Paula + Jared | Cozy Winter Wedding | Bay Pointe Woods | Shelbyville, MI

There are some snow storms that come with a vengeance. Wind gusts whip the snow right and left, up and down, almost causing white-out conditions. And then…there is the kind of snow that simply floats down, like individual soft blankets resting on any surface they come in contact with. As we rolled up to The Bay Pointe Woods and looked at the airy snowfall around us, we knew one thing: this was going to be an absolutely magical wedding day!

If you’ve been following the weekly blog for a while, then you might recognize Paula and Jared from their engagement shoot just a few weeks ago! However, this time, instead of walking through the woods, we found ourselves walking through their gorgeous venue, Bay Pointe Woods! This venue, nestled right between Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo, was the perfect location for Paula and Jared to bring together their friends and family to celebrate their wedding! The number of times we heard the words “family” or “we don’t get to see each other often” showed us that this wedding was so much more than just two people coming together; it was truly a celebration of two families coming together.

But the real highlight of the day, and our favorite time of any wedding day, was the time that we got to spend with Paula and Jared as we took their bridal portraits. When we say these two could literally not stop smiling once they saw each other at their first look, that is not an exaggeration. We never had to ask them to smile for photos, since every time Jared took Paula in his arms, their joy began to overflow all over again! Paula shared with us that she really wanted their wedding day to be “all about the love.” But once we started taking photos, we realized that love was the only thing we could see when Paula and Jared were in front of the camera.

Paula and Jared, you two are simply amazing. Your individual attention to each of your guests clearly displayed how much you love your friends and family, yet all the while never being more than a few steps away from each other. We still think back to our first Zoom meeting where Paula’s eyes shone as Jared shared how he proposed, and on your wedding day, we saw that exact same shine in Jared’s eyes as his bride walked down the aisle. You both are so special to us, we cannot wait to see how you grow closer and stronger together in the years to come! Congratulation you two, you did it, you’re married!!!

– J&A

Special shoutout to the INCREDIBLE team that made this beautiful wedding all that it was:

Wedding Planner: Molly with The Best Day Details

Wedding Dress: Bridal Elegance

Men’s Suits: Bunny Tuxedo

Elaborate Florals: Ludemas Floral and Garden

Hair Artist: Katie Dubiel (Capelli Salon)

Makeup Artist: Aura Beauty Bar (Dana Aurauma)

Venue: Bay Pointe Woods

Catering: The Restaurant at Bay Pointe Inn

Live Band/DJ: Austin Bouma