An Intimate, Classic Wedding at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, Michigan

Benjamin Arnold (27 and a mortgage banker) and Heather Arnold (31 and in healthcare IT) met through a mutual friend and only dated for a few months before deciding they were perfect for each other. On a late night walk by Lake Michigan, Ben proposed to Heather and took her ring shopping the very next day. Ben surprised Heather with the ring a few weeks later by placing it in a Secrets tissue box when she was sick with the flu. Due to unexpected circumstance, their dream wedding was placed on hold for five years. Finally, they were able to have their special day and decided to have their ceremony at St. Anne's Catholic Church on Mackinac Island, MI. Ben and Heather used to vacation on the island with Ben's family and when his father passed away, he knew he wanted to incorporate the island into the wedding somehow. With her love for summer and the color pink, Heather chose the color palette of cerise and white. Bridesmaids wore knee-length dresses and cerise that paired with the formal Marine corps uniforms that the groomsmen wore. They took a romantic horse and carriage through the town to their reception at the Grand Hotel. Their cocktail hour was at the the Cupola Bar where they enjoyed harp and cello players and a beautiful view of the straits of Mackinac. "It was great to have a small group of our close friends and family, so it felt like a mini vacation away from home," Heather shared. After five years, Ben and Heather were able to have the intimate, dream wedding they had always hoped for.