I guess I should have known the day was going to be magical. I was on my way to the wedding at the classically beautiful Inn at St. Johns in Plymouth, Michigan and alongside my car was a man racing his ONE black horse around a track while he was sitting in an open sleigh... you read that right. A one-horse open sleigh! As a Florida girl, I didn't even know this was a thing. It is! It definitely is!! This was only the beginning to an incredible Christmas wedding. Living in Michigan has been filled with completely new experiences. I have learned what to wear under snow pants, that there are different types of boots (fall, snow, rain, spring, fashion, and hiking boots!) I quickly learned there is a difference between a coat and a jacket! I was even privileged to be able to wear a jacket in the summer on a cool evening; I didn't even know cool summer evenings existed! I'd only ever thought of a northern winter as several months of houses covered in dreary snow and people are miserable (I read a lot of stories and heard a bunch from my mom-she's from Buffalo, NY) Come to find out, this is simply not true. The sun does shine, the snow melts and sometimes doesn't fall for weeks at a time. People do smile and some thrive in the cold! Winter can be refreshing and festive and love can make it all beautiful. Kristen and Nick made their winter wedding day beautiful. The weather in Plymouth, MI was delightful and cold, Christmas Carolers were jolly and singing on street corners, holiday shoppers were bustling about, and even the reindeer and elves were putting on a show. The Detroit metro area was full of holiday spirit as we flitted around town making a few stops for photo opportunities. Downtown Plymouth was actually the same location as Nick and Kristen's engagement session the year before and it was so good to be back and create so many new memories!
Everyone was picture ready when we met outside of the Inn at St. Johns wedding chapel and venue. The beautiful roses, peonies, and eucalyptus florals had been delivered, the dresses were on, their hair and makeup was perfect and the ladies were stunning!
Nick was debonair to say the least. Anxious and excited to see his bride!
Kristen was picture- PERFECT!
The girls in their cranberry dresses holding the gorgeous blooms by The Flower Alley
What winter wedding would be complete without reindeer?! Santa's elves were outside the bar where the wedding party was meeting and we had our own photo op with 2 different reindeer!
We left the bar after a few drinks and toasts and headed to Kellogg Park where we were serenaded by a Corner of Christmas Carolers! Like, legit, harmonizing A cappella carolers! In the park, we were surrounded by Christmas tree decorating contestants which made the perfect backdrop for our bridal party portraits!
After freezing our little tootsies off, we headed to the Italian American Banquet Center in the party bus!
At the IABC we were met with the most incredibly renovated bathrooms!!
But the hall was gorgeously decorated with love and sparkle of Christmas!!! I love winter weddings for this. Nicks mom handmade little gnomes to match the wedding party, the decor was beautiful and before the wedding party was introduced to the guests, they had to get in one last practice of their winter dance to none other than my favorite Christmas song, "All I want for Christmas" by Mariah Carey.
Nick and Kristen entered and went straight to their cake cutting and... woah, this 4 tiered custom cake from Cakes by Stephanie was divine! They sweetly fed each other, kissed, and were toasted by their bridesmaids and groomsmen. They had their first dance under a stunning collection of chandeliers and also danced with their parents; Kristen and her dad and Nick and his mom.
I was able to pull them away for just a few shots, where we were met with falling snowflakes. My heart was bursting because this wedding day was what my dreams were made of. One horse open sleigh, reindeers, amazing venues, twinkling lights, and a night finished with freshly fallen snow... but wait, there's more...
Mariah Carey's "All I want for Christmas" choreographed dance...
and what Christmas dream wedding would be complete without Santa randomly showing up at the end of the night. The happy couple were just on their way out to the most amazing.....
Sparkler Exit of course!!!
THE END.
Planner: Kaila Adam: events@thefloweralley.com
Caterer: Italian American Banquet Center
https://www.iabc-livonia.com/
Florist: The Flower Alley (Kaila Adam)
https://www.thefloweralley.com/
Baker: Cakes by Stephanie http://cakesbystephaniemi.co
m/
Dress(es)/Suit(s): Men’s Warehouse https://www.menswearhouse.com/
DJ/Band: Pro DJ
Serviceshttps://prodjservices.com/
Makeup/Hair: Janell and Ginger (Hair) Shelia
(Makeup)
Videographer: Emory Reeves
Filmshttps://vimeo.com/danielnicholasfi
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