Ben & Amanda — Joy, Memory, and the Beautiful Complexity of a Wedding Day at Wabeek Country Club
Some wedding days are defined not just by beauty and celebration, but by the full spectrum of emotion that comes with two families joining their stories together. Ben and Amanda’s wedding at Wabeek Country Club in Bloomfield Hills was one of those rare days—a day where joy and sorrow, remembrance and celebration, all lived side by side in a way that was honest and deeply human.
Ben and Amanda were incredibly kind and lovely to work with—gentle, warm, and fully present with one another. But woven into their day were quiet threads of grief and remembrance that made the moments between them even more meaningful. Ben’s father had passed away some time before the wedding, yet his presence was carried close to Ben’s heart—literally—through his father’s wedding band worn on a chain around his neck. It was subtle, powerful, and sacred in its simplicity.
And on the morning of the wedding, Amanda’s beloved grandmother passed away. Even as she stepped into her dress, surrounded by her bridesmaids, there was a tender awareness in the room—a mixture of loss and gratitude, sorrow and joy. It shaped the day in a way that wasn’t heavy, but honest. A reminder that life doesn’t pause for celebration, and celebration doesn’t erase the complexity of life. Instead, on a wedding day, the two often hold hands.
That’s what made photographing Ben and Amanda’s wedding so meaningful. The beauty of Wabeek—the manicured greens, the soft light drifting across the grounds, the elegance of the venue—gave us stunning scenes to work with. But the emotional landscape of the day mattered just as much. There were moments of laughter, moments of held breath, moments of quiet remembrance, and moments overflowing with joy. And all of them belong. All of them tell the story.
Weddings are rarely just one thing. They are layered—alive with celebration, rooted in family history, touched by the reality of who is present and who is missing. And stepping into that space with a camera is an honor every single time. With Ben and Amanda, it was a privilege to be invited into something so genuine—to witness the weight and the wonder of their day, and to preserve it honestly.
Their wedding was beautiful not just because of the setting or the details, but because it held the fullness of real life. And that is always worth remembering.
Venue: https://wabeekcc.com/
