Belle Isle is an island park between Detroit, Michigan and Windsor, Canada. There’s an aquarium and a zoo. I used to think it was a spooky, haunted island, but on this day it was beautiful.

Vicki is a ceramicist and artist I know from graduate school. She has an infectious, childlike sassiness. An innocent, heartfelt sense of rebelliousness. I remember her driving me around in Detroit and warning me that her license was expired, so I may need to drive if we got pulled over. She put two songs on her wedding playlist in honor of dances we shared. I was thrilled to be a part of her marriage to Hans, who I just met but immediately loved. He is an angel.

Important things to note from this wedding include the most emotional father-daughter first look I’ve ever seen, and incredible table centerpieces Vicki made herself. The bridesmaids wore heart shaped enamel pins that read “girl gang”. The groomsmen wore enamel pins of egg and toast. Also: pitbulls with flower collars. You can’t handle it.

Music and officiating by Behind the Times, an amazing bluegrass trio I had the pleasure of knowing and performing with during my time in Michigan as well.