Haley + Chase // East Tawas, Michigan

Some wedding days unfold exactly according to plan, and others become memorable because they don’t. Haley and Chase’s rainy wedding day at Northwoods Greenhouse in Tawas, Michigan was definitely the latter — and it was absolutely perfect.

Haley and Chase are friends of ours, which made photographing their wedding feel especially meaningful. They are such a sweet couple — fun, active, adventurous, and genuinely happy just doing life together. Their wedding day reflected so much of who they are: relaxed, joyful, and completely focused on getting married, no matter what the weather decided to do.

And the weather certainly had plans of its own.

Rain moved through Tawas for much of the day, but eventually there was a break in the clouds. With what looked like a window of dry weather, they decided to move forward with the outdoor ceremony they had hoped for.

Everything was in place. Guests were seated, the ceremony began, and somehow the rain was holding off.

Then, just as Haley and her mom started walking down the aisle, the sky opened up.

It poured.

But Haley kept walking.

There was something so beautiful about watching her make her way toward Chase with her mom beside her, completely unfazed by the rain. No stopping, no turning around, no letting a Michigan rainstorm change what that moment was supposed to be.

And then, almost as quickly as it started, everything changed.

Shortly after Haley’s mom gave her away, the rain stopped and the sun came out. What had started as a ceremony in a downpour turned into one of the most beautiful moments of the entire day. It was one of those things you could never plan, but somehow made their ceremony even more unforgettable.

My other favorite piece from their wedding day was the perfectly pressed paw print on Haley’s train that she so proudly wore all day long. Haley and Chase absolutely love their dogs, and one of their babies apparently decided that Mom’s beautiful white wedding dress was the perfect place to leave a little mark and take a couple of naps. Instead of worrying about it, Haley embraced it. The paw print stayed, and honestly, it felt completely fitting.

Those are the details I love most about photographing weddings — the things no one could have planned. Years from now, the photographs will bring back more than what the flowers looked like or how the tables were decorated. They’ll remember their dog running around, the rain pouring down as Haley walked toward Chase, their families gathered around them, and the sunshine that appeared just in time.

Haley and Chase, we loved getting to photograph this day for you. We are so excited to see where your marriage and relationship with Jesus leads you, we cannot wait to be spectators and cheerleaders for the next chapter, couldn’t be happier for you and we loved every second of your day. Rain, sunshine, paw prints and all — it was completely yours, and it was beautiful.

Vendors // Northwoods Greenhouse / Honey B Beauty LLC / Chris’s Catering / Precious Petals / Beckers Bridal / Men’s Warehouse / Proof Bakehouse / Blackbird Ice Cream / Tawas Movie Theater Popcorn