Scheltema Barn Wedding in Caledonia, MI | Katelynn and Michael

The Scheltema Barn in Caledonia was perfectly suited for the country theme that Katelynn and Michael had planned for their wedding. It was built in 1837 and the rugged rough-hewn beams and floorboards exude rustic charm. The day began with Katelynn getting ready at her parent’s house, just up the road from the barn.After Katelynn’s first look with her dad, I headed over to the barn to photograph the Michael and the guys.Michael’s mom pinned his boutonniere on his vest.Of course, I had to get a little dramatic with the groom portraits as well.How cute are these two?Next it was time for the ceremony.
The flower girl decided to go for a jog during the ceremony!The following photos really showcase the unique rustic interior of the Scheltema Barn.I thought this rope cross was nice twist on the “unity _____” tradition.The the whole wedding party went for a ride on a hay wagon following the ceremony, pulled by Katelynn’s cousin on his tractor.The field of tall corn next to the barn provided a unique backdrop for some wedding party photos.The Scheltema Barn has a unique structure that I wanted to showcase, and so I decided to use it as a background for a photo of the wedding party. To make sure the people in the image remained the focus, I did the this shot as a flash composite, giving each couple their own spotlight and combining the images after the fact in Photoshop.For comparison, here’s what the shot looked like with no flash. Without the appropriate lighting, the three dimensional feel of the image is lost and the wedding party just fades into the background.With the portraits completed it was time for the reception!Photography is all about using light to direct the viewer’s eye to the important parts of an image. In these shots of the reception space I used my flash to spotlight certain details that I wanted to emphasize while maintaining the overall feel of the ambient light in the room.Katelynn’s dad gave the welcome speech and prayer, followed by toasts from the best man and maid of honor.After the cake cutting we ducked out of the reception for a few minutes to take advantage of the beautiful sunset light.The sun quickly dipped down below the horizon. If I was only shooting with natural light, that would have been the all the photos we got, but since I brought my flash with me we were able to cross the road and get a few more shots with a totally different look and feel.
Back inside the barn, the bride and groom had their first dance. I used a wide angle lens to show the rugged architecture and emphasize the vastness of the space.After Katelynn’s dance with her dad, I was honored to capture these touching photos of Michael’s grandparents dancing, followed by Michael dancing with and embracing his grandma. She had been having health problems and they weren’t sure if she would be able to make it to the wedding, but thankfully she was able to be there and share the day with him and the rest of her family.
After we all dried our eyes, Michael and his mom took to the dance floor.The mother-son dance transitioned into general party time.After the garter and bouquet, we ended with a night portrait of the bride and groom.