Castle Farms Wedding Charlevoix | Natalie Mae Photography

Photographing a wedding at Castle Farms has been on my wish list for years. When I saw Autumn’s post in a wedding Facebook group looking for a photographer, I of course, added my name to the list of talented people. Thankfully Autumn reached out to me, and we hit it off; she’s a wedding photographer too! We chatted back and forth, then she told me she would like to work together. I was super excited!

Adventure Onward

Autumn and Erik’s original Castle Farms wedding plans were derailed by COVID like so many others. So, to make the best of a bad situation they went on a 2-day adventure elopement in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. They traversed the Porcupine Mountains and had a photographer follow along with them. My dream! Sadly, my knees would not grant me permission to complete a trek like that, but I did get to see the stunning phots. To celebrate with family and friends, they chose to postpone the reception for one year to make sure they could do so safely. That is where I come in.

Familiar Roads

Autumn and Erik’s Castle Farms wedding reception was taking place on a Friday. My assistant and I drove up on Thursday evening to ensure we would be well rested for the day. A few months prior, I found myself driving almost the same roads for Corey and Kate’s Elk Rapids wedding. If you have been reading my blog for any time, you’ll know that I love driving. I am always in awe of the beauty that Michigan holds, especially up north.

Castle Farms Wedding Fanfare

Before arriving, I had looked up all the information I could to prepare for Autumn and Erik’s Castle Farms wedding. However, I did not realize exactly how big the grounds were! The castle is HUGE, I was beyond thankful that Autumn sent me a very detailed map of where to go. Once I parked, I unloaded my equipment and met up with Autumn in the getting ready room. Her and her wedding party were such a blast! We were cracking up and having a party the whole time! Then the guys arrived with my assistant, and we knocked out all the family formals. Finally, it was the moment I had been waiting for! We got to take photos with the dragon, Norm. I’m slightly nerdy, so I am all in for dragon photos! They turned out so adorable, check them out below.