Holland, Michigan | Intimate ceremony at Central Park Chapel

Grace and Jack’s intimate wedding in Holland, Michigan was so beautiful. They went through a TON of plan changes to keep their original date due to covid, but made it work. It was actually my first wedding back from quarantine. If you haven’t checked out their engagement session, with their cute pup, CHECK IT OUT!

The day started at the Airbnb they rented, with everyone getting ready. Grace and Jack had their first look in the backyard before we drove to Morningside Park for family photos. Their ceremony space, Central Park Chapel is an open air chapel but they still kept social distancing and live streamed the whole ceremony.

A little bit more about Grace and Jack from their wedding website: Jack and Grace met their freshman year at Calvin College. Jack lived in the dorms with a few guys from Grace's high school who introduced the two. It took Jack about three months to muster up the courage to even send Grace a text but after he did their lives have been filled with lots of laughter and love (and pizza) ever since. Fast-forward four years and they still love all the same things (speedy freezes, card games, and each other) but now they enjoy it all with the company of their mini-bernedoodle, Harper. Our first date: Jack was incredibly thoughtful when planning out our first date. He knew that for my birthday I always used to go to Fredrick Meijer Gardens for the butterfly exhibit and then to Yesterdog for hotdogs, but hadn't been in years. So he surprised me by taking me to both and we had a great time walking around the sculpture park, talking for hours and getting to know each other.

I asked Grace about their proposal: “Like everything he does, Jack put a lot of time and thought into the proposal, and it was all a complete surprise! He started by taking me to eat at my favorite restaurant and then when the waiter came with the check he also gave me a gold heart-shaped envelope. This was the start of a five-part scavenger hunt. The first stop was a place we took a lot of walks at Calvin getting to know each other, the second was the church we have attended and grown at together. The third stop was Fredrick Meijer Gardens (where we had our first date) and in the butterfly garden, he got down on one knee and popped the question! He had a photographer friend waiting in hiding there to snap a few pictures and then we left for the melting pot for delicious smores fondue. The fifth and final stop was a surprise party at my parents with both our family and friends! It was one of the most special and best days ever!”

I have to say, if you can pull of a wedding and the stress of a wedding in a global pandemic, you can accomplish anything.

Photographer: Sydney Marie Photography
Videographer: Aimshir Productions
Ceremony venue: Central Park Chapel
Cake/Bakery: Mary's Creative Cakery
Wedding Dress: Spring Sweet