Megan + Donovan - An Exquisite Evening Wedding at Historic Bowers Harbor Inn, Mission Table - 9/9/23

Chloe Leach October 11, 2023

In 2016, Megan and Donovan were strangers attending different colleges on opposite sides of Michigan. Summer break brought them both to Clarkston, MI, and the same local country club, where they took seasonal jobs at Oakhurst Country Club. During a staff training, Megan caught her first sight of Donovan, and was smitten. Acting in stark contrast to her usual shy demeanor, Megan approached him and offered to cover his shift. They exchanged numbers, which opened the door for conversation to continue. It wasn’t long before they began spending time together outside of shifts. It was a summer romance that swept them both up in its warm embrace.

Life would take them both in different directions over the four years that followed. Both of them continued to date other people, but every relationship lacked that perfect connection they had felt with each other. One night, Megan recalls scrolling Hinge to give the dating app one last shot. Donovan’s name popped up.
”He had been on my mind a lot lately, so I took it as a sign”, she remembers. Two minutes after her right swipe, both of them sent the same message at the same instant - “I still love you”. The very next night, Donovan made a dinner of “Marry Me Chicken” for the girl who almost got away. He texted his mom to let her know that Megan was coming over, and that his plan was to propose in just 6 month’s time.

July 4th rolled around - the same date on which they shared their first kiss four years earlier. In their back yard with their pup Stella happily observing, Donovan made good on his plan and put a ring on Megan’s finger.

The two lovers chose to celebrate their wedding with a small group of their closest friends and family, at Traverse City’s Historic Bowers Harbor Inn. The ceremony took place on the property’s rolling great lawn, overlooking the calm waters of Grand Traverse Bay. The celebrations continued into the evening with a merry candlelight dinner in the Inn’s front room.

Maddy + Phil - A Romantic Wedding on Old Mission Peninsula - 8/6/22

Chloe Leach October 4, 2022

It is plain to see, Maddy and Phil are a match made in heaven. From the first moment I met them, sitting on the lawn of one of Traverse City’s many eclectic eateries, enjoying some craft brews after a full day of wedding preparations, it was clear that they had that magical kind of chemistry that photographers dream about. We had a great time that evening, discussing everything from their lives Columbus, OH, to their vision for the fast-approaching wedding day, and their plans for a whirlwind European honeymoon.

August 6th arrived, warm and sunny, as if exactly pre-ordered to perfection. The atmosphere in the bridal suite was thick with hairspray and anticipation, as a radiant Maddy wiggled into her exquisite lace gown and did her best to quell her nervous jitters. Phil was every bit as excited as he waited on his bride. From their tear-filled first look (which gave us all butterflies), to the jam-packed dance floor late into the evening, the whole day was nothing short of magical. Here’s a little peek at the day’s celebrations, as seen through our lenses.

Venue: The Peninsula Room, Traverse City, Michigan

Stylist: Whittney, Team Hair + Beauty

Laura & Kyle - Spring Wedding on Old Mission Peninsula - 5/26/19

Chloe Leach July 10, 2019

Laura and Kyle spent their college years at Olivet running in the same Greek circles. They became fast friends, but things hadn’t progressed past that point – much to Laura’s disappointment. It wasn’t until 2012, after they had both graduated and gone their separate ways, that Kyle called up Laura and asked her to be his date to a holiday concert. And the rest, as they say, was history.

On a bright spring day in Northern Michigan, the two longtime friends finally tied the (literal) knot in a ceremony overlooking Grand Traverse Bay. It was a day full of love, laughter, and happy tears. Not to mention lots of dancing late into the night!

Venue: The Peninsula Room, Traverse City

Floral by Hooper’s Farm Gardens

Bride’s gown: Moonlight, A’doraBelle Bridal

Hair and makeup styling by Urban Modern Hair and Arbonne Kim

Entertainment by Casey of Rusch Entertainment

Katie & David - A Fall Wedding in Traverse City, MI

Chloe Leach October 15, 2018

Katie and David are two of the kindest, most genuine people one could hope to meet. Even more special is the love that exists so tangibly between them. There is an infectious kind of joy that they share, bolstered by a deep and abiding respect for one another. The struggles and victories they've weathered together have forged a beautiful depth of admiration and love between these two special souls and their families that makes up the center of their universe.

Two years ago, Katie met David for their first date: A Michigan State football game at the beginning of the season. For U of M alum David, this was a sacrificial act in itself. But this girl was well worth it, as David would discover shortly into the evening. Both of them were instantly drawn to the humor and good nature they saw in each other. From that night on, it was a fact: They were happiest when together.

October 2018: On a cool Autumn day in Northern Michigan, in the same place where David spent his childhood, Katie and David exchanged letters and vows against the golden backdrop of a Grand Traverse Bay sunset. They spent the rest of the evening around a dinner table with the people dearest to them, with many laughs and happy tears shared. Such a beautiful beginning for two wonderful people!

Gillian & Casey - A Summer Wedding on Old Mission Peninsula

Chloe Leach August 16, 2018

Gillian met the "Burrito Boy" for the first time in 2006, while Casey was skillfully rolling burritos at the Blue Corn Cocina in the Vanderbilt cafeteria. Thanks to their mutual friend Eric Chung, Casey and Gillian became friends in college. That friendship eventually blossomed into a romance in 2008, at the beginning of Gillian's senior year.

Over the next 8 years, Gillian and Casey trailed one another from Nashville to Chicago to Detroit, coordinating jobs and school in order to be near each other.

Then, on December 10th, 2016, Casey lied to Gillian for the first time ever. He convinced her that his intramural flag football team had made it to the Championship Game (although they had actually been knocked out three weeks prior due to injury, cheap shots, and poor officiating. Casey was not bitter). When Gillian arrived at Nichols Arboretum, she saw Casey standing next to a picture-perfect view and dressed in a suit. He took a knee to propose, and of course the rest would become history! At that moment, Gillian’s pup Ted came bounding out of the woods, clad in a little tuxedo to celebrate the occasion.

July 14, 2018: Gillian and Casey chose the natural splendor of Northern Michigan as the setting for their long-awaited wedding day. The historical Peninsula Room is surrounded by vineyards, and perched on a hill overlooking stunning Grand Traverse Bay. With the warm sun shining and their dearest friends and family surrounding them, Gillian and Casey made their vows to each other along the shimmering water of the bay. Here's just a little glimpse into the magic of their beautiful day.

Ceremony and Reception Venue: The Peninsula Room, Traverse City, Michigan

Christine & Derek - A Spring Wedding on Old Mission Peninsula - May 25th, 2018

Chloe Leach June 8, 2018

Psalm 143:8: "Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life."

The greatest love stories are the ones forged in patience and faith, with the groundwork being laid long before two soul mates ever meet. The strongest bonds are the ones that stand in defiance of adversity and odds, in perfect accordance with the purposes of God. Such is the story of Christine and Derek.

Though both serving in the US Air Force, Christine was stationed in Germany while Derek was 7500 miles away in Hawaii. It was the winter of 2016, and Christine and Derek had struck up a connection while playing Destiny online together. Destiny. Ironic, right? It didn’t take long for them to discover their vast commonalities; most important being their shared faith. It seemed that this friendship was the answer to much earnest prayer by both Christine and Derek and their families. But this friendship was soon to become something much deeper.

Across 7 time zones and countless hours spent on Skype, Christine and Derek grew closer under the direction and protection of God. In the spring of 2017, Derek made the long trip to Germany to meet Christine – in the flesh – for the first time. Their adventures included a Hans Zimmer concert (since both of them are lovers of epic scores) and lots of European sightseeing. In September of that same year, Christine made the trip to visit Derek and his family. Upon her arrival to the airport, with the whole Hobbs family surrounding them, Derek presented Christine with a rose. But not just any rose – a velvet one with a lid and something precious inside. Derek explained that, any other time, he would have given her a real rose. “But this rose will last forever, just like us”. Then getting down on one knee, Derek asked Christine to be his wife. Less than a year later, Christine and Derek would fly from their homes on opposite sides of the world to stand on a shady hill together beside the sparkling waters of Grand Traverse Bay and establish a new life together as one. Their wedding day, like their love story, was beautiful and deeply significant. Full of joyful tears and the heartfelt prayers of their tightly knit families, these two lovers will have an amazing network of support and encouragement for their road ahead together.

Venue and Catering: The Peninsula Room. Traverse City, Michigan

Bride’s Gown: Stina, Cinderella Brautmoden: Landstuhl, Germany

Styling by Grace of Epiphany Salon

Floral by Custom Creations. Kingsley, MI

Amanda & Matt - Wedding on Old Mission Peninsula - October 14th

Chloe Leach October 25, 2017

It was a late summer's night in 2010 at the beer Olympics for Michigan Tech undergrads Amanda and Matt. The two had been friends since they met at a pizza parlor earlier that semester, and they were both drawn by the other's genuine and caring personalities - but they were about to see each other in a completely new light. Toward the end of the night, after countless voyages to the bottom of red solo cups, Amanda watched Matt dance like a man who hadn't a care in the world. That was the first moment she realized that she might actually spend forever with this guy.

The bond they forged that semester withstood four whole years of long-distance while they supported each other through losses and victories. This well-humored couple attributes their tenacious love to several factors: Their core beliefs, shared Irishness, their love of skiing, and their great affection for their beautiful, stupid cats. Not to mention the steadfast love and support of their large families behind them. To celebrate this beginning of a new chapter in their lives, Matt and Amanda returned to Amanda's childhood home of Traverse City, Michigan; Against the sweeping backdrop of Grand Traverse Bay and peninsulas bedecked with rolling vineyards, they celebrated the first day of their newest adventure together.