Every once in a while I will have the honor to witness a minor miracle here on earth. Last weekend was one of those days. To read about Sherri and Don’s amazing Roostertail, second wedding day, skip on down below. If you want the details, here they are!

Venue: Roostertail in Detroit, Michigan on their upper floor. Ask for Nicole. She’s AMAZEBALLS!

Photos beforehand? Eastern Market and Comerica Park.

Michigan’s had the coldest April on record since they started keeping track 150 years ago. Yet last Saturday was lovely. Brisk, but not uncomfortable. We also had a nice even layer of cloud cover (a photographer’s dream scenario knowing we’d be outside for much of the day). I arrived at Sherri and Don’s home to be greeted by a the organized chaos that is, in fact, what dressing for a wedding is. Don’s trying to get dressed and keeps forgetting things in the closet. Sherri’s tucked away trying to prep and avoid Don until her dress is on.  The matron of honor, Jamie is helping Sherri get ready and the best man, Brian is entertaining everyone with a joke a minute. A happy scene, a fun scene. They make up the total wedding party and they also happen to be Don’s kids.  This union is special and the acknowledgement that this rare gift is not taken for granted. Their pasts are not ignored, not tucked away for the day. This day is to be celebrated by both their families and their support networks. They met at a grief support group after they both lost their spouses.

My point being? Finding love is HARD. Finding it twice and having both sides of the family be ecstatic about it? Better than winning the lottery! I just loved the playfulness and emotions that flowed all day long. There were happy tears, reflective tears, and tears of love. There were a BILLION photos I love and I cut out most of the detail shots. I’ve never shot at the Roostertail wedding venue in Detroit, Michigan before (which is astounding as I’ve shot over 1,000 weddings). It’s always a joy to see new things, meet new lighting challenges and to showcase a wedding venue the couple spent a long time selecting. And of course, the Roostertail has Nicole, perhaps the most energetic, helpful, super easy to find, super kind and all around best venue coordinator I’ve seen in a LONG time! She helped the clients, she helped the vendors, she helped the guests and never stopped moving the entire day. And all with a smile of her face. Clearly loves her job! And then there was the groom’s “kids” who made up the wedding party. They were funny, accommodating, supportive and never once questioned the fact that we made a million and a half stops all over Eastern Market. We took way more “posed” photos than most weddings, but only because we were all having a fun time playing and collaborating on capturing Sherri and Don’s playful, sweet and joyful spirits. So there are a LOT more photos of just the couple than 99% of the weddings I photograph, but it was so much fun and they were so stinking cute, I think they have enough photos to last a good long while!