Amazing People and Amazing Love
One of the things I hope for most when working with my couples is to develop real connections with them. I could not have had a better experience with a couple- and their entire group of family and friends- if I had designed their wedding myself. Alex and Megan got married on a LUCKY Friday the 13th of October in downtown Chelsea, MI at the stunning Collins Collective venue. Their ceremony took place at the historic Clocktower location and they held their reception at the equally lovely Collins Off Main. And when I tell you it was wonderful…. Well, why don’t I just show you?
The Fun Overnight Bridal Suite
The Collins Off Main boasts a beautiful upstairs apartment complete with a full living space and multiple beds for the bridal party to use. This was a perfect place for the ladies to get ready, and the simplicity and clean lines of the space is classic and timeless. Megan, our absolutely gorgeous bride, is exactly that kind of person; she is kind, gentle, delicate, and classy and this space truly spoke to her personality!
The Stunning Glam Room
Ok, can we also talk about the SEPARATE glam room at the Collins Off Main? This space was warm and inviting and FULL of beautiful light, which was absolutely perfect for the dress photos and Megan’s portraits. Megan absolutely rocked the style of her wedding, bringing bold colors in to compliment a clean, timeless aesthetic. The dresses were so fun and brought a lot of brightness and life to the color palette. Just wait until you see how Megan paired the dresses with the groomsmen’s attire, and also how it all just blends seamlessly with the decor!
Ok, let’s pause for a moment to appreciate everything about this photo! Just look at those expressions! Megan’s ladies were so incredibly sweet, supportive, and attentive to her all day long. Her dress reveal to them was one of my favorite parts of the day and dang it, I cried haha.
Also, just look at Alex’s mom seeing Megan for the first time. Not only did Megan score a freaking wonderful husband, but his family was awesome too. Their real affection and honest love for one another was so beautiful to see. I think that gaining a mother-in-law like Alex’s mom is one of the most underrated and beautiful parts of getting married, and Megan really hit the jackpot!
The short walk from the Collins Off Main to the Clocktower where their ceremony took place was a wonderful opportunity to snap some candids.
Um yes, yes you are seeing that right: those are their engagement photos inside Alex’s jacket! Megan told Alex early on in the planning process she thought it would be so unique to have their engagement photos printed on the inner lining of his suit jacket. Alex filed that away and when the time came, he worked with his tailor to have this amazing, one-of-a-kind suit created to surprise her! (And yes, those photos are from Two Birds Media too! This was such a cool experience for me as a photographer and something I will never forget!)
The First Look
After walking over to the Clocktower through the enchanting downtown Chelsea, Michigan Alex and Megan shared their first look before meeting up with their wedding party. The absolute joy between these two was palpable, and I can’t express how honored I feel that I was chosen to capture these moments for them.
I think this particular moment was one of the best from my weddings this year: the moment Alex revealed the jacket to Megan! I mean, have you ever seen anything cooler than that?
I swear, these two are professional models. Straight out of a wedding magazine. I mean COME ON! Just look at them!
The Ceremony
The room flooded with all of Alex and Megan’s closest friends and family to the sweet sounds of the Kalkaska Quartet. Alex’s father officiated, and they shared some of the most heartfelt and intentional vows I have yet heard.
Let’s take a second to appreciate these stunning florals. They were simple and classic, and the white orchids and greenery created such a clean and dreamy look! Maureen’s Designs really knocked these out of the park.
The day would not have been complete without the classic Clocktower photo. It was an adventure climbing up into the top of the tower with a bunch of photo and video gear, but obviously you can see it was a thousand percent worth it. Stunning!
Alex’s guys were hilarious and up for anything. I told them to pretend they were the “hottest boy band of 2024” and I think they slayed.
Catch the matching ties and dresses in the photo below!
The Reception
Everyone headed over to the Collins Off Main for the cocktail hour, dinner, and dancing. Keep scrolling to see some of the beautiful decor and fun moments!
Cookies and Milk for dessert? What a novel idea and also, COOKIES AND MILK! This wall is great because it can be used for a variety of things like champagne, desserts, and more!
A GIANT chess board graces the cute side yard at the Collins Off Main. It’s such a fun way to keep guests occupied during cocktail hour!
Megan and Alex’s design here is just absolutely stunning. Simple, chic, and colorful, these tablescapes really helped create a festive and upscale reception!
Another favorite of the evening was the multiple suit jackets Megan’s dad wore for each event of the evening- talk about glamorous! He first rocked this black sequined stunner (below) and later threw on a colorful glitter-sequined number that really stole the show on the dance floor! He also gave a beautiful and heartfelt speech that made everyone laugh and cry in equal measure. What an epic evening it was for him!
Fun fact: Alex’s family owns Crispelli’s, a Detroit-area Italian restaurant group. Crispelli’s catered the dinner and man – was it amazing. They describe themselves as a “part bakery, part pizzeria” and they offer affordable gourmet food, something both Kara my associate shooter and I found to be 100% accurate. The food was absolutely delicious!
Alex and his mom (who is super cool, if you can’t tell from the pictures haha) surprised everyone with a choreographed dance! They started out with a standard mother-son tune and then did a surprise transition into an epic dance number that had everyone laughing and cheering. I don’t think it is possible to be cooler than these guys! I love seeing unique and fun stuff like this at weddings- it’s all about bringing personality and joy to the wedding day and they did not miss!
Shout out to the awesome DJ, April of CC King Entertainment, for packing the dance floor and being so amazing about communication! She was a delight to work with and I hope I get the chance to do a wedding with her again in the future!
Alex and Megan’s wedding day is one for the books. To date, it is one of my favorite weddings ever. This couple, their wonderful and loving family and friends, the amazing vendors that helped create their day, and all of the details that went into it made for such a unique event. And, above all, the pure and joyful love these two have for one another was so beautiful to witness. I am forever grateful I get to capture these moments for my couples!
Two Birds Media loved working with the following vendors for Megan and Alex’s wedding day:
Venue and Event Planning | The Collins Off Main and The Chelsea Clocktower
Catering | Crispellis
Bar | Cloud Nine
Florist | Maureen’s Designs
Cake | Mia’s Bakery
Ceremony Entertainment | Kalkaska Quartet
Rentals | Blue Sky Event Rentals
Reception Entertainment: CC King
Shuttle | Catch Transportation
Cigars | Cigarden
Photo and Video : Two Birds Media (Owner Kelly Meyer and Associate Kara Hanes)
