Upper Michigan Wedding Photography | Upper Peninsula | Photographer

The Homestead Family Session Photography

Up north in the Michigan Leelanau Peninsula there is a small town called Glen Arbor that is the home to a resort called The Homestead.  This is a large family resort that has golfing, lots of beach, skiing, river activities, pools, Lake Michigan, and lots more.  The Phillips family was having a week vacation from their home in downstate Michigan.  They had a condo rental in The Homestead community and wanted to capture family images. Image of front of condo The back on the condo overlooked Lake Michigan atop a bluff.  The beach was a 2 minute drive.  One of the pools was across the street at the registration area.  They were in the Brookhill Condos. I drove out early to scout a few locations for beautiful family images.  We decided to use Spa Amira and Crystal Beach for the two locations for family images.  I would have loved to have about four or more hours to really capture the essence of this wonderful resort but with four kids this wasn’t going to happen. The Phillips family is a beautiful family with a great family story.  We added to their story with some images that will last a lifetime.  It was a fun session with such a wonderful group.  I am honored to have been a small part of their day, and hopefully a continual reminder of their beautiful week at The Homestead Resort in Glen Arbor, Michigan on Lake Michigan. Images at Spa Amira atop the bluff overlooking Lake Michigan. We moved down the hill to the Lake Michigan shoreline for some beautiful beach images of the family at The Homestead. Crystal beach area at The Homestead If you would like Photography at The Homestead in Glen Arbor, Michigan I would love to come out and capture your images for you.  Family Photography, Wedding Photography, Lifestyle Photography, or whatever you would like for your Photography please give Paul Retherford Photography, LLC a look and call.

Wedding Petoskey, Michigan | Northern Michigan

This past Saturday I had the honor of capturing Nesrin and Jeff on their Wedding day in Petoskey, Michigan.  The Wedding ceremony was held at Parrs Memorial Baptist Church in Petoskey, Michigan and the Wedding reception was held at the Knights of Columbus banquet hall in Petoskey, Michigan across from the fairgrounds. My day began in the early morning hours packing my gear and prepping for the Wedding.  The day was hot and sunny.  I arrived in Petoskey early to check out and photograph the Wedding reception location and the Wedding ceremony location prior to beginning with the bride and groom.  I scouted out areas for images following the Wedding ceremony. I began with the bride in the downstairs of Parrs Memorial Baptist Church with her bridesmaids and flower girls.  They prepped in the infant room. The top of Nesrin’s Wedding gown. Nesrin had beautiful hair and makeup. The Wedding Isle The Grooms first look The Wedding Ceremony The lovely couple escaping in the limo Beautiful couple images in church We explored the Petoskey area outdoor image scene We headed to Lake Michigan shoreline for images Bay Harbor, Michigan was our next stop with marina images Some fun dancing and Wedding reception images The evening end with the setting sun Watch a slideshow of a bunch of the Wedding day images from this Petoskey, Michigan Wedding by Petoskey Wedding Photographer Paul Retherford Wedding Photography

Wedding at Stafford’s Bay View Inn Petoskey, MI

Along Lake Michigan shoreline sits a historic Inn called Stafford’s Bay View Inn in Petoskey, Michigan.  The Wedding of Allison and Eric took place there last Friday afternoon/evening.  Allison and Eric are a perfect couple with two families that have a flavor for life and fun. Stafford’s Bay View Inn has  a wonderful garden/lawn Wedding location on the backside of the Bay View Inn with a Lake Michigan background for your Wedding. The Wedding Photography began once the bride was in her dress.  Allison preferred it this way and I am open to suggestions. The Flowers by Sky’s the Limit of Petoskey, Michigan were hand delivered by the owner.  Allison loved the flowers, exactly as she had imaged, and better. We spent about 1/2 hour making images in the bridal room or honeymoon suite on the corner overlooking Lake Michigan and the ceremony location.  Allison, mom, and friend all joined us at some point for images during the shoot. A bottle of local wine from Leelanua Cellars was opened for a settling glass of wine prior to the Wedding ceremony. The Wedding was an intimate family and close friends Wedding on the lawn by the garden at Stafford’s Bay View Inn. The bride and groom did not see each other prior to the Wedding ceremony.  It was a bright sunny day at 4:30pm with temps approaching 90 degrees and heat index approaching 100.  This is hot for Northern Michigan. Mom walked Allison down the Wedding isle to a smiling groom. The Wedding ceremony was led by up north clergy Reverand Judy Grimes and beautiful Wedding harpist Sylvia Norris. Fabulous 15 minute double ring ceremony. Wine and starters immediately following the Wedding ceremony for bride, groom, family, and guests. Followed by some beautiful images with the entire group with the Bay View Inn in the background. The bride and groom signed and sealed the deal. Then we got away for some private images of the couple right next door at the flower gardens and old growth trees. Some images along Lake Michigan shoreline.  The shoreline is rocky, have you heard of the Petoskey stone. Then some fun. And the bride flips me off! Not the first kiss but much like it!  Pure love. Joining the party with the family and friends inside the Bay View Inn. Dinner in the Bay View Room with pleasant harp music by Sylvia Norris. Last but not least, the cake cutting. Good times, good stories, good food, and just goodness the rest of the night.

Petoskey Michigan Bay View Inn Wedding Photographer

Wedding slideshow with more of the images from Allison and Eric’s Wedding day at Bay View Inn

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