. That was definite. I went with a pink lemonade and a blue punch and mixed in some fruit and berries. They both tasted delicious, until they were heated by the million degree sun all day!

Robyn also created a cute little candy buffet for an added bit of sweetness. Mix that with some vintage Faygo and super cute details, and you have PERFECTION, my friends.

Photos by Nicole Ladonne Photography

If you’ve met me, I am sure we have discussed my obsession with paper at one point or another. This obsession definitely led to huge excitement when I got to ask my dear friend, Robyn (Meant To Be Sent) to design all of our fabulous cotton candy inspired paper goods for the recent inspiration shoot. The moment she sent me the mock ups, I was hooked. I can’t even begin to tell you how anxious I was to see it all in person. Everything Robyn creates is absolutely gorgeous, from invitations with real birch bark to peacock themed goods with actual feathers! If you haven’t seen her work yet, you simply must.

My favorite paper item of the shoot is the circular menu that is meant to be set in the actual plate. Not only did it fit perfectly, the amazing assortment of creations she brought along were exactly what I had envisioned!

Photos by Nicole Ladonne Photography

I was beyond thrilled today when I got a crazy phone call from my friend, Robyn, asking me “Did you see it?!” I, in fact, didn’t see it or even know what “it” was!

When I first started getting involved in the virtual wedding world, one of the initial places I visited was Style Me Pretty. Not only is it an unbelievable resource for inspiration, it is also one of the most well put together and most visited wedding sites on the internet. The day I found it, I promised myself that I would make it onto the pages some day. Well, that day has come! I am so happy that the crew selected our recent Flirty at the Fair shoot to grace their beautiful site.

As for the shoot itself, I can’t even put into words how happy I am with the end result. What started as a little spark, grew into a full blown fire of creativity. I knew I wanted to do something sweet, charming and easy to recreate for brides and grooms of any budget. I am lucky enough to work with some of the most inspiring people in the world and a few of my favorites helped create this beautiful shoot at the St. Mary’s Polish Country Fair. I honestly couldn’t have done this without them.

When I get an idea, it is difficult for me not to put it into motion very quickly and moments after the initial idea popped in my head for this shoot, I was on the phone with Robyn (Meant To Be Sent) and Nicole (Nicole Ladonne Photography) trying to figure out how we could make this happen in one week. That is the only time when the carnival would be in town. I knew it was short notice, but these two were on board from the start and helping to come up with ideas and concepts. Within 24 hours, I had Jamie (Jamie Honce Productions), Watkins Flowers, Kerri (Cherry Chip) right along with us. Within 48 hours, I had the little touches ordered from HeyYoYo purchased and a trip planned to one of my favorite eclectic shops, Frank & Me in Clarkston. This was actually going to happen!

The night before the shoot, I called to check in with everyone involved and found out that Nicole and Allison, our model bride, were actually MAKING the little blue dress!!! Apparently they couldn’t find the perfect one, so they decided to literally make it happen. I was in awe of the talent and creativity that oozed from these fabulous people. Between the ahhh-mazing paper from Meant To Be Sent, to the beautiful video by Jamie Honce Productions, this was going to be a real treat.

The day of the shoot was HOT, beautiful, and magical. Watching these details come together was a true joy, especially since none of us had met in person to go over colors and details! This just goes to show that when you ask for the help of a true professional, they will handle it better than you could imagine. I am eternally grateful for the relationships that this industry, and Michigan in general, has blessed me with.

Please head over to Style Me Pretty and see what our hard work created. I would love to hear your comments! Over the next few days, I will be featuring some of my favorite elements from the shoot. I hope you enjoy looking at this as much as I did creating it.

XOXO,

Amanda

Gorgeous Photos, Beautiful Weddings & Marvelous People.

It is Tuesday Shoesday! This is my first time sharing in the love of all things shoe, but I knew I had to when I saw this photo by Kristen Taylor Photography. To see more TS posts, visit  Simply & Forever, Landlocked Bride, Gwyneth Paige, Swatchbook Weddings, Meant to Be Sent, Weddings & Pretty Things, Life in the Super Burbs, Slice of Lime, April Foster Events,  Lauren Kelly Events, Swoon Over It Photography and Bellwether Events!

This wedding is so sweet, I had to share! Visit Rock ‘n Roll Bride for more. These Kelly Moore Photography shots are to die for!

I am in LOVE with this lovely NY wedding, by Josh Goleman Photography, featured on Once Wed.

This real Florida wedding has my heart swooning! The DIY touches are perfect! Featured on my fave With This Ring blog and photos by Studio 222 Photography.

Are you thinking of proposing, or want to hint that you are thinking of being proposed to? (Wink, Wink!) Here are some fab tips from Anti-Bride.

These DIY soda escort cards are to flippin’ cute, I just had to share. Found via Rock My Wedding, originally posted on 100 Layer Cake.

This wedding, featured on Snippet & Ink, it the epitome of Rustic Romance. The photos by Jenn Cress Photography are wonderful!

I am beyond thrilled to be bringing you the first “Real” post of the wedding season and the fact that it is all about one of the most fantastic couples I have had the joy of working with makes it that much better.

Anat is definitely one of those genuinely kind people. She cares, and you know it from the moment you meet her. After working together for nearly a year, I was really looking forward to seeing all of the day’s details come together, but I was sad that I wouldn’t have an excuse to chat with her on a regular basis anymore. Anat & Nick had already been married, but wanted to have the opportunity to share the special occasion with family and friends. So after doing it on their own, they planned a relaxed and beautiful day that would revolve around the ideas of family and friendship.

The day started out like most others, but there was something a little different in the air. On a typical wedding day, there is at least a little anxiousness that greets me. Whether it is a mother looking for her earrings or a best man who got a stain on his shirt… There is always something. This time, friends were gathered downstairs playing a game of scrabble, the guys were kicked back having a drink and the girls were all cozy upstairs getting their hair done. No matter which room I went into, I was greeted with a smile and a completely calm “Hello”. It was unlike any event I have ever done, in the most wonderful sort of way.

The ceremony was the epitome of personality. Everything from having their dog, Sammy, as the ring bearer to having Nick’s brother, Glen, officiate the ceremony, was perfectly executed. Of course, having the event at a place like River Birch Lodge, really lends to the relaxed feel they were looking for. Sammy even let out a little bark at the perfect moment, causing a chuckle to go around the crowd of guests. Anat & Nick’s family and friends are some of the nicest around!

I loved the reception almost as much as the ceremony. Just like the rest of the day, there was no rush to get through the time line. We left a lot of room in the timing for guests to mingle, give a toast, grab a bite to eat and just enjoy the time they spent together. With so many guests from around the world, it was important to Anat & Nick that they all had a chance to really kick back. Everyone pitched in during the hora, the music was perfectly chosen, and the food from A Movable Feast was delicious. Lisa, from Pot & Box, did a wonderful job creating the perfect flowers.

Looking back at the photos, by the amazing Aruna B Photography, I can’t help but smile. No detail was left out of the planning and the love that these two share just blows me away. I feel completely honored to have been involved in such a kind and sweet day.

Planning & Coordination: Amanda Freeman, Bliss Weddings & Events

One of my favorite Metro Detroit companies, Mod 4, is offering a very special and totally genius idea for changing the world in an easy, but HUGE way.

Below is taken directly from their blog.

• FREE SESSSIONS~!

  Because we are such huge animal lovers, we have decided to offer our portrait sessions (pooches, babies, kids, families, business, ect) for free~!

  These sessions are normally $250.00. That session fee will be waived in exchange for a donation to a local animal shelter (we have a list of goods for the specific shelter).

  In the past 3 months we have donated over 3 giant SUV loads to local shelters and want to keep it up. So please contact us if you are interested and please pass this info on to anyone you may know who might be interested.

You don’t want to miss the opportunity to get some amazing photos, while helping animals all around the Metro area. Have you seen their work? If not, I have included a few examples. Seriously, jump on this opportunity! You will NOT regret it and it is an easy way to give back to our four-legged and fuzzy friends.

Mod 4 does weddings, also. And they do an amazing job, by the way! Here are a few snippets of their adorable work.

Can you imagine how excited I was when I saw the beautiful work of Simply Bloom Photography on Green Wedding Shoes yesterday? This is what I call a dream shoot… one that I dream about participating in! Perfect styling for Valentine’s Week, right? Love it!

Be sure to check out more of Simply Bloom Photography’s work and head on over to Green Wedding Shoes for more adorable inspiration.