Ski Lift to the Top of the Mountain | Crystal Mountain Thompsonville, Michigan | Wedding
Crystal Mountain Thompsonville, Michigan Wedding
Take me back to the slopes ANYDAY! Katie and I started talking through email and was recommended to me from Rachel + Zach. Didn’t matter that they booked me last minute because Kate + Austin have been the most caring, understanding, and supportive couples I have ever worked with. They totally understood my travel costs. Crystal Mountain is about a 3.5 hour drive for me and they covered ALL of my camping, gas, food. Ya see, I have this teardrop camper that I take with me when I have weddings 2+ hours away and it helps keep travel fees down because I like to be in the area and camp for the weekend! It’s nice to set up on a Friday night, sleep in, make a nice healthy breakfast, get ready and be like 15 minutes down the road. After a long 10 hour day, drive 15 minutes instead of 3.5 hours and relax. I can even spend the next day exploring if I want! I actually spent about 5 days at a KOA in the Traverse City area because we actually had their engagement session done at Sleeping Bear Dunes the same week because they actually live in California!!
The morning of Katie + Austin’s wedding started in a little town called Frankfort and oh my gosh!! I seriously need to go back there one day because it was the CUTEST little town and I so wish I had more time to explore. Since we no longer had a 2nd photographer for the day, I headed over to where the guys were staying and we did some quick details and getting ready photos before the bride was to arrive. Katie’s getting ready photos are some of my favorite to this day! Check out their first look (which she wanted all of her family present!) and then their beautiful ceremony in the garden space of the venue. Petritz Pond which can accommodate about 200 guests.
My most memorable moment of their wedding was when Katie was deciding between playing a yard game with friends or taking the ski lift up the mountain for more photos with Austin, her groomy! I am SO glad she decided to take the ski lift because ALL THE BEAUTIFUL photos happened during this time. We got on the ski lift (which was kind of a first for me, if you don’t count Cedar Point!!) haha and as soon as we got to the top, there was a whole party at the top. A bunch of people were up there dancing and drinking. When they got to the top, Katie was SO surprised and everyone cheered for the happy couple. There was a live band and she decided to sing them a song so they had their second (first) dance at the top of the mountain!! They slow danced in their own little world as if no one was around!! I loved this moment for them! I’m trying to remember which Shania Twain song she sang, but I believe it was “From this Moment.” I do know it was Shania Twain though because love her! haha then we took my favorite wedding image of the year. One at the top of the mountain with that view in the background. It doesn’t even give you the Michigan feel and I love it so much!!!
Catchfly Photography is a traditional wedding and adventurous elopement photographer based in Farmington Hills, MI. Julie Believes in the little details and in between moments. Nature completely inspires Julie and she incorporates nature into almost every photo she takes. Julie travels to photograph traditional weddings and intimate elopements in Traverse City, Mackinaw City, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Colorado, Arizona, Jamaica and Ireland.
