Downtown Grand Rapids Ballroom Wedding
I had the opportunity to work alongside Hailey Saterstad Photography for this beautiful ballroom wedding in October. I had just returned from my own honeymoon a few weeks prior, so it was extra special to be at a wedding after I had just gone through all the emotions myself.
The groomsmen suite had a gorgeous rooftop area that we used for groomsmen group photos and for the first looks with the bride and groom and the bride and her dad. The sun wasn’t fully cooperating with us at this time of the day, but we were able to strategically use shadows to avoid harsh sunlight in eyes.
One of my favorite moments I have ever caught on camera was the groom trying to tie his bowtie. I loved it because what could have been a stressful moment was immediately a “no worries, we’ll just find a video on YouTube.” One of the groomsmen and the groom’s dad were there for moral support and we all had a few good laughs.
We headed over to the Amway for a few portraits in the hotel. There was another wedding being set up so I didn’t have a ton of time to grab photos as I assisted Hailey, who was the lead photographer at this wedding.
We then headed to the steps at the Grand Rapids Art Museum for formal wedding party photos. The bride really wanted the photos to be at the Civic Auditorium steps, but unfortunately, they were under construction for the Lyon Square project. When we found that was closed I knew the GRAM would be a great alternative and just a quick 5 minute walk from the Amway, and only 2 minutes from the ballroom.
My coverage ended after toasts/speeches, but I was lucky enough to eat an amazing meal of butternut squash ravioli before leaving. This was one of the most laid back weddings I have ever been to; the lead photographer, Hailey, and the couple were both so easy-going making everything low stress. It’s always so much fun to second shoot and capture things from a different perspective.
Each of my wedding packages comes with the option to add on a second shooter for your wedding day. It’s a great way to get more bang for your buck and gives you the ability to consolidate your timeline a bit. On the fence about adding a second photographer? Read more here: What’s the Value of a Second Shooter?
