To help aid brides and groom in deciding on a wedding reception venue, we have provided some mini-reviews of some of the venues in southeastern MI. We hope that the hundreds of photos that we have compiled for these mini reviews will provide a resource that will be helpful to people for years to come.
We will add new venues to this list along with updating and adding photos to the current listings as new weddings happen so please bookmark this blog post and check back in the future.

1) Meadowbrook Mansion in Rochester Hills, MI
2) Cranbrook in Birmingham, MI
3) Roostertail in Detroit, MI
4) Detroit Athletic Club in Detroit, MI
5) Royal Park Hotel in Rochester, MI
6) Cherry Creek Golf Club in Shelby Township, MI
7) Inn at St. Johns in Plymouth, MI
8) Grosse Pointe War Memorial in St. Clair, MI
9) Detroit Golf Club in Detroit, MI
10) Pine Lake Country Club in Orchard Lake, MI
11) Wyndgate Country Club in Rochester Hills, MI
12) Pine Knob Mansion in Clarkston, MI
13) Wellers in Saline, MI
14) The Townsend Hotel in Birmingham, MI
15) The Dearborn Inn in Dearborn, MI

To learn more about our wedding photography business and see some current photos, please see our wedding website at www.ArisingWeddings.com

The Pine Knob Mansion is a beautiful old English manor that is actually located on the highest point of southeastern Michigan, 1221 ft in elevation. The mansion itself is filled with beautiful artwork and sculptures. It is a fantastic place for an intimate wedding. Just outside is a beautiful gazebo with a view looking over some rolling hills…a rare site for southeastern Michigan. Down the hill from the mansion is the Pine Knob Carriage House which has been renovated into a beautiful reception location with lots of big windows and natural light. Ceremonies can also be held just outside under a large covered pavilion. The mansion has an old rustic charm while the carriage house has a more modern and spacious feel to it. Both can be great venues depending on what you are looking for.

Here are a few photos of Pine Knob Mansion:

Here is the impressive main banquet room in the Pine Knob Mansion.

Here is a wedding ceremony in the pavilion down by the Pine Knob Carriage House

A bridal party hanging out by the carriage house pavilion

We live to take the bride and groom around the grounds and find architectural elements as backgrounds for our photos. The mansion provides more opportunities for this than the Carriage House.

Here is a photo showing the table setup of the main dining room at the Pine Knob Carriage House

Here is the head table setup by the windows in the carriage house.

To learn more about our wedding photography business and see some current photos, please see our wedding website at www.ArisingWeddings.com

This afternoon we went to downtown Utica to take some fun engagement pics with Maurice and Nina.

Cherry Creek is a beautiful setting for a wedding and we’re lucky to have shot there many times. It’s just a few miles from where we are located which makes it really convenient!! Our favorite weddings there take place on the back lawn overlooking the lake and the golf course, and the main banquet rooms also have panoramic windows with the same view. The conservatory is a room with a spectacular design that should be a must have. Let’s look at some photos.

First, hear is a few images of the building itself. Cherry Creek Golf Club has a nice covered entranceway making it convenient for bridal parties and families.

Here is a view of the back of Cherry Creek showing the conservatory room.

Here is an image of the back of Cherry Creek showing the cocktail hour on the back lawn.

Here is an image during the wedding ceremony on the back lawn of Cherry Creek overlooking the lake, followed by a photo of the lake which is part of the golf course.

The grounds at Cherry Creek are always pristine and always well kept up which provides a beautiful setting.

We typically also like to photograph the bridal party on the main grounds while everyone is together.

HOWEVER, those of you that know us know that we love taking photos with more variety…texture, color, etc. etc. At the golf course, you are limited to where you can go for photos because it is an active golf course and you aren’t allowed to go where you might interfere with someones game. We often like to take our couples offsite and go places like downtown Utica which isn’t too far from there. In the more urban setting we can get some wedding photos with a fashion look to them.

Heading back to Cherry Creek, the reception setups always look really nice with all the beautiful windows and natural light.
We loved this wedding which was very simple and had little cakes as centerpieces on each table.

Or, a much more elaborate setup can also be done there.

This is a photo of the larger dining area showing an overall room with the back windows where you can see the head table against the back wall.

Here’s a photo of the head table when setup in Cherry Creek’s larger banquet room against the back windows.

Here’s a photo of the head table when setup in the conservatory which is equally nice.

Cherry Creek Golf Club also makes really cool ice sculptures and martini luges.

Cherry Creek Golf Club does a really nice job of setting up lots of yummy appetizer plates during the cocktail hour.

The main entrees are NEVER disappointing!! We love dinner time at Cherry Creek!!

After dinner the conservatory make for a beautiful setting to have the dance floor.

To learn more about our wedding photography business and see some current photos, please see our wedding website at www.ArisingWeddings.com

Wellers is located just outside of downtown Saline, MI. It is a site with lots of historical significance dating back to Henry Ford.
They have a few beautiful outdoor ceremony locations. One is an uncovered location with stone benches for the guests which I personally feel is the most intimate. They also have a 30′x60′ covered pavilion which can also hold ceremonies or be used for the dance floor later.
One of the most unique aspects of Wellers is their nighttime moonlight ceremonies.

The grounds themselves are spacious and provide ample opportunity for people to stroll and relax.

Dinner can be served at the Carriage House or the Raisin Room. Here are a few photos of the Carriage House at Wellers.

The rooms for dinner at the receptions in the Carriage House or Raisin room are part of the old historic buildings that have an old charm to them. The rooms are not huge and the decor is a bit dated, but these are old historical buildings so that should be expected. You can still have a very elegant wedding reception there.

Here are a few images showing Wellers’ pavilion on the west grounds being used for an open air dance floor.

With Wellers being so close to downtown Saline, MI, there are some opportunities for taking some more urban style pictures as well.

Here’s a photo showing the wedding ceremony setup at the east grounds at Wellers in Saline, MI

The moonlight and candlelight weddings can be very intimate and unique. Anyone booking them should fully understand the challenges for photography for a nighttime, candlelit ceremony, but that shouldn’t deter you from doing it because they can be very unique and romantic.

Guests being seated right before the moonlight ceremony begins.

For the ceremony we did introduce a little bit of additional light to make sure we could capture the event.

I just love candlelight at wedding ceremonies.

The moon!! Unfortunately the moon was behind a cloud during most of the ceremony but it did come out later in the evening.

To learn more about our wedding photography business and see some current photos, please see our wedding website at www.ArisingWeddings.com

The DAC was founded in 1887 and is one of the finest private clubs in the country. There is rooftop access which provides beautiful views of downtown Detroit at night and it’s especially fun when a Tigers baseball game is going on at Comerica park because you can look right down into the park from their roof.

After the ceremony and before we head to the DAC, we like to head to downtown Detroit and do some photos. The river front by the Renaissance center is a nice place to walk around and do photos as long as you don’t mind gawkers!!

When we got to the DAC, we were blown away by the setup of the room which was done by Emerald City Designs. Everything looked spectacular from the decor to the table settings.

Here are a couple images of the head table in the main banquet room of the Detroit Athletic Club.
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After dinner we headed up to the DAC rooftop and photographed the couple using Comerica Park as the backdrop.

We then head back inside the Detroit Athletic Club for the Bride and Grooms first dance of the night

To learn more about our wedding photography business and see some current photos, please see our wedding website at www.ArisingWeddings.com

The Royal Park is a four star and four diamond hotel that is top notch in every way. The conservatory is a beautiful place to get married and they have ballrooms of all sizes to accommodate most any weddings. There are beautiful suites where the bride can get ready. It is situated right near downtown Rochester, were there are lots of fun opportunities for us to go for some offsite photos.

We often start the day in the suites upstairs. The main suites are quite large and provide enough space for everyone to get ready. Once dressed there are some beautiful locations up in the hallways and even in the elevators for some fun images of the bride and groom.

Outside the Royal Park Hotel is Paint Creek which creates a very tranquil setting.

The Conservatory in the Royal Park Hotel is a very intimate setting to have a beautiful wedding ceremony day or night.

I love the chandeliers on the ceiling of the Conservatory.

Right outside the conservatory is a cute little garden area and fountain.

Here’s a photo of a bride and groom coming up the aisle after their ceremony in the Royal Park Hotel conservatory.

Our style of wedding photography typically takes us off to do more urban type of photography. When shooting weddings at the Royal Park Hotel, we are right near downtown Rochester, MI. There are some great places to go to that provide some really unique backdrops and colors for some artistic photos.

The ballrooms and receptions at the Royal Park Hotel are always very elegant.

The food at the Royal Park is always exquisite.

The Royal Park Hotel has a lot of interesting details which we can use to make some creative photos. This particular couple had their wedding on 7/7/07.

To learn more about our wedding photography business and see some current photos, please see our wedding website at www.ArisingWeddings.com

The PLCC has also been around for over 100 years and is a beautiful venue overlooking Pine Lake. The 280 seat ballroom is surrounded by windows providing an amazing view.
Unfortunately we had a shortage on time for the reception that we shot there so we didn’t have too much opportunity to take photos of the grounds and outside, but here area few that we have.

Here is the covered entranceway at Pine Lake Country Club.

Outside the ballroom is a really nice entryway which is perfect for the guest sign-in book and table assignments.

While waiting for the bride and groom, there is a really nice covered patio out back with a nice view of the lake. This area is perfect for a cocktail hour or for guests to mingle.

This is a quick shot of the happy bride and groom entering their reception.

The head table has a nice setup by the windows with the lake right outside.

This is just a quick photo of the bride and groom on the dance floor.

To learn more about our wedding photography business and see some current photos, please see our wedding website at www.ArisingWeddings.com

The Roostertail is a beautiful setting right on the Detroit river. The main dining room is surrounded by big glass windows allowing lots of natural light to come through. It is also right near downtown Detroit and the Renaissance Center where there are lots of great places to go for photos with the bride and groom. The word “roostertail” typically refers to the spray off a fast boat or a waterskiier and they have beautiful fountains that are lit up at night that shoot jets of water into the air like a huge roostertail.

Here’s the view of downtown Detroit, MI from the back of the Roostertail.

Inside, the main dining room has lots of room and with all the windows, it feels very open and bright.

The central location of the head table was perfect at the setup of this wedding. They were on a raised area where everyone had a clear view of the bride and groom and the wedding party.

Afer the ceremony we headed to downtown Detroit to get some urban style wedding photos using all the fun colored and textured walls in the city.

The ambiance and mood in the Roostertail once evening comes and the lights come on inside and outside

Here’s a photo on the walkway over the water behind the Roostertail in Detroit, MI.

It was spectacular once the “roostertail” like fountains kicked on at the back of the building on the Detroit river side.

Another unique aspect at the Roostertail venue is the dance floor that raises up a few feet during the bride and groom’s first dance.

To learn more about our wedding photography business and see some current photos, please see our wedding website at www.ArisingWeddings.com

Cranbrook is an interesting venue because there are LOTS of great places on the grounds to have weddings ceremonies. Our favorite area is the backyard of the Cranbrook house overlooking the lake. What a beautiful setting. Cranbrook is a national historical landmark and the campus features the work of world-renowned architects which provide lots of fabulous places to create photos that combine architecture and nature. It is also not far from downtown Birmingham, MI which opens up a many more fun opportunities for us.

This shows a photo during the ceremony with Cranbrook lake in the background.

Here is what the back lawn looks like. The late afternoon light on the area is just spectacular.

Here’s just a casual photo of the bridal party all together on the back lawn.

There are plenty of amazing photographic opportunities so you need to make sure enough time is scheduled to take pictures all around the grounds at Cranbrook.

Near the art museum is an open lawn space that is perfect for a large tent wedding.

Hiring a professional florist and tent designer can be key to personalizing the event.

The grounds around the Cranbrook Art Museum have beautiful flowers, sculptures and fountains.

The art museum has a lot of wide open space which is perfect for the cocktail hour

Their are also a lot of great places for photos right around the Cranbrook Art Museum

Right outside of the Cranbrook grounds is Christ Church Cranbrook which is a stunning old church for your ceremony if you don’t have it on the church grounds. If you go there, talk to Ed Mullins…he’s the reverend there and a great guy!!

To learn more about our wedding photography business and see some current photos, please see our wedding website at www.ArisingWeddings.com

This afternoon, we went to visit with our friends at Luigi Bruni Salon in Birmingham, MI. They did Mayz’ first haircut for us and man was it ever cute. The staff of the salon is super friendly with nothing but smiles. We love those guys!! Thanks to Jaime for setting this up for us and to Josie for doing an awesome job on the haircut, we had a great time!!
For anyone that’s interested in a great experience, make sure to check them out at
Luigi Bruni Salon
248-723-1500
706 N Old Woodward Ave
Birmingham, MI 48009

Check out this cute kid…he was a champion in the chair!! Hopefully now people will think he’s a boy and not a girl!!

He was feeling so cool and stylish after getting his haircut that he decided to hit the town and go do some shots!
Unfortunately he didn’t realize that shots meant immunizations and that wasn’t fun…he’s still hurting a little bit…. ouch!! Sorry buddy!!

Today I had the pleasure to hang out with Marcin Harla who is a great photographer and friend. We spent some time playing around with off-camera flash.
We played around with everything from a single flash to four flashes just to see what we could do.

Due to us both being business owners and professionals, we felt that it was very important to take some good photos that convey the utmost professionalism.

Here’s a couple of images that Marcin took of me:

This one was one of my favorites that he took with a fisheye lens:

Here is Marcin: