Wedding at Solitude Links with Katie and Mike

Just when I thought I could have any more fun with Katie and Mike after their boating engagement session, they decide to have a gorgeous and laughter-filled wedding at Solitude Links in Kimball, Michigan. I shot a wedding there before and loved the results. The only concern I had about their wedding day was the weather forecast called for heavy rain all day. Luckily for us, by the time the rain came, we were already inside partying.

Katie and Mike both got ready at the Double Tree Hotel in nearby Port Huron. I have photographed here several times and always enjoyed the views, open spaces, and modern hotel lobby. Mike was up first to get ready. We had a lot of fun talking and swapping stories while he got ready. Like most grooms, his prep only took a matter of minutes, allowing us to snap a few polished portraits of him afterwards.

While Mike was patiently waiting to leave for his first look with Katie, she was getting ready with the help of her family and girlfriends.

I loved the decor of the lobby and what it allowed to do with Mike so I brought Katie down there as well once I knew the coast was clear.

Once the bridal prep was done, Katie and I left for their wedding at Solitude Links. Mike was already there, patiently waiting to see his bride for the first time. After I positioned him near the waterfall and came back to get Katie, I saw her standing by the window, peering below at the first glimpse of her soon-to-be husband. I asked her to pick up her dress before we left and snapped this shot.

Next, it was time for their first look. Both were super excited to see each other and spend time with each other before the ceremony. Their moment was a mix of tenderness, excitement, and the unspoken language of their love. It was a beautiful moment to witness and photograph.

It wouldn’t be Katie if she weren’t laughing. This is one of the most attractive and welcoming traits about Katie; she is 100% herself in all occasions, including her wedding. She has this magnetic personality that is so warm, genuine, and fun. You can’t help but to not have fun when you are with her.

Once the candidness of their first look had passed, it was time for their formals. One of the things I love about a wedding at Solitude Links is there are a variety of locations to shoot, all within walking distance at the course.

Katie and Mike planned their wedding perfectly, allowing themselves enough time to be photographed, but more importantly, to just be present with each other. You could literally see and feel the stress of the wedding day melt away as they spent more time with each other.

Katie, of course, was all smiles and laughter.

After some time, the bridal party joined us followed by both families prior to the ceremony. One of the nice aspects about doing a first look is it allows more flexibility on your wedding day. Photographing parents and families prior to the ceremony allowed for Katie and Mike to join their guests during cocktail hour.

Anyone with a dog knows it is part of the family. I met Quinn when she joined us on our boating engagement shoot. She also joined us as the flower-dog on Katie and Mike’s wedding day.

Finally, it was time for their ceremony. The winds were picking up and the sky was starting to rain, so we held the ceremony inside. Doing so allowed me to set up a few lights, making the ceremony pictures near perfect.

As their wedding at Solitude Links continued, I noticed the sunset outside starting to form. Katie and Mike were amazing throughout the day, always saying “yes” to my ideas and working with me to stay on track with their timeline. They didn’t even flinch when I interrupted their conversation with guests and suggested we head outside for the sunset. We are so lucky they did; the sun was setting fast. By the end of the few minutes were we out there, the pink hue already was lost. Luckily, we snapped a few images that are breathtaking.

With all of their formal photographs done, there was only one thing left to do – celebrate!

Congratulations Katie and Mike! Thank you so much for the opportunity to be a part of your wedding day. Despite writing about your day, I am almost at a loss of words to adequately describe how perfect and joyful of a day it was.