TAK Photography

New blog

2011-04-12T10:22:00.003-04:00

This blog has officially moved! Be sure to add the new one to your list:

http://www.takphotography.com/blog

See you there!

Derek and Dee - Engaged

2011-02-14T20:39:00.002-05:00

SUCH a fun couple! I had a blast with you two even with wet butts and snow filled boots :) Can't wait for the big day! Its going to be great.

Tyler and Katie - Married

2011-01-31T18:41:00.004-05:00

Elliot and Nicole - Married.

2011-01-06T17:15:00.005-05:00

Another FANTASTIC winter wedding! This time with snow :) A perfect end to my 2010 season!

Helloooo shoes! I love shoes. A lot.

Elliot's Grandfather owns a wholesale flower warehouse in Chicago. As a gift, he allowed the couple to choose whatever flowers they wanted. So Nicole (Elliot is in the Navy and was not home) and the Mothers took a trip to flower heaven and chose these beautiful flowers! The amazing and talented Gail Vanderlaan arranged them all. They were perfect!

I love a first glance :)

I love Nicole's Mom's (is that proper grammar?) reaction. :)

Gorgeous. Not fair. At all. Luckily she is the nicest person in the world...So it's impossible to hate her because she's beautiful. :P

Cutest ring bearer ever? Just might be...

Not only is Elliot a total stud, but he is also a really great guy. Complete package? I think so!

I love this image of Nicole's Grandma. The good looks obviously run in the family.

See? Cutest.

Little man-love to get the night going :P

My assistant gets the BEST catching shots!

Fantastic former TAK couple #1

Fantastic former TAK couple #2

Fantastic future TAK couple! Can't wait :)

YOU!

Oh, hi Josh!

Aaron and Sarah - Married

2010-12-24T16:19:00.003-05:00

Sarah arranged us all to go to the Grand Rapids Public Museum for pictures. It was so nice to have a great backdrop...In the warmth :)

Can't go the the museum without a ride on the carousel!

Cutest flower girl ever. I kind of wanted to take her home with me. Such a sweet little girl!

Sigh....So many men in uniform...Whats a girl to do!?

After the recessional, the bridal party came back in and did the cupid shuffle down the aisle. :)

Mike and Kim - Married.

2010-12-23T17:09:00.007-05:00

Phew! Is it really Christmas in two days?! This year FLEW by! I cannot believe I am done with weddings for 2010! What and incredible and blessed year.

This month I has 3 weddings. Starting with Mike and Kim's. Such a beautiful day! I love my brides that are willing to bare the elements for some great shots :) Those few frigid moments are so worth it! Here are a few favorites from their day.

I loved Kim's dress. Such a perfect winter wedding gown! Kim works at Bridal Gallery, so I was really excited to see what her dress looked like.

Another amazing creation by Ludema's. I love the feathers!

On the way to see her man :)

Marc and Allison - The Event

2010-10-30T20:14:00.003-04:00

Marc and Allison's dog, Captain, had to see what was going on :)

Allison's first look at herself :)

Allison was stunning.

Gettin' by with a little help from friends :)

Dogs are cute :)

This little guy had an attitude. He was growling at me while I was taking his picture. I risked my life to get them. Worth it :)

Now for the boys :)

I LOVED Marc reaction when he saw Allison for the first time :)

Someone screwed up their vows...

Goodness, I love them together :)

I swear, they are not hired models. Her girls are really this gorgeous!

I just love all the color! Fall is the best :)

Knockout.

The men wore Banana Republic suits. WAY better than rented tuxes. They looked like studs.

I cannot believe we were on the beach. In October. Without winter coats.

Shadowland Ballroom has a restored carousel that the guest were able to ride during cocktail hour. They had a blast. So did the bridal party :)

Allison's younger brother Jesse. Can you imagine how popular he must be at high school dances? He rocked.

Recognize her? :) She rocks too.

Hahah! Man, I love a good party.

Marc and Allison - Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU. You two are so amazing and have enjoyed every second of working with the two of you. What an amazing couple with amazing family and friends. :) I am SO happy for you!

Marc and Allison - The Details

2010-10-28T15:46:00.016-04:00

Phew! I don't even know where to start! When Allison first contacted me to shoot her wedding last year, I was beyond excited. I have photographed her talents many times for other brides. Getting the opportunity to photograph her actual wedding, I knew, was going to be an amazing experience. Allison is the special events coordinator for her family's floral business, Ludemas, so many of you will recognize her! The wedding was held in St. Joseph, MI at St. Peter's Church, with the Reception at the fabulous Shadowland Ballroom. As expected, the details of the day were amazing.

Allison's gift to her girls. Perfect for her fall wedding!

I love bling :)

Marc's gift to Allison. I was pretty tempted to just borrow it for the day. I love it!

Her dress. It was PERFECT. She looked absolutely stunning in it! Thanks to Bridal Gallery!

And now the flowers. As expected, they were amazing! Prepare your eyeballs....There's a lotta pretty coming up.

The Ceremony

I love fun socks :)

The reception

Another amazing cake by Mirabella!

Shadowland's food was FANTASTIC. I was tempted to lick the plate clean...I passed.

The always talented Oregon Dreamchild

Stay tuned! I am posting the event soon! :) You don't wanna miss it. Trust me.

Trevor and Hilary - Engaged

2010-10-26T22:16:00.002-04:00

Love these two! Can't wait for their Castle Farms Wedding next August!

Jon and Jodi - Married

2010-10-21T16:04:00.004-04:00

So. Much. Fun. Yup, that sums it up :) Love these two!

You all know I LOOVE a first glance! :)

Jodi is one of those girls that is unfairly gorgeous. I don't care if she is in sweats and no make-up, still a knock out. AND a great personality to boot! Jon, you're a lucky guy! :)

Jon, you're lookin pretty stud-like yourself. :)

GREAT wedding party! Made the day fun, as the wedding party is supposed to!

SO cute :)

Love this :)

See? Ugh, not fair :P

Jon has an easy smile and is quick to laugh. Jodi - You're pretty lucky too ;)

PARTY!

So them.

As always, check out Facebook for more!

Ryan and Lindsay - Married

2010-10-14T15:11:00.006-04:00

What an amazing day! Ryan and Lindsay were married on 10-10-10 surrounded by family and friends. A special thanks to Aletha and her team from Pearl Events for making the day run smooth and look fabulous. Love them!

Her fabulous Tory Burch shoes, LOVE!

Meanwhile with the groom...

Waiting for the first glance...

Helping Grandpa :)

Two become one...What a fantastic family!

The siblings/Bridal party

Love the Converse peeking out :)

The day consisted of about a million family formals, as they has family coming from all over the states. We managed to fit in about 10 minutes of non-formal (fun) images for the couple. :)

Is that not the most gorgeous veil? It was her Mom's :)

The "Tish" - The groom's table. This is where the Groom and his friends and loved ones gather for a little singing, dancing and drinking before the wedding ceremony

The "Kabbalat Panim" - Welcoming of the guests, done by the bride

The "Bedken" - The fathers of the bride and groom escort the groom to see the bride. He then places the veil over her face accompanied by a blessing recited by the Rabbi.

I love this :)

How proud does her mom look?

I just love how proud her mom looked all day :)

Circling - Lindsay circled Ryan three times, he circled her threes times, and they then circled each other once. Just as the word was created in seven days, so must Ryan and lindsay create their own world with seven circles. I love this tradition!

Mazel Tov!

Off to the Yichud - Defined as togetherness. The guests surround the couple and escort them to a private room with song and dance. This will allow them time for the two of them to be together and celebrate their new family. Two witnesses will stand outside the door to ensure they they get this time for themselves.

To the reception! They get things started the right way with dancing and celebration from the start.

Check out Facebook for even more!

Matt and Lora - Married

2010-10-13T12:11:00.002-04:00

First glance. I love a first glance!! :)

Dave and Liz - Married

2010-10-12T13:12:00.005-04:00

"We are all a little weird and life's a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love."

Dr. Seuss

Matt and Samantha - Engaged

2010-10-07T14:47:00.003-04:00

Perfect day for a shoot at the orchard! I love this time of year. I also love these two. So much fun! I cannot wait for their July wedding in Traverse City! :)

They really are! :)

Mayfield - Family

2010-10-06T15:07:00.002-04:00

Other things may change us, but we start and end with family.

Anthony Brandt

Aaron - 8th grade

2010-10-06T14:13:00.002-04:00

You won’t lag behind, because you’ll have the speed. You’ll pass the whole gang and you’ll soon take the lead. Wherever you fly, you’ll be best of the best. Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.

Dr. Seuss

Susan - Senior

2010-10-06T13:48:00.003-04:00

All our dreams can come true...if we have the courage to pursue them.

Walt Disney

Pierson and Erin - Engaged

2010-10-04T16:32:00.002-04:00

When you love someone, all your saved-up wishes start coming out.

- by Elizabeth Bowen (1899-1973)

Mitchell and Kayle - Engaged

2010-10-03T22:35:00.003-04:00

"You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams."

- Dr. Seuss

Chloe - Senior

2010-10-03T21:35:00.002-04:00

"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go..."

— Dr. Seuss (Oh, the Places You'll Go!)

The Pearson Family

2010-10-03T20:47:00.003-04:00

"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those that matter don't mind."

Dr. Seuss

Carlos and Megan - Married

2010-10-01T11:22:00.000-04:00

So much love :)

Josh and Ashley: Engaged

2010-09-20T16:24:00.004-04:00

I first met Ashley this spring at her sister's wedding. I am so excited to be working with this family again, love them! Josh and Ashley are high school sweethearts, and are so fun together :) I know their day is going to be full of laughter. Can't wait! :)

Just make you want to snuggle up, doesn't it?

Ashley brought along this chair, LOVE it!

Josh's reward for putting up with photos: His fun shot, haha

Armstrong: Family and Senior

2010-08-31T23:41:00.003-04:00

I cannot believe it has been three years since I last saw this family! I first met them when Corti was a senior in high school, now it is Jami's turn :) We also took this opportunity to document the whole family. Their father will be leaving in a couple weeks to do a tour in Kuwait for a year. Be sure to keep this family in your prayers during this next stage of their lives, it will undoubtedly be tough. We are an incredibly blessed country to have such strong men and women making these difficult sacrifices for us everyday. Thank you.

Jami's turn! :)

Brad and Jessica: Married

2010-08-31T15:58:00.003-04:00

Another amazing wedding! Brad and Jessica's day went perfectly. They had an amazing schedule which resulted in a stress-free relaxed day. They have amazing families and friends and I truly enjoyed working with all of them.

Another amazing custom hanger made by Aressa LOVE these!!!

Another Esty find :) That site is such an addiction...

Another beautiful creation by Ludema's. They rock!!!

Have I mentioned how much I love a first glance? I do :)

BEAUTIFUL light :)

Jessica, you are gorgeous!!!

YES!!!

Mike and Kim: Engaged

2010-08-26T23:26:00.002-04:00

Phew! This week has been nuts! I am so thankful for how busy I have been, I cannot believe it! However, that doesn't mean I am not ready for a vacation in September :)

Mike and Kim are such a fun couple, I cannot wait for their wedding in December! I can already tell that they will have a fun day.

Elliot and Nicole: Engaged

2010-08-25T20:06:00.006-04:00

I love these two! They are so fun and so easy going. I am so excited for their wedding in December. Elliot is in the Navy, and is stationed in San Diego this is his last time to Grand Rapids until the wedding, I am so glad it worked out to have our shoot this week! Thanks so much for the great night :)

Doesn't Nicole have the best hair? So jealous.

My favorite :)

She also has great eyelashes. Ugh, not fair.

As always more on my Facebook

Mark and Danae: Married

2010-08-24T20:34:00.003-04:00

LOVED this wedding! Everything about it :) The color scheme (Grays and yellows? YES!),the bridal party and families, and the schedule. Such a nice and relaxing day! Danae and I sat down and created the schedule together, I love it when I get to do that with my brides! Mark and Danae are so perfect for each other, he is constant and steady, she is and artist (need I explain more? Us artists are a different type :D ). I have known Danae since middle school, (gotta track down some of those pics, haha!), it was so fun to share this day with her! Thanks so much you two, I hope Puerto Rico is as fabulous as I remember!!!

The wedding and reception was held at the Van Andel Opera Center, the first wedding ever held there!. It was fantastic! The natural light was beautiful. I am excited to work there again in the future!

First glance....I just love them!

Quick stop at the Farmer's Market :)

Loved these girls :)

The boys were pretty awesome as well!

I always say the bridal party makes the day. This was a great group of people, made it a very fun time :)

Now for the "I Dos"

Danae sang to him :) It was beautiful.

Jessica: Senior

2010-08-18T11:28:00.003-04:00

Perfect night! We originally planned to shoot last week, but because of the miserable heat, we decided to reschedule to last night. So glad we did! We could not have had better weather, or a prettier girl :) Jessica came with cute outfits, great accessories, and a wonderful personality. It was such a fun shoot!

Mike and Anna: Married

2010-08-16T22:39:00.004-04:00

Mike and Anna were married at Blythefield Country Club on Saturday. Rain had threatened that day all week, but Friday the forecast changed and it turned out to be a beautiful day! Mike and Anna are two of the nicest people you will meet, both with super easy going personalities. The whole day went smoothly and was very relaxed, which can be rare with weddings! Thanks so much for sharing your day with me!

First glance. Part of the reason the day went so smooth! I am such a huge fan :)

Marc and Allison: Engaged

2010-08-03T02:32:00.005-04:00

When Allison contacted me to photograph her and Marc's October wedding I was beyond thrilled. First of all, Allison is so sweet (after meeting Marc this evening, I can say he is a great guy as well :D ) secondly, I have been witness to her incredible talents as a florist many times, so I know her wedding is going to be breathtaking. Allison is the wedding & events coordinator for Ludema's Floral. I am sure many of my past brides will recognize her :) We spent the evening taking pictures at their new home on Green Lake. So beautiful. Thanks so much for the great evening!