DE TOUR VILLAGE, MICHIGAN
AUGUST, 2021
When Mackenzie and Clint first reached out to me to capture their adventure engagement, they already had an idea of the concept of their Upper Peninsula engagement photos. They were thinking a hazy dream-like, ethereal, bohemian, romantic and flowy vibe in the beautiful landscape of Michigan woods and beaches. Mackenzie grew up in De Tour Village, which connects chilly waters of Lake Superior and Michigan’s lower great lakes.
Mackenzie and Clint met in high school, went to college at University of Michigan together and majored in saving the environment. They live just outside of Ann Arbor, MI, and have been together for 15 years. Before their engagement session last June, they have been engaged for 4 years, because as they said – “at this point what’s a few more years?” ;-).
The two went on an adventure in the UP before their engagement and scouted a woodsy location accessible by a winding trail. The final spot of the engagement shoot, an opening in the woods with a magical creek, was was absolutely whimsical. Funny enough, also completely secret – because I would never be able to find it again. The creek with a shimmery afternoon light was a stunning surprise and provided a perfect atmosphere for their hazy, ethereal look they envisioned. Towards the sunset, we ventured out to a pristine beach near town. I prompted the couple to have fun, chase each other on the beach and encouraged them to get into the cold Northern waters of Lake Huron.
Mackenzie and Clint decided to wear 2 different outfits: In the woods they chose jewel colors, gold satin dress, burgundy pants and a navy blue top. They chose soft pastel colors for their sunset beach location – a flowy pink, green, and black dress and casual green pants with a light shirt, all tied together with a light pink blanket.
The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is such a versatile and undiscovered part of the state, and every time I explore the dense woods and pristine beaches, I am left speechless. I was so excited to be able to capture these Upper Peninsula engagement photos in the way the couple envisioned from the very beginning, with lots of whimsy, summer haze and tons of stunning sunset light.
If you are interested in finding out how to plan a hiking elopement in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, read more here.
