Jenna + Ethan | Downtown Market Engagement

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On my contact form, I always have a box where I ask potential clients to leave some fun info about their relationship, how they met, their engagement, etc. I don’t typically get a ton of detailed responses, but then there was Jenna. She left the entire story of how she had met Ethan, why they chose their date and how it was special to them. The happiness my heart felt at that moment was ridiculous and as I type this, I’m realizing how ridiculous I probably sound, but I love getting a glimpse into my couples even before they book with me! I had no clue Jenna and Ethan would choose me as their photographer, but I just loved knowing more about them right off the bat.

And for those wondering, Jenna and Ethan met at a wedding! Jenna was the bartender and Ethan made a move. I joked with them that I’m sure it’s common for a bartender to get hit on but how often does the guy get the girl? They’re getting married on the exact day they met . They’re having their wedding at Castle Farms in Charlevoix because they love the up north vibe as well as fall – what isn’t their to love about that! 

When it came to planning their engagement session, Jenna and Ethan decided they would love to come to West Michigan. They’re from the east side of the state but wanted to make a weekend of it and enjoy what this area has to offer. We had gone back and forth on a few location ideas, finally deciding on the tulips in Holland, Michigan, followed by a night time shoot at the icon Blue Bridge. As the day drew closer, the weather continued to looked iffy with a big possibility of rain. We scrambled to come up with some backup options and Jenna did all the leg work of calling around to confirm a location. We were able to secure a slot at the beautiful Downtown Market greenhouse in Grand Rapids. We also spent sometime at the Grand Rapids Public Museum, riding the carousel and taking in the beautiful downtown view.  

Jenna and Ethan are one of the most genuine and kind couples I’ve ever had the privilege of working with. It was an absolute job to get to know them over those couple hours and it makes me ever more excited to photograph their wedding in 2024. Here is are a bunch of my favorites from their engagement session! Enjoy!