Wedding at the Milestone Barn in Bannister, Michigan

I met Sandy and Zack last year in Ann Arbor for the engagement session, and I knew there wedding would be super awesome and low key. They are both so kind and easy to get along with. That being said, this wedding brought up a topic that I think needs to be addressed.

Hey wedding vendors:

When you are hired by a client, your job is to do what they want you to do. It really (usually) is that simple. Secondly, if you talk badly about my clients (AND YOURS) behind their backs to me, I probably am not going to side with you OR recommend you. Ever.

During this wedding, a certain vendor did not approve of the bride's choice in...well the way she wanted things. As most of you know, my couples are usually on the nontraditional side. Rather than listening, this vendor chose to talk over the bride and completely ignore her requests and basically did whatever he wanted to. He then talked to me about how this was the weirdest wedding her had ever been to and basically how he knew better than the couple about the way things should go. You guys. At that point, I put myself between the bride and this guy and made sure things were done her way. I'm not here to trash talk another vendor (so his business will remain nameless), but seriously.

Two things -

1. Brides, pay attention during phone calls and conversations with potential vendors. Are they really listening to you? Or are they putting words in your mouth and bent on doing things their own way? How frustrated will you be if they choose to do things their way on the wedding day?

2. Vendors, if you don't want to do things the bride's way, then don't allow them to hire you in the first place. Period. And trash talking the bride to other vendors is NEVER a good idea.

Anyway....on to this lovely wedding.

Gabe and I arrived at the Milestone Barn in the early afternoon. We gathered detail photos and photos of the grounds and flowers and all the pretty stuff before moving on to the first look.

This phone was important. Just a few days before the wedding, Sandy's mom was injured and both of her parents were unable to attend. Thanks to technology, Sandy's mom was able to be there virtually while she got ready, and both parents watched ceremony and reception live on Facebook.

I knew that Zack and Sandy's first look wouldn't disappoint. This is how a man should look at his bride, am I right?

This wedding was a quiet one - small wedding party, jazzy and instrumental remakes of popular songs played during dinner. It was the kind of wedding where you feel welcome - just grab a drink, hang out, and chat.

And how adorable is it that the bride's nephew found a four leaf clover at the start of the ceremony?

After dinner, Sandy had a quite moment with her mom on the phone, and her nephew got to say hi to grandma. When I walked back into the barn, I found Zack steeling a dance with his mom (cue the tears). As the formal parent dances were cut in the absence of Sandy's parents, this was Zack's chance to dance with his mom.

There may not have been much dancing and partying and drunk shenanigans when compared to the typical wedding (much to the dismay of a certain dj.) There may have been absent family members who were dearly missed, but there was no shortage of joy, love, and warmth at this wedding, and I was honored to have been apart of it.

Venue: The Milestone Barn

Photos: Little Blue Bird Photography

Dress: LaceMarry (Etsy)

Stationary: TeeshaDerrick (Etsy)

Makup: Gals and Ghouls

Cake: The Patisserie

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