Lee & Brandon's Thailand Travels Inspired Campground Wedding in the Woods | Chelsea, Michiga
From the moment we arrived at Lee's parent's house to begin photographing her wedding day, we knew it would be something special. I love when brides decide to get ready at their childhood home, first of all - there are pictures of them on the walls and their parents' wedding photos, and there is a coziness and a warmness that isn't always present on a wedding day. It was obvious that this was a special day for a special couple loved by so many - this became more apparent as the day went on - in the emotion in Brandon's face during their first look, the warm welcome we felt from their family and friends, the joy in the dancing in the lodge, even in the railroad tie centerpieces made by Lee's dad and the song Lee's mom wrote about the couple and sang with the help of nearly half the guests to the tune of an old campfire song!
When we arrived, Lee quickly showed me all the awesome details I had asked to photograph, and I was so excited - her BHLDN wedding dress, her boots, an invitation, her preserved eucalyptus and handmade flower bouquets, ring box and scarf from Thailand - we could barely carry it all, and I knew this was the wedding I had been waiting for. The wedding took place at a campground around the corner from Lee's parents' house, where she had gone often as a kid and on into high school. What I love most about this wedding is how Brandon and Lee made it about them. The campground was full of memories with Lee's high school friends, their candle favors, handmade yarn hangings, Lee's scarf, and Brandon's suit all either came from Thailand or were Thailand inspired from a time when the two of them took off on an adventure and lived there together. The combination of the Thailand pieces and the woodland campground theme blended really very well.
This is the wedding that I have been waiting to photograph - I told my husband and second shooter that I loved it so much that I wanted to cry...but I totally didn't...not even when Brandon (who I was told was not an emotional guy) nearly cried upon seeing his bride at the end of the aisle or while the two said their vows (which they wrote themselves). The beautiful location, awesome details and loving couple made for quite possibly the best photos I've ever taken, and I am super excited to share them!
