Max & Abbey’s Cozy Backyard Michigan Wedding

Max and I go way back — first marketing jobs, the kind of early-career chaos that bonds people for life. So when he asked me to shoot his wedding, yeah, I said yes before he finished the sentence. And Abbey? One of the kindest humans I've ever been around. These two together just make sense.

Saugatuck has been a family tradition for years. Weekend trips, family reunions, the kind of place that works its way into your bones. So when it came time to pick a spot to get married, the answer was pretty obvious. They booked out the Black Barn Inn — a handful of cabins tucked together that basically exists for exactly this kind of thing. Small. Intimate. No ballroom, no chandelier, no 200-person seating chart. Just the people who matter most, a backyard, and a really killer taco truck.

Did I mention the taco truck? And the coffee bar? And the florals? They had all the stuff.

It was stupid hot. Like, aggressively hot. The kind of June heat that makes you question your life choices. Nobody cared. The first look between Max & Abbey was one of those moments where you forget you're working. Ceremony was short and sweet out on the Woodland Terrace, officiated by Max's brother Mike, and if there was a dry eye in the house I didn't see it.

One detail I keep coming back to: Abbey carried a locket on her bouquet with a photo of her grandmother inside. I don't know the full story but I didn't need to. You just know when something means something.

The reception was exactly what you'd want: Tacos, a coffee bar, beautiful florals everywhere, and the most laid-back crowd you've ever seen at a wedding. And then, toward the end of the night, Max pulled out a yo-yo.

I'm not joking. The man went full sicko mode. Tricks and everything. Apparently that's a thing he does. I did not see that coming and honestly it was perfect. Max’s brother Mike pulled up some amazing clips of Max as a kid going apeshit on the yo-yo and told me a fun story about how he used to busk on the street in St. Louis by showing off his moves. That was probably supposed to stay between us. Sorry Max.

Max, Abbey: thank you for having me. This one meant a lot. Wishing you both nothing but the best.