A Bold, Boho Style Shoot in Northern Michigan

The inspiration for this oh-so-gorgeous shoot came from Melissa of Lux Light Photography. She says, “Crystal Lake Golf Club, overlooking the cobalt lake water that dips below the cascading hilltop, set the scene for this tented editorial session. Knowing that northern Michigan is the top Midwest destination wedding area in the country, we strove to create a fresh and fun blending of gold, bold, and glamour for our upcoming millennial brides. Inspired by our melding of a romantic, bold and fresh blueprint, we sought to blend the millennial bold styles with the budding local attributes our best vendors have to offer. Showcasing live beach trees, harvested from the woodlands around the area, we incorporated this love of nature into both the reception tables and ceremony decor, knowing that our brides can be inspired by this completely unique yet sophisticated attribute of the Midwest."

 

Melissa selected the location for many reasons. She says, “I chose Crystal Lake because it is an emerging, up-and-coming icon for all destination brides looking to travel to northern Michigan for their special day. It has a permanent tent and can easily accommodate any weather changes that come traveling over Lake Michigan. It is also on top of the hills overlooking Crystal Lake, which people truly gravitate towards and always remark on upon their arrival.” She also adds, “Within one view, it features rolling hills, wooded areas filled with wildflowers, the shimmering lake and even the direct sunset as it sets over Lake Michigan and the famous Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park. About 99% of our brides come from Detroit or Chicago…and they choose a destination wedding for themselves, friends and their family, because they love to escape from the city and want to experience the peace and aesthetics that Crystal Lake Golf Club has to offer.”
 

“Our blush dress features a nod to the millennial bride who grabs on to color, yet the layers of tulle have a soft quality that lends itself to the natural setting that is Northern Michigan. Simple, yet elegant,” says Melissa.

Just some of the gorgeous florals included Burgundy Wine Ranunculus, Free Spirit garden roses, Else spray roses, Gerrondo Gerbera Daisy, peach stock, pink Lisianthus, eucalyptus and Plumosa Fern. Melissa says, “My favorite floral feature was a handmade floral swing nestled between the birch trees of the venue. It highlighted the same emerald greenery with the pops of peonies and coral colors that matched the bridal bouquets.”

Bold led the way in the teams color palette which included emerald, cranberry, fuchsia and lots of coral accents. “This aligned well with the venue, as Michigan can boast deep colors throughout the wooded areas and lakes that dot our landscape,” says Melissa.

Keeping with trends beloved by millennial brides love, the team kept the hair and makeup look simple. Melissa says, “It is their nod to the casual nature of their day, yet with an elegant twist. The models’ lips were painted with a warm cranberry. Hair styles featured braids, a simple twist and whimsical curls that flared around the face.”
 

The stationery was beautifully hand-lettered and accented the shoot’s emerald and cranberry style with a metallic gold finish. “Conveniently, it was drawn as a map of the area, which not only features some of our well-sought lakes in the area, but also doubles as a great addition for our destination wedding brides and their guests,” says Melissa. “Sable & Gray’s inspiration stemmed from her love of watercolor to create a soft, intimate texture yet juxtapose bold and striking lettering. She pulled from our heavy use of flowers and greenery to decorate the envelopes and sleeves of her invitation set.”

Melissa says, “Our dessert table was centered upon a handcrafted farm table made from authentic barn wood. Featured were over a dozen handheld desserts, including local honey sticks from our bee hives in the area. Each dessert included a fruity boast of flavor as a nod to the cherry industry here, as well as the bright colors that accented our color palette. Our cake was a naked cake with gold metallic frosting to match the gold chargers, table place cards and votives on the reception tables.”

“We have several decor rental features that truly helped bring the elegant and bold tent to life,” says Melissa. “First was our white drapery that softened the tent walls and lent leading lines and curved into the ceiling of the tent. These were highlighted by ceiling globe lights and rented gold uplighting placed at 8-foot intervals throughout the space. Also highlighted around the tent were the gold Chiavari chairs, the handcrafted farm tables for the dessert and sweetheart table and our guest gift table. This was especially unique as it is a vintage vanity that held a variety of flowers and a D.I.Y. bouquet making station, where wedding guests can visit and build their own bouquet as a thank you gift that features that same type of flowers that decorated the tables, decor and bouquets of the bride. Lastly, we rented furniture to be placed outside the tent on the lawn for guests to mingle, bring their drinks and have a classy area with which to enjoy the wedding.”

 

What We Love

Melissa says, “We are always looking to highlight the ‘Pure Michigan’ campaign that brings so many families and couples to our area. Since our area was named the ‘Most Beautiful Spot in America’ by Good Morning America in 2011, we have seen an increase in Americans becoming aware of our area, Lake Michigan, and the rustic appeal that so many people fall in love with. Merging with our millennial brides who come from the elegant and bold city lifestyle, this styled shoot really represented our ability to take two different styles (as our brides come from such different places) and bring them together to present a unified unique look that only our area of northern Michigan has to offer!”

 

 

 

 

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