The Michigan Wedding Photographer

Crummy photo quality on blog!

2011-12-09T10:32:00.000-08:00

Hi Folks,

The photos on my blog have suddenly and unexpectedly become very pixelated and soft looking. I'm trying to figure out why this has suddenly happened and how to fix the problem and am hoping that doesn't mean having to create an entire new blog. Please be assured the photos are top quality, crystal clear and didn't look like this last month! Hang in there and I'll try to get this fixed asap.

Pick of the Day - Novi Wedding Photos

2011-10-24T08:34:00.000-07:00

Lisa & Jared's Novi wedding and reception was a lot of fun. Their fun personalities came through really well. I loved their back up shooter... they get younger every year.

It's Senior Time for Senior Photos!

2011-06-20T09:41:00.000-07:00

Calling all Oakland County seniors... it's that time of year! Get ready to start planning your senior photos. Tips for my Michigan seniors? We've had lots of rain and it's not too hot yet, so get your photos done now while it's not too warm and the grass still looks fresh and green. I promise, you won't look terribly different in two months time! Start planning wardrobe changes (most of my seniors can easily manage 3) and think about what defines you at this point in time of your life. I want your senior photos to really represent you well and I'm happy to work with your needs. Here are some samples of this year's group of graduating senior pictures from my home town, Troy High.

Troy High Senior Photos -

2011-05-27T10:58:00.000-07:00

Congratulations on all your hard work, Kristin! Have a great time at U of M in the fall.

Look who's back to being published?!

2011-04-20T10:35:00.000-07:00

Ambassador Magazine contacted me wanting to feature one of my couples from last year in their wedding section of their magazine. They went through my blogs and asked to feature Katie & John's wedding. Their wedding took place at the Inn at St. John's last year and I love the way Ambassador Magazine featured my wedding photography. Click on the image if you want to see it larger so you can read the article. They did a great job highlighting their fun relationship and I like their layout. It's nice to see my wedding photography featured in print again!

Michigan Baby Photos of 2 week old!

2010-12-07T17:11:00.000-08:00

It's always amazing to see my wedding couples years after their weddings and even more amazing when I get to shoot their newborns! Miss K was only two weeks old and was incredibly cooperative at my studio in Detroit, Michigan. The only thing she wasn't happy at all about was her beyond cute home knit santa hat. To see photos of that, please check out my other blog at www.marcicurtis.blogspot.com. Enjoy!

Lake Orion Backyard Wedding ~ Patrick and Stephan

2010-11-15T14:47:00.000-08:00

Loved this Lake Orion backyard wedding and the fun photos I got while shooting Patrick and Stephan's outdoor shindig! For more photos and a heck of a lot more blogging, please visit my other blog at www.marcicurtis.blogspot.com. Thanks for checking out my Lake Orion backyard wedding photos.

Greystone Golf Club Wedding - Kristen & Rob

2010-10-26T09:05:00.000-07:00

Kristen & Rob had one of the silliest wedding ceremonies I've seen in part because there were a couple of funny verbal gaffs, but mainly because they decided to just thoroughly enjoy themselves and live in the moment; even the silly ones! What a breathe of fresh air that was. There ceremony was at Greystone Golf Club which hosted a beautiful ceremony outside in perfect, slightly overcast shooting weather. I liked the Greystone management... they are professional and much like Kristen and Rob, they don't take themselves too seriously either!

White Lake Oaks Wedding Photos for Beth & Alex

2010-09-29T12:57:00.001-07:00

Love this couple and love all their locations; the Methodist church in Clarkston and the White Lake Oaks wedding reception. If you follow my blogs carefully (and I know there are indeed blog stalkers out there!), you'll find Beth's cousin's wedding photos which may have a slight ring of familiarity about them because these were in the same locations. I've got more photos posted at www.marcicurtis.blogspot.com if you're looking to see more of Beth & Alex and White Lake Oaks Reception hall.

Baby Photos!

2010-09-24T20:35:00.001-07:00

I figured since I haven't updated my baby section on my website that I'd better get these babies up here on my blog! Enjoy!

St. John's Inn Katie & John

2010-09-09T18:45:00.000-07:00

So sad to see this family go! This is the third McBride "kid" I've shot this year and everyone was feeling sentimental about not seeing each other again! I loved how the men swirled around her (her dad and John in particular) and took over all the train tending duties! I decided to make a series out of it since it's unusual to have the guys be so dress attentive! Every time I shoot at St. Johns Inn, the rules for photography vary slightly, so it's always interesting to see who's watching the hens nest that day. It's always restrictive for wedding photographers, but sometimes more than usual and Katie and John's wedding was one of those days! The ceremony was in St. John's chapel and their reception was in the Atrium at St. Johns Inn. This family has a unique wedding ritual involving men rolling up their pants to "Hot Legs" and dancing like crazy people. There is also a mandatory dance with grandma to the YMCA. I love how ridiculously unpredictable the family is within their predictability! To see more wedding photos from this St. Johns Inn wedding, please check out my other site at www.marcicurtis.blogspot.com.

Destination Wedding - Chicago! Lindsay & Mike

2010-09-03T08:08:00.000-07:00

So this is a wedding I'd been looking forward to all year! Lindsay contacted me as soon as she got engaged so I could shoot her wedding in Chicago. She'd been in a wedding I'd shot the year before and knew I was the one she wanted... even if it meant having me come as a Destination Wedding. I attended their rehearsal and rehearsal dinner and was pleased to have the extra time to figure out how to light the beautiful, extremely hot and ridiculously dark Holy Family Parish church in Chicago. It absolutely poured all night, so none of us slept much during the night with thunderstorms galore and much of Chicago was closed since all their tunnels closed due to flooding! With stormy clouds all morning long, I was a little worried about all the plans for photos Lindsay had, but by the time she was ready to rock and roll, the clouds disappeared and we got to go out on their hotel's patio for some awesome skyline photos with the set from Transformers 3 down below (in case you were looking and wondered why Chicago was looking so torn up!). We then headed for the real ceremony, happy to get out of the 98 degree weather and headed right next door to St. Ignatius for the wedding reception. Mike and many of the groomsmen had gone to school there, so there was an added element of nostalgia to the day. Love this couple, love their silly dog, love the wedding party and was so happy to see Liz & Travis again!

Catherine & Eric's Grosse Pointe Wedding Photos

2010-08-28T08:31:00.000-07:00

It was so fun to start my month of cousins and siblings of previous wedding couples. If you'll look back to last June, you'll find Catherine's cousin's wedding, which was also in Grosse Pointe and the reception was at Grosse Pointe's Lochmoor Club as well. We had a rain shower to beat the band... it was a downpour and we all holed up under a gazebo for twenty minutes until the sun came back out. For more wedding photos from this Grosse Pointe wedding and Lochmoor Country Club wedding reception, please visit my blog at www.marcicurtis.blogspot.com.

Erica - Northville Senior Photos

2010-08-21T08:02:00.000-07:00

Here's a sneak peek at some of Erica's senior photos... she's got 500 more!

Scott's senior photos

2010-08-19T09:36:00.000-07:00

Here's a peek at a few of Scott's senior photos taken at Independence Oaks.

Royal Park Wedding Photography - Phil & Katy

2010-08-13T17:05:00.000-07:00

I've got lots of wedding photos from Phil & Katy's wedding at the Royal Park Hotel in Rochester, Michigan from the kid's perspective on my other blog at www.marcicurtis.blogspot.com, if you're looking for some funny wedding photos! Here's most of my real take on the morning wedding in Rochester, Michigan. Enjoy!

Waldenwoods Wedding ~ Angela & Matt

2010-08-06T11:43:00.000-07:00

Both the ceremony and the reception were held at the Waldenwoods Camp Ground. Now don't jump to conclusions... it's not JUST a camp ground. It has a nice lodge for the wedding reception and estate type buildings for wedding party and guest to stay in and get ready in (no air conditioning though) and the ceremony is usually by the lake. No RVs, no pup tents, just a great, intimate environment. If you'd like to see more photos, please check out my other blog at www.marcicurtis.blogspot.com.

Penna's Wedding Photography ~ Megan & Ryan

2010-07-16T07:18:00.000-07:00

Church; St. Owen's Catholic Church in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan and their reception was held at Penna's in Sterling Heights. We stopped along the way at the Macomb County offices where there is a park and much needed shade... it was a scorcher!!!! If you'd like to see more photos of Megan & Ryan's wedding, please check out my other blog at www.marcicurtis.blogspot.com.

Kalamazoo Wedding Photography - Leslie & Joe

2010-07-15T17:56:00.000-07:00

Like just about all of my wedding clients, Leslie & Joe came to me from another happy couple, Henry and Sarah who attended this Kalamazoo wedding. It was a HOT day, but we stayed inside the hotel for much of the wedding, only venturing out for about an hour for their group shots. The bridal party happily played in a fountain in Kalamazoo, but there wasn't any water in it! On Western University's campus we did find a fountain with water and the ladies needed little encouragement to get right into the water! If you'd like to see more wedding photography from this Kalamazoo wedding, please check out my other blog at; www.marcicurtis.blogspot.com!

Divine Child Wedding - Clare & Nathan

2010-06-06T07:51:00.000-07:00

So it's your big day and once again Mother Nature is having a tantrum. What's a bride to do? Just go with the flow. It's the one thing you truly can't control on your wedding day. Know that overcast weather is great shooting weather and stormy weather can produce amazingly dramatic shots. Understandable Clare did not want to take photos that might compromise her dress since it was raining on and off all day. So just before we lost all daylight and the sky started to look really threatening, I had she and Nate come out for one last outdoor shoot and I loved the results. So don't worry about the weather, let the wedding photographer watch for you and keep track of the possibilities for you!

Grosse Pointe Wedding Photos - Kiera & Alan

2010-05-24T08:31:00.000-07:00

So Kiera and Alan's wedding was a first on many levels. This was the first time the groom contacted me and the bride's father conducted the interview and the bride was along for the ride! Another first was that I wasn't allowed in the sanctuary of the church. Like not allowed to step over the thresh hold. Makes getting wedding photos kind of challenging. I was allowed in the choir loft and that was fine, but not exactly a great spot to catch any action! The part that bothered me most is that the officiant whose church it was, the families and the bride and groom all thought I could be in the sanctuary, so they were all expecting me to have photos from the ceremony. Some services, Jehovah's Witnesses, for example, aren't allowed to take photos during the ceremony, but this is part of a tradition and everybody knows ahead of time photos won't be taken at that time. I could see other vantage points where I wouldn't physically be in the church, but could see the action, but the old church biddies wouldn't let me go around, despite the priest's recommendation to shoot from that angle! So... know your church's rules (Christ Church's rules were written in churcheze and even though I asked them to translate for me, they didn't until I arrived. If you know your churches rules for wedding photography are very strict, you won't be shocked or bummed when I have to follow them. I can't break their rules, but I'm also not used to old church biddies getting the last say! The reception took place at the Country Club of Detroit, whose staff was exceptionally nice to the guests, myself and my photo booth partner. If you'd like to see more Country Club of Detroit wedding photos, please check out my other blog at; www.marcicurtis.blogspot.com.

Paint Creek Country Club Wedding photos ~ Kara & Jim

2010-05-17T11:35:00.000-07:00

Gayle force winds, torrential downpours, abnormally low temperatures? You never would have know by looking a Kara on Saturday! She’s left rosary beads and crosses on her window sills and proceeded with her wedding preparations like a champ! The wind died down, it barely sprinkled, wasn’t too chilly and she and Jim even got a rainbow out of the freaky weather! Because I’m no longer blogging about how wonderful my couples are... too mushy, great for them to read about, but not exactly helpful information for anybody else, I thought I’d concentrate on critiquing wedding locations, any other vendors that stand out positively, give tips for things that went right and tips for things that can go “wrong” or ways to easily avoid wedding day pitfalls. Not that there are huge gaffes and I’m tattling. More like there are certain trends I’ll see or wedding day timeline issues I can comment on. Hopefully this will serve to be helpful to people reading the blog. The hints I write about may not even have been from this particular wedding, so please, if you are the bride, groom or friend, these are meant for people to glean valuable information from, not to critique indidual behavior. Make no mistake... I LOVE my couples and offer 100% of my support and wedding expertise on their wedding days in order to avoid any pitfalls I might see looming on the horizon or just step in to head off since just about all of them are really easy to avoid! If you'd like to see more photos from Kara & Jim's St. Hugo Chapel wedding and their Paint Creek Country Club reception, check out my other blog at www.marcicurtis.blogspot.com.

Detroit Zoo Wedding Photos from Kristen & Mike

2010-05-14T12:21:00.000-07:00

Another blustery day in the Motor City! Not to fret, though, we got all of our family and bridal photos done before any rain drenched us and Kristen hadn't wanted to take wedding photos at the Detroit Zoo except in the Butterfly Garden, so everything worked out just fine! I LOVE how calm my brides are when I arrive and the weather outside is "frightful". They just go with the flow! Enjoy the photos and if you'd like to see more wedding photos from my Detroit Zoo wedding, please check out my main blog at www.marcicurtis.blogspot.com.

U of M Michigan League Wedding - Katie & Mike

2010-05-02T11:54:00.000-07:00

I met Katie and Mike last year at Mike's sister's wedding and was delighted when they hired me to shoot their U of M wedding. They wanted lots of coverage, had lots of input about what they did and did not want. I think Katie can testify to my usual advice that the day can easily get away from you and time seems to fly by with or without you on your wedding day! I was pleasantly surprised by how well this group of family/lawyers/actors gelled, each one upping each other when we were taking photos at the U of M law quad and later at the University of Michigan League where the reception was held. Our weather held. After 80 degree days leading up to the wedding, our bodies were shocked by the 40 degree drop! Oh, I reiterate another piece of advice I give my brides (but one that usually gets ignored!).... if you tend to be a "blinker" in photos, do not get false eye lashes for your wedding. The added weight only exacerbates the problem. Blinkers blink at a higher blink rate than the average person, so they are caught with their eyes closed more often in photos and when you add the lashes into the mix, you appear to blink more often. Your eyes will appear closed more often and I also will get oodles of photos mid blink and, well, that ain't purdy! Needless to say, my percentage of useable images goes down drastically. I usually take out around 1/3 of the images during an edit. Blinkers reduce that to 50%. Blinkers with false eye lashes reduce that to about 35% usable images. That's a lot of images that just don't work! There... that's my bride's public service announcement for the day! If you'd like to see more from Katie & Mike's U of M wedding photos, please check out my main site's blog at www.marcicurtis.blogspot.com!

St. John's Inn Wedding with Danny & Lara

2010-04-24T11:43:00.001-07:00

Brian & Lindsay at Livonia's Embassy Suites Wedding

2010-03-01T15:29:00.000-08:00

This wedding took place at Livonia's Embassy Suites Hotel in the hotel's atrium and the reception took place in the hotel's banquet room. Dan Nichols from Michigan Wedding DJ was there and Skye ran my photobooth. This blog features the R rated Michigan photobooth photos. If you want to see lots more photos from Lindsay and Brian's awesome wedding, please check out my other blog at www.marcicurtis.com.

Bride's Choice Award Winner!

2010-01-19T14:47:00.000-08:00

Hi Folks! Great news. I just won Wedding Wire's 2010 Bride's Choice Award. Isn't that cool? It's totally based on all the love they've been putting out there for me, so thanks to all my great couples for spreading the good news!

White House Chapel Wedding Photographer for Katie & Shane

2010-01-12T12:56:00.000-08:00

Sometimes it's obvious why a bride and a groom are made for each other!

Katie's changing her facebook status as we pull out from Comerica Park.

For a complete review of my experiences at the White House Wedding Chapel in Warren, Michigan, please visit my other blog at www.marcicurtis.blogspot.com. Katie and Shane introduced me to a great spot where I can take my Michigan winter wedding couples; out to the Belle Isle Botanical Gardens or the Belle Isle Conservatory. It's bright, has plenty of room to shoot in, is warm enough that nobody will freeze, is open to the public (but not too crowded) and best of all, it's free! It's open every day until 5 pm, so I'll definitely be back to take more wedding photos there in the future. Thanks, Katie and Shane for having so much fun with me. If you'd like to see more photos from the Belle Isle Conservatory, the White House Wedding Chapel photography and photos of us freezing in sub zero temperatures in downtown Detroit, pop over to my other blog!

Henry Ford Museum Wedding Photos - Rebecca & Mark

2010-01-01T14:08:00.000-08:00

Can you spot Mark stalking the women? I saw him, but didn't think it would actually show up in the photos!

This day blended a bunch of elements from many of my weddings over the previous month, so it was a mash up wedding in some ways, yet still was completely independent and unique. That’s what I love about my job. Certainly some elements of surprise, yet there is a predictability in the rhythm of the unpredictability. Other wedding photographers will know what I mean by this. You anticipate derailing moments (and defuse them quickly before anything gets out of hand) and you move through and around them. Mark and Rebecca were getting ready in adjoining rooms at the Dearborn Inn in Dearborn, Michigan which made it easy for me and I was pleased they weren’t freaked out by the close vicinity. Maybe that was because they were planning on seeing each other before the wedding anyway. We got lots of nice, cold, outdoors photos. We headed off the their wedding at the Henry Ford Museum where we were able to take photos beforehand in the diminishing daylight. I love the venue and it was perfect for the several dozen children running from exhibit to exhibit. Loved the family oriented vibe at this wedding. If you’d like to see more wedding photography from the Henry Ford Museum, please check out my other blog at www.marcicurtis.blogspot.com

Marty & Becky's Detroit Institue of Art Wedding Photos

2009-12-17T11:07:00.000-08:00

I thought you all would enjoy seeing these. I couldn't find any other DIA wedding photography online, and even though I don't think this is something just anybody can do, I thought you'd enjoy seeing some of them. While this would be a great place to go for wedding photos since you can count on it being dry and climate controlled during Michigan's hard winters, Becky was able to secure this spot through her great connections. They are both wonderfully warm people who love life and have surrounded themselves with great, wonderful people. If you'd like to see more photographs from this Detroit Art Institute wedding, please check out my other blog at; www.marcicurtis.blogspot.com.

Julie & Jason's Candlelight Wedding Ceremony

2009-12-03T13:23:00.000-08:00

Here are side by side examples of the "lit" ceremony versus available light. No comparison... the available light is much prettier and more like the actual mood of the ceremony. Keep scrolling down to see the limits of this technique though.
You can see from these side by side examples that on the left is available light which, while accurate, would make it impossible to capture any actual great moments that happen during the ceremony.
Dragging the shutter a bit captured movement, but still let me capture crucial moments.

Jason & Julie’s Royal Park Hotel Wedding in Rochester

Okay, so I’m starting to think it really might be me! What is it with beautiful Saturdays in November? We’re talking about the time of year when all couples are pretty much guaranteed crummy, cold, or both. I’ve shot at the Royal Park Hotel before where brides have been getting ready and several times I’ve had couple stop into the hotel’s bar for a drink between their ceremony and the reception, but I’d never done a wedding there. They have several spots where the Royal Park sets up to have weddings. Julie and Jason chose to have theirs in the conservatory. Apparently it had been decorated completely for Christmas, but since this was Thanksgiving weekend and most decidedly NOT a Christmas wedding, they took down all the decorations and had their team of family members de-christmasfy the entire joint. They passed out votive candles to everyone who attended and that’s when it occured to me they were probably planning on this being a candlelight ceremony. These are really tough cookies to light in any room, but when that room is a glass box... it’s just this side of impossible. Thank God for digital! Throughout the ceremony the lights would come up a bit, then go off almost completely, then back up, then down. It was very dramatic and just what they wanted, but a really, really technically difficult shoot! You’ll see available light shots on the blog as well as the ones I added off camera lighting to. You feel about two inches tall when you have no choice but to master blast light into a candlelight service, but what we were seeing was silouettes of a couple who were swaying a bit with nerves and emotion, so long exposures weren’t exactly viable either. I know, I’m getting all technical, but shooting with the absence of light makes photography really difficult, so for all you moonlight and candlelight ceremony lovers out there (and yes, I had a candlelight ceremony too and didn’t give a hoot whether or not we had a single useable image from the actual ceremony... which we didn’t and that’s something that wouldn’t exactly fly with my couples!)... shooting without light is damn near impossible. As fantastic as cameras have gotten in recent years, no camera can touch the color adjustment and the bright versus dark adjustments our eyes make for us. No piece of equipment can touch what our eyes do all the time. With low light photography, you have a choice; grainy photos, blurry photos, master blasted photos or poorly lit photos. None of those are great options, so I try to blend the first three options until I can mimic what I’m seeing in the room as best I can. If you are planning a ceremony or service with really low light, give your photographer a BIG head’s up that this is part of your day so they can do some of the mental gymnastics they’ll need to do in order to pull out some good quality images. Having the wedding ceremony in the dark is one thing, keeping your photographer in the dark is something else altogether! That being said, the entire day was completely fantastic. Both Jason and Julie were a blast and SO much fun to hang out with. I loved both their families. There was very much a “we’re all in this together” feeling coming from both sides. Maybe that’s because Jason’s family who own a greenhouse, The Greenery at Brainers in Wixom, MI, www.brainersgreenhouse.com. did all the flowers. They completely knocked themselves out with a floral display that would put most Rose Bowl parade floats to shame. They really knocked it out of the ball park. Everybody just really thoroughly enjoyed themselves and to top it all off, we were able to go outside for a good long while to shoot all of Julie and Jason’s photos outside on location, which I never thought we’d be able to do at the end of November! If you’d like to learn about my experience with brides and grooms seeing each other before a wedding, please check out my other blog at www.marcicurtis.blogspot.com.

Dawn and Reza's Dearborn Inn Wedding in Michigan

2009-11-29T12:05:00.000-08:00

The Dearborn Inn hosted this wonderful mid November wedding for Reza and Dawn. I knew that even though it turned out to be a beautiful day, we wouldn’t be able to take many photos outside since it gets dark out so early. We did try to get Dawn and the ladies outside before the sun set, but even then, it was pretty dark by the time we got outside for photos. The wedding provided a moment of fun. Turns out the wedding rings got left in the hotel suite. Close by, to be sure, but too far to send someone to find them and return to the ceremony since their absence wasn’t discovered until after the ceremony started. I’m not sure who notice they were missing, but both sides had a case of the giggles and the were whispering quite a bit. I couldn’t figure out what exactly was going on, but eventually the very last groomsman started handing his ring down the line until Reza got it. Dawn’s shoulders were heaving so much, I thought she was crying. Turns out she was laughing so hard, her shoulders were shaking! The reception went off without a hitch and my daughter ran the photo booth complete with hats and frames. It got a lot of use and was a great way to get lots of people covered. I’ve got lots more wedding photos from the Dearborn Inn wedding posted on my other blog at www.marcicurtis.blogspot.com.

Dan & Pam's Grosse Pointe Wedding & Reception

2009-11-21T07:05:00.000-08:00

First of all, you’ve got to love how well connected Pam & Dan are... anybody who can deliver the nicest weather we’ve had in three months must have a pretty good in with God! They were married at Grosse Pointe’s Star of the Sea Church. I hadn’t been there in a few years, but their priest (a guest at the church) was very gracious to the wedding couple AND to me. Anytime I’m told to do my very best to light the wedding ceremony at a Catholic church, I’m very thankful. We had lots of time to get outdoor photos done, which was a real treat that none of us had counted on. Only the setting sun did us in, otherwise I think we could have shot all night as an excuse to hang out outside! We shot wedding photos at one of Grosse Pointe's parks as well as all over the grounds at the Grosse Pointe War Memorial (which I keep typing in Goose Pointe!). The reception, of course, was at the War Memorial in Grosse Pointe, Michigan and we were in the large ballroom. This is a bit of a tough place to shoot since 180 degrees are windows and very reflective AND you’re shooting into the windows the entire time. So trying to keep not only myself and the videographer out of the frame, but also my lights, was an interesting technical feat! I always love working with Sara Gharacheh from Platinum Mix (http://www.platinummix.com) and this was the first time I’ve worked with Kate McClellan from Purple Clover (http://www.purpleclover.net). I heard through the grapevine that I missed some pretty major drama later that night. Everybody was fine thankfully, but you never like it when emergency vehicles are called to your wedding. So glad both Dan and Pam really seemed to be enjoying their party, their guests and their wonderful, warm day. If you’d like to see more images from this wedding, please check out my other blog at www.marcicurtis.blogspot.com.

Dave & Sam's Adrian College Wedding

2009-10-30T12:11:00.000-07:00

I can’t remember the last time I was at Adrian College, but it sure is cute! They got married in the school’s chapel which is about 10 times bigger that MSUs! The nasty weather held off, everybody had a blast and we got to watch two EMS ers tie the knot. They ended the evening with a sparkler send off into the night. If you'd like to see more wedding photos from Dave and Sam's Adrian College Chapel wedding, please check out my other blog at www.marcicurtis.blogspot.com.

Jeff & Sarah!

2009-10-30T07:12:00.000-07:00

Okay, so for those who have been reading the blog for a while... remember the really, really cool save the date card I posted a few months back? That was for Jeff and Sarah’s wedding. He’s an artist and handmade each of those pop-up cards. So I’ve been looking forward to this wedding for a long time. Both of them are super enthusiastic about life, about photography and about having me as their photographer. They got ready at a dinky little church in Ferndale which also happened to be a super cute dinky little church. Really nice priest (and a woman at that!), Claire and I loved the ambiance the church provided. Everything went off without a hitch and we were able to get a couple of very Fall photos in at a park just down the street. I love Jeff’s friend’s van that was vinyled all over one side with the American Flag (that Jeff created, of course!). He (along with just about half the guests) is a fellow photographer. It was interesting to see how all these different professional photographers from lots of genres handled shooting the wedding along side of me. “Only” two others actually shoot weddings. I call them free back up! The reception was in Warren at St. Josaphat (used to be Saint Joseph fat until phat became hip), and the bride and groom provided lots of good food and entertainment with a very cool break dance floor show. Not only did the groom and some of his buddies take to the floor, so did one of the three year olds who showed a lot of promise! Jeff made wooden squirrels as their cake topper. I just loved all their personalizations and as a couple, they’re the sort of people who you feel like you’re one of their closest friends within about two minutes of meeting them! If you'd like to see more photos from their wedding, please check out my other blog at www.marcicurtis.blogspot.com.

Brian & Bridget's White House Wedding Chapel Wedding

2009-10-14T19:37:00.000-07:00

Bridget and Brian get my super trouper award for indulging Brian's boss during their wedding reception at Andiamo's in Sterling Heights. He's Swiss German and wanted to share his wedding tradition by having the couple saw a log together with an old fashioned saw to show how things work better if you have team work. Nice thought... too bad he didn't bring a log, but a really big TREE. They worked and sweated through a very labor intensive 20 minutes before the finally got through it. I'm very impressed that they were able to stick with it (probably got some major blisters along the way too) and I'm thinking Brian's either due for a nice raise or at least a bonus! If you'd like to see other photos from Bridget and Brian's White House Chapel wedding, they are posted at www.marcicurtis.blogspot.com.

Jonathan & Sarah's DAC Wedding

2009-10-14T19:25:00.000-07:00

Sarah & Jonathan held their dream wedding in the shadow's of one of the Tiger's last games at the Detroit Athletic Club. Both are musically inclined and had their choir group sing at their wedding, which was a super treat since I LOVE choral music. Great location, fun and relaxed crowd. If you'd like to see more photos from their DAC wedding and reception, check out my other blog at www.marcicurtis.blogspot.com.

Christine & John's St. Johns Inn Wedding

2009-10-14T07:27:00.001-07:00

It just now dawned on me that John got married at St. John's! Okay, a little slow on the uptake, I'll agree! What I'll remember most about this wedding is how goofy the guys were. I think they were WAY more excited about taking photos before hand than I've ever seen any other group. I don't usually do many posed photos before hand for a large variety of reasons, but these guys requested it, we had plenty of time and the guys were hilarious! Check out my other blog at www.marcicurtis.blogspot.com to see the rest of their antics! A lot of fun, great families.

Monica & Rob's Meeting House Wedding and Reception

2009-10-14T07:13:00.000-07:00

Okay, so Monica and Rob didn't get married at the Meeting House in Plymouth (that's where their reception was. Monica got ready in her parent's home where she grew up which was a stroll away from the church (St. Michael's in Livonia). Monica is one of my more thorough brides and I was so please to see that after she dotted her i's and crossed her t's, she completely let go and thoroughly enjoyed the day. Rob is hilarious and is his clone like brother (both in looks and personality!), so it was fun never quite knowing what either of them would do all day long. Loved being along for the ride! If you'd like to see more from their Meeting House wedding, please check out my main blog at www.marcicurtis.blogspot.com!

Westin Hotel Metro Detroit Airport Wedding!

2009-09-22T18:06:00.000-07:00

Okay, so Charlotte & Sean didn't get married on the tarmac, not did I even hear a single plane at all during the day, but their wedding did take place at the Westin Hotel right at the Metro Detroit Airport just off the new terminal. The lobby of the hotel features huge bamboo trees and a reflection pool which make for a wonderful backdrop for not only the ceremony, but the family and group photos afterwards. For more photos from Charlotte and Sean's wedding, please visit www.marcicurtis.blogspot.com

Nikole and Eric's Farmington Hills Wedding

2009-09-20T13:43:00.000-07:00

Nikole and Eric got married in Commerce Township so her pastor since childhood could marry them. Afterwards the entire wedding party went to a nature center in Novi for some fun photos in a cool, swamp looking setting (their idea, and a good one at that). She's Finnish and he's Swedish, so picking Farmington Hills Finnish Center as the reception site worked out well for both of them! For more photos, check out my other site at www.marcicurtis.blogspot.com.

DJ and Annie’s Stoney Creek Wedding in Flat Rock

2009-09-18T13:54:00.000-07:00

This Community Center in Flat Rock, Michigan is more of a contemporary lodge than what you might typically think of as a community center. Annie and DJ took care of all the flourishes themselves. They did their invitations, hand drew their maps, created the center pieces, the flower arrangements, the bouquets, the boutonnieres, the cake table, etc. They did it all (well, with a little help from the zoo Annie works at and all the peacocks that dropped hundreds of feathers for her over the course of a year!). Loved all their little details, down to Annie’s teal shoes! Lots of hands on before hand and I thought it was amazing that both of them could sit back and completely enjoy their party and day. Lots of fun activity at the photo booth, so check those photos out! I have lots more photos from this wedding featuring all their cool peacock feather touches at www.marcicurtis.blogspot.com.

Jenefer & Philip's Cobblestone Farms Wedding in Ann Arbor

2009-09-09T07:23:00.000-07:00

So what's a couple to do when they've been together for over ten years and decide to make it legal? They throw a great party, of course! Their lengthy journey to the altar make for great fodder for Jenefer's brother who gave a hilarious toast! The ever incredible Zingerman's catering and their chief pooba and co-ordinator, Paul, provided amazing jerk chicken and pulled pork and kept us all fat and happy throughout the night! Great party, great fun details! Sorry guys, photos to follow... it's not letting me post any of them at the moment!

New Senior Photos!

2009-09-07T17:01:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year and I'm thrilled that I'm seeing so many familiar faces coming my way. It's always a special treat when you know the senior and showing them off is a great thrill! Enjoy!

Adam and Colleen's St. John's Inn Wedding

2009-09-05T07:50:00.000-07:00

Colleen and Adam got hitched at Plymouth's St. John's Inn on a chilly and rainy late August Saturday. It was great to meet one of my future clients and I loved seeing Jody for the third time in a year! You rock, Jody! If you'd like to see more images from this wedding, please check out my other blog at www.marcicurtis.blogspot.com.

Chris & Genevieve's Ann Arbor Wedding!

2009-09-05T07:37:00.000-07:00

Our day started at Ann Arbor's Matthaei Botanical Gardens and the reception was at Ann Arbor's Gandy Dancer. Who would have guessed we'd have low sixties temperatures towards the end of August!? The guys sure were happy and we had AWESOME shooting weather. For more information and images on this wedding, please check out my other blog (featuring Genevieve's cool red shoes!), please visit www.marcicurtis.blogspot.com.

Does this photo look bigger?

2009-08-19T11:18:00.001-07:00

Henry Ford Estate Wedding ~ Jesse and Shannon

2009-08-08T16:24:00.000-07:00

Insane amount of photos from this insanely fun wedding. Henry Ford Estates is one of my personal favorite places to shoot. It’s got a warm environment, an excellent staff, the food is wonderful and it’s a pretty cool historic place which is great for Michiganders and out of towners alike! Jesse and Shannon were so much fun to shoot and it was great to see both of them so thoroughly enjoying their wedding day! I’m so grateful I’ll get to be seeing them next year once or twice as her siblings take their turns walking down the aisle! If you’d like to see more Henry Ford Estates wedding photos, I’ve got lots more posted on my other blog at www.marcicurtis.blogspot.com. I'll be adding in the florist's name and link as soon as I get it. Thank you Shannon for being so quick to respond to my request! Drumroll, please ... the florist's name is Carol Fitzpatrick and she's from Farmington's "Happiness Is... The Little Flower Shop". I see nice flowers all the time, but these beauties were unbelievable! Shannon wanted native Michigan flowers and her florist cam up with something 23 different kinds of flowers for her bouquet. It was a one of kind creation... just gorgeous. I've never seen anything like it (and that's really saying something!)

Addison Oaks Wedding - Rick & Jennifer

2009-08-05T07:28:00.000-07:00

Great location, fantastic weather and an awesome couple. Very mellow, super appreciative and very in tune with each other. I’m thrilled I got to shoot yet another Addison Oaks wedding. Even though it’s a bit of a drive up Rochester Rd., it lends itself to photos so well. Everywhere you turn, there’s a fantastic spot to shoot from. It also helps to have a great, easy going couple to work for! I also got the chance to work alongside Dan Nichols from Michigan-Wedding-Dj.com. We work together frequently and I love that he can always produce the goods and get people up out of their chairs and dancing their pants off. He’s always a great asset to any wedding. If you'd like to see more photos from Jen and Rick's amazing wedding at Addison Oaks, please check out my other blog at www.marcicurtis.com!

Andrew & Rachel’s Cherry Creek Wedding in Michigan

2009-07-30T07:47:00.000-07:00

Rachel starts at home with her bridesmaids & family.

Very Glam!

We took advantage of a little bit of

sun in an otherwise overcast day!

I would LOVE to know what Andrew was

thinking just as the ceremony was starting!

When high glam meets pure silliness!

And he's back to being silly!

But there's definitely a romantic side there too!

If you'd like to see a lot more photos from Rachel and Andrew's Cherry Creek

wedding (in Shelby Township, Michigan), I've got lots more posted

on my other site at; www.marcicurtis.com/blogspot.com

Brian and Amanda’s Wedding in Detroit!

2009-07-21T17:26:00.001-07:00

It’s always nice to arrive at the wedding and have the groom greet you with, “We’re so excited to be working with you. We LOVE looking at your site”. Great start to a great day! Amanda and Brian chose to have their wedding in the old and beautiful First Congregational Church in downtown Detroit, Michigan, just next to the Wayne State’s campus. They picked that church for its beauty and it’s grace, not for its air-conditioning! Lucky for them, it was a nice, cool 68 degrees. The staff at the church is super helpful and we got a kick out of the fact they had a printed wedding greeting for Amanda and Brian in just about every room... including the bathroom! Everything went like clockwork so nobody broke a sweat. I love taking photos at the front of the church... great arches and steps and the rain held off yet again. The reception was held at the Sterling Inn in Sterling Heights and other than a slower than normal family style dinner (these folks usually can serve the five course dinner within an hour but took a long hour and a half instead, having a huge wedding going on next door). By the time the dance floor opened everybody was super ready to party and have a great time. And they did! For more photos from this wedding, check out my other blog at; www.marcicurtis.blogspot.com

James & Stephanie’s Lovely wedding at the Whitney

2009-07-14T15:18:00.000-07:00

I met my latest out of town bride, Stephanie the week before the wedding so I could shoot her surprise gift for James; a boudoir session. He thanks me a lot for the great wedding gift! Their wedding was moved inside the Whitney in Detroit where the ceremony takes place on the landing between the second and third floors. It was a scorcher with no discernible air conditioning reaching the top floors where the temps were over 90 degrees. Their online certified officiant and friend provided a great and unique homily which gave a brief history for Stephanie and James. I’ve covered weddings for couples who’ve met online before, but never ones who met through e-bay! She liked his description of his Star Wars item so much she contacted him and that eventually, way down the road, led to marriage! They had a lot of personal touches, unique and fun flourishes and were a lot of fun shooting. Skye shot the photo booth and Stephanie provided the crazy hats and wigs which made everyone participate en masse!

Debbie & Dan - Adat Shalom Synagogue in Farmington Hills, Michigan

2009-07-12T15:36:00.001-07:00

Sometimes a wee little person will end up providing an abundant amount of comic relief throughout the day. The bride’s two year old niece, Shana, was at her best and possibly worst throughout the day. I has so much fun documenting the wedding from her perspective and I loved the fact that neither Debbie or Dan were bothered by her minor disruptions and outbursts. They were both thoroughly enjoying themselves being in the day and weren’t about to let anybody or anything keep them from having a great day. I also appreciated that their young rabbi was very open to letting me shoot openly (which not all Jewish ceremonies are) since the ceremony took place in a smaller chapel where my view point would have been pretty limited without his blessing. The luncheon following the ceremony left everybody full and happy. We also set up the photo booth station to entertain the guests and take care of some of the group photo needs. Thanks for letting me share your day and best of luck to both of you.

Christie & Jim - Farmington Hills Wedding

2009-07-12T15:32:00.000-07:00

Jim & Christie got married in a brand new church, Oakland Community Church in Farmington Hills and their minister gave me full access to their amazing facility. Their slide show before the ceremony got the tears flowing in earnest and they continued all the way through the ceremony. We then went to the reception at the Walnut Creek Country Club. We were able to take some wedding photos out on the course and was this party into jumping! It certainly isn’t something I ask all my parties to do... but these guys (and girls!) were young, energetic and very able jumpers! A live band provided the entertainment throughout the evening, getting everybody up and moving and a good time was had by all.

Laura & Ryan's Clarkston Wedding and White Lake Oaks Reception

2009-06-26T19:00:00.000-07:00

Laura and Ryan’s connection to each other was palpable all day long. Both have great support systems outside of each other, but you could just tell they were in a world all their own whenever one of them spoke to the other. They’ve been together for a long time, despite being young and have seen a lot in those years to know they are meant for each other. The looks Ryan gave to Laura all day long would melt anybody’s heart. The ceremony was in Clarkston and the reception was at the White Lake Oaks Golf Course. One of the funniest things during the ceremony was when Laura wiped her lipstick off Ryan after their kiss! Laura wanted a shot with her beautiful cathedral veil and I think we were able to succeed. We also had a group of “jumpers” and I was able to get two pretty cool shots in the two tries they made! Check out my other blog on my main site to see other photos from this wedding!

Nick & Jen - Troy Wedding and Indian Springs Metro Park Reception

2009-06-26T18:56:00.000-07:00

With forecasts of gloom and doom, Jen & Nick cheerfully went about their wedding day as calm and well prepared as can be. No worries that the mother of all storms would hit later that evening. We didn’t get a drop of rain when it mattered and nobody needed to swim to their vehicles after the reception, so no worries!

The wedding was held at the Kensington Church in Troy which is the best designed church I’ve ever seen for photographers. Easy access and great lighting made my job much easier than usual and let me spy on Nick and Jen a bit more than I normally can. The reception was at the Indian Springs Metro Park which was a great spot with lots of photo ops and we just ran out of time (unusual for me) before we could take full advantage of all the place had to offer. This day will always stand out for me because the whole day went by in fast forward. I’m used to the pace of weddings and this one just flew by in record time! Skye set up her photobooth and all the guests came to play in it. You never know how silly and creative your guests are until you see the wacky things they do in the photobooth!

Save The Date Card!

2009-06-25T09:33:00.001-07:00

I'm often impressed by how creative my couples are when I get their wedding invitations. Check out this save the date beauty from Sarah & Jeffrey. Jeffrey's an artist and created this 3-D cut out masterpiece. For once, my photo isn't doing it justice. It's just about the coolest thing I'm ever seen! Can't wait to see the actual invitation!

Travis & Ashley's Grosse Ile Wedding in Michigan

2009-06-16T19:38:00.001-07:00

I was super impressed that Ashley was totally calm about the crummy weather forecast and ensuing heavy duty overcast skies throughout her wedding day. She’d planned a lot of cool things to happen outside and didn’t seem at all rattled that her plans might have to be scuttled at the last minute. Guess that’s faith! Not a single drop of rain! So we were able to ride in the antique car, a speed boat, and wait outside for the surprise fly by from a WWII bomber (I think... sorry... I’m not a transportation techie!) all without a single drop of rain! Ashley’s dad really moved the crowd with an emotional toast to his precious daughter and his new son in law whom he called his hero. Sending his daughter off to Alaska where Travis is stationed is his leap of faith. This Michigan wedding photographer's little heart went pitter pat when for the second time in as many days, FOUR couples were still left dancing the anniversary dance when the DJ called "50 years"! How amazing a testament to love is that? That's a lot of good karma to bring to a wedding. I've never seen that at a wedding and to have that happen back to back weddings is simply amazing! A lot of these wedding photos are of Travis goofing off and being silly. Most often my faves are of the bride... tonight they just happened to catch Travis hamming it up and having a blast! I wish them both bliss in their Northern adventure together.

Emily and Brian’s wedding at Tina’s Country House in Macomb, Michigan

2009-06-15T18:35:00.001-07:00

Friday weddings can sometimes be poorly attended and I felt kind of badly that Emily and Brian had to compete with the final game of the Stanley Cup. It’s always nice to know that a couple ranks much higher on their friend’s priority list than some old hockey game where the home team is the favorite! First their church wedding in St. Clair, then reception at Tina’s Country House in Macomb were packed to full capacity and everyone was very intent of having a GREAT time. Even when the DJ stopped announcing the score (always an ominous sign!), nobody seemed to care. Great vibe from this loving couple and I loved the non stop tears between Emily and her Dad. Thanks for a great day!

Sarah & Ben's Michigan Wedding at the Henry Ford Estate

2009-06-15T18:27:00.000-07:00

The only thing more challenging than planning a wedding out of state must be planning a wedding from out of the country! Jetting in from my old stomping grounds (Geneva, Switzerland where I went to high school), the staff at the Henry Ford Estates swooped in to make sure everything went like clockwork for Ben and Sarah. They even managed to hold off what looked to be shaping up to be the storm of the season (which dropped five droplets and miraculously dissipated!). Great food, lovely, sweet couple who I got to spend more time with than usual since we were able to get some shots before the ceremony as well as after. Skye debuted our box of hats at the photo booth station which was very well received. All of the guests seemed to on up each other for silliness and originality... always a plus when you’re dealing with a photo booth at a wedding!

Wendy & Bill at The Henry Ford Museum

2009-06-02T07:22:00.000-07:00

Did you know you can get married at the Henry Ford Museum? Turns out you can! And it’s a spectacular spot. They open up the whole joint after all the guests leave, so we had access to lots of great spots, including Greenfield Village. So gorgeous surroundings everywhere, but I was also lucky to have a very willing bride and groom who set the agenda of what they wanted to do and tagged along documenting their day. Other than the groom getting sore feet (better than cold feet!), both Bill and Wendy seemed to enjoy their day and when they saw each other for the first time before the ceremony, it was really touching. You know when people just lock onto each other's faces like there is no one else in the room? They had a lot of that going on all day long.

Destination Wedding... to Canada!

2009-05-31T07:28:00.000-07:00

Okay, so Mike and Erin's wedding was closer distance wise to me than, say, Ann Arbor, but still... it was an international event and it was nice to be across the river for a change. Erin got her dream outdoor wedding with Detroit's riverfront as the backdrop for their event. Taking photos along Windsor's waterfront was a bit more tricky since they're well into their second month of a city services strike meaning trash is piling up and their lawns are shaggy. Still, we were able to get some nice photos and play around with their wedding party. The reception featured fun toys for the kids and Skye debuted our photo booth frames which gave the guests a fun new prop to play with... which turned out to be a huge success!

Tip Of The Day! LIMOS

2009-05-30T07:45:00.000-07:00

Okay, so you've rented a fancy limo and you're all excited about bonding in this cool vehicle. Only it's not cool at all... an issue that happens ALL the time.... car limos air conditioning systems DO NOT WORK! Ever! I've never been in a limo (crammed with bridesmaids and men in three layers of tuxes) where the air conditioning actually cooled anyone down. We're talking very close quarters and a lot of sweating and swearing going on. This is not a pleasant time for anybody and certainly not what most couples have in mind when they're planning their transportation. So, since limos are usually paid (including their tips) before the limo drives one stinking mile, make sure you state in writing that the air conditioning will work sufficiently and have it written into your contract so you're not out all of your fees when the limo does not live up to your expectations. If you're planning a summer wedding, get a bus limo of some type. Girls won't have to do the awkward dress crawl into along the seat and the air conditioning usually works! Just my two cents.

Janeiro & Ronnie

2009-05-30T07:40:00.000-07:00

Great couple, California bound... so many great people leaving the state. This couple exuded warmth and made sure they and everyone around them felt welcomed and appreciated. Everyone joined in the celebration and the dancing. Great fun.

Teaching an Old Dog New Tricks!

2009-05-18T08:23:00.000-07:00

Thanks to my daughter Skye and her boyfriend for letting me use them to try out a new technique. Coming soon... to a wedding near you!

Amy & Tim May 9th, 2009 in Royal Oak

2009-05-14T13:20:00.000-07:00

Tim and Amy are the kind of couple everybody likes right away. They've got friends that go way back, they've got new friends, and I'm pretty sure they made some new ones during their wedding day! They got married at the National Shrine of the Little Flower with their reception at the Somerset Inn in Troy. Father Pawel let me at my lights into the ceremony for a wonderful effect of making the beautiful church actually look like it does in real life. We went to their favorite park in Birmingham for some photos with their wedding party and their dogs before dropping in to their favorite bar for a quick toast. The Somerset Inn was efficient and helpful as always and the live band kicked things into high gear. They also provided a room sized screen for me to project my "best of" slideshow onto, which brought the whole room to silence (except for the oohs and aaahs) during dinner. Hadn't anticipated that reaction, but Amy assured me she loved the show and the great feedback her guests gave her. They practiced their dance in the empty hall and were in top form by the time they hit the dance floor in front of their guests.

Melissa & Dennis May 8th, 2009 in Macomb

2009-05-14T12:23:00.000-07:00

Dennis & Melissa made it a huge point to make sure they and their children enjoyed and felt included in the wedding. That's a tough thing to balance on your wedding day, but they managed to make it look easy. Watching them encourage their two year old to come down the aisle solo not once, but twice was priceless! We also stopped by a local park for some fun photos, not realizing we'd be competing with upteen prom people vying for the same real estate. So despite the threat of a downpour, we got some fun photos on the playground. Thanks for sharing your fun day and your wonderful children with me!

Ann & Erich - May 2nd, 2009 in Chelsea, Michigan

2009-05-14T12:14:00.000-07:00

Great couple, lots of fun and what risk takers... bringing Sparty to an Ann Arbor wedding?!?!

Their church was in Chelsea, MI and their reception was at the Sheraton in Ann Arbor. Erich is a very fun loving and silly kind of guy who obviously loves life and his wife. Ann was laid back and ready to thoroughly enjoy her wedding. We stopped by the rail tracks in Chelsea where we were lucky enough to get a break from crummy weather and get some nice shots. Thanks for a great day!

The Michigan Wedding Photographer!

2009-04-30T08:43:00.000-07:00

Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah BLOG!

Anyone who knows me knows that I am not someone who falls over myself to ooze wonderful, gooey praise onto people and so many of the wedding blogs I've seen just GUSH about their fabulous brides and grooms. We get it! You're happy, they're happy... enough already! So I figured I would post a few favorite photos from my weddings and tell fun, behind the scenes story. I do love my couples, I just don't want to be another over the top, falsely effusive blogger!

So here goes... on my wedding a few weeks ago, there was the most charming little man in the wedding party. His name was Jayden. He was three, maybe four... a great age for creating potential wild moments and mischief. It was his mom's wedding, so I was expecting an outburst or two. I mean, the kids was totally entitled to a tantrum. His schedule had been all messed up, he wasn't the center of attention. But no... he was awesome. He was better behaved then some of the groomsment... a perfect little gentleman. Okay, so I really thought he might end up in the fountain at some point during the night (I left before he did... if he did!). Anyways, I thought I'd show you some of my favorite little man Jayden photos.