Robin and Liam - Metro Detroit Ann Arbor Engagement Photography - Matthaei Botanical Gardens

““We cannot decide to love. We cannot compel anyone to love us. There’s no secret recipe, only love itself. And we are at its mercy—there’s nothing we can do.”
”

— Nina George, The Little Paris Bookshop

I met Robin and Liam on a sunny day at Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Conservatory in Ann Arbor, Michigan. We had to reschedule our first session because of some unpredictable Michigan spring weather. This day was absolutely lovely and I'm so glad we got to capture the loveliness that is spring and the love shared by these two. I'm going to be photographing their awesome wedding in August and I couldn't be more excited!

Shawna & Angel - January 21st, 2017 - Metro Detroit Wedding Photography

“Love is friendship that has caught fire. It is quiet understanding, mutual confidence, sharing and forgiving. It is loyalty through good and bad times. It settles for less than perfection and makes allowances for human weaknesses. ”

— Ann Landers

Shawna and Angel found me through a Dearborn Facebook group. I lived most of my life in Dearborn and as soon as Shawna and I talked on the phone we just clicked. They were looking for an engagement photographer and we ended up driving around Detroit having a blast capturing some fabulous photos of just the two of them. Shortly after I delivered their engagement images Shawna asked if I was free for their wedding this upcoming January. I was so excited I was able to capture this day for the two of them.

These two met at work and they truly shine brightest together. They make each other laugh, they support one another, and you can tell all they want is love and happiness for their partner. They celebrated by having an intimate ceremony at Heritage Park Chapel in Taylor in front of their closest friends and family. They did not see each other before their ceremony and each of them was nervous, I could tell, but the good butterflies in your tummy kind. The look on Angel's face seeing Shawna walk down the aisle is one of my favorites.

After changing out of her gorgeous wedding shoes and into Hunter boots for the rain puddles outside on an unseasonably warm Michigan day we had some time just the two of them together. They rejoined their guests at Park Place in Dearborn and celebrated the night away.

Congratulations you two, you deserve all the happiness in the world. Keep on making each other laugh until your tummy hurts. That's my advice ;)

XO,

Sarah

My favorites of 2016

“It is more important to click with people than to click the shutter.
”

— Alfred Stieglitz

I seriously love this job to pieces. Most days when I wake up and either work on photographs or get to photograph an engagement or wedding I feel extremely lucky. I get to share in one of the happiest moments of people's lives and capture that feeling. I don't for one second take it for granted. Here are a few of my favorites from this past season of 2016!

Phil and Michelle - August 2016 - Metro Detroit Wedding Photography - Crystal Gardens Wedding

“You are the finest, loveliest, tenderest, and most beautiful person I have ever known and even that is an understatement. ”

— F. Scott Fitzgerald

Those shoes!

Michelle and Phil had been planning their wedding for some time and were over the top excited to celebrate and say, "I do", in front of all their family, friends, and baby girl Reese. I met Michelle over ten years ago in nursing school, and we went on to work as RN's at the same hospital for some time. When Michelle contacted me about planning her wedding to Phil I was ecstatic that they wanted me to photograph their wedding day. There is so much love, care, and tenderness between Michelle, Phil and Reese that I found myself in tears multiple times during their day. Happy, wonderful tears of a day to celebrate a love that both had wished for and came true. We were able to capture portraits of the group and the two of them outdoors before a huge thunderstorm rolled in for the rest of the day.

Best wishes always you two, you know how to through a fabulous party. Your love is what shined brightest all day. And Phil, never stop looking at Michelle that way. It's pretty out of this world.

Many thanks to Angela my second shooter for helping me capture all the details of the day.

xo,

Sarah

Maria and Jodi's Wedding - August 6th, 2016 - Michigan Wedding Photography -Lansing LGBT Wedding - Marriott University Place

Maria and Jodi were married at the lovely Marriott University Place in Lansing, Michigan surrounded by loving family and friends. The entire day was a celebration of their great love for one another and I literally left their wedding wishing we could do the day all over, just because it was that amazing. These two were meant for each other and they love hard. Their love is a beautiful thing to witness. The way they look at each other you can just see it. It was such an honor to capture this day for you two. Angela and myself had a wonderful day celebrating with you!!

Maria and Jodi - Old Town Lansing Engagement Session - Same Sex Wedding Photography - Lansing Wedding Photographer

“She was not for everyone,
but she was for me.
”

— atticus

Maria and Jodi are pretty awesome people. We met by chance through another photographer and will be working together during their wedding in Lansing this August 2016. These two literally make you feel good because they bring out the best in each other and in others. We had so much fun roaming Old Town Lansing and capturing some lovely engagement pictures. Plus they were game to take pictures in front of this insane pet shop mural. My kind of couple!

I cannot wait for their wedding day, it is going to be a beautiful day!

xo,

Sarah

And of course, Joe showing off the rings. Such a stud.

Angie & Kyle - Ann Arbor Engagement - Matthaei Botanical Gardens Conservatory

“Holding you I held everything.”

— Garth Brooks - "The Dance"

Angie and Kyle met at Michigan State University during their undergrad years. As Angie tells it,

"Kyle and I actually met several years ago in 2009 at Michigan State through mutual friends, but we remained friends/acquaintances until fall 2012 when we ran into each other at a tailgate at Michigan State. I was in grad school and he was in law school, so we were definitely in different places in our lives than when we originally met! We started dating and doing a long-distance relationship for about a year (I was still in East Lansing and he lived here in Royal Oak) before I moved to Royal Oak."

"Then about a year later we moved in together in Royal Oak. About a month ago Kyle planned a romantic dinner for us at Joe Muer's Seafood restaurant at the Renaissance Center overlooking the Detroit River, which was probably one of the best meals in terms of atmosphere, service, and food that I have ever had! Afterwords, we went for a walk along the river and once we got away from the crowds, Kyle stopped at a bench in a little park area and proposed :) I was so excited and overjoyed that I didn't even hear him ask to marry me (my mind was definitely elsewhere)!"

The two are planning a destination wedding in Florida for May 2017 and I couldn't be happier to capture their engagement pictures for them. Frankly they were so awesome I'd hide in a suitcase and try to photograph their beach wedding (just kidding, sort of). Honestly we had so much fun and these two were awesome braving the cold Michigan spring day. Best wishes always you two!

xo,

Sarah

Sonia & Joe - Ann Arbor Engagement - Nichols Arboretum - UM Law Quad

“ The best thing to hold onto in life is each other. ”

— Audrey Hepburn

I had the pleasure to finally meet Sonia and Joe in person and capture their engagement portraits. Sonia's family lives near Ann Arbor and they are planning their October 2016 wedding at The Graduate in Ann Arbor. We met at the Nichols Arboretum in Ann Arbor and the trees in full bloom were gorgeous. From there we explored the Law Quad at The University of Michigan.

Sonia and Joe met at undergrad in college at Case Western University and have been together pretty much ever since. They now live in Baltimore, Maryland. You can tell these two know each other inside and out. They truly shine brightest together and their smiles are contagious.

Despite the strange weather (it actually was sleeting at one point) these two were troopers and really had fun with it. I can't wait to capture your wedding day. October will be here before you know it. Happy spring!

xo,

Sarah

Alicia and Doug - Sharon Mills Park Wedding

Alicia and Doug planned an intimate, vintage, detailed-oriented wedding at Sharon Mills County Park in Machester, Michigan on August 22nd, 2015. Literally everywhere I looked I saw gorgeous details. Alicia and Doug met and had their first day canoeing, hence their adorable candle boat favors they made themselves.

I had not visited Sharon Mills before and it felt like time stood still there. The mill was originally constructed in the mid-1850s. It was then purchased and nearly rebuilt by Henry Ford in the 1930s for use as a small factory. Sharon Mills is listed on the State of Michigan Register of Historic Places. A beautiful creek is next to the reception site and across the road is a small lake where the sun sets just perfectly in the evening.

Alicia and Doug had a day that was perfectly about the two of them, and there was not a dry eye at the ceremony or reception. Congratulations you two and best of wishes and you venture out in your life as husband and wife!

• Venue: Sharon Mills County Park
• Florist: Flowers by Whole Foods Florist
• Catering: Food Art (Amazingly tasty!)
• Wedding Dress:
• Bridesmaid Dresses: Boutique in Chicago
• Wedding Shoes: Handmade on Etsy
• Jewelry: Vintage pieces

It was an honor to document your day with Jeeheon Cho Photography.

The Best of 2015 - Waldenwoods Resort Wedding Hartland Michigan - Sarah Amelia Wedding Photography - Ann Arbor Wedding Photographer - Detroit Wedding Photographer

With 2016 almost being half over (how is that possible?) I want to revisit my favorites from last years wedding season of 2015. I have had the privilege to work with so many fabulous couples and photographers this past year. Sarah and Louis' grew up in Michigan and met at a YMCA camp, both as camp counselors. They were living in Florida and both working for Disney, but wanted to plan a wedding back in Michigan with their family.

From the moment they saw Waldenwoods Resort they knew it was a perfect fit. Not only was it gorgeous but it felt like a home away from home. It reminded of them of summer camp, and what better place to get married surrounded by your favorite people? They had family from Michigan, friends, and their Florida family there to celebrate with them.

Complete with a cigar bar, a bonfire and s'more station, and dancing the night away it was a great party and perfectly them. As I got ready to pack up for the night I walked outside looking in on the party. The room radiated warmth, love, and joy.

““A thing that you see in my pictures is that I was not afraid to fall in love with these people.”
- Annie Leibovitz”

Waldenwoods Resort, Highland Michigan Wedding - Sarah and Louis - October 2015

Wedding Location: Waldenwoods Resort, Hartland Michigan

Welcome to our new home on the internet! make yourself comfy & stay awhile.

““A girl should be two things: who and what she wants.”
― Coco Chanel”

Hi there!

We've been working on making this new website for quite awhile now, and for a long time it was all just one big idea in my head. Thank you so much to Sofia from Magnolia Creative Studio for bringing my ideas and personality to life online. It has been amazing working with you!

What's new at Sarah Amelia Photography? As you'll see the new site focuses on wedding photography primarily. I will still be taking requests for portraits, etc, so feel free to contact me if you have any question. I have been narrowing my niche down for awhile and wedding photography is my number one love!

My goal for my new home on the internet was to make it a reflection of who I am and what my business is all about. That being said this website is an extension of all things Sarah. Take a look around and find out more about what I love.

Also a big thank you to Ash Anger Photography for the lovely fresh head shots. You made me feel amazing!

A FEW THINGS I LOVE -

• My hubby and daughter Zoe. Her laughter is contagious and her wrinkly nose when she smiles makes my heart skip a beat. She is almost one year old!
• My rescue cats, yes all 3 of them. I am an animal lover through and through. Their names are Ray, Lincoln and Lulu and all have special stories.
• Road trips and traveling with my loves. I love exploring the world and have a good case of wanderlust. I love going places I've never been. You always find the best places and people without planning it.
• Quotes. I literally am saving and writing them down everywhere. I'm a very visual person and words and pictures inspire me to hustle, dream, and get things done.
• I love being a girl boss. I've been an RN for over ten years but I took a step away 2 years ago to pursue my dream of a photography business full time. Since I have never been happier and I get to photograph the happiest moments of people's lives.
• I have a deep love for Chipotle and their guacamole.
• I don't take myself too seriously, and I'll most likely make you laugh by repeating silly movie quotes, or tripping over myself. Grace is not my forte. Laughing at myself I can do.
• Love stories are my favorite. It's what makes me fall in love with capturing them. I want to know and capture all the details. Tell me more <3

xo, Sarah

““What i like about photographs is that they capture a moment that’s gone forever, impossible to reproduce.”
― Karl Lagerfeld”

Watch our new promotional video! I am so grateful and lucky to work with such awesome brides, grooms, and their friends and families. I can't wait to see what the next year holds! Now booking 2016-2017 weddings and elopements! Click on the contact button up top to get in touch.