Kent + April | Camp Blodgett Wedding on Lake Michigan
Our favorite parts of Kent and April's wedding day were:
1) The first look on the beach at Camp Blodgett
2) Watching their guests party despite the rain
3) Capturing the special moments between the bride, groom and their families
As my wife said about their wedding day, "Though the weather forecast was uncertain, we are certain about Kent and April's overwhelming love for each other..."
Kent and April live and work in Washington DC. They chose Camp Blodgett as their venue because of the wonderful lake shore setting and fact that both ceremony and reception could be hosted in the same location.
The details these two put together for their wedding day were spectactular. From April's dress to signage to gifts of custom brewed bourbon for the wedding party, no detail was overlooked.
One of our favorite parts about Kent and April's day was their "first look".
These two chose to walk down to the beach and see each other for the first time along the shore of Lake Michigan.
The location was beautiful and though the weather was overcast, it created beautiful light for portraits.
Having a first look meant we could plan not only portraits for Kent and April, but also their wedding party and families all prior to the ceremony.
With rain in the forecast, we took advantage of the good weather and the other group portraits worked out in our favor.
Kent and his groomsmen are all die hard Seattle Sounders fans (like they met because of the fan club). Hence the great portrait of all the scarves on the shores of Lake Michigan!
One additional planning tip: have your first look, then invite your wedding party down for photos but then plan on a few more minutes for photos of just you and your future spouse.
We like this "sandwiched" approach as it gave Kent and April time to see each other, see their friends all together and then relax in front of the camera, creative more confident portraits.
With the weather threatening, guests arrived but the rain thankfully held off!
April did a great job planning for all the weather possibilities by adding a clear tent over the deck area at Camp Blodgett. Though it may have obstructed the view somewhat, it was a welcome addition to the ceremony space (and later was a great spot for folks to sit and connect).
The rain held off through the ceremony, but then it started and didn't let up most of the evening. That didn't change the fact that Kangaroo Kitchen created a great family style meal for the 130+ guests.
In fact the weather provided some down time for the bride and groom (who already had most of their photo list checked off) after a busy morning. We even captured a couple of quiet moments under the tent while guests were seated inside the main ballroom.
Dinner and dancing followed the great meal and wonderful toasts. Entertainment for the night was provided by Global Village, a 7 member band based in the Lansing area. This is our 3rd time seeing them live and they ROCKED the lakeshore for Kent, April and all their guests.
They rocked so much that April's Grandfather found himself up on a table dancing the night away!
Wedding Vendors
Ceremony & Reception: Camp Blodgett
Wedding Dress: Essense of Australia from Fantastic Finds
Wedding Shoes: Badgley Mischka
Bridesmaids Dresses: Alfred Sung Dessy from Becker's Bridal
Suits: Jos. A Banks
Hair & Makeup: Engedi Salon
Jewelry: Ken Walker, Boone & Sons and Today's Cargo
Flowers: Bouquets by Stacy
Wedding Coordinator: Lynn Lucas from W.E.D.
Catering: Kangaroo Kitchen
Cake: Cakabakery
Linens: The Rental Company
Table Rental: RediRental
Band: Global Village
Love the images you see of Kent and April? Looking for a photographer that can make you feel confident? We would love to connect with you about your photography needs!