A Joyful Summer Celebration in Michigan

I had a feeling this day would be memorable, but I wasn’t expecting a deer cameo during portraits — more on that in a second. Jess and Mike’s wedding was one of those perfectly-timed summer days, just warm enough to remind you it's June, but with a breeze that kept everyone comfortable and glowing. We’d all been bracing for a heatwave, but somehow they got lucky. No storms. No chaos. Just sunshine and ease.

Jess and Mike have that kind of chemistry that makes you feel like they’ve been each other’s person forever. Their wedding notes to each other were nearly identical, they both mentioned having “out of body experiences” when they're together. And that’s exactly what it felt like watching them. Like the rest of the world faded and it was just the two of them, fully in sync.

They met in the middle of the pandemic, over wine and puzzles (though Jess wasn’t exactly thrilled about the puzzle part). What started as a friendly Apple Watch challenge turned into weekend getaways, Iceland road trips, late-night talks under the northern lights, and eventually a proposal in their kitchen, followed by a dinner at their favorite Italian place. Everything about their story is genuine and grounded and full of adventure.

One of my favorite parts of the day was during portraits in the park. We had just found this beautiful spot with golden light filtering through the trees, and out of nowhere, a deer wandered into the background like it had been hired for the shoot. It stood there for a solid minute, curious and calm, as if to give them its blessing. We all froze. And then we all laughed. It was one of those once-in-a-lifetime photo moments, pure magic.

To Jess and Mike: Thank you for letting me be a part of this beautiful chapter. Your love story is already full of wild, wonderful memories, and I have no doubt the best ones are still ahead.

Scroll through to see some of my favorite frames from the day, including that deer moment (because yes, I got the shot!).

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