landlocked bride™ | midwest + mountain west wedding inspiration

This wedding has so many personal and unique details (and ideas), it makes me want to plan another wedding of my own. Since the couple loves books (and Jon is a writer), they carried their love of books and reading out throughout all of their decor. And, in lieu of a traditional guestbook, they used a large map and had guests share travel ideas and suggestions. Something they can share on a wall in their home – genius!

And, my favorite part? The ringbearer’s little speech. How cute is he?!

Bryan and Mae

From Bryan and Mae, the photographers:
Brittany and Jon’s wedding day was unique and beautiful. These two cherish the people around them and threw a big wedding to celebrate with them all. Jon is a writer and they are both lovers of books, so their wedding was themed around “story”, their story and the many books that have impacted them. Their ceremony was at Wealthy Theater in Grand Rapids, an aged theater with cozy red seats and a beautiful marquee. At their reception, each table was numbered as a chapter and books were everywhere. Escort cards were also bookmark favors for guests to take home with them, with the calligraphy done by the bride’s twin sister. They also love travel (they honeymooned in Greece!), and incorporated that into their wedding design as well. Instead of a guest book, they had a map on the wall that guests could pin travel tags to with a little note and travel suggestion. It was a great idea and now they have a great piece to hang on their wall to inspire future travel plans. It was a lovely celebration!

Ceremony / Reception Venue: Wealthy Street Theater | Caterer: Martha’s Vineyard | Bakery: Nantucket Baking Co. | Floral Designer: Horrocks | Photographer: Bryan and Mae | Wedding Gown: Allure | Bridesmaid Dresses: ModCloth | Hair Stylist: Hair Technique | Calligrapher: Molly Jacques Illustration | Transportation: Grand Rapids Trolley Co.

It’s always a great thing when you have a family member who already works in the wedding industry. They can offer advice and insight that you don’t want to take for granted. Tyler’s Mom just so happens to be a successful florist in Grand Rapids, and when her son proposed to Erica, she knew she wanted to have a hand in making their day special. And, Shelly did just that by integrating earthy and natural elements into all of their decor that added a unique touch.

Hetler Photography

From the Bride:
Tyler and I first met while hanging out with friends at a bar in Grand Rapids. We dated for four years before he proposed. Our original date to be married was February 2012, but we changed it to October 15, 2011 because I couldn’t possibly wait that long! Planning the wedding was really easy for us. Tyler’s mother, Shelly, is a wedding florist who does amazing work! She helped us with decor ideas and ended up creating some fabulous arrangements for the church and reception venue. It was beautiful! Our wedding day was perfect. We had so much fun celebrating with our family and friends and couldn’t have asked for a better day.

Ceremony Venue: Remembrance Church | Reception Venue: English Hills Country Club | Bakery: Cake Connection | Florist: Shelly’s Designs | Photographer: Hetler Photography

Shannon from Clicking Through Life sent over this woodsy and vintage style shoot.  But what caught my eye the most was the bride’s vintage glam look.  It added that perfect touch of pop with all of those beautiful details.

Clicking Through Life

From Shannon:
I wanted to plan a stylized shoot to give brides an idea of different options for their wedding day rather than the traditional reception hall.  I’ve loved all of the inspired shoots and weddings I’ve seen and really wanted to be a part of one.  I had recently met some vendors whose work I admire have been wanting to work with, so I asked them if they would be interested in joining me.  Kevin Miller from Twigs & Branches Floral, Nicole Downey from Inviting Friendz and Jennie Wiegand from Beautiful Day Event Planning plus myself was our original team.  Jennie put together the rest of the amazing team.

The location was at the house of the sister of a friend of mine.  She has a beautiful home on amazing property and our friend was hoping to have their own wedding there.  Unfortunately that didn’t work and their they had to make some changes.  I knew it would be the perfect location and I wanted to show off what could be done there.

All of the details in the shoot were compiled by Jennie and myself.  Some of the items were our own, some purchased at local antique sales and the Habitat for Humanity store.  Kevin provided all of the flowers and styled the tables, locations and the desert display.

My favorite part about this shoot is the soft beauty and romance that it conveys.  I can picture an intimate, elegant celebration of love…  And I really I love how each member of the team brought their own individual vision that all came together so beautifully.

Reception Venue: Private Residence | Photography: Clicking Through Life | Event Planner: Beautiful Day Planning LLC | Floral Designer: Twigs & Branches Floral | Invitation Designer: Inviting Friendz | Dress Store: Barb’s Bridal Design | Makeup Artist / Hair Stylist: Emily Wiegand | Tuxedo and Mens Attire: Molnar’s Tuxedo

Sometimes a wedding captures your attention, not necessarily because of the details, but because of the meaning, or the uniqueness of it.

Take Giovanna and Tom’s wedding. It’s small. It’s intimate. It’s sweet. But, what sold me was the sunrise ceremony (yes, sunrise). Complete with a brunch reception.

Just goes to show, there are absolutely no rules when planning your wedding.

Paul Retherford Wedding Photography

From the Photographer, Paul:
Tom owns a private beach residence on Lake Huron in Northern Michigan. He and his wife have plans to retire in a couple years and build their dream home on the property. So, it was only obvious that the couple would get married on the property, on the beach at sunrise. Their ceremony began pre-dawn, and the Chief of Navy Chaplains paused the ceremony for a few minutes just so everyone could watch the sunrise over Lake Huron. It was a beautiful intimate Wedding with a simple brunch reception following the ceremony at North Bay Beach House in Presque Isle Michigan.

Caterer: The Fresh Palate | Event Planner: Charity Wings | Floral Designer: Flowerland Designs of Alpena | Musicians: Bayshore Strings, Huron Strings | Officiant: Mark Tidd | Photography: Paul Retherford Wedding Photography

Y’all. This wedding.  This wedding is everything a wedding should be.  Intimate. Special. Emotional. Beautiful. It’s full of character, simple details, the help of friends and family. Not fussy. Meaningful. So, meaningful.

Bryan and Mae

From the Photographer, Mae:
Lindsey and Jason planned their modern wedding with the intent of throwing a great party. They chose a unique venue in downtown Grand Rapids that helped to set the pace for how their day would unfold. The venue was a bed and breakfast in a historic home in the area that allowed the party to flow from one room to the next, giving it a familial and festive feel. They decorated using peacock feathers as inspiration and the bridesmaids wore purple dresses that mimicked the purple in the feathers. Their day was lovely and filled with so much joy; we are honored to share it.

Ceremony / Reception Venue: Leonard at Logan | Caterer: Marie Catrib’s | Wedding Gown: David’s Bridal | Bridesmaids Dresses: David’s Bridal | Groom / Groomsmen Attire: Express

Erin and Justin are getting married this fall in South Bend, Indiana. But, the two just love spending time in New Buffalo, Michigan. So, why not plan an engagement session in one of your favorite places?

On your wedding day, time can be quite tight, especially when it comes to photos. Use an engagement session or day after session as a way to tackle some of those other favorite spots of yours to get a few snap shots. You’ll enjoy having a little breather room on your wedding day, and still have photos at your favorite park or coffee shop.

Melissa Hayes Photography

Maypole Studios

From Jolene:
Jonah and Catherine, both of whom happen to be from Chicago, decided to host their wedding in Harbor Country, Michigan. The morning of the wedding, the couple was greeted with torrential downpours, but the rain stopped and the sky cleared a few of hours before the ceremony, creating a fresh and picturesque backdrop for this heartfelt and family-focused wedding. The day was beautifully documented by Bethany Fritz of Maypole Studios. The ceremony took place at a private farm in Buchanan, Michigan owned by a friend of the bride’s family. The owners took great pride in preparing their gorgeous property for the special occasion, including constructing the lovely chuppah made of birch logs with a lace covering. A friend of the bride created the cheerfully bright bouquets and boutonnieres with zinnias secured from a local farm. Jolene Sullivan of Delicate Creature Events used the same flowers to construct simple centerpieces for the reception, in aqua mason jars gathered by the bride and her family. School buses transported guests from the farm to the reception at the historic Lakeside Inn, where guests enjoyed favors of homemade jam and an assortment of pie desserts.

To view more photos from Jonah and Catherine’s wedding day, be sure to check out their gallery.

Ceremony Venue: Private Farm | Reception Venue: Lakeside Inn | Photographer: Maypole Studios | Event Planning + Centerpiece Design: Delicate Creature | DJ: Style Matters | Zinnias: Dinges Farms | Pies: Bit of Swiss

Michelle Torno of Memorable Events

1. What type of services do you offer to brides and grooms?

Memorable Events offers wedding packages from venue set up to full planning. Our most popular request is for day of coordination. I usually tell my brides if they think they need help with it I will take care of it.

2. How long have you been in the wedding industry and where are you located?

I have been in the wedding industry since 2005, previously I worked on corporate events. Memorable Events is located in Hudsonville, MI which is halfway between the lakeshore and Grand Rapids, but I will travel the entire state for events.

3. What type of couples do you like to work with (traditional, modern, etc.)?

I love working with all types of clients. Lately I have been working with a lot of DIY brides that are looking for someone to bounce ideas off of and to pull all their ideas together on the day of.

4. Is there anything within your business that you specialist in (green weddings, floral design, etc.).

I specialize in Day Of Coordination. I pride myself in being able to see a couple’s vision both in all the little details and the overall picture and am able to bring their vision into reality.

5. What do you think sets you apart from other vendors in the industry?

I believe what sets me apart from other vendors is that I have a great ability to think outside of the box. I think through an event from every angle, the guests, the couple, and the families and make sure every need will be met leading up to and on the day of the event.

6. What advice would you give to a bride and/or groom who is just beginning his/her wedding planning journey?

I hate to see couples overwhelmed with the planning process during their engagement. I tell all my clients to make sure they put each other first and focus on the real reason for the wedding, their marriage.

7. When you’re not busy planning weddings for couples, how do you like to spend your downtime?

When I am not busy with weddings I am at home enjoying all my boys…my husband, my 10 month old son and my dog. We love to go to the lake and to camp. But in reality, planning is 24/7!! The only real break I get is when there isn’t wireless service!