Alyssa and Nick reached out to us back in 2019 about photographing their Lazy J Ranch wedding in June of 2021. The ceremony took place at Orchard Lake Saint Mary’s Shrine Chapel which is Nick’s family’s church. This church was STUNNING! Such a unique building with so many beautiful features. The garden’s on the grounds of the church made for a perfect location for family photos after the ceremony was complete. For the reception we headed over to Lazy J Ranch for their barn reception. This venue is perfect for weddings. They have a dining hall where guests sat and ate their dinner, then they have a separate barn just for the dance floor. It worked out perfectly, not to mention the scenery around this barn was beautiful.

To start the day off we met the bride and groom at the church in West Bloomfield. They got ready on site and we were able to do their first look right outside in the perfect weather. We always love a good first look between the bride and groom before the ceremony. If you’re worried you’re going to be super nervous walking down the aisle, we highly suggest a first look! It gives the two of you a private moment before the ceremony begins and also allows us to capture a lot more images if you have a tighter timeline!

After their first look Alyssa and Nick exchanged some gifts and cards. They sat on a nearby bench to read them and spend a quiet moment together before heading in to see their families. It was a beautiful moment!

Once the ceremony commenced, we headed over to the barn to start their Lazy J Ranch wedding! We got there before some of the guests giving us plenty of time to do some group photos of the wedding party and of course some individuals of the couple. We were able to use quite a few areas around the barn as backdrops and it worked out perfectly!

The barn also offers a hay ride for your wedding party to go back to see a tree that’s older than the barn itself. They say it’s a major photo spot for wedding days and I see why, it was so pretty back there with the sun shining through the branches.

We had such a fantastic time working with Alyssa and Nick! On top of their wedding day, we were able to capture some beautiful engagement photos. They chose to do two different engagement sessions and both times were absolutely perfect. We headed to New Era for a few fun beach photos, on the same beach that Nick proposed. In their second session, they got to include their pups. Any chance I get to photograph animals, I’m all in so I was thrilled they brought them along to Fallsburg Park.

Overall, it has been so fantastict working with Nick and Alyssa! Check out Lazy J Ranch here. If you’re getting married and think we would be a good fit, we’d love to capture your day! Check out our wedding details!