Documentary Style Wedding Photos in Northern Michigan

Documentary style wedding photos capture those candid, sometimes unnoticed moments that are so easy to forget—easy to miss in the first place. But those moments are the montage of your story that make you laugh and cry and feel like it is the most special thing in the world. It’s documenting what is right there. Nothing “for the photos”. Just your real, honest love story and the day that celebrates it.

Isabel + Jack’s Documentary Style Wedding Photos

Manistee is a bit of a drive from Grand Rapids, but as we know I am always down to travel 😈 . This Northern Michigan wedding was SO up my alley. It had a lot of handmade touches (without a hint of being cheesy?? It was all truly so tasteful and well done) and sweet moments shared with sweet people. I must have done something really good in a past life to get to shoot this one. I loved documenting every part of what unfolded right in front of me. This wedding was made for documentary style wedding photos.

Isabel and Jack got married at Manistee National Golf & Resort. The whole event had this very chill, relaxed, almost 90’s feel. It was unique and light and beautiful and altogether genuine.

BRIDESMAIDS AND GIRLHOOD

Isabel and her bridesmaids made the bouquets themselves the morning of. It was almost like a little bonding moment she could intentionally spend with her girls. It was so cool to see bridesmaids involved like that.

Isabel did something that morning that I’d never seen anyone do before. She helped each of her bridesmaids get ready. She zipped them up and made sure they each felt beautiful. Then she did her own hair and makeup and let them help her get ready too. The energy in that hotel room was SO girlhood. The dresses and the shoes and the flowers and the yapping. If you’ve ever experienced girlhood in its purest form, you know exactly how special that is. I love that that is the energy that Isabel wanted for her wedding day.

The Chill Wedding Photos

Jack and Isabel didn’t really take anything too seriously. The whole day they just enjoyed themselves. They also didn’t have any explicit expectations for their photos. They just wanted the day captured in a creative way. Getting to be the one they chose to do that makes me feel all kinds of warm and fuzzies.

This entire wedding felt so aligned with me and what I love to create. I had so much creative freedom, the chill nature of Isabel and Jack, the color palette, the way their people were so happy for them, the party feel that eternally existed on the dance floor, all of it. One of the biggest slays that has ever dared to slay.

ISABEL + JACK‘S STORY

Jack is from here in Michigan, but Isabel is originally from Canada! They met while they were both on Rotary Exchange in Italy. How fricken cool?!!!? Not only are they an international couple, but they met in a third, unrelated country that they both happened to be exchange students in. I just think that is so sweet. It is a very special part of their story. I also did their engagement photos and during the session they hand rolled cigarettes like they always did while in Italy. I love working in details like that. It’s a hint at what their entire story looks like.

The Ceremony

The one piece of inspiration Isabel wanted to include was this very specific pose. She has always adored this photo from JFK Jr.’s 90’s wedding where he kisses his wife’s hand as they are walking out of their ceremony. It is pretty standard in the wedding industry now to have the couple stop halfway down the aisle after the ceremony for a kiss. Instead of a kiss, he grabbed her hand for their own version of the JFK Jr. photo. The photo became iconic because you could see the joy they were feeling in the moment of affection. I think the same can be said for Isabel and Jack—and not to toot my own horn but we totally killed it.

The Reception

Their reception was a joy. Their people were awesome. As in, they left me in awe. In awwww. You could tell they were all so genuinely happy for Isabel and Jack and down to celebrate with them. Everyone was lively and brought big party vibes. It was one of my favorite 2024 receptions for sureeeee.

The speeches were heartfelt and you could actually feel the emotion move around the room. Many a guest cried, lots of laughter was had, and the amount of hugs was near infinite.

As the sun set, it cast it’s glowing light all over the place. One may even call it ethereal. All I know is that the photographer in me was a goblin for the golden light and shadows that poured in. I can only imagine how much it must have felt like a movie for Isabel to be dancing on that dance floor with her dearest friends and brand new husband. A main character moment if I’ve ever seen one.

Unnoticed Moments – Documentary Style Wedding Photos

One of my favorite parts of leaning into documentary style wedding photos is getting to create these images that allow us to experience moments that may otherwise go unnoticed. The kind of moments that would be in the sentimental montage of a movie. People sharing hugs (so many hugs 🥺), selfies being taken, dramatic facial expressions mid-conversation, the cigar circle outside, slightly (or not so slightly) intoxicated dance floor moments, the cheers-ing. You don’t always feel the gravity of those little sentimental moments when you are living in them, but they are there. No amount of portrait posing or “say cheese” snaps can fake what already is genuinely there.

The candid, unnoticed moments are unassuming but always end up being some of my favorite photos in a wedding gallery. A lot of times the newlyweds don’t even get to experience all of those moments because there are so many other moments to be had. Having them documented in your wedding photos is like getting to soak up even more of the day than previously possible. It’s kind of like I can do the impossible for you?? But for real, I love the candid photos of party goers and the fun that ensues live in person and when we run the tapes back (aka you get your gallery).

YOUR Documentary Style Wedding Photos

At a wedding my photography style is creative and compelling documentary style wedding photos with a cinematic twist. And also I am definitely down to party. 100% because you deserve fun dance floor pics and not at all because I want to dance and sing along to your wedding playlist with you.

Your wedding, Michigan and beyond, deserves to be documented. Your story is cinematic and compelling and genuinely YOU. It deserves to be honored as such. It deserves to be art. Read more about booking me as your wedding photographer and reach out for your date!

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