Lauren and Marc met in high school and bonded over music. A decade later, they’re in an incredible band together, which makes them infinitely cooler than I can ever hope to be (P.S. They perform at weddings, and you should hire them right now). Their wedding at the H Hotel in Midland was sophisticated and classic. Lauren’s veil reminded me of the classic veil that my mom wore at my parents’ wedding, and her dress was complete perfection. These two also win the award for one of the greatest wedding moments of the year—they performed the song “Love Shack” together during their reception, and the crowd went absolutely crazy. I was smiling from ear to ear.

Special thanks to Dionel for being an absolutely amazing second photographer on this wedding.

From Lauren: “We wanted to keep our wedding look very timeless. It’s hard to tell which wedding styles will look dated and which will stand the test of time so we kept the style very basic and traditional. I added a little bit of whimsy with a Wizard of Oz theme scattered including my “ruby slippers”, walking down the aisle to “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” and a sign at the bar with taxi numbers that read “There’s No Place Like Home.” One of my favorite touches was our own written vows to each other. It was the perfect way for us to tell each other how we feel and share our story with our guests . And I totally recommend hiring a band for entertainment!”

Vendors:

• Venue and Catering: The H Hotel in Midland, Michigan (this venue is so beautiful and classy)
• Florist: Lil Pear Tree
• Ceremony Music: Bryan Rombalski
• Reception Band: Brett Mitchell and the Giant Ghost
• Videographer: Xavier Nicole Videography
• Invitations: Ashley Pahl
• Wedding Dress: Becker’s Bridal
• Groom’s Outfit: Men’s Wearhouse
• Bridesmaid Dresses: David’s Bridal
• Cake: Kim Crook
• Hair: Emily Orlando
• Makeup: LC Makeup Artistry

Dionel took these photos of the men getting ready while I was with the women.

Amanda and Mike had the perfect downtown Lansing wedding. Everything was within walking distance—we started at the Radisson, went a few blocks east to the gorgeous Central United Methodist Church for the ceremony, crossed the street to the capitol building for photos, then headed west to the Lansing Center to celebrate at the reception. Thanks for a fun day, Amanda and Mike! And thanks giving me wildly photogenic (not to mention extremely warm and welcoming) friends and family to photograph all day.

Props to Knockout Agency for doing an awesome job with hair and makeup.

Amanda and Mike didn’t see each other before the wedding, but they were able to hold hands around the door.






Amanda had a first look with her dad before heading to Central United Methodist Church for the ceremony.







The front of the capitol building may have been under construction, but we found beautiful light around to the north.