January isn’t a popular time to get married in Michigan, but if you’re going to have an intimate winter wedding, this is probably the way to do it! Kaitlynn and Ben had originally planned on a larger backyard type wedding day in June but decided to move their date up and just tie the knot in January right after the holidays.

I have known Kaitlynn for many years – we met through my college roommate – and we have shared some fun adventures together, including the infamous Manitou Island backpacking trip that I took Josh on three months into dating. Spoiler alert: it didn’t end well. Kaitlynn also made our wedding cake – she is an incredible baker.

Their intimate winter wedding came together with the help of their families and I think it turned out absolutely beautifully. They were married in Kaitlynn’s dad and stepmom’s church, St. John’s Lutheran in Fowlerville, Michigan. The family helped decorate their reception space, with the absolute best element – a neon light right behind their sweetheart table. That light is now in their bedroom at home!

We were lucky to have a dusting of snow that morning which made the portraits all the more magical. No wedding party, under 30 people in attendance, it was the perfect way to celebrate in a low-key way. Winter is so underrated and I understand why people avoid it but when you get beautiful snow like this, it just makes all the difference.

My favorite part of the day was watching Kaitlynn and Ben read their vows to each other after their portrait session. So sweet!

I have to say, Kaitlynn insisted I go home with a doggy bag of food and it was some of the best wedding food I’ve ever had!

I feel like this day proves your intimate winter wedding doesn’t have to be super extravagant to be beautiful. Sometimes it can take a little more DIY, but simple is often better.

From the couple: “My husband and I have used Madalyn twice now and both times we have felt so comfortable in front of the camera. She has fun little tricks to get you out of your shell which has captured some pretty awesome genuine laughs. Our most recent session was our wedding and everything went so smoothly. She was so quick and kept things moving right along on the day. Our album also came out amazing and she was so easy to work with to get exactly what we wanted. We are using her again for a newborn session at the end of this year and I cannot wait to use her more as our family continues to grow!”