Elizabeth + Nathaniel: West Michigan Engagement

It's no secret that weddings get us all kinds of excited, but when one of our own is officially tying the knot we are beyond ecstatic! So you can imagine how full our hearts were when Elizabeth and Nathaniel came to us with an idea — a film telling their story to share with all of their guests just before walking down the aisle to say “I Do”.

We were in LOVE! We set to work planning and preparing, all culminating in the perfect late summer day out on the dunes of Lake Michigan. Between all the laughter, the soft embraces, and every heartfelt glance, this afternoon filled us with so much excited anticipation for their day.

We've been looking forward to sharing this story, Elizabeth + Nathaniel’s, with all of you these last few weeks. What’s more, we are so eager to watch these two as they take on every new adventure waiting for them out on the horizon.

Contributing Vendors

Photography & Cinematography: Shadow Shine Pictures

Destination: Saugatuck Dunes State Park

Courtney + Chris: Frankfort Engagement

Lake Michigan, a late summer sunset, and Courtney+Chris: just a few of our favorite things!

Back in August we hopped into the car on a Saturday afternoon for a road trip up north to meet two people who we would later fall head over heels in love with. And yes, you guessed it. Those two beautiful people would be Courtney and Chris! While adventuring around Frankfurt, it didn't take long to realize that we had hit it big with this fun, adorable, and kind couple that we instantly became friends with.

Having to wait until next summer to see thee two again is a bummer, but we are so excited for them and beyond honored to be sharing in their wedding day!

Sending the soon to be Mr+Mrs Bowen all the love and summery beach vibes today on this bright and sunny fall day!

Anna + Bryce: The Sack Wedding

Oh man, where do I even begin with these two! Bryce and Anna are two incredibly special people in my life and having gotten to know them over the years leading up to this special day made being able to be a part of their wedding an unbelievable gift, blessing, and joy to be real.

I first got to know Bryce on a trip to Africa a few years ago and while I had known of him prior that trip since we attended the same university, it wasn't until that summer that I realized just how great of a man he was and truly got to see the heart he had for Christ. We went through a lot on the trip, experienced things that changed us both, arguably forever, and honestly he quickly became like a brother to me.

A couple months later once he and I returned state-side I officially met Anna on corporate shoot and while they had already been dating for sometime at that point I'm pretty sure one of my first things I told Bryce was how absolutely brilliant she was and how he needed to put a ring on her finger ASAP. We both laughed, he agreed, and sure enough a year or so later, these two were engaged and I was over the moon.

I've watched them grow together through the seasons of graduating, finding jobs that they loved, moving to a new city that they loved more, find newer jobs, organizing a huge and gorgeous wedding, and beginning the process of planning the rest of their lives together. There is no doubt in my mind that they are the perfect balance to one another, a blend of two similar yet complimentary persons and souls that lift one another up, sharpen the other daily, and care for each other on a deep level that I cannot put into words.

This wedding, their beautiful day, is one of those that I'll look back on with a giant grin for years to come; overwhelmed by pure joy and excitement for two of my dear friends, Mr+Mrs Sack.

-Matthew

Lauren + Nick: Grand Rapids Engagement

My friendship with these two wonderful and amazing world changers started some years ago. I first met Nick as we both were paying for a relief and educational trip across seas to Zambia, Africa. Nick struck me as one of the most level headed, down to earth, and incredibly caring people I have ever met. Our friendship grew over those twelve days of traveling around dirt roads and visiting villages and seeing the relief work happening by the locals in those communities.

At the time he was smitten with, but not yet dating, a bright, charismatic, beautiful young lady named Lauren who I had yet to meet but had already become friends with other various members of our team. It was shortly after Nick and I returned stateside that the two dated and I actually got to know Lauren completely separate from Nick on various sets that she crewed for our team. Everything from a Second Assistant Director, to Production Designer, to even a Casting Director, Lauren's grown to be a member of our local film community that we have loved getting to know and for my own part, getting to create with.

Flash forward to today, the day before these two amazing, compassionate, and Jesus loving people say "I do" to forever after with one another. I don't think there is a member of our team that isn't stoked and excited about their wedding tomorrow and we are incredibly blessed to have had a front row seat to watching these two grow together over the last several years and we are going to for sure be crying like babies tomorrow as we get to witness Lauren+Nick become one.

Here's to happiness, love, and pure joy after a week that felt like it was lacking all three of those. Spread the love my friends!

Veronica + Todd: The Korthals Wedding Trailer

There are wedding days when all we want to do is Instagram Story every single moment, right there on the spot, because it's too perfect not to share with everyone! Veronica + Todd's wedding was just such a day, and it honestly made for the best start to our wedding season earlier this year. It was like all the right moments, chances, and pieces fell into place and we were more than floored by all of the beautiful things happening all around us!

From every bright and beaming smile Todd had when he looked at Veronica, to the more than rambunctious and entertaining bridal party to keep us all laughing throughout the day, to Veronica's gorgeous lace-covered dress; all the details were perfect. But so were the moments, too! Their first look was wonderful and the rain held off as long as we needed it to. Their gift exchange seriously could not have summed the two of them up better. The toasts left us swooning for this entire family. And to top it all off the night ended with a dreamy paper lantern send-off, which ended up being even more eventful than we expected it to be.

All in all this day, this couple, their love - it all was one for the books!

Cinematography: ShadowShine Pictures

Photographer: The Focused Soul

Florist: Blooms by Bri, LLC

DJ: Dramatic Dimensions Entertainment

Wedding Cake: Weber's Inn, Ann Arbor

Catering & Bar: Weber's Inn, Ann Arbor

Wedding Dress: The Wedding Shoppe

Venue: St. Paul Lutheran Church, Weber's Inn, Ann Arbor

Paige + Noah: Lake Michigan Engagement

I met Paige a few years back just before her and I set off with a group to Zambia, Africa on a relief and documentary trip. Luckily for us a nice long layer over in London, England and what seemed like an unfathomable amount of time on the various plane rides provided us with plenty of time to get to know each other. Instantly I knew that this was a bright, generously kind, and outright hilariously funny girl that would one day meet a man just as equally wonderful to match.

Enter Noah. It wasn't long after we got back to the states that I started hearing Paige talk about him and there wasn't a question in my mind that she was smitten with him. Over the next year or so after that, through some trying and growing adventures shared between the two of them, Noah and Paige started dating and honestly I could not have pegged a better match for her. Noah's carefree lightheartedness was only surpassed by his compassionate demeanor and it was evident in every look and every smile he had around her that his heart was Paige's and her's alone.

Getting to watch these two grow together as a collective unit, ready to set out and change the world, has been incredible and altogether a blessing for all of their friends and family. These photos just begin to scratch the surface of how much fun, love, and joy is shared between these two for the other, and that is the honest to God-truth.

-Matthew

Happy Mother's Day from ShadowShine!

If we are being honest our moms are basically superheros, so we thought we'd give an extra special gift this year in our latest team film, dedicated soley to these amazing women on Mother's Day!

They gave us life, they raised us, they struck fear in us when necessary, and overflowing joy more often than not. They've always been there as a warm embrace ready to make all our problems go away, and they are always just a phone call away when we've had a less than amazing day. Our mothers may all look different both internally and externally, but they all have one thing in common: they love us unconditionally. 

We each, every single person around this world, are better because of the mothers in our lives. Whether by birth or nurture they are the women who have shaped us into who we are today and continue to teach us what it is to be compassionate, driven, and a good person all ways round. We'll never be able to fully thank them for all that they have done for us, all that they have poured into our lives, or all of the many phone calls we should have made but that they forgive us for nonetheless.

This weekend make sure to join us in wishing each of our moms the very happiest of Mother's Days!