Black and white photo of the bride and groom laughing and leaning in to each other, taken by Michigan wedding photographer Mary Shelton

Great Oaks Country Club Wedding | The Sears

Gorgeous Great Oaks Country Club Wedding

It’s not every day that you get to third-wheel on the biggest moments of your friends’ lives, but when I shot Nick and Amanda’s Great Oaks country club wedding, that’s exactly what I did. I’ve been friends with these two for years, and it was the greatest joy to get to follow them around and capture some of the sweetest memories they’ll ever make!

Nick and Amanda met at Madonna University, where Amanda played soccer and Nick golfed. For their Great Oaks country club wedding, they crafted the most elegant celebration, with burgundy bouquets and intricate lacework on Amanda’s dress. It actually rained most of the day, so I kept one eye on the sky the whole time, waiting for the perfect moment for us to run outside for the couple photos. When it cleared up, we had the best time exploring the Great Oaks country club’s gorgeous grounds.

Celebrating the Past and Dancing into the Future

Amanda lost her mother a while ago, and that kind of loss makes celebrations and milestones like this always feel a little bittersweet. There were a few thoughtful touches throughout the day that acknowledged and honored her in a beautiful way – like the ‘in loving memory’ table that commemorated her.

A moment that had everyone’s eyes a little misty (but was also so fun!) was when Amanda danced with one of her mom’s friends. They had done disco competitions together back in the day. The whole thing was such a joyful celebration of her mom and how happy she would’ve been for her daughter. It’s the glimpses of real, momentous emotion like this that make being a wedding photographer so rewarding!

 

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