Joe and Kate were married last Saturday in Lake Orion at St Joseph Catholic Church. Their reception was in Oxford at a private residence and the entire day was beautiful. The picture above is just a sneak peek to the wonderful imagery captured on this beautiful day.

If you’re a follower of my Daily Photo Blog , you know that I post a new photo every day that at first glance have nothing to do with wedding photography, yet they all relate in some way.   It keeps me on my game because it’s a place for me to explore composition, to learn, to play with light, to spark creativity, and to document whatever catches my eye.  Earlier last month I posted a picture of my bride that I had photographed at Imaging USA using a lighting technique that I had just learned from Denis Reggie (the best of the best in wedding photo journalism.)  I had the opportunity to use that technique at the wedding two weeks ago and I was amazed with the results.

I watch as the bride and groom stand next to their cake in preparation for their first act as a husband and wife.  They both look at each other as if to say “How do we cut the cake?”  They usually figure it out by having the groom hold the knife and the brides hand is on top of his.   The crowd has gathered with cameras in hand all pointed at the two best dressed people in the place.  Bride and groom then begin to cut into the cake together, slowly as not to damage their beautiful masterpiece too much.  The masterpiece that they spent hours upon hours fumbling through magazines and cake books to find just the right one only to stab it with a serrated object and feed it to themselves with their bare hands.  Sometimes the cutting is a bit more difficult than anticipated because those fauna cakes have a harder outer shell.   The feeding of the cake generally involves icing on one or both of their faces, and as a photographer those moments don’t get old and are fun to capture.

So, how do you cut the cake?

A couple months ago one of their daughters contacted me and said that  I was a suprise gift to Harold and LaDonna.  This 50th wedding anniversary was going to be planned by themselves, but the children just had to contribute something.  So they asked me to capture the moment and the day for them.

The day began at the Calvary Evangelical Lutheran Church in Lincoln Park Michigan.  The church were they saw each other as Bride and Groom 50 years ago on the same day.

Harold and Ladonna cut the cake just like they did 50 years ago, and Harold smashed a bit into Ladonna’s face just as he may have done then too.

The cake was a replica made by their children based on photographs from their original wedding album.

Harold and LaDonna, thanks for allowing me to capture this day in your lives. Your love for each other showed in yourselves as well as your children and grand children. After photographing new brides and grooms it was wonderful to see how a husband and wife can be after years of togetherness, friendship, and love. Of all the weddings I have photographed I will always remember the love that I saw in your eyes, the passion you have for each other, and the smiles on your children’s faces as you renewed your vows.

The evening was topped off with family at the Palazzolo Di bocce for some family fun and togetherness. Here’s a photo of their new wedding bands together on one of the Bacce balls.