The Dearborn Inn was built in 1931 on the grounds at Ford Motor company and is still in the middle of Ford country today. It is an exquisite Marriott hotel and one of the things that I found really unique about it is that surrounding the main courtyard are 2 Colonial lodges and 5 Colonial guest homes which provide a very unique atmosphere for a large hotel stay.
There is a beautiful gazebo for hosting ceremonies in the courtyard which also provides ample space for the guests during the cocktail hour.
The ballroom there is huge and can be used to host even the largest weddings!
The Dearborn Inn is also very close to the Henry Ford Museum which can provide a fun place for guests to go if they have extra time between events on the wedding day.

Here is a photo of the front entrance of the Dearborn Inn.

The main lobby of the Dearborn Inn is a beautiful space with antique furniture and chandeliers.

Passing straight through the main lobby leads to the back doors which take you out to the courtyard.

The courtyard is a great place for all the guests to mingle and have a few drinks as they wait for the wedding reception to start.

Here is a photo showing a very elegant wedding reception setup of in the main banquet area of the Dearborn Inn.

It’s always important to trust the professionals to do the room design, table layouts, chair covers, etc.

The food at the Dearborn Inn is fantastic and watch out for their desserts!!!

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

The war memorial is a national historic site located right on Lake St. Claire. The views of the lake from the ballroom and back lawn are beautiful in the evening. Ceremonies can be done right on the back steps of the Grosse Pointe War Memorial or at the neighboring Grosse Pointe Memorial Church. Both are excellent venues for a ceremony and provide more than enough settings for some amazing images.
If you book there, make sure to check on fish fly season though because the wrong time of year can lead to a LOT of bugs which isn’t too big of a deal as long as you expect it.

The Grosse Pointe War Memorial in Grosse Point Farms, Michigan has some amazing architecture and provides a really romantic location for wedding couples. Here’s just a few photos shot around the grounds.

They also have some beautiful flowers and gardens on the ground that can provide a nice contrast to all the architecture and old buildings.

Here’s a photo of the bridal party on the back steps of the war memorial. They can hold wedding ceremonies here as well.

The neighboring Grosse Pointe Memorial Church in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan is also a beautiful old historic church which provides an excellent venue for a more traditional ceremony.

The main banquet room at the war memorial is bright and spacious with large windows overlooking Lake St. Clair.

There is also plenty of room for a nice dance floor.

Here’s the downside…fish flies…millions of them. At certain parts of the years, the fish flies hatch and cover everything along the lake. They cover the outside of the buildings and it can get a bit nasty. As long as you’re not afraid of a few bugs and are expecting it, it’s not a big deal and shouldn’t be a reason to deter you from this otherwise spectacular venue!

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

The Inn at St. Johns is a really cool place to photograph. They have a very unique chapel that is reminiscent of some of the old catholic churches found in England with a wide aisle and pews that face the aisle instead of the front. The grand ballroom is very spacious and has a nice balcony overlooking the room. The suites in the hotel are amazing and a fantastic place for the bride to get ready. The Inn is situated right near downtown Northville which provides some great places to get away for some creative photos. The only downside to the Inn is that there are a LOT of weddings there so brides WILL see other brides on their wedding day. The chapel also has some pretty strict rules about photography so make sure to check into that as well.

Here’s a photo of the tower at the Inn at St. Johns in Plymouth.

Walking into the chapel at the Inn at St. Johns is like going back in time.

The Inn at St. Johns has a few little courtyards that are perfect for a cocktail hour.

We like to try and get away from the crowds of people when it comes time to do the bride and groom pictures, so we found a few fun locations nearby. These were taken at the Mill Race historical village in Northville.

The grand ballroom at the Inn at St. Johns is so spacious, there are a number of different ways that it can be laid out. Here are a couple views from the balcony.

This room was designed by Emerald City Design who did a really great job. I loved the square tables at the wedding reception.

The grand ballroom at the Inn at St. Johns in Plymouth, MI also leaves plenty of space for a dance floor where bridal parties and families can have a great time!

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

Tonight we had dinner with Marcin and Marzena from marcinharla.com who are fellow wedding photogs and friends. Marzena is going to be giving birth any day now ( a week overdue already!!) Since we just had Mayz a few months ago and had gone through some really helpful parenting classes, we had a lot to talk about!
We had a $50 gift certificate for the Melting Pot (which I typically refer to as “that melty place”) that was about to expire so we figured it would be a good opportunity to use it. Lots of people rave about that restaurant so it was our chance to check it out.
The food was ok, but to be honest, I don’t understand the hype. To pay $80 per couple (without drinks) and have to cook your own food seems pretty stupid, but I guess I’m just not fond of fondue! When the bill came, we realized that our $50 gift certificate that is expiring any day now is not valid on Fridays. Apparently I should have read it first.

Marcin took this quick photo of our family:

Here’s a quick one of them. I should have gotten more of her belly in the photos. She’s one of those pregnant women that stays quite thin but then has a little basketball belly. She definitely didn’t look or act like she was a week overdue!!

Here’s the gift certificate that would have served better as toilet paper:

Today the weather was amazing for Michigan in April. 75 degrees and sunny. But in the evening, the storm clouds rolled in with a cold front. I always love dramatic sky photos, so I had to take one since I had my camera.

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 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