Photographers Lansing Michigan / Jamie + Luke

Jamie and Luke wanted one thing and one thing only from their fairy flower backyard sunset mystical dance party wedding— to actually be there. Be among the flowers, the handmade details and the guests, be at the center of the celebration. Anything else felt impossible to wrap their mind around. I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately, actually. If your wedding is just about the photos. What the fuck is the point? What are we doing all of this for just to be stressed out, sweating, overstimulated and miserable for most of your wedding day? I’ll die on my little hill that if the venue, the decor, the dress, the flowers are stressing you out, you can step back a bit and see that the ideal fantasy dream wedding is cool and all but the wedding that puts all this pressure on you, doesn’t let you have fun and honestly is great for everyone BUT you is not your perfect wedding. I’m so sick of the bazillion dollar industry and the pressure that it puts on couples. Nothingggggg truly matters except the people who are there. As a Lansing mi wedding photographer, I love to create magic like this in our own city. Lansing has tons of beauty and charm to offer, if you know where to look. I love the opportunity to celebrate that and show off our little citytown, when we can. I’ve talked with other photographers who find it hard to make work they love in the Lansing area, because were not as developed or shiny as bigger cities like NYC, Detroit, etc but lovingly, that’s a skill issue. It’s my responsibility as your photographer to make beautiful photos wherever. And I can and I will!

Leaning into pure whimsy, they handmade all the paper flowers, all the signage guiding guests to all corners of the vast property, friendship bracelets for their bridal party a la T Swift, and danced the night away, passing around donuts and joints between their favorite songs. Their cake topper was soooo them- wrestler man and lady absolutely KO-ing each other, which I personally found very romantic and weird (complimentary, always), and they had one singular request for a bridal party portrait: LUCHADORES. It was pitch black by this time in the night, so I lit those bridal party photos with the headlights from a golf cart, ha! So fun.

A fantastical night.

Jamie + Luke live on the property of and host events through their company, Fae Marguerite Floral & Events. A greatly underrated florist, floral designer AND outdoor event space, all on one beautiful, ever extending natural property. Local enough to Lansing MI that, if you’re from here, you don’t need to travel far and can support local vendors but it’s also astoundingly private and secluded, it feels like you’re tucked away in some magical place you’ve never been. A wide open field with a charming pond and an oversized willow tree offering a shaded spot in dreamy melty light just a few feet away from your main reception area. You fully forget you’re in east lansing. A photographers dream and a couples’ dream— fully aligned. Jamie’s floral work was so stunning, I ended up hiring her for my own vow renewal ceremony in 2024! Don’t sleep on Fae Marguerite, brides & grooms to be!

Their bright midday ceremony offered an abundance of inspirational, intense light, shining a spotlight to the tearful vows and hand fasting ceremony, sealing a commitment that was already 12 years in the making.

As the sun set, we visited the blanketed shade of the willow tree while warm rays of light poured in through the branches surrounding us. We took just a few portraits of them together, giving Jamie + Luke a moment away from the commotion to breathe together. Taking in the magnitude of this moment. The beginning.

Are you planning your wedding in 2027/2028? If I had to take a wild guess, you’re looking at a lot of beautiful portfolios from a lot of talented wedding photographers in the lansing mi area. let me tell you something, though: the right photographer knows how to work with you to help balance your wedding day plan in a way that allows you to experience your day fully without sacrificing anything. That’s the one thing I’d tell you to prioritize, as a person who’s been involved in a lot of weddings.

This way, you’ll get the photos of your dreams without being restricted to an overly tight timeline, pushed all day from photo op to photo op and being awkwardly orchestrated through your moments, acting like someone you’re not through your one precious wedding day. You’ll get to enjoy it without worrying about the logistics of how it’ll look in photos— I’ll make sure it’s beautiful, unique and entirely reflective of you. If this sounds like the experience you’re looking for in your lansing wedding photographer, and in your wedding day, reach out. I’d love to talk more about documenting every detail of your day. How it looked, who was there, how it felt. everything.