The Revel Rose

Every once in a great while, the stars align and you happen to book a wedding with some of your favorite creatives in the wedding industry. And happen to get to be a part of a wedding with a seriously fun couple who met at a singles night when they both moved to a new city and hit it off right then. 

​

When my sweet friend Meaghan of the design studio Birch Affair let me know that she was going to connect me with her best friend Ang who was engaged, I could not be more flattered or excited. Meaghan and I met informally through Instagram and our shared beginnings in the wedding industry, and quickly became friends who get excited any time we have a free moment to either create together or just meet to catch up as we live four hours apart, she in Detroit and me in Northern Michigan. 

​

When we first talked, she described her grand visions for the design plan for her best friend, a sacred role that she also shared with being Maid of Honor. Meaghan thrives in event design and also is a wildly creative paper floral artist, prop and set designer, and just all around great person to know in the wedding industry if you are in need of a design eye and some expert on-site guidance. She even made it out to one of my 2018 weddings to help me with the set up and styling and was a true godsend that day.

​

Meaghan described her best friend as a laid back, super funny, girly girl who loves a little glam, and the complete opposite of Meaghan in all the best ways. She said Ang was so excited about her wedding yet 100% had trusted her best friend to take the lead with all things design and planning as she lived several hours away in Louisville but wanted to get married in a region where she had vacationed with her family growing up. By the time Ang and Ben contacted me about providing Event Management and Coordination for their wedding, they had already assembled a solid team of some people I love to work with.

​

Their early June wedding, which is practically the first week of spring in Northern Michigan was set to take place at Aurora Cellars, a sprawling hilltop vineyard smack dab in the middle of Leelanau County and surrounded by cherry orchards which would be in full bloom that week of June. They had enlisted the creative energy of Kalin at Sweetwater Floral to help Meaghan's visions for a lush botanical tented wedding come to life, and were working with one of my favorite caterers, Leelanau County native Kristy of Island Thyme Catering to prepare a beautiful farm to table seasonal meal for just under 150 guests. Specialty rentals from 307 Events and Tents rounded out the on-site rentals at Aurora Cellars, and some specialty items including a geometric arch from Modernly Events in Detroit completed the beautiful ceremony under a weeping willow tree on the property. 

​

I hadn't yet met or worked with Marissa and Dylan of Boy Girl Beauty World, a photography duo based up in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, but I had been following their incredible work and adventures (they winter in Spain every year, just an FYI if you want to stalk them) for some time and was so excited to meet them. 

​

Once we began working together, I could see immediately why Meaghan would fall for Ang. Ang is bubbly, laughs with her head tilted all the way back, is all about having a good time, and isn't as absorbed in details as she is in seeing the big picture come to life. Meaghan, Ang, and I had an opportunity to meet up in the months before the wedding for brunch and to visit some specialty rental shops in Grand Rapids, and it was amazing watching Meaghan translate Ang's vision with a few simple items and styling. We ended up sourcing tabletop rentals from Gigi & LaClede based in Grand Rapids, and Meaghan worked her magic to source the rest. Our friend Heather of Ampersand Letter Lab based in Traverse City provided all of the custom handlettering and calligraphy work for the signage, and another great vendor team, M.O. Hair and Beauty was on-site to provide Ang, Meag, and a few family members with hair and makeup services during a relaxed morning at the old farmhouse located on the vineyard property.

​

The wedding day itself was a dream. Our first one of the season and we were blessed with warmer than usual weather, the first week of bright green grass, and the epoch of the cherry blossoms in bloom. It was warm enough for an ice cream buffet from local favorite Moomers, and chilly enough in the evening to gather around a bonfire at the end of the night. The day truly felt like hanging out with all of our good friends and was the best way to ease back into wedding season production, and Ang and Ben were clearly SO DANG EXCITED to be getting married and sharing the day with all of their favorite people. 

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​