05/08/2026
Love that feels like home…usually starts with a game night.😘
(seriously, you must look through all of these images from this gorgeous day, they just get better and better!)
Marti & Michael’s wedding day unfolded the same way their story began, the two of them sharing time together, enjoying each other's company. They chose to share their vows privately before the busyness of the day began. I love when couples plan an intimate beginning to a day that otherwise they would spend hours apart. ( Why not spend your day together as much as possible? )
And yet… they still saved something sacred by meeting in Marti's customized silk robe and saving the gown for the aisle.
When Marti stepped down the aisle adorned in her flowing spring gown embroidered with delicate florals, with blossoms woven through her hair, it was as if the orchard itself had come to life around her. I know that Michael saw her then not just as his partner, but as his bride.
Set against the blooming rows of apple trees at Crimson Hill Event Center, their ceremony felt like stepping into a storybook. A garden-whimsical dream, kissed by the unpredictability of a Michigan spring! Soft overcast skies, playful gusts of wind both chilly and then warm, and golden sunshine breaking through at just the right time for us to take golden hour portraits. It was "imperfectly perfect" in the most Michigan way!
But what made this day truly theirs… was the heart behind it.
Their bridal party wasn’t just a group, it was a fellowship. Lifelong friends, bonded over late nights of board games, cards, and DND campaigns that carried on long past midnight. The same people who gather around their table for weekly game nights stood beside them as they promised their lives to one another. This really was a celebration of community, of shared stories, love of community, and of a life built together.
Even the smallest details carried meaning. Instead of a traditional cake, they cut a giant cookie from Marti’s childhood, brought in from out of state, filled with nostalgia and the sweetness of home. The girls wore comfy Crocks with buttons that suited their individual personalities, and one of my favorite details, they decorated each reception table with a different board game and gifted every guest a card game that they loved to take home. I am a strong believer in letting trends go by and making a day that makes sense to who you are as a couple.
The evening carried on inside a light-filled reception space, glowing with chandeliers, candles and joy. Marti & Michael danced to a song they had told me would be a fun and nostalgic hit, "Kiss by a Rose" by Seal. Everyone was singing along and in their photos, you can see the two of them laughing and loudly singing together as they dance. Michael's first dance with his mom was so sweet, and then Marti and her father came out and surprised guests with another rock balled, where her father truly lit up the dance floor with his moves
Marti & Michael don’t just love each other… they choose each other, every single day. Partners in games and now partners in life.
This is the kind of love I wish for all of my couples. 🩷
Ready to tell your story?
www.AmberHenryPhotography.com
989-992-7916
🩷Vendors who brought this beautiful day to life:
Venue: Crimson Hills Event Center at Big Red Orchard
DJ & Officiant: DJ Chuck with Act 1 Entertainment - Act1DJ.com , along with DJ Dylan
Photo Booth: A1 Entertainment
Coordinator: Berri – The Social Space Rochester https://www.thesocialspacerochester.com/
