Ryan + Hannah | StoneWater Country Club Wedding in Grand Rapids
How would I describe Ryan and Hannah's wedding day?
First thing (for sure) is FUN and secondly, surrounded by great people.
Knowing these two wanted to look their best on the most important day of their lives, we spent time planning out the perfect photo timeline for the day.
The timeline included getting ready at a friend's home with Ryan and all the guys, time for a stop at the Blue Bridge in downtown Grand Rapids, photos on the golf course at StoneWater and enough time to capture all the details of the day in between.
You'll love this post because:
1) LOTS of photos (I just couldn't help myself, I wanted to include so many more)
2) The ceremony at ResLife in Grandville (the atrium was a perfect choice)
3) The weather for photos at the Blue Bridge and StoneWater was the best we've seen in July
4) The wedding party of 25 people (bride, groom, 16 attendants and 7 ushers) made for a crazy day of fun personalities
We hope you enjoy the photos (and the day) as much as we did! If you're interested in who did what for Ryan and Hannah's wedding day, you'll find the list below as well.
One part of the wedding day we find important is to make sure the bride and groom, along with the entire wedding party, feels comfortable in front of the camera.
If a couple does not schedule a "first look", we do this by scheduling photo time for "Just the Guys" and "Just the Girls" prior to the ceremony.
This gives us, as photographers, a chance to get to meet everyone, find out who loves the camera (and who doesn't) and build rapport with the group of people that are standing next to one of their best friends.
Getting to know 25 people in a short amount of time is one of the best parts of our job as wedding photographers!
We usually schedule 30 minutes of down time prior to the ceremony. This gives the bride, groom and wedding party a chance to catch their breath and make sure everything is in order.
For Ryan and Hannah, they waited in opposite ends of the building from one another. With their groomsmen and bridesmaids at their side, it made for a special time "Just Before".
One thing to note about ResLife's Atrium for the ceremony is the ability of a photographer to use the upper level for photos. Most church's don't have a level that goes behind the bride and groom and allows us to capture the wedding guests watching the wedding, but ResLife had just that!
Family portraits are so, so, so important. I know there are couples in the world who don't feel they're important.
If you know some of those people, have them take a look at Ryan and Hannah's family's portraits. The families were a pleasure to photograph and everyone looked their best!
The plan for "Location Photos" was, "If we have enough time, we would like to go to the Blue Bridge before heading to the reception..."
With the ceremony only lasting 20 minutes, we had luck on our side. We worked through family portraits quickly and said, "Downtown GR here come Ryan, Hannah and all their friends!"
If you are not familiar with the Blue Bridge, it's an iconic pedestrian bridge in downtown Grand Rapids. It also means in the summer months, it's a busy place.
However, we were able to use the bridge after other wedding parties headed out. After a little time on the bridge, we moved toward the Grand Rapids Public Museum, which had better light and a better view (in my opinion).
StoneWater was the final destination for the evening and the landscaping they have just outside their reception space is some of the best in the area, which made it simple for a wedding party of 25 people as well as portraits of just Ryan and Hannah.
As with all wedding days, it's time to party with friends and family at the reception. After introductions, some of the best toasts I've ever heard, a wonderful meal and some cake smashing, it was time for Ryan and Hannah to enjoy the evening with their guests.
One quick interruption had to happen during "the golden hour" (the last 60 minutes before sunset). The sun set behind the waterfall landscaping and bridge area and we had to pull Ryan and Hannah aside to capture dramatic portraits they'll never forget!
Oh, and we had some fun with the bridesmaids as well. 😀
Wedding Vendors
Ceremony: Resurrection Life Church
Reception & Catering: StoneWater Country Club
Wedding Dress: David's Bridal
Wedding Shoes: Betsy Johnson
Bridesmaids Dresses: David's Bridal
Suits: Woodland Tailoring
Hair & Makeup: Heidi Christine's
Jewelry: Amazon
Flowers: Horrock's Market
Linens: Sitting Pretty
DJ: Roger from DJ Bugbee
Love the images you see of Ryan and Hannah? Looking for a photographer that can make you feel confident? We would love to connect with you about your photography needs!