Vintage Teal Wedding, Packard Proving Grounds, Michigan: Melissa + Jeremy
I arrived at the historic Packard Proving Grounds for Melissa and Jeremy's wedding day with so much joy and excitement in my heart! I had the opportunity to get to know Jeremy and Melissa at their engagement session last fall and they both are just so much fun, laid-back, and are always making each other laugh. Their amazing energy is palpable so I knew their wedding day was going to not only be heartfelt, but so much fun!
I think one of the more special moments of the day was when Melissa and Jeremy shared a first look before their ceremony! I could go on for a while about all the pros to sharing a first look before walking down the aisle, but I think one of the major pros is that when a bride and groom are able to share a first look they do so in a private space that's just them! The first time they see each other is private, just between them (and me a few yards away with my quiet, ninja-like camera and long lens) and they don't have to worry about 200 pairs of eyes watching or trying to stay composed to make it through the ceremony. They are more at ease about having a REACTION and letting the emotions flow naturally! They can also hug, kiss, and embrace each other which you can't do at the ceremony until the very end!
As Melissa walked out to meet Jeremy, she called to him and he turned around with THE biggest smile and got to watch as his soon-to-be-wife walked towards him in her beautiful vintage-inspired lace and beaded wedding gown! After they let me know that they were ready to continue with their romantic portraits, we walked around the beautiful historic property together before inviting the rest of the wedding party to join in.
Melissa has such an eye for detail and everything in her navy and teal color scheme came together so amazingly at both the ceremony and the reception! The talented Kristen Isenberg, who was the couple's wedding coordinator, helped ease the stress of setting everything up and allowed Melissa and Jeremy to enjoy their day and be present in the moment.
Melissa and Jeremy, you both are such kind, loving, and funny souls and it was such an honor to be your wedding photographer and to be a part of your celebration! I wish you both nothing but happiness, love, laughter, and crazy fun adventures together in life!
Love Always,
Courtney
I LOVED Melissa's wedding dress which had an almost victorian-esque high neck line and it opened up in the back (classy in the front - sassy in the back!).
As any woman knows, when wearing heels it's good to have some dancing shoes stowed away and these teal and navy converse were perfect for the dance floor!
Melissa stepped into her dress with the help of her mom and bridesmaids inside one of the old garages on the Packard Proving Grounds property. There were all these amazing windows and doors that let in the beautiful natural light!
So another SUPER cool aspect to Melissa and Jeremy's decor was a teal hotrod that a family member owned and rebuilt! HOW PERFECT, RIGHT!?!?
Melissa you really are just so stunning!
Time for Jeremy to see Melissa for the first time!
I love how happy they both are and from here on out the nerves just seemed to melt away!
So cute!
The teal colored bridesmaids dresses really added a wonderful pop of color and their handmade navy, white, and teal bouquet were gorgeous. I especially loved the stripped navy ribbon running down the stems!
Melissa and Jeremy are proud puppy parents and they included their adorable dog, Hank, in the wedding celebration! They even had him wear a teal leash and teal doggy bow tie.
I really loved this one of all the girls with Melissa!
Besides the teal colored car a family member brought, Packard Proving Grounds has a host of old fashioned cars housed inside their industrial looking garages on the property and we spotted this navy colored one which made for a great photo op!
After bride and groom and the wedding party portraits were finished, they all had some time to refresh and relax before the ceremony.
The attention to detail Melissa had was amazing and I loved the handmade alter with it's antique windows and lace curtains!
Another cute detail were these teal and navy hearts that lined the aisle!
They nailed that, "Wooo! We're Married!" look! :)
Inside the reception, the teal car was parked and on display along with a host of other amazing details like the blue and white floral arrangements, the seating chart with the hand drawn bicycles and guest names, and one of my favorites was the teal, vintage suitcase for cards!
You could really feel the emotion during not only Melissa and Jeremy's first dance, but also with her and her father and Jeremy with both his mom and Melissa's mom!
So sweet!
After the formal dances, there was a Footloose kind of moment where the DJ turned on the dance music and it was as if Kevin Bacon yelled, "I thought this was a party!? Let's Dance!!"
After several songs out on the dance floor Melissa and Jeremy snuck away from the party for a few minutes to enjoy the cool night air and that dreamy sunset light!
These were a couple of my last frames at the end of the night and I think it perfectly captured Melissa and Jeremy, their love for each other, and how fun life can be when you decide to spend it with the one who truly connects with you!
Many (many) thanks to the talented team who were apart of creating this beautiful wedding:
Ceremony & Reception Venue / Location: Packard Proving Grounds, Shelby Charter Township, MI
Wedding Dress Designer: Sophia Tolli
Bridal Salon: Bella Bridal Gallery, West Bloomfield, MI
Bridesmaids Dress Designer: Alfred Sung, from Nordstrom
Groom and Groomsmen Designer: Pronto Uomo, from Men's Warehouse
Wedding Planner: Kristen Isenberg
DJ / Entertainment: Conor Mendenhall
Videographer: Fairytale Productions
Cake: Holiday Market
Catering: Holiday Market
Invitations: VistaPrint
Photographer: Courtney Carolyn Photography
(Also a special shout out to my amazing assistant, Scott! Your help and patience are always a blessing to me!)
Meet Courtney
Welcome to the CCP Blog! I'm Courtney Carolyn a wedding photographer based just outside of Detroit, Michigan. I hope you grab a cup of coffee (or sweet tea) and enjoy viewing my latest work, reading up on resources for brides, and getting a little peek into my life! I'm so excited you stopped by! Read more . . .
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