Monarch Butterfly Graces a Fairytale Wedding | Jenison, Michigan

Mr. & Mrs. Parker

I was eagerly awaiting this day for Brooke & Drew! I photographed their surprise proposal on Lake Michigan, their engagement in Holland, and now this fairytale of a day that was magical in so many ways.

Brooke and I know each other from the modeling industry. We determined after her proposal that we have actually modeled for the same client, and shortly thereafter ended up on a magazine cover together! Such a small world, as cliche as that sounds!

With all the ever-changing executive orders and uncertainty of 2020, Brooke and Drew were faced with needing to make changes to their dream day. What would have been a large wedding full of family & friends turned into an intimate celebration with their closest loved ones. Turns out, love still wins. The size of a wedding doesn’t indicate the length of a marriage nor power of a bond. At the end of the day, these two love each other madly, and no executive order can change that!

As I anticipated, Brooke & Drew looked like a princess & prince straight out of a fairytale. And with Brooke’s modeling background…well…I didn’t need to give her much coaching to say the least. I mean…someone may need to get Drew an agent, too! ;)

Their ceremony was sweet & heartfelt. Afterwards we headed to a nearby park in Jenison to continue our shots! Just when I thought their day couldn’t be anymore perfect & beautiful, a Monarch butterfly fluttered into our photos, sticking around for quite some time. I was in awe of this creature who would gracefully land on Drew, then on Brooke, fly in circles around them, and land again. We acted on the opportunity, and ended up incorporating the butterfly into many shots. I’ve seen my fair share of Monarch butterflies, but I’ve never experienced anything quite like this. Brooke was sure it was her late Grandmother, who passed shortly before her proposal and had a love for Monarch’s. Doesn’t get more Disney-esque than that!

I knew these images would be something special Brooke & Drew could look back on to remember their day, but turns out millions of others thought so too. After I posted a peek on Facebook, the images went viral; shared over 17K times and viewed over 3.5 million. The story was featured on both Bored Panda and The Modern Met. We are all grateful this unique experience has brought joy to so many.

Without further ado…Brooke & Drew’s fairytale wedding! Enjoy!