[engaged in the D] Agnes and Ken – Engaged in Corktown

November 27, 2013November 25, 2013 by Steph | Leave a comment

I was so excited to hear from Agnes, the photographer from the LoveintheD + Peacock Room vintage wedding photoshoot, recently! She and Ken recently became engaged.

Below is the proposal story, as told by Ken:

From the beginning of our relationship, Agnes has been showing me around the city. I’ve lived in and around Detroit most of my life, but I never fully appreciated it. On top of that, she’s an artist (a photographer); she sees the world through a different lens. And, through her lens, I’ve seen things I’ve never seen before. There’s beauty all around Detroit, and I’ve been missing out. I’m grateful to her for opening my eyes.

One of her great loves is for the graffiti around the city (something we now share). So, when thinking of a way to propose to her, her love for the city and her love of graffiti led to the grand idea of “tagging” my proposal to her somewhere downtown. There was, however, one minor problem: I have NO artistic ability. None. Whatsoever. So, to approach this seemingly insurmountable problem, I did what any left-brain person would do: I researched, organized and planned my way through it. After all of that, one cold Fall night, after the bars had closed, I went downtown and sacrificed a night of sleep to try to impress my girlfriend enough to say “yes”. She would NOT have been impressed with how ridiculous I looked (ski mask, thermal gear, miner’s light, the whole nine yards).

The result of all of this work can be found in a 40-foot strip in the parking lot just south of Mercury Burger Bar in Corktown. Corktown was where we had our second date, and many dates since. Good restaurants, good vibe, up and coming. It’s a microcosm of all of the good that’s going on in the city. If we’re not in our home towns, that’s likely where you’ll find us. Now, my heart was in the right place, but I did vandalize that parking lot.

So, in trying to make things right, I reached out to the owner of the lot, who is also the owner of Slows Bar-B-Q and told him what I had done. I expected a harsh reprimand, but what I got was graciousness. He was more concerned about Agnes’s answer to my proposal than he was about his lot. Needless to say, through that act of kindness, Slows Bar-B-Q has won itself two patrons for life.

By the way, she said yes.

Wedding photography by Tracy & Riva

March 21, 2013June 10, 2013 by Steph | 3 Comments

Ready for some more awesome Detroit wedding photography??

I met Tracy Grosshans & Riva Sayegh-McCullen when I was meeting a lot of wedding photographers in the area a year before my own wedding. Riva Sayegh resides in the beautiful Green Acres neighborhood of Detroit. Tracy and Riva are fun women to get to know … And I loved discovering last year via Facebook that they photographed one of my family friend’s wedding! Scroll down to check out some of Tracy & Riva’s lovely photographs of recent Detroit weddings and see more here!

What inspired you to get into wedding photography?

Wedding photography combines so many elements that we both love. Working with people, especially experiencing this awesome day with them, is an amazing experience! But photographically, it is an exciting challenge that combines portraiture, photojournalism, still-life/ details and action all in a very deadline oriented and short timeframe kind of day. We work really well together, bouncing ideas off the other person all day, and balancing all of the elements together. It’s a fast-paced and thrilling day!

Describe your photography style or approach.

We really love to capture the day as it happens, and not get in the way of what is happening. We are photojournalistic, but we are also in control of the action. When we take the couple’s portraits, we want to really reflect their personalities. We take stylish and timeless photos that we hope really capture the memories that they want from that day.

Tell us about how it came to be that you live in Detroit. What do you love about Detroit?

While Tracy has an amazingly restored 19th century farmhouse in Ypsilanti, I live right here in the city. My husband and I bought our house in Greenacres-Woodward nearly 6 years ago. We really wanted to invest in the city and contribute to its growth and energy. We believe in Detroit. We love Greenacres because of its beautiful historic architecture, huge trees and lush foliage (hence the name of the neighborhood!), diversity of people, and very involved community. The people here are awesome, and we have many friends in the neighborhood, young and old, black and white, everything in between, that not only care about the city and the neighborhood. We all are actively involved in promoting the success of the city in so many ways.

What are your three favorite Detroit wedding venues to photograph?

Many of our favorites are on Belle Isle- the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory and Gardens, Belle Isle Casino, and The Detroit Yacht Club. The Rattlesnake Club is a favorite of ours, the Colony Club is lovely, as are the dozens of historic and architecturally beautiful churches in Detroit.

What are your three favorite Detroit spots for engagement (or anniversary) photos?

Of course Belle Isle, Dequindre Cut, Eastern Market, and my new favorite Palmer Park! Close to home, it has lush woods and a historic log cabin, amazing fountain, a pond and lighthouse. You can see deer there if you are very quiet!

Any predictions for Detroit wedding trends in 2013?

There is definitely a DIY spirit in our Detroit couples. I think whatever the style of the wedding, it’s always so much more exciting when the couple and their friends and family have an active role in the aesthetics and planning of the details. It’s obvious when the details don’t look like they came straight out of a magazine- that they really reflect the couple’s personalities and tastes!

If you could give one piece of advice to Detroit brides & grooms who are trying to choose a wedding photographer, what would it be?

Photographers are really the only vendor you choose for your wedding that you spend nearly the entire day with. You not only want a team of talented photographers that can capture your wedding in a timeless and beautiful way, but you want to have a great experience! Meet with your photographers in person, talk to them and see if they are a good fit- aesthetically, personally, and professionally. We always walk away from our weddings feeling like we made new friends, and we think our couples feel that way as well!

Wedding photography by Ryan Southen

February 11, 2013June 10, 2013 by Steph | 1 Comment

On our wedding day, Sean and I ran out of time before the ceremony to take photos at some of the locations on our list. [Psssst. Tip: Brides, if applicable, schedule your own hair or make-up for the middle of your bridesmaids list — do not put yourself at the end of both lists. Oops!] So, last fall, Sean and I decided to take one year anniversary photos.

Lucky for us, Ryan Southen had recently moved into our lovely neighborhood of Lafayette Park! After Ryan’s wedding photography website thoroughly impressed Sean, I checked out the website and was equally impressed. Ryan spent several hours with us and we were incredibly happy with our anniversary photos. And we had a blast! Scroll down to see some favorite Detroit wedding photographs by Ryan Southen Photography.

Meet Ryan.

What inspired you to get into wedding photography?

I was shooting architecture and commercially but when the recession hit, those jobs disappeared on me and most other photographers in Metro Detroit. I was fortunate enough to have a friend who was in a similar boat. He had started shooting weddings and asked me to assist him. The first wedding he asked me to help him out on happened to be a destination wedding in Maine, so my very first experience with shooting weddings involved flying on a plane and shooting an amazing couple on the Atlantic Ocean! Not a bad way to start and from there, I was hooked. It didn’t take me very long to fall in love with wedding photography. I have met some amazing people, many who have become great friends, and I have been able to travel and photograph some amazing places.

Describe your photography style or approach.

I like to think of my style as modern or contemporary and I’ve been told that people can see my architectural background in my photographs. It’s that perspective that helps me be more creative and deliver a unique product to my couples. I feel that weddings should be fun from start to finish so I would say that I have a relaxed approach to shooting, with an emphasis on having fun! I like to get to know my couples and joke around with them. It ends up making the experience more enjoyable and the fun shows up in the photographs.

Tell us about your move to Detroit. How did you decide to move downtown to Lafayette Park and what do you love about Detroit?

Before I became a photographer, I had dreams of becoming an architect. That dream began with family trips to Detroit when I was young. I became inspired by the buildings and built environment. Detroit fueled my passion for architecture and when I decided to go a different route in life and try my hand at photography, it became the backdrop for my photos. The city has had an unbelievable impact on me from a creative standpoint, so it was a no brainer for me to move down here. I chose to live in Lafayette Park because I love mid-century architecture and design. There is no better place in Metro Detroit than Lafayette Park for that! The neighborhood is wonderful, the people are wonderful, and i love being steps from downtown, the riverfront, the Dequindre Cut and Eastern Market. I really can’t think of a more perfect place for me. It feels great to be a part of Detroit’s renaissance!

What are your three favorite Detroit wedding venues to photograph?

Orchestra Hall – The staff is incredibly accommodating and the mix of the old theater with the modern addition makes for some really great photographic opportunities.

Colony Club – It’s a stunning venue for anyone who wants a classic look.

Detroit Institute of Arts – Although I was told the wedding I shot there in 2011 was the last one to use the Grand Hall, it is still an amazing venue with many possibilities both inside and out.

What are your three favorite Detroit spots for engagement photos?

Belle Isle, the DIA, and the riverfront are all pretty popular spots for my engagement photos. I think my favorite engagement shoots are the ones where we just explore downtown or Midtown without any real plan. The city has so many cool spots for photos that people don’t realize are there. There is potential on every block, which is one reason I enjoy shooting down here so much.

Any predictions for Detroit wedding trends in 2013?

I predict that Detroit venues are going to get tougher and tougher for people to book. I have been doing this for five years and in that short period of time, I have been amazed by how much earlier brides and grooms are booking vendors and venues. With all of the positive things happening in downtown and Midtown, I think it will be tougher for people to book the venues they want.

If you could give one piece of advice to Detroit brides & grooms who are trying to choose a wedding photographer, what would it be?

Sit down and meet with your photographer. Depending on how early you book them, it is a relationship that can last years! It is important that you not only like your photographer’s work, but that you like the photographer as well. A good relationship with your photographer can be the difference between natural looking photos and uncomfortable ones.

Readers: Which is your favorite of the beautiful shots above?

LoveintheD

Socially conscious Detroit weddings and happenings

Tag Archives: wedding photographer

[engaged in the D] Agnes and Ken – Engaged in Corktown

Wedding photography by Tracy & Riva

Wedding photography by Ryan Southen