The Pawleszeski Wedding | The Grecian Center, Southgate

A First Look at the Taylor Conservatory & Botanical Garden

If you think you know a bride who has put the most thought into every detail of her wedding day, you haven't met Gabby yet. Gabrielle and Zachary got ready separately on their wedding day, eagerly anticipating their first look. Omar met Zac at the Hampton Inn in Southgate for getting ready photos and I met Gabby at the beautiful W Loft in downtown Wyandotte. There was so much natural light in the suite and plenty of room for her bridal party of five. I got a chance to pull out one of my fancy new toys - this suction cup hook, perfect for hanging her dress above that incredible view.

We met back up at the Taylor Conservatory and Botanical garden - Downriver's very own piece of Detroit! If you're new here, the Taylor garden is a mini scale replica of the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory on Belle Isle. Lovingly filled with all kinds of gorgeous, colorful blooms and framed by Taylor's historical Heritage Park, I'd argue that it's just as lovely as the original.

The first-looks started with Gabby and her father. When it was time for Gabby's grandfather's first look, she walked up hand-in-hand with her sister and maid of honor. Next there was a first look with Zac and his mother, dressed in the Saphire-blue jewel tones. Finally it was time, and all the build-up paid off when Zac saw Gabby for the first time on their wedding day.

Lighting for (Too) Sunny Days

When we arrived at the garden it was around 4pm, which, in the middle of June can be the most difficult time to shoot outdoors, with the sun high in the sky. We faced a bit of a challenge in the conservatory, as well, as the metal frame casted dark shadows across pretty much every surface, including the bride's white dress. In some places, we leaned into the shadows to set the mood - like when Gabby's father is reading the cloth she gifted him. For the most part, we evened out the shadows and the extreme highlights by using two powerful strobes to light their faces. Another thing we had to keep in mind when using the flash was the heat. These strobes overheat so quickly, especially in direct sun, so sometimes you have to move fast to get back into the shade, or else you'll find your workflow will involve a whole lot of stop-and-go. You can tell in the bridal portraits which ones were taken with flash, and which were after they had had already died! Thinking fast, we moved the wedding party into a shady part of the garden for new scenery and more even lighting. On a wedding day you have to roll with it and be prepared for anything.

A Grecian Center Ceremony Underneath the Pavilion

It was a beautiful day for a wedding! I don't know if I've ever seen a couple so looking forward to getting hitched. My heart was so full watching the excitement on Gabby's face as she came down the aisle towards Zac. Despite the heat outside, the shade and fans inside the garden made the ceremony very comfortable for guests, allowing them to get wrapped up in the service.

Now this is my little PSA for photographers who plan to shoot outdoors at the Grecian Center: Don't leave your equipment inside the venue! The doors to the reception hall are locked until cocktail hour begins, so if you go inside to set up for the grand entrance and come back out before the ceremony YOU WILL BE LOCKED OUT! Although we had planned to use our off camera flash for the ceremony, we were limited to on-camera to combat the procession in the shade, backlit by the sun. Another thing to think about is where you're going to bounce your flash onto - the entire pavilion is a rich yellow wood, which means that bouncing off the ceiling or wall will give you pure golden coloring. For the majority of the ceremony, we under-exposed and used direct flash on very low, as not to blow out the highlights in the windows, then pulled up the exposure in post.

Ain't No Party Like a Pawleszeski Party

After the ceremony we were once again reunited with our strobes for a few minutes in the garden with Gabby and Zac. I'm so obsessed with how these turned out! Talk about VOGUE, they're absolute models.

The evening quickly transitioned into one fun and hilarious event into another. We had speeches from the maid of honor and best man, followed by a seriously delicious buffet. Once the couple cut their cake, Zac's mom added a silly cake topper that echoed everyone's thoughts (they've finally gotten hitched - let's party!) After their romantic first dance (with clouds AND sparks!) it was boogie down time all night long!

The couple's doggy made an appearance on the bar napkins, and I used the custom M&M favors in their late-night flatlay. I know this little set up isn't everyone's cup of tea, but I really like an evening flatlay as a way to break up the film roll near the end of the evening.

It really was such an amazing evening for a special Bride and Groom. I hope the whole day was everything you wanted and more. Congratulations, Gabby and Zac!