Stephanie and Brad

This love story is right out of Africa. Although the bride and groom were both Michigan residents, their call to do humanitarian work abroad was responsible for their chance meeting in Africa. It was love at first sight for this couple who traveled half way around the world to find each other...a wedding story doesn't get much more romantic than this!

As with most wedding days, they involve family and friends all coming together and preparing for grand celebration. With a bridal suite at the Townsend Hotel as the "headquarters" for getting ready, the bride and her ladies began their day with a lite brunch in the suite followed by a short walk to Todd's Room for hair and makeup. Having a bride and groom return from a life in Africa with just the bare essentials available for everyday life, it seemed that even the simplest of luxuries on this day were appreciated more than the norm!

Since the wedding day has so many duties, so many must haves and includes so many people, there is nothing more comforting than having an organized day. The China Closet creates a Tentative Itinerary for each of their clients. It keeps everyone informed, on schedule and often times, clients have this "security blanket" with them all through the day just to keep themselves calm. It is the best way to eliminate stress on a wedding day - a well prepared bride and groom and their families enjoy their wedding day when there is a well thought out plan in place and know that the details are being monitored by a professional.

Weddings bring families together and many times that means there are junior members that must be thought of, too! This precious photo of Stephanie and her little nephew is surely treasured by this family - Baby Avery made a brief appearance as everyone prepared for a busy wedding day! Sometimes families debate about the presence of small children on such important days; however, the family balanced this detail so well and memorable photos are the end result of a family's celebration that included everyone!

Children and grandparents gathering make weddings all about a generational experience! From the presence of the youngest child to the eldest elder, everyone comes together on this special day to celebrate as a family. Photos on this day are important as they are recording family history. To have a beautiful backdrop for these types of photo is a fabulous bonus, so there should be some thought as to where preparations are going to happen. The bride's suite at the Townsend Hotel made for fabulous photos!

Not be forgotten, the groom and his men also gathered at the Townsend Hotel to get ready and do some pre-wedding photos. A little gathering for lunch, time to dress and time for a couple of quick photos. The men's time for preparation is decidedly much less complicated than the ladies, but it is still important to keep them on schedule and to cater to their needs as well!

The key to this bride and groom's successful day was keeping it simple. When decor was discussed with Emerald City Designs, the request was for a simple, romantic ballroom that included lots of sparkle and candlelight. The bride's favorite flower choice was the red rose...lots of them and to keep the design clean and simple! The results were moving - the candle light on different levels (even suspended from the ceiling!) allowed for interesting lighting and the profusion of red roses underscored what this day was all about...a love story!

One of the most special moments of the reception is when the bride and groom are announced into the room! This happy couple went directly to the dance floor for their first dance to the music, The Day Before You, by Mathew West. This couple requested that the band play the CD by the actual recording artist. This request is fairly common and bands are generally quite accommodating and take no offense to the couple's wish. Having the bride and groom introduced and going right to the dance floor is a great way to start the celebration. Often times, the band leader will invite all the guests to join in for a few minutes of dancing - the band keeps the tempo upbeat and the party officially starts on a high note!

With the dancing started, the guests seated, it is time for the toasts to take center stage. Not all couples have professional speech writers in their bridal parties, but occasionally, there are those Maids of Honor or Best Men that take the center stage and give wonderful toasts that will be remembered for years to come. This Best Man's toast actually came with a prop and added to the creativity of his speech. Kudos to this Best Man for remembering to take his toasting flute with him...so often, a nervous speaker comes to the microphone with no glass in hand...following the speech there is a mad scramble to find a filled glass for the toast!

Months later, the visions of a wedding day can be a bit blurred...however, it always seems that once the day is revisited, when the stories are told again, the details come back to life and the smiles return to faces. There is an appreciation of this special moment that comes to life with the photos that have been bound in albums, film that has recorded all the highlights ... and magically, memories suddenly have an instant recall of that special day...and it is celebrated all over again, if only for a moment in time. This is the blessing of a fabulous wedding day experience.

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