Melissa & Bodie

Ceremony Location: First United Methodist Church, Farmington
Reception Location: St. Mary's Cultural Center, Livonia
Wedding Colors: Black, Orange, Dark Red
# Guests: 215
Emergency Kit Items Used: Hair spray, super glue, tape, place cards

Sunny and not too hot, a bride's dream wedding day!

Our day began at St. Mary's Cultural Center in Livonia. We had many boxes of things to get through, including a colorful candy buffet. While I love the color-coordinated candy buffets too, this colorful one looked so FUN and inviting, and you have a lot of options as far as candy choices when you are not limited to certain colors. The couple also had a very thoughtful memory table planned, floral centerpieces, table runners and head table swag lined with candles and rose petals, along with all of the usual wedding accessories, lots of votives, and even some sparkle for the cake table! Keith and Sam at St. Mary's were super-accomodating and the kitchen staff was very welcoming when we needed access, which makes my job 10 times easier!! Thank you, guys!

We arrived to the church to make sure the ceremony decor had arrived and started hanging the DIY tissue pomanders which looked so cute on the pews. First United has ceremony coordinators on-site, and Linda and Maureen were great!

Melissa arrived in her limo looking absolutely stunning! The bridesmaids were in black and the orange and deep red flowers they carried (all by Irelynn Designs) looked gorgeous against the gowns. Additionally, Melissa's bouquet was all deep red roses, Black Baccaras and Freedom Roses, so pretty!

We got to work again with the wonderful Kate Lees of KBL Photography (http://kblphotography.carbonmade.com/). Her associate and brother, Paul Briles, was the videographer. Kate has a great attitude and both were so easy to work with. Pro pics will hopefully land on my website and Facebook fan page soon! (Update - check out some photos here!)

There ceremony went off as planned, although I do believe we had one shy ring bearer who did not feel that day was the day to walk down an aisle. This seems to happen fairly often though (I had another shy ring bearer last month). Little ones can be unpredictable :-)

The bride and groom made their church exit to the guests blowing bubbles. I love love love the photos that result from this and cannot wait to see them. I think bubbles make some of the neatest church exit photos.

Melissa and Bodie had a slightly unique entrance planned, as Melissa's heritage is Middle Eastern. The bridal party was announced and waiting on the dance floor, and the newlyweds entered to a traditional Arabic song and many guests then joined them on the dance floor. At one point Melissa was lifted up in the air on a chair ~ she looked like a queen and Bodie quite obviously adores her. It was really a cool thing to see both families all together on the dance floor in celebration! (Music done by Michael Shea at Shea Sounds)

St. Mary's served delicious food, including a fatoush salad (love fatoush!). Catfish was one of the more unique entree choices and it too was delicious! The cake (http://www.cakesbykara.com/) was later served with ice cream, and the colorful candy buffet was opened. Cookies made by the bride's family, and also some other cookies and brownies, were available on the candy buffet as well.

All in all a successful day and night... Thanks, Bodie & Melissa, for allowing us to be a part of everything! Congratulations and enjoy JAMAICA! (jealous over here!!)

The candy buffet before some of the refrigerated things were added: