{Fox Hills Golf + Banquet Center Wedding // Candance + Steven}

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{plymouth, mi // september 2019}

The love these two have for each other is amazing. They met in high school, fell in love, got engaged and planned a beautiful wedding day at Fox Hills Golf + Banquet Center. It started out a a decently warm day for mid-September. The girls and I went out to the golf course to get some bridal photos and as soon as we got to the perfect spot, a guy who worked there drove up on his golf cart and said we couldn’t in the area, which was news to us as we were told we could go anywhere on property. His concern was our safety with getting hit but we were confused on who would be hitting golf balls backwards! So we got back on our golf carts to head back, he got a call on his radio saying we could stay. THANK GOD! We had the most beautiful lighting and guess what.. didn’t get hit! We raced back to the bridal room before the guys showed up so Steven wouldn’t see her. And the second he did during the ceremony, he couldn’t hold back his tears at how stunning she was!

They had the best looking sunset that night for photos, smashed some cake in each other’s faces, played the shoe game, got the garter stuck up on a beam and did the chicken dance! Then they danced the night away!

{Mill Pond Park Engagement // Caitlin + Austin}

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{mt. pleasant, mi // september 2019}

Caitlin and I started talking about a month before their session, trying to find a spot to take their photos. With me living in Traverse City and them near Ann Arbor, we decided to meet in the middle. We decided on this little place called Mill Pond Park. Cute place! Wondering if the clouds would open up and show us the sunset, that sadly didn’t happen. But we didn’t let that get us down and we still got amazing photos!

I’m super excited for their wedding next August!

{Traverse City Wedding // Emmy + Justin}

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(traverse city, mi // september 2019}

What a gorgeous day Emmy + Justin got! The girls got their hair and makeup at Polished Hair Studio in Traverse City and finished getting ready at Emmy + Justin’s house. Nicole, my second shooter, headed over to the Twin Lake Park to meet up with Justin and the guys. The park had a simple yet elegant feel to it, perfect for Emmy + Justin. During the ceremony, they put their vows in a wooden box with a bottle of wine and nailed in shut for their future.

While cocktail hour was happening, the wedding party and I went downtown to Mammoth Distilling for Emmy + Justin’s first shot as husband and wife! Once we got some good group shots, we had to get back to Emmy + Justin’s house for the reception, which was absolutely stunning! There was a band playing and a food truck getting ready to serve dinner. After the speeches was their first dances and cake cutting. And just for some fun {and warmth} they started a bonfire to give a perfect end to a perfect day!

{Home Birth // CPD}

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{mio, mi // september 2019}

Blood warning!!

September 14th was one of the coolest days of my life. Well I guess I should start on the 13th, Friday the 13th to be exact. We had been waiting for this baby for a while now. My aunt Courtney was now 41 weeks and 4 days. I got a text around 6am from her saying that she had been having contractions since 3am. I told her to hold that baby in until I was done with work. Luckily she did! But little did we know, that she still had a long ways to go. Shortly after I got there, which was around 5pm, she got checked and was “only” at 4cm. We thought since she had be in labor for over 12 hours that she would’ve been farther along. She decided to get into the birthing pool to help with the pain a bit. But then the baby’s heart rate started to go up because of the warm water so she had to get out.

A couple hours went by and we still didn’t have a baby. Everyone was trying to nap as much as they could in case baby came in the middle of the night. I stayed up for a while and helped Courtney get through her contractions. After a little bit, I decided I should get some rest too. {Mainly because I had to photograph a wedding the next day!}

Around 8am on the 14th, her water finally broke {on the toilet} and things started to move very quickly. We all scrambled around their house to get the birthing pool’s temperature back up but it wasn’t going as fast as we wanted it to. They moved her into the guest room and onto the birthing stool. After 30 hours of back labor and grueling contractions, baby was born. Since they decided to not find out the gender, everyone couldn’t wait to see what it was. As Courtney held baby to her chest, she looked behind the legs and saw a little member sticking out. Her words were “It’s a boy.. we have to try again!”

Collin Patrick Danhoff. 9am. 7lbs, 5 oz. 21 inches.