Gorgeous Shepherd’s Hollow Golf Club Wedding at “The Station” with

Courtney and Michael!

Congratulations to Courtney and Mike after their long awaited wedding at Shepherd’s Hollow Golf Club in Clarkston, Michigan. They just opened a new wedding venue called The Station a few months ago and I’ve got to say… this is my new favorite place to play.

Turns out Mike loves to play golf there, but for me as a wedding photographer, this venue was pure magic. Shepherd’s Hollow wedding photos are here for the taking.

What does this new wedding venue, “The Station” have to offer wedding clients?

Here are the highlights for couples looking for a GREAT wedding venue in Michigan:
1) The space is surrounded by lodge pole pines so the wedding space is surrounded by nature.
2) Great, space with floor to ceiling windows for great light.
3) Huge porch for guests to mingle and might work as a back up for bad weather.
4) The dedicated space for the ceremony is dramatic and set up for photographers to get good lighting.
5) Nice bridal suite where they can hang out with a private, attached area for the bridal party to hang out.
6) The food is awesome!
7) There’s air conditioning which is actually unusual in what is a huge conservatory.
8) Nice and helpful staff.
9) The grounds are amazing, so there are 1.3 billion places to photograph.
10) Did I mention my obsession with lodge pole pines?

 

Now, let’s show you some of my favorite wedding day photos from Courtney and Mike’s amazing wedding day at Shepherd’s Hollow.

First up? The women are getting ready in the new bridal suite where they have a private area (indoor and out) to hang out in.

And then then men arrive to heckle the golfers and fiddle with their boutonnieres.

And then the first look. The sweet, private first look that even took Mike by surprise.

And back to see their wedding party to start the formal photos at a leisurely pace.

And now for the main event: the fabulous wedding at Shepherd Hollow’s brand new wedding venue.

 

Welcome to cocktail hour out of the veranda (with one small escapee).

 

And here’s your wedding party… or at least a few of my faves.

 

The speeches. The lovely speeches.

And back to the woods. Clearly I was obsessed and wanted to play with the waning light while the practiced their first dance with music and all.

 

First dances in the middle of the new venue at Shepherd’s Hollow Golf Club in Clarkston, Michigan.

 

And the dance floor is now open with the amazing Chateau Band. They are always amazingly talented and kind.

So I expect this will become THE wedding venue to book in Michigan. Why? Well, it’s cool as heck, super flexible, was built with weddings in mind and in the summer (it was a rare perfect day, but it was still Michigan in July) it has great AC. I’m sure in the winter it will also be toasty and bring the outdoors in much like some other popular conservatories in the area.

The only potential glitch is those high black ceilings and all that glass means it’s a wedding venue that takes a lot of technical know how or all your lights won’t reach the subject and/or all your lights reflections will show up in all those pretty windows. So this isn’t an easy place to light or shoot in (and I was there when there was tons of daylight), but if you’re a photographer reading this, bring everything you’ve got. It’s hard to reach the other side of the room and it they are at full capacity (325, I believe), it will be tough to place your lights any place other than along the edges. Well worth taking a deep breath and figuring it out properly, but who ever has time. That’s why this venue needs to have lighting aficionados only kind of wedding venue.