“When we initially met with Erik + Allison, it was a chilly and cold January afternoon in Chicago. Although it being Winter, we talked mostly about the exact opposite weather and the Summer. We discussed their plans for their South Haven beach destination wedding and had fun getting to know each other a little better. It wasn’t long that the four of us were bonding talking about our past vacations in Michigan both in South Haven and our trips to other beach towns up and down the Lake Michigan coast stretching from the Indiana lakeshore border up to Traverse City. ( And even way up north in Mackinac Island. ) ( Of course, there was a little mentioning of us bringing along our wakeboard boat on a few of those past vacations to Michigan too. If time only would have allowed to include a final photo concept of the newlyweds on the back of our boat speeding off into the sunset to close the shoot… well perhaps on our next visit. : )

 

Allison found us online and in her initial email, she wrote “Erik and I are both from Chicago, but fell in love with South Haven when visiting there a few summers back.” South Haven is definitely one of those kind of places… once you visit the town, you’ll be sure to be telling everyone about it. That was definitely one of the reasons E+A chose this town as the location for their destination wedding weekend in wanting to present to all of their friends and family the place they discovered together and fell in love with. After further talking, we also learned South Haven was where Erik proposed… and ironically enough in all of the beautiful spots in town where the proposal could have taken place, we learned it was near this exact bluff we scouted and selected for their trash the dress session. It was an uncanny moment when the four of us got to the shoot spot and realized the mere significance of the beautiful lakefront point.

 

Allison mentioned how her and Erik would love for us to stay in town after the wedding with the hopes to schedule a day after the wedding trash the dress photography session on the beach. We were thrilled to hear it. Both a day after or a trash the dress session allows for additional time for creative, artistic and more fashion style photographs without needing to keep to the busy ceremony and reception day’s schedule. It’s up to the bride whether she personally decides to trash or just simply re-wear the gown again. The extra day allows for venturing into more elaborate locations and especially shooting the trash the dress sessions in non-traditional shooting locations. In an urban or grungy setting, in the water or mud, we love embracing the trash the dress trend and creating some unique, straight from the pages of a magazine style pictures. A trash the dress photo session gives the bridal gown new life, in lieu of simply sitting in the closet. The shoot can take place the day after the wedding ( if you have the energy for it like Allison + Erik did ), on your one year anniversary, or after you return from the honeymoon ( or you could even take us along on your honeymoon! ) There are no rules when it comes to a shoot like this, except relax the wedding is over, now let’s take some unique and amazing photos. We loved working with Erik + Allison creating classic, romantic and fashion magazine style keepsake photographs.

 

Thanks again, we had a great time working with you Allison and Erik and enjoying South Haven with you and your weekend’s guests. The wine + dinner at Tello’s in town after this session was much appreciated, only wish we could have stayed in town longer after the two days of photography. We hope to continue to stay in touch. We felt as if we instantly became great friends over these two days. You two are such awesome people, your love totally shines through for each other, we wish you a successful future together. Hope you are enjoying Australia this week on your honeymoon and are planning on an amazing NYE celebration there. Congrats again and thank you.”

 

 

 

Want to see photos from Erik + Allison’s Chicago to South Haven Michigan destination weekend? Click here to see a few of our favorite photos from their South Haven destination wedding day.