audrea + jay - howell

Audrea and Jay were married at Crystal Gardens Chapel, an open air wedding venue in Howell.  This is such a gorgeous location and especially perfect if you are looking for shelter from our Michigan weather, along with natural light.  Audrea was escorted down the aisle by her brothers, one on each side.  I'm not sure if there were more tears or more smiles on that day, as Audrea's dad had passed away at a young age and was there only in spirit.  A chair sat alone near the front of the Chapel, honoring his presence.  It was beautiful.

They were married in the fall and Audrea was really hoping for some natural images with autumn color... so of course, we hit the park for portraits.  The trees there were in their finest, the day was cool and we spent some time just soaking up the crisp air.  You could hear the leaves falling and crunching as we walked.  And everything smells different that time of year.  It was perfect.

Then... on to the reception at Howell Opera House.  I can't even say how wonderfully fantastic this venue is for a wedding reception.  First off, the reception space is fun and has a quirky, vintage-warehouse-theater feel to it.  It's cozy and intimate and great for a small reception.  Second, there's the actual theater on the top floor that's in the process of being restored.  I love old buildings and especially old buildings that still retain their original look.  I love the peeling paint, old floorboards and original details complete with that aged patina that you don't see much anymore.  It was built in 1881 and was closed in 1924... and basically looks exactly as it did when it shut down.  Tack on 90+ years and you have the recipe for a quintessential October setting.  Eerily beautiful.  We were fortunate to have been given permission to photograph in the theater area- a most awesome backdrop for photos.