I first met Dayna and Brandon and Dayna’s parents last year when I photographed them for their engagement photos.  They are simply a family that you immediately fall in love with.  They are sweet, kind, funny and endearing.  I have enjoyed getting to know them and their family over the past year.  And, they are a family who LOVES photos!  So Nikki and I were in our element…photographing and telling the story of the wedding day.  We had so many photos it was hard to choose what to post for the wedding blog!  (A good position to be in I think.)

Fast forward to the wedding day…We didn’t know if we were going to be able to have a beach wedding on the beach in Elberta given the weather indicated 90% chance of rain for the entire day!  However, the rain held off and they had an unbelievably gorgeous beach wedding with fog rolling in and out.  At the end of the ceremony, the sun started coming out and we were off to take pictures around the area in Frankfort, at Point Betsie, and in Beulah.  Their reception was at the incredibly wonderful Crystal Lake Weddings and was coordinated by the amazing Liz Mahlich and Jamie Keillor.  (You just can’t go wrong here – it is beautiful and well coordinated!)

Wonderful family and friends came into town to celebrated Dayna and Brandon’s wedding.  The back porch area of the reception tent was the perfect backdrop for family pictures, and the golf course was picture perfect for sunset pictures.  We ended the night, int he dark, with a couple sparkler shots.  It was truly a memorable day, and I am so blessed I was able to take photos for such a wonderful group of people!  Enjoy!  ~Rayan

This ring shot contains Dayna and Brandon’s wedding rings, sitting on a ring box made by her uncle, with her mother’s pearl’s, her pearl earrings, her grandmother’s purse that her grandmother took to her prom, and her wedding shoes.  I love the meaning behind this photo!

————————————Elberta, Michigan and Beulah, Michigan—————————–

August 16, 2014

Ceremony:  Lake Michigan Beach in Elberta, Michigan

Reception:  Liz Mahlich at Crystal Lake Weddings at Crystal Lake Golf Club

Lodging:  Crystal Lake Resort, Harbor Lights Resort, The Best Western

Flowers:  Crystal Gardens and Victoria’s Floral Design

Catering:  Catering by Kellys

Beer:  The StormCloud Brewing Company

Cakes:  Kittleson’s Cakes

Table Decorations:  Dayna, Brandon and Crystal Lake Weddings

Music:  Music by Gael and Northern Michigan DJ

—————————————————————————————————————-