Traverse City Wedding

Twirling. That’s what comes to mind every time I think back to Olivia and Zach’s beautiful wedding day. I think of Olivia’s sweet spirit and beautiful nuptials on the shores of Lake Michigan. I reminince about the hot summer sun warming the weathered board walk that lead to a romantic beach location. I can still see the sunlight dancing across the gentle waves and the chiffon blowing in the breeze – a breeze that I was so thankful for on that hot July day.

Leelanau Wedding | The Day's Design | Bethany Small Photography

But most of all, I picture Olivia twirling between the vines in the most perfect blush dress, fit for a princess. Once again, I love Northern Michigan weddings because you really can have it all from the sun and the sand, to the breezes that accompany the waves on the shore, the woodland settings and the sprawling vineyards. It all adds up to the most perfect place to say “I do.”

To see an up close look at Olivia’s stunning bridal bouquet (seriously, it was one of my absolute favorites!) you can revisit her bouquet recipe here.

Willowbrook Mill is one of my absolute favorite venues. I love the whitewashed walls, the quaint chandeliers and the stone fireplaces are amazing. I’m pretty sure I’ve shared the story before of how I used to come and get ice cream here as a girl, prior to it being an amazing event venue. It had old iron parlor chairs and a jute box. Someday I think it would be fun to recreate a wedding based on that memory in that venue, however I suppose not everyone is filled with the same sense of nostalgia as I am. But really, who doesn’t love ice cream?!

Needless to say, whenever I receive a wedding inquiry siting Willowbrook Mill as the reception venue, I get a surge of excitement with Erin and Dan’s celebration being no exception. The decor was muted and understated and absolutely perfect.

This was also one of the first wedding in quite some time that the couples didn’t do a first look prior to their ceremony. I almost always recommend that bride and groom find an alone moment early in the day, it usually just makes sense to get the most of our their wedding day timeline. But I have to say how much I loved the anticipation and secretly sneaking the bride in the back door and tucked her safely away from the groom’s curious eyes. Plus, it turned out to be pretty convenient that the church was located right across from beautiful cherry orchards in full of fruit – the perfect post ceremony escape.