Hillebrand Photography Blog » Weddings

Amanda & Chris

jhillebrand — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 01:37:07 +0000

Elegant. Classy. Fun. These are the words that come to mind when we think back to Chris and Amanda’s wedding. They are a gorgeous couple, both in character and in looks. Amanda looked like a model in a vintage-inspired gown, and carried on her face the perfect blushing-bride glow. The buzz throughout the crowd all night was just how unbelievably stunning she was. Chris looked the part of the dapper gentleman in his tux, and survived the brutal heat and humidity with the rest of the groomsmen during the outdoor ceremony. Our favorite part during the ceremony was when several of their relatives SANG a blessing in perfect, a cappella harmony to them. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house! Just thinking of it now still gives us goosebumps. Following the ceremony was the reception, which probably had the most engaging, hilarious, and all together entertaining dance party we’ve ever seen at a wedding! We found out quickly that most of the guests were fraternity and sorority friends, which makes perfect sense. We had an absolute riot photographing the crowd as they literally danced like no one was watching, no one but us…and our cameras.

Here are the amazing vendors who contributed to this beautiful event:

Ceremony & Reception Site: Addison Oaks
Flowers: Viviano
Cake: Nina Kelly Cakes
Linens: The Linen Closet
DJ: Pro DJ Services
Make-up: Todd’s room

Amanda and Chris: Thank you so much for allowing us to take part in your special day. You are kind, gracious, and all together wonderful! We wish you nothing but peace, happiness, and blessings throughout your marriage. We are so excited to present these images to you and hope that they bring you a lifetime of happy memories of your incredible day.

There are many more images to view in the slide show and full gallery if you click here!! After you view the slide show, feel free to visit the full gallery by clicking the “Order Pictures” icon. The gallery is password protected, so please contact us or Amanda if you’re interested in seeing more!

Rene’ & Sherif

jhillebrand — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 15:29:49 +0000

It was a warm, breezy Saturday in May when gorgeous couple, Rene’ and Sherif exchanged vows in quiet, elegant Muslim ceremony. Sherif is an anesthesiologist from New Jersey and Rene’, a registered nurse, is currently attending grad school for her Masters in Health Administration. They are the perfect match as Sherif is the easy-going, gentle-spirited counterpart to the shy and quiet beauty that is Rene’. A lover of classic films, Rene’ possess a Grace Kelly-like elegance and poise. Our cameras loved her and it was fun to get some images that are reminiscent of classic film stills. In addition to practicing medicine, Sherif is the proud father of an adorable set of twin boys…whom you will see many photos of below! All together, their event was exquisite and timeless. Every detail was perfection. It even included a cultural “Zeffa” performance which is an Egyptian wedding ritual that many couples of other Middle Eastern nationalities adopt as part of their wedding celebration. Rene’ and Sherif: it was such a pleasure to be a part of your amazing day and we thank you form the bottom of our hearts for choosing us! We so enjoyed our time with you both as well as your lovely friends and family. May you enjoy a lifetime of blessings, peace, and happiness!!

We’d also like to give credit to the many wonderful vendors who were involved in the making of this beautiful event:

Wedding Consultant: The China Closet
Ceremony, Reception & Cakes: The Reserve
Florist: New Creations by Kate
Linens: Chair Covers and Linens
Ceremony Draping: Special Events Rental
Invitations & Print Work: Cartoleria in Birmingham
Photo Booth: Shutterbooth
DJ: Mike Staff Productions
Entertainment: Arabian Knights Folkdance Troupe
Baked Goods: Pinwheel Bakery and Le Petite Prince Bakery
Ceremony Musicians: La Corda
Limo: Aristocat Transportation
Hair Stylists: Bianchi’s Salon
Make-up: Todd’s Room
Dress: Gina’s Bridal Boutique

Now, without further ado…we present to you Mr. and Mrs. Sonbol! To see more images, don’t forget to click on the link at the end to see a slide show set to music!

To see a slide show of their day, click here!! From there you can click the “Order Pictures” icon to be directed to their full gallery. The gallery is password protected, so please email the bride or us if you’re interested in viewing. Enjoy!!

Meredith & Kyle

jhillebrand — Tue, 04 May 2010 22:37:26 +0000

Meredith and Kyle are an absolutely beautiful couple, inside and out. Their love, laughter and faith permeates any atmosphere around them. We were so honored to share their special day with them on a chilly April day! We shot close to 5,000 images so narrowing it down to our very favorites was excruciating! For starters, Meredith looked absolutely stunning in a handmade gown, crafted by her dear aunt. She had a radiant glow throughout the entire day which was contagious to everyone else. The couple exchanged vows in an incredibly beautiful and historic church, First Presbyterian Church of Lapeer which was packed out to standing room only! (Meredith and Kyle are loved by MANY…i.e. guest list = 310.) Several generations of Meredith’s family were married at this church, so it was awesome to see them say their vows where so many other family members have stood before. The reception that followed at the Lapeer Country Club was beautifully decorated by Burkes Flowers, with a gorgeous AND delicious cake, compliments of Bella Birches, and to top it off, the party was lively and entertaining MC’d by none other than Music Box Productions… whom we *love*! Best. DJs. Ever. Meredith and Kyle, what can we say? You two are so perfect for each other and we know that you have nothing but a lifetime of happiness ahead of you. You are surrounded by amazing family and friends, and we truly loved every moment of photographing your wedding! May your faith, hope, love, and laughter carry you through every season of your lives. Thanks for allowing us to share in your journey and we hope to photograph all the special moments that are ahead of you. Now, without further ado, we present to you Mr. (soon-to-be Dr.) and Mrs. VanKoevering:

To see a sideshow with more images and to link to their full gallery, click here!! For their engagement session flashback, click here!

Introducing: Leather Craftsmen Albums!

jhillebrand — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 18:21:38 +0000

We are so excited to show you our latest and greatest album samples! Printed and bound by the BEST album company in the world, we are happy to offer Leather Craftsmen albums and companion books. The look is classic, yet contemporary and will be an incredible family heirloom for generations to come. (All Leather Craftsmen products are backed by a lifetime guarantee.) Shown below is a 12×12, 34-side album in suede-like material with a replicated 8×8 leather companion book. These are also known as “Parent Albums” and are offered at a big discount when you order a 10×10 or 12×12 wedding album.

Love the crisp, clean edges and contemporary engraving!

Love designing gorgeous, cross-page layouts!

Here’s an 8×8 parent album featured with a 12×12 bride and groom album:

There are dozens of cover material choices to choose from, including a very sleek Japanese book cloth material, as well as super-hip metallic photo covers. The possibilities really are endless. We’re looking forward to custom-designing more awesome albums for you soon!!

Introducing: Engagement Guest Books!

jhillebrand — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 22:53:31 +0000

I’m so thrilled to announce the start of a new line of products: Engagement Guest Books! Forget about those boring, old-fashioned guest books that you’re never going to look at! Instead, show off your sweet engagement session pics in a gorgeous custom-designed photo guest book! Your friends and family will love being able to flip through your book and write notes and well wishes for a happy marriage. And when the Big Day is long gone, you’ll have this awesome book for your coffee table! Check out the sample:

Inquire with us if you’re interested in an Engagement Guest Book for your wedding! These custom-designed, hardcover books are also available for any of our portrait sessions!

Nick & Halie’s Wedding

jhillebrand — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 02:27:00 +0000

Nick and Halie, a super-fun, super-hipster, super-mohawked (or at least, one of them) couple had an awesome wedding in downtown Rochester this summer. The reception was at Main Street Billiards and their wedding planner totally transformed it into an bright, elegant, and stylish atmosphere. In addition to being fun and hip, Nick and Halie are good peeps through and through…and did we mention, totally photogenic! Of the hundreds images, here are our favorite 40. To see the images larger, just click on them. Enjoy!!

To see the full gallery, go to http://www.hillebrandphotography.com/, click on “Client Viewing & Ordering,” click the link, and scroll down to Nick & Halie’s Wedding. Please contact us if you’d like to purchase an image in a different toning than what is shown, we don’t recommend turning images to black & white or sepia online

Ryan & CamieLee’s Wedding

jhillebrand — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 18:31:00 +0000

Ryan and CamieLee (whom you may remember from their engagement session post last fall) tied the knot recently at VanHoosen Farms in Rochester which is fitting because Ryan grew up on dairy farm in central Michigan. Unconventional and artistic, just like the couple that they are, their wedding was a Saturday morning affair with lots of vintage farm decor. On this particular morning, the weather was calling for severe thunderstorms…not what you want to hear for your outdoor-with-no-back-up-plan wedding. It rained and rained, but as the 9am ceremony time drew closer, the rain started to lighten until it disappeared all together and the sun came out JUST as Camie started down the aisle! No lie. It was absolutely breathtaking. Of the thousands of images we captured from their day, here are some of our favorites. To see the images larger, just click on them. Enjoy!

To see the full gallery, go to www.hillebrandphotography.com, click “Client Viewing & Ordering,” click the link, and scroll down to “Ryan & CamieLee’s Wedding.” Enjoy!

Becca & Wally: Eloped!

jhillebrand — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 18:15:00 +0000

About a month ago, my best friend since 3rd grade called me at 8 am on a Monday morning to tell me that she’d just gotten engaged…and that the wedding was in 3 days! She found a dress at a thrift shop so she was good to go. Within three days, we threw together a rather elegant affair, if I do say so myself, on her back porch. Here are a few pics from her spur-of-the-moment nuptials. It really was one of the most enjoyable and laid-back weddings we’ve ever attended. Thank God for crazy friends who keep life interesting!

Oh, and did I mention that her parents (Bob and Lee) were vacationing overseas when this whole thing went down?