Jul 21, 2023

Creekside Acres Summer Wedding | Mary & Josh

Creekside Acres summer wedding in Michigan. Detroit Wedding photography by Nicole Leanne Photography.

On a sunny day in July, Mary and Josh had the laid-back wedding day of their dreams at Creekside Acres. If you missed their Downtown Rochester engagement session, you can check it out to read more about their love story. When I arrived at Creekside Acres, Mary had a calm energy as she got ready with her girls. The only feeling of anticipation was the excitement of finally getting to marry the love of her life after 10 years of being together. I've known Mary since college when we were in the same sorority so it was an honor to document this special day for her and Josh.

Mary and Josh shared their first look at their ceremony site so they still were able to have the traditional moment of seeing each other for the first time where their ceremony was going to take place. This is a great idea if you like the tradition of not seeing each other until that moment but want to enjoy a private first look together. I made sure to have tissues on hand because I know how emotional this part of the day can be for some couples, especially when you've been waiting for this moment for years, like Mary and Josh. As we toured around the property, Mary and Josh reminisced about how her grandfather supported their relationship before he passed and how proud he would be to see them on this day. He would even gift them marriage books before they were engaged because he wanted them to have every tool necessary to build a love made to last. Mary honored him by attaching a photo of him to her bouquet. The wedding party joined us for photos and they were such a fun bunch to capture on camera. Everyone was having fun and excited for the day ahead.

The ceremony took place beneath a beautiful tree with a wooden arch decorated in beautiful blush and periwinkle-colored flowers. Instead of the traditional flower girl, Mary and Josh opted for a Flower Man who took his job very seriously and was a crowd-pleaser with the guests. The ceremony was officiated by a friend and she did an amazing job! I thought she was a professional for sure but it was even better. The ceremony felt so personal and intimate with all the details she incorporated about Mary and Josh's love story. The bride and groom shared the personal vows they wrote which included cute details about how Mary vows to always let Josh blow straw wrappers at her when out at restaurants and Josh vowed to not roll his eyes when they pull into the Michael's parking lot, again. I know sharing these details isn't for every couple but hearing these personal promises is always so endearing and it makes you realize that marriage is truly about sharing in the little moments together, just as much as the milestones. Once the couple sealed their vows with a kiss, it was time for cocktail hour with fresh-made pizza and yard games.

Josh's two best men prepared a speech and so did Mary's maid of honor but nothing compared to the touching speech Mary's dad made about how it felt for his last daughter to get married. After dinner, Mary and Josh spent the night on the dance floor, aside from the quick moment at sunset when they snuck off to take a deep breath and soak up all the emotions of the day.

Congratulations, Mary and Josh! May you laugh and dance your way through the next 10 years and beyond enjoying life together!

All my love,