a Classic Grand Rapids Wedding
Chloe planned an elegant, classic Grand Rapids Wedding at their stunning venue at CityFlatsHotel’s ball room. I’m sure you can tell from the photos that she’s got amazing style! I loved every detail she had picked out for this classic black tie wedding.
Chloe & Joe got married during peak Michigan fall colors. I can’t express in words how thrilled I was to be able to capture some of the magical colors during this time of year. My favorite part of the entire day was helping direct their “first touch”, as they decided they would rather see each other for the first time that day when Chloe was walking down the aisle.
I do have a fun story about their first touch!
One of the most spontaneous things I’ve ever done during a wedding day:
I was taking bridal portraits of Chloe near Riley James Salon in front of a random house because it had gorgeous fall color. We were also brainstorming different location options for her & Joe’s “first touch”.
In the middle of bridal portraits, a truck slows down on the road. I wave him on thinking maybe we were just too close to the road. He rolls down his window and yells that it was his driveway and he needed to pull in!
I had no shame in this situation, so I laughed it off and complimented his property.
WELL, he then offers his backyard! He goes, “it’s prettier back there. I’ve even got a pond if you want to come take a look. We’d have to go through my house.”
I kinda looked at Chloe both excited and hesitant when I heard myself say, “oh yes, that would be fantastic!”
So I go with this random man, alone, to go through his indoor porch and out to the backyard.
He says he’s just stopping and have to head out again, but we are welcome to let ourselves through. He warned us his dogs would bark, but that he was happy to help!
Smart? Maybe not.
Worth it? I’d say so!
Chloe & Joe ended up with a stunning location for their first touch & reading vows. I’ll say this was a WAY better lighting scenario than the other options we brainstormed!
Gotta love kind strangers!
anyway…
They opted to do a “first look” of their venue together before guests started arriving. I thought this was such a unique idea and a great way to see all the details come together. CityFlatsHotel’s ball room was something out of a magazine. They black linens on their tables, stunning centerpieces, real candles, gold charger plates, and the tall ceilings really pulled it all together.
I helped guide Chloe when talking about their wedding day timeline, and if I could have Chloe brides for the rest of my career, I would be over the moon. They chose to Aquinas College’s campus as one of the locations for their wedding party portraits. The colors there were vibrant, and the golden light was drool-worthy. After their reception first look, we took the party bus to Aquinas. When I say party bus, it was a PARTY bus! You’ll see what i mean in the photos!
are you ready to talk about your wedding?
If you LOVE these classic wedding photos in Grand Rapids, here’s a list of Chloe & Joe’s vendors!
Photography: The Wild Phern
Videography: Akachi Media
Ceremony: Saint Sebastian Catholic Church
Reception: Gatherings at CityFlats Ballroom
DJ: Luxx Entertainment
Transportation: Affordable Limousine
Decor Rental: Essential Elements by Design LLC
Cake: Connie’s Cakes
Florals: Fran Lanford (retired Eastern Floral Manager)
Hair and Make Up: Riley James Salon
