Classic Wedding at Ivy House | Alisha & Cole
Alisha and Cole’s wedding at Ivy House in Saugatuck, Michigan, was a flawless mixture of classic, modern, and authentic. The bride and groom gave a masterclass in being fully present in the moment. Rain or shine, Alisha and Cole committed to loosing themselves in the joy of the day. It was my honor to documenting every precious second for them.
Leading up to the big day…
Alisha came across my work through The Knot. I was immediately excited by her wedding inquiry because I’d been itching to shoot at the beautiful Ivy House venue! When Alisha said they didn’t need an engagement session, I felt a little nervous. Usually, an engagement session allows me to build a friendship with the couple before their big day arrives.
Yet, in this case, I had no reason to be apprehensive! From the first phone call, the couple and I hit it off immediately. Alisha and Cole decided to move forward with me as their wedding photographer.
Leading up to their big day, I stayed connected with Alisha’s life on Instagram to ensure I felt familiar with her before we met for the first time on her wedding day. I was especially struck to find out that she is part of an elite volleyball team! How badass is that?!
A few weeks before the wedding, we hopped on a call to nail down the timeline and details of their big day. Turns out, Alisha had a huge volleyball tournament just ONE week before her wedding. She was planning an entire wedding AND training with her volleyball team for NATIONALS.
And what a week it was for Alisha because her team won the NCAA National Championship for 2023!!!!
Naturally, this couple simply blew me away. By the time the wedding day arrived, Alisha, Cole, and I were already fast friends!
A closer look at this classic wedding…
On the big day, Alisha and Cole could not have been a more chill bride and groom, and the day flowed seamlessly. I worked alongside videographer Jon & his wife, Sarah, from Anchored Sonder, along with my fantastic second shooter, Amari Kelley. Together, we were a powerhouse team.
We diligently stuck to the timeline we had crafted! Sure, the day had some hiccups, but Alisha & Cole were pros at rolling with the punches. When the rain started, they shrugged it off and said, “Let’s roll with it!”
Luckily, we managed to dodge the worst of the rain and Alisha and Cole were beyond down to embrace any of our creative ideas. We captured most of their couple’s portraits at Oval Beach. We must have said “okay, just one more idea” at least nine times, but the newlyweds were absolute gems.
After the heartfelt ceremony, traditional toasts, dances, and dinner, their reception turned into the absolute party of the year. It was hands down the most fun reception I’ve ever witnessed. I’m talking about at least four instances of crowd-surfing – yes, including the groom!
For their final dance, the couple opted for a private moment. Just before their grand exit, the bride’s parents surprised them with a huge gift – a brand new Subaru SUV for their getaway car! From the first “getting ready shot” to the final send off, this wedding was just epic through and through.
What Alisha had to say:
“My favorite thing about working with Phern… there are too many! Phern came in with her little step stool and got to taking shots, she was witty and fun! Phern was amazing with providing prompts to make the photos feel more natural and in the moment!
One memory my husband and I have from our wedding is that we were walking around saying hi to the guests, someone asked for a photo and I turned and said “Phern”, with mocktail in one hand, camera in another and a huge smile on her face she got shot after shot with guest after guest that captured my reception so perfectly. — this is one highlight that I wanted from the reception, I wanted moments with my people, and Phern captured this so perfectly!
My gallery is amazing, she had sneak peaks to us so quickly and then the gallery was provided on time! The gallery is phenomenal, the photos are clearly amazing, and then the attention to detail within the gallery is just next level.
In my big day Phern was my built-in Maid of Honor, she was by my side and ready to capture, and I am pretty sure she helped me with a few things throughout the day! Phern was detailed and intentional with her instructions for all the bridal party and family photos, making them a breeze!
I have two highlights from the day that I would love to share, one being the couple portraits. Phern hopped right into the car, and we ran to the beach! She was giving prompt after prompt that caught true emotional moments! Phern & my videographer caught the wedding so well together, they worked amazing side by side!
The second memory is as my husband and I did our private last dance, I peeked over my shoulder to see Phern capturing our moments crashed on the floor after a long day! She was AMAZING!”
Overall, I think that this wedding was truly one of the best example of savoring every moment. Alisha & Cole decided it was going to be the best day ever, and it was! Rain or shine, they focused on being present with each other. I was honored to document all those beautiful memories for such a special couple!
Credits:
bride: Alisha @lishvoss
groom: Cole @Cole.voss
video: Jonathon & Sarah @anchored.sonder
venue: Ivy House @ivy.house.mi
2nd photographer: Amari @amarikelleyphotography
