A lot of things had to adjust and adapt during the pandemic, and for us that included how we approached weddings. Many of our wedding clients pivoted to elopements – small and intimate ceremonies replacing the big and elaborate events as the new norm. As a sort of contingency plan during this time, Adam got ordained. So on New Year’s Eve when Colleen and Karisma asked us to help them have an intimate elopement with minimal people involved, Adam was finally able to put his ordainment to the test.

We started the day in the Brockit studio where the couple got ready together. We took some photos of the two of them inside before heading out, and when Adam said “kiss her!” Colleen was happy to win the argument over whether or not they should kiss before the ceremony. We piled into the car and made our way up to Devil’s Washtub in Copper Harbor, Michigan – a spot we had previously picked out for it’s unique shoreline features, level of accessibility, and also level of privacy. The weather was cold and windy, but because of a shockingly warm December we were happy to have a more wintery day and some snow on the ground. With Adam acting as officiant, Jess was behind the camera during the ceremony. Adam read two poems for Colleen and Karisma, both written by people close to his heart. The two pieces were M. Bartley Seigel’s “We’ll Learn to Kindle a Slight Blue Flame” and Ani Seigel’s poem “St. Mary’s” as the closer for the ceremony which ends with “Do I fall into the caverns of your heart, or float up to the vaulted ceilings of your soul?”

After vows were exchanged and sealed with a kiss, and after many tears were shed by all, we packed up and headed down the lakeshore to make it to our dinner reservation. On the way we stopped for some more photos and Adam transitioned from officiant mode to photographer mode. We made sure to take plenty of warming breaks in the car as Colleen and Karisma braced the cold in their wedding attire. We made it to Fitzgerald’s Restaurant in Eagle River in time for dinner, where we toasted cocktails to the happy couple and our waitress signed the marriage license.

We couldn’t have asked for a better way to close out 2023. Thank you to Colleen and Karisma for all of their trust in us, we don’t take that for granted. Please enjoy.