SHARON & JUSTIN WEDDING

I have met and photographed many couples over my 30 year career, but only a handful of them have made an impression on me quite like Sharon and Justin. Sharon and Justin are a very special couple. Their love for one another, the closeness they have to their families and the high regard they have from their friends is incredible. Why would this have an impact on me as their wedding photographer? Because it provided me with unlimited opportunities to photograph authentic, emotion-filled, genuine moments from the beginning of the day until it ended. When the wedding day was over, I was amazed at how quickly the day had flown by even though our time exceeded 15 hours of photography!

Sharon and Justin’s day began at the Sheraton Novi for getting ready photos. Karen Foster was Justin’s dedicated photographer, and I photographed Sharon and the bridesmaids. Prior to going to the church for their wedding ceremony, both were chauffeured separately to each parents’ home for prayer ceremonies, surrounded by family and friends. The couple would finally see one another when Sharon walked the aisle to join Justin at the altar at Sweetest Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Detroit. After photos around downtown Detroit, including a stop at the Detroit Institute of Arts and the historic Guardian Building, the entire wedding party joined family and guests at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi, Michigan. Prior to the grand entrance, Sharon changed into new attire for the celebration!

The wedding was flawlessly and meticulously planned by Rupali and Samm of  UTSAV Planners. Additional photographers included Jack Scicluna and Alex Norton.

ARCHANA & SHANKARA WEDDING

Archana & Shankara live on the east coast. When they first inquired about photography and video, they lived in New York and New Jersey respectively. All of our meetings took place over Zoom Video calls. They had such a chill and relaxed attitude about them, I knew our style of wedding photography and video would suit them perfectly. Shortly after they secured their wedding date with us, we finally met in person to photograph their engagement session around the University of Michigan campus in the middle of February! I have to admit, I was a little nervous about how well we would all do in the middle of freezing temperatures. What I did not expect was that we ended up having a blast! I knew then that they were going to have a stellar wedding come the following August, 2021. 

In addition to becoming one of our highlight weddings that year, Archana & Shank gave us an opportunity we will never forget! They commissioned our video team to film our first wedding and officially launch this new wing of Ray Anthony Weddings! You can see a four minute sample of Jack Scicluana and Kenzie Sommer’s work on the videography page here on this website! It is a masterpiece and highlights our unique brand of documentary wedding videography!

The wedding day finally came, beginning with getting ready photos at Forest Lake Country Club in Bloomfield Township, Michigan where the couples’ outdoor wedding ceremony was also held. Their exquisite reception followed at the downtown Birmingham, Michigan Townsend Hotel. DJ’d by one of the industry’s best as well as my favorite to work with: DJ Sandman. Additional photographers included Karen Foster and Alex Norton.

The festive season, romantic vibes, and picture-perfect environment are only a few of the reasons why couples love winter weddings. If you fall into this category, don’t let the opportunity winter offers pass you by! Take advantage of all that winter gives you for the perfect wedding ceremony.

To preserve the memories of your beautiful winter wedding, you will need fantastic wedding photos you can happily look back at in years to come, and Ray Anthony Photography would be delighted to be your photographers. Here are some tips to consider when planning your winter wedding photos.

   Consider The Time Of Day For Your Ceremony And Whether The Lighting Provided Will Enhance Or Detract From The Mood That Will Permeate

When having your wedding during the winter, consider the differences between having a late morning or early afternoon ceremony compared to a late afternoon or early evening ceremony. Having your ceremony early in the day will allow you to take advantage of the daylight so that the images your photographer captures are naturally-lit. This only would be true if the location has lots of windows to provide bright light from the outdoor sunlight. Larger, older church interiors are sometimes very dark inside due to a lack of windows or dominated by dark stained-windows that minimize the brightness from the outdoor light. In this latter situation, it would require the same lighting augmentation you would need to consider for an evening ceremony.

Because natural lighting is greatly diminished as it gets darker earlier than normal and the sunsetting shortly after 5pm for the early winter months in Michigan, your photographer will be challenged to find ways to enhance how to properly light the ceremony. He may need to use on-camera flash, off-camera strobes or take advantage of the LED lighting provided by the video team. Using this additional lighting will definitely affect the ‘look” and “feel” of your wedding ceremony photographs.

So give this some thought. Natural lighting always provides optimal lighting conditions for your photographer. If the ceremony is decorated lavishly with expensive floral arrangements, and it’s important to you that your photos are bright and airy, and your guests are clearly recognized in the background, an early, brightly lit ceremony is what you should consider. On the other hand, if you love moody, romantic, contrasty photos, consult with your photographer in advance. A little bit of planning is all a great photographer will need so that he or she can anticipate finding wonderful lighting during your ceremony if it is in a dark location or takes place after sunset. Having candles or stringed lights line the processional aisle way or surround the alter can provide unbelievable opportunities for your wedding photographer. If your wedding happens to fall near the Christmas season, festive lights and Christmas trees provided by the church or venue where the ceremony takes place will also give your photographer incredible opportunities.

   Take Advantage Of The Festive Vibes During the Winter

Winter weddings are undoubtedly great for pictures, which is one reason why couples opt for them. Christmas trees and lights, warm colors, hot chocolate, mulled wine, candles, etc., are all excellent backdrops. Getting ready photos might take place in couple’s home or the home of their parents who might decorate lavishly with stringed lights and decorations, beautifully and colorfully wrapped gifts, decorated entry ways, fireplaces and living rooms that are vibrant and festive. Neighborhood homes and trees light up with colorful lights for photos as the couple leaves the neighborhood or hotel on the way to the ceremony .

The various quaint downtowns around Metro Detroit, like Birmingham, Royal Oak, Plymouth, Northville, Rochestor, Ann Arbor and Grosse Pointe will be decorated vibrantly. Your creative wedding photographer can skillfully take advantage of the endless opportunities surrounding you that produce beautiful wedding photos. December weddings are always so bright since everyone is already in a festive mood, and your wedding gives them even more reason to celebrate.

   Dress Appropriately And Be Prepared For The Worst Weather Conditions

Putting on the appropriate dresses and accessories during your winter wedding will let you stay warm and keep you relaxed. That also means you’re in comfort, which is the perfect recipe for great wedding pictures. You don’t worry about shivering through your entire wedding ceremony.

Make sure you come along with a warm jacket that matches your wedding dress, velvet or tweed suits, additional flats if it gets muddy outside, etc. In the end, all these will help your wedding photographer capture the perfect winter wedding pictures. Think about adding matching or custom umbrellas for your wedding party and family members in case its not quite cold enough for snow and you need to get from your transportation to the church or venue in the midst of sleet or snow! If your wedding photographer is a story teller, like Ray Anthony Photography, he will see the unique opportunity and the beauty in the continuity of the moment to capture a once in a lifetime photograph.

   Incorporate Candles Into Your Décor

Incorporating candles into your décor makes your wedding venue beautiful, warm, romantic, and cozy; these also make for the perfect backdrop for winter wedding photographs. Get your wedding decorator to add enough candles to your wedding décor, and you will be sure to love the result.

If there is lots of candles burning, lining the aisle or surrounding the ceremony alter, a skilled photographer could really thrive and capture stunning, romantic and softly lit imagery. Candles also do a magical job of providing a romantic and festive glow to the ambience of any room.

Is your Detroit wedding merely a few weeks, a month or even a year away? And do you need a professional Detroit wedding photographer to capture your beautiful winter wedding? Ray Anthony Photography is ready, and so are our cameras!

Click here for a free consultation with us or give us a call at 866-UNPOSED (867-6733). We’re no strangers to winter weddings, and we’ve captured amazing photographs at a multitude of winter weddings in prestigious venues around Detroit. Be rest assured that your winter wedding photographs will be some of the most unique and lovely pictures you’ll ever see!

Social media is a treasure trove of amazing engagement photos, isn’t it? While some look quite romantic, others force a chuckle or two of you, don’t they? Undoubtedly, we’ve all heard from a couple or two that we know how disappointed they were in their wedding photographer. Sometimes it comes as a surprise to them after viewing their wedding photos, for other couples they will tell you they should have known better after viewing their engagement session images.

May I suggest that the reason for this is that many couples fail to improperly decide on their photographer when they secure their services BEFORE the first engagement photo is ever snapped. This might sound self-serving coming from a wedding photographer. I share this, however, because even I realize that my style of photography is not for everyone. It is very important to me to make sure the couples who commission me, do so with certainty and with enough information about what I will do for them as possible, before they sign our contract. I want to know that I am being selected for the right reasons. For this reason, I have two suggestions for couples just beginning their journey into selecting a wedding photographer. My honest desire is to offer you some advice to help you do your best when looking for a Detroit wedding photographer.

         Get a Wedding Photographer that Takes Time to Know and Understand You

Your engagement is the prologue to your wedding. It sets in motion plans for the big day and the marriage itself. Needless to say, this makes it a special and important moment that should be documented, and photos are the best medium you can utilize to achieve that. What does this have to do with selecting your wedding photographer? It is imperative you secure the services of a competent and professional wedding photographer to preserve this moment, and that’s really the key point of note here: competency. But is that all? No. Remember, the advice I am offering you here is not whether or not your photographer is skilled or experienced, but whether you will be HAPPY with the final results.

The best wedding photographer is the one who makes time to know you on a personal level; someone who can understand you almost as well as a close friend can, and engagement sessions offer the perfect medium to achieve that. Why is this important? Because this kind of photographer wants to personalize your experience with them. He wants to understand your photographic needs and knows the best way to achieve this is to actually get to know YOU. Doing so works on so many levels! Let me count the ways!!!

By getting to know you, the photographer opens a new avenue of freedom. Freedom to enable you to relax around them, to be yourselves, for the photographer to turn off the business side of their brain and be themself as well! The benefits that follow are numerous. Great photographs from your engagement session or wedding will result when you are freed up to celebrate in the moment. To be yourselves, relaxed, happy, unhindered, and expressive in your emotions to your partner. This is hard to achieve if you feel apprehensive or self aware. Your photographer, on the other hand, is also hindered if you are unable to be yourself. The resulting photographs will look stiff or contrived, rather than natural, fun and happy! Likewise, the photographer himself, if unable to be themselves, can be hindered to be creative out of fear of failure. Rather than capturing unique photos, the photographer is apt to play it safe and conservatively.

How is it possible to know this about about the various photographers you are interviewing? What can you do to possibly know whether the photographer sees you as a number, or actually cares about getting to know you so they can personalize the coverage needed to make you happy with the photos they create for you?

If you’re already in contract with your wedding photographer, use the opportunity during your engagement session to talk to your wedding photographer about personal things, like how did you two meet? Where did your loved one propose to you? Tell the photographer about your careers and anything else you feel will forge a stronger bond between you and them. Ask your photographer various personal questions similar to those you would ask someone else you are building a friendship with. Ask them about their career, how they got started in wedding photography, where are they from, and are they married and have children?

A professional wedding photographer understands the significance of this, and they’ll gladly welcome the opportunity to build friendship between you and them. The closer you become, the more confidence you’ll have in letting your wedding photographer take the reins on such an important day, and the more confidence your photographer will have in knowing how they can make you happy with the results of your session, and ultimately, your wedding day!

              Don’t Rely on Hearsay Alone

Don’t base your decision to secure the services of a wedding engagement photographer solely from what people tell you. Yes, word-of-mouth is a good way to learn about a wedding photographer, but that shouldn’t be the ONLY thing underlying your decision to commissioning one.

No matter how much you trust the person who recommends the photographer, we advise you to do your own in-depth research on the choices available to you. Speak to them on the phone rather than relying only on email communication. Make sure to meet them in person, if at all possible, to begin the process of really getting to know them better than just a service you need or want. Your wedding photographer should be thought of as a highly personal service rather than someone who can merely get the job done. If you think of them similarly to the way you think of a plumber, a car mechanic or a barber, you may find yourself unhappy with the results.

Yes, it’s important to get a feel for what they do from their highlight portfolio and greatest single images, but how do their wedding albums look or galleries of complete wedding photos from beginning to end? Are they filled with photos that are to die for? Your friends may heap their praises on the photographer because they loved the results of their work of their wedding. But photography is an art form. It is subjective and not a one-size-fits-all kind of a product. Do you love the photographers style, do you see yourselves in the photos on display?

Your engagement photo session is a prelude to your wedding photography. The results will help build your confidence and tell you how beautiful your wedding photos will look. Why not request that the photographer you are leaning toward photograph your engagement session before you go into contract with them for your wedding? The upside to this is that you will have a much more informed opinion of whether the photographer is capable to meet your specific, subjective needs photographically. It will also help you see if you connect with the photographers personality and even like the person.

With all that being said, have you secured a Detroit wedding photographer for your upcoming Detroit wedding yet? With the uncertainty of the day, the Coronavirus pandemic, we have experienced almost a complete halt in being commissioned for new weddings. Most couples, recently engaged, are playing it safe as they should be. They are waiting for signs that the virus is behind us and that the country and the economy are getting back to business as usual…or what life is going to look like moving ahead, before putting down a non-refundable deposit.

As one of Metro Detroits’ most established and most successful wedding photographers, Ray Anthony Photography has an impressive track record of capturing wonderful engagement photos and equally beautiful wedding photos. We are a boutique business that is highly interested in building relationships with our clients that last far past the wedding day! We have several years of experience and countless past clients who can vouch for how professional, talented, and skilled we are. Click here to read for yourselves several of the praises heaped upon us over the years! Ray Anthony Photography knows what it takes to capture perfect engagement and wedding photos.

We are offering an opportunity that we have never offered before. We welcome the opportunity to photograph your engagement session before you make your final decision to secure us as your wedding photographers. We will even provide you with a credit toward your final wedding collection package with your engagement session fees. Certain restrictions apply. Even if you do not have a date fixed for your wedding already, contact us via 866-UNPOSED (867-6733) or click here to schedule a free consultation.

The main reason why you need a professional photographer when you propose to your loved one is the same reason why you commission a professional wedding photographer for your wedding: To capture and preserve special moments bathed in beauty and borne from raw emotions.

Such a moment is not something you can ever replicate. When you kneel before your loved one and speak words that infinite others before you have spoken, that’s a moment that’s supposed to live on for eternity, and a picture can easily make this possible.

Your proposal is the starting point that will pave the path you will walk toward in your new life together. You will always want to look back and remember the faithful moment it all began. Only a talented proposal photographer can help you achieve this.

Outlined below are 3 simple yet imperative reasons why a professional proposal photographer should be present when you make your wedding proposal.

        To Capture the Moment

Every part of your wedding should be documented because each moment has something special and unique that won’t be there in the next second. But for you, this starts even before your wedding; such moments begin right from when you propose.

The thrill that came with them will pass but not the memories, and that’s something your proposal photographs will help you relive again and again.

You can even show them to your loved ones years after your marriage, recalling the moment and gushing about how wonderful it had been and why it changed your life forever.

       To Capture the Ring

There are several aspects of your proposal that will appeal to many but one aspect that will appeal to everyone is the ring. With a professional proposal photographer, you can have the powerful moment when you present the ring to your loved one captured and saved in brilliant photographs.

You can even frame it and hang it at your favorite spot in your matrimonial home. You want everyone to see and appreciate the moment, don’t you? You want a photo to flaunt the ring and how it happened, and that’s exactly what a proposal photographer can help you achieve.

     To Allow Others Get the Feeling Like They Were There

Not everyone will be present when you propose, of course, but a professional proposal photographer is an excellent way to make sure your friends and family all share in the wonderful experience, even if the moment didn’t happen in their presence.

Hire a professional proposal photographer to make a great album that showcases the splendor of the moment. This album will consist of well-framed photos of the ring, your partner kneeling down, and love and excitement in the air. This album will be the only gateway back to the day you proposed, so all those who couldn’t bear witness to it will still have the opportunity to see where you and your partner began their journey to the wedding ceremony.

To ascertain your proposal is not lost amidst countless other special moments leading up to and on your wedding day, secure the services of a professional and talented wedding photographer like Ray Anthony Weddings.

We are Detroit’s premier wedding photographer that has captured an impressive number of proposals and weddings for years now. Our exceptional skills and talent are evident in every single photograph we take.

Ray Anthony will gladly cover your Detroit wedding, including all the wonderful steps you take leading up to the wedding, starting with the day you propose to your loved one.

You can reach us via this number 866-UNPOSED (867-6733).

When getting ready for their big day, the majority of couples focus more on the wedding photographer and less about preparing for the wedding photographs. You shouldn’t discount the latter because it’s important too. That’s where you play your part and make the wedding photographer’s work a little easier.

The 3 simple albeit important tips below should serve as a short guide on what you can do to help make your wedding pictures look even better and make them more meaningful to you.

Act Natural

You might think it will be hard to do this since you will be conscious of the wedding photographer’s presence, but just act natural, be yourselves, have your favourite tunes blasting and go about getting ready for your wedding as you normally would. Laugh, have fun, crack jokes and gush about how exciting the day will be.

Leave the wedding photographer to work his magic by capturing excellent photographs of you, your partner, your guests, and everyone there to celebrate your special day.

       While walking down the aisle, keep your eyes up

One common mistake couples make when walking down the aisle is keeping their eyes down, though we can understand why they do this. Anxiety and being nervous compels them to react like this. They’re the center of attention and if they are individuals unused to being in the spotlight, that can be quite overwhelming.

Getting the perfect walking-down-the-aisle picture entails you keep your eyes up and head straight too. Most important of all, walk slowly. If it helps you feel better, distract yourself by alternating between looking at your partner and what’s ahead of you.

  Make the Kiss last a little longer

“You may now kiss the bride” The kiss that succeeds these words should not be hurried nor done in haste. Take your time and savor the moment. It’s arguable if you’ll ever get the opportunity to show the love you have for one another in front of people so closely bonded to you. The longer it takes, the better for the wedding photographer to do what he does best: Capture special, emotion-laden, and powerful moments of your wedding.

That’s really all you need to do; the wedding photographer will handle all the rest. Of course, only the best wedding photographers can capture special moments like this, and if your wedding is in Michigan and you’re looking for a Detroit wedding photographer, Ray Anthony Photography would be delighted to cover your wedding.

In addition to myself, I have a professional wedding photography team made up of some of the most passionate and talented individuals you’ll ever meet. For almost 2 decades now, we’ve captured remarkably beautiful and timeless photographs for amazing couples, and since your wedding is on the horizon, we plan to do the same for yours!

You can call or text us at 866-UNPOSED (867-6733) or contact us here to schedule an appointment. Brush through our website and you’ll see samples of our work and understand why we’re Michigan’s top documentary wedding photography team and why we are the best fit for your Metro Detroit wedding or beyond!

There are several things that won’t live with you past your wedding day, regardless of how much fun you had. The wedding is the start of your new journey as a married couple but it is also filled with special yet elusive moments.

Wedding photographs give you an opportunity to capture these moments so even when they pass especially if your photographer is a wedding photojournalist – one who specializes in capturing documentary moments. The resulting photographs will give you endless opportunities to experience them again and again as you did on your wedding day. The celebration, the love you share with family and friends, fun and unexpected moments that happen throughout the day, and those emotional moments you share with your new husband or wife need to be documented photographically if it is important to relive these photos into the future.

And that is just one reason why investing in wedding photography is very important. But you can’t just barge ahead and commission a wedding photographer without first taking a few, albeit important, things into consideration. Have a read of the tips below.

    Plan A Realistic Budget

Guests at your wedding won’t have any idea how much you spent on decoration or flowers or the food, will they? Thus, it won’t be amiss to save a little so you can invest heavily in photography.

Put it at the back of your mind that as amazing as your guests are, they’ll eventually leave and be on with their lives, but your wedding photos will be with you forever. The documented memories are what you’ll have left once all the dancing stops and music fades away. That alone makes great wedding photography a worthy investment.

   Know Your Style

There are several wedding photographers and ideas out there that you can choose from, but don’t be hasty when you go about doing this. You have to select carefully and the first step you should take is figuring out your style.

What style do you want for your wedding? What experiences do you hope to have and which moments do you want documented more than all others?

The answers to these questions will help you find a wedding photographer that reflects your style. Peruse the photographer’s past work to validate the quality of his wedding photographs and see if it meets the standard you expect. You will find that many are more eclectic, combining a variety of styles – kind of like a “jack of all trades.” Others are more specific in their style, emphasizing a classic portrait and staged approach; or some who are specifically documentary and stay in the background to allow the day’s story to develop naturally.

Request a Quote Quickly

Great wedding photographers get booked up easily, often a year or more in advance. So, immediately after you have the wedding plans are in motion with a date already fixed, begin meeting with photographers so that you can request a quote with the photographer of your choice as soon as possible. Book them before another couple secures their services for the same day your wedding ceremony is taking place.

One additional note to mention. I am not suggesting to secure a reputable photographer blindly, or simply based on someone else’s advice. Referrals are very important, but choosing the “right” photographer requires more effort and research. When you meet with a specific photographer, share your ideas with them about the kind of photographs that are important to you and your expectations. Any successful photographer is interviewing you simultaneously, seeking to discover in this early meeting that his or her style is what you’re looking for. It is far more important for the photographer to decide if he or she is right for you, or if they should recommend someone else who provides a style that will make you happy. Personally, I would much rather send you off to someone else better suited for you than to mindlessly fill up my calendar. Use the meeting to get to know them better so they understand the kind of person you are, and for you to get to know the photographer’s personality as well. .

In addition to understanding the style of the photographer, experience, skills, commitment and passion are some of the core values to look out for when choosing a wedding photographer. These values are what form the foundation of the work we do at Ray Anthony Photography. We are a professional Metro Detroit photography company that always exceeds our clients’ expectations.

If a professional Detroit wedding photographer is who you seek, Ray Anthony Photography would love to talk to you. We’ve captured beautiful pictures and wonderful weddings in breathtaking locations in and around Metro Detroit, so we’re more than equipped to cover your Detroit wedding.

Simply contact us here to request a quote or find out more information about our services. You can also call us at 866-UNPOSED (867-6733).

What is the ‘perfect wedding?’ Is it the one where your guests talk about how wonderful the food had been long after the wedding ceremony ends? Is it the one where friends and loved ones gush about how beautiful you and your partner had looked on that special day? Or is it the one that had everyone dancing until feet grew sore? Is it a day filled with memories that makes your heart burst in joy, where family and friends surrounded the two of you, celebrating with you and showering you with love?

The perfect wedding is a merger of all these, don’t you agree? Imagine having a wedding day like this, and somehow forgetting to commission a professional photographer to preserve these special moments and memories in photographs. The perfect wedding is one preserved in perfect wedding photographs that hold wonderful, emotional and fun-filled memories that you will always look back on. The perfect wedding has photos that tell the unique story of how the events of the day unfolded.

So what are the necessary wedding photographs that without them might mean your wedding photographer missed the opportunity to create and preserve something truly wonderful? Have a read below and see some of the images we believe are a must for any wedding collection.

    Getting Ready Photos

Getting ready photos are important for many reasons. For one, they kick off the big day. They’re fun too, albeit everyone getting ready can be a tad bit hectic! Nonetheless, it doesn’t take away from the fun of the moment.

Behind the Scenes Photographs

One other thing that sets Ray Anthony Photography apart from other wedding photographers is the belief we have in capturing photos that tell the story of the smallest things; things you’ll miss if you blink; things that other photographers don’t consider worthy of being preserved, but we beg to differ.

Is the sight of an emotional father with his beautiful daughter waiting behind the bridesmaids to walk up the aisle not worth preserving for eternity? What about the groom hanging out with the groomsmen, doing his best to hide his anxiety and failing at it?

Some of these moments are funny while others tug at our heartstrings but the simple fact is, they are all important and deserve their own special place in your wedding album.

Photographs are the most effective medium for you to capture these fleeting moments. A wedding photographer who specializes in wedding photojournalism knows how to find excellent behind the scenes moments. Look at your wedding photos decades from now and nostalgia will draw more than a few happy tears from your eyes.

Emotional Photos

Your wedding is supposed to be an extension of who you are. As highly-experienced wedding photographers, we can tell you that wedding photos look great when they reflect the personality of the couple. But we can also tell you such photos look even better when they capture raw and true emotions as they pour out of you.

We can go so far as to say few things look as beautiful as photographs that capture the true emotions shown between couples on their wedding day. We’ll admit such photos might not always show the prettiest faces but therein lies what makes them so unique: They show pure, beautiful, and honest emotions.

These are photos that show the utter pride and joy etched on a father’s face as he sees his daughter in her wedding dress for the first time. These are photos that show tears staining the bride’s cheeks as she walks towards the man who completes her.

We understand these are emotions that are often hidden from sight but on your wedding day, you’ll open up your heart for everyone to see them, and we’ll be there to capture every blessed second of the moment.

Generational Photos

Suffice to say your parents, grandparents and other siblings will all attend your wedding unless something hinders them, yes? Use that opportunity to have your wedding photographer capture great generational photos that will tell the story of your big day for all those who come after you.

How amazing would it be to look at your wedding photos and see several generations looking and smiling back at you? Or reliving a moment that will make you feel the love you shared with that special person who has since passed. Photographs that will forever tell the story of your families, young and old, and the connection you shared with each of them. Photos that will be preserved for future generations to get a glimpse of those who came before them.

Ray Anthony Photography is the top documentary wedding photography team in Michigan. We are a highly reputable Detroit photography brand with a team of professional, talented, and experienced wedding photographers that have successfully covered weddings around Detroit and all of Michigan. We have brought joy to countless couples for almost twenty years.

If your Detroit wedding is beginning to be planned for next year, or even one that is approaching soon, please contact us here or call or text us at 866-UNPOSED (867-6733). Better yet, just visit our website to schedule an appointment with us.

We will capture and document the most special moments of your wedding ceremony. Wedding photos that will be beautiful and unique; a physical embodiment of your wedding!

I don’t use my blog as a chronological posting place for the weddings we photograph, opting instead to share highlights from each event on Instagram. I decided to memorialize Nima and Adhit’s wedding, however, because it is the first wedding I photographed in 2020 after the COVID-19 pandemic brought the world to a halt, including millions of weddings worldwide. To date, all of our 2020 weddings through the end of July were postponed to later dates. I even have others that were scheduled for August, September and October that have moved their dates to 2021.

Driving out to the wedding location yesterday, Nima’s parents’ home in Bloomfield Hills, I had butterflies. My associate Jack and I talked with uncertainty about what to expect. The nervousness was not about whether we would be safe, or if the guests would practice social distancing or wear masks. Nima and Adhit assured us that everyone would comply with the governor of Michigan’s mandates. My apprehension was more about the unknown of photographing a wedding under these conditions. It goes without saying that never in my life, nor anyone else living today, have we experienced anything like this.

As documentary photographers, we only photograph the unfolding story of the day. We do not coerce or direct our couples, we simply just let the day happen and allow our couples to celebrate in the moment. So that’s what we did. What was different this time was that it could not be avoided, nor should it have been, to photograph the tell-tale signs of the times…people taking the necessary precautions to protect one another from spreading the virus, specifically wearing masks. So much of what makes our style of photographs great are the wonderful, emotional and natural expressions we look to capture. Perhaps that was the concern for me…I won’t be able to avoid these tell-tale signs, so will it photograph in a way that is positive or negative?

For Nima and Adhit to decide to move forward with their originally scheduled wedding date, it meant making sacrifices. First, it meant having to scale back their guest list from what would have been in the hundreds, to maybe 30 or 40 guests. It meant requiring everyone to wear masks. It also meant drastically simplifying their wedding day plans, which would have included multiple celebrations throughout the day at the beautiful Dearborn Inn, to only having a wedding ceremony in Nima’s parents’ back yard. What would have been a fifteen hour day of photography was reduced to five hours.

Now that the day is behind us, I can share the following. Not having photographed a wedding in months, it was like riding a bike! Jack and I were at our best and it was a thrill to be photographing a wedding again! Our bride and groom, Nima and Adhit, were stunning in their traditional Indian wedding attire! They were a beaming bride and groom and were a joy to photograph! They proved once again that a wedding day is about one thing when you boil everything down. It’s about the love and destiny of one couple committing their lives together before family and friends. That’s what happened on their wedding day and here are some highlight photos to share their story.

Every wedding we cover is a new experience to cherish. We have captured some truly amazing weddings for some wonderful and beautiful people in Detroit, Michigan, we still look to capture many more of these special moments. A wedding is often a wondrous affair, and the wedding venue plays a very significant role in achieving that.

We work best at venues that reflect all the class, luxury, and beauty of your wedding, and the Fisher Building is exactly such a venue. More than beauty, it offers art and history, and is an event space that always exceeds expectations.

The Fisher Building is a wedding venue that impresses with grand ceilings and an art deco style erected from marble and granite. It’s a structure built to evoke feelings of awe and we love working there because few other event spaces offer what the Fisher Building does. We welcome and feature them today in our weekly vendor spotlight series!

   What is their capacity?

The most recognizable feature of the building is the main tower with 2 wings on either side of it. The former is 28 stories tall while the latter are 11 stories each. Perhaps nothing makes for a perfect and stunning backdrop for your wedding photos like the art deco style and the grand golden tower.

Always remember that the Fisher Building is more a work of art and less a structure. There is over 100, 000 square feet of generous space available for you, and the building can accommodate over 400 guests.

   What of the services they offer?

The Fisher Building offers services that streamline the planning of an engagement party, rehearsal dinner, bridal shower, and wedding ceremony or reception, to mention a very few. And there’s on-site parking and an in-house bar for weddings too.

One thing we love is the fact this amazing event space allows couples to hire and bring in their own vendor team to decorate it, adding personal touch and beauty to a structure that already defines what it means to be beautiful. Of course, you can also bring in your own caterers but if you so desire it, the Fisher Building also offers event planning services.

   How long has the structure been standing?

The Fisher Building has been making couples’ dreams come true for almost a century. It was erected in 1928 and is still seen even to this day as a true landmark of the great city of Detroit. And after working there, we can say truer words have never been spoken.

The building still maintains historic integrity while embracing modern innovations. It is quite literally the perfect event space for special gatherings like weddings.

If you’re looking for a Detroit wedding photographer, simply contact us here and we’ll be more than happy to answer all your inquiries. You can give us a call at 866-UNPOSED (867-6733) too.

If the Fisher Building seems like the perfect place to host your wedding, then you can’t make a better choice than Ray Anthony Photography as your Detroit wedding photographer. We know their lighting, floor plan, and the best locations that gives remarkably beautiful backdrops for photographs.

Give us a call or come see us and lets work towards making your wedding a wonderful event that will be embedded in your minds and heart forever.