Cory and Stephanie wed on the perfect late August Saturday at Lake of the Clouds Overlook in Ontonagon, Michigan. They’re avid hikers and campers, so they brought their family and closest friends north for a destination elopement inside Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park.
The morning started off overcast and chilly, and we weren’t sure what the day had in store for us. Thankfully by the time we headed for Cory and Stephanie’s hotel late morning the clouds were breaking up and we had beautiful weather the rest of the day.
Getting Ready at Silver City AmericInn
Cory and Stephanie both got ready at the AmericInn. Just south of Ontonagon, Silver City is the “gateway to the Porcupine Mountains.” The hotel is a quick 15-minute drive to the Lake of the Clouds overlook which makes it a popular place to stay!
When Stephanie applied for their permit for Lake of the Clouds, park staff notified her there was a chance of long wait times to get into the park since it was a summer weekend date. With this warning in mind, we moved quickly to get the images we needed to ensure we had buffer time for the drive and potential wait. Cory was dressed and ready, and Stephanie had all her details prepared when I got to her room.
First Looks
After Stephanie’s mom helped her get ready, we headed out on the lawn so she could have a first look with her dad. The property sits overlooking where the Big Iron River runs into Lake Superior, and we found a secluded corner where they could share this special moment.
After a few family pictures, Stephanie hid behind the utility shed while we brought Cory out and got him ready for their first look together. 🙂 Stephanie’s bridesmaids helped make sure her dress was perfect before Cory saw her for the first time.
While we often don’t plan for a first look during shorter elopements due to time constraints, this was a great way for them to have a few private moments together before the rest of their family arrived. I was also happy to have a couple of minutes for portraits with Cory and Stephanie here because we didn’t know how many extra tourists would be around up at the Porcupine Mountains.
Thankfully, against all odds – the park rangers’ warnings, the beautiful day, the Porcupine Mountains music festival taking place right down the road drawing more visitors than normal – we were able to drive right up to the Lake of the Clouds parking area. In fact, they were able to start the wedding a little earlier than anticipated since everyone was there and we had the overlook to ourselves!
Porcupine Mountains Wedding Ceremony
During our welcome call with Cory and Stephanie over the winter, they said they planned to get married at Lake of the Clouds but hadn’t seen it in person. Unfortunately, they weren’t able to make a trip up earlier in the summer to scout the area as they hoped. We had a couple of pre-wedding calls with them finalizing details and answering questions. Since they weren’t setting up any chairs for the ceremony they said they trusted us for our recommendations on the best location.
While we were confident they would love the Lake of the Clouds overlook, there’s always a little apprehension. Cory and Stephanie arrived just the night before the wedding and would literally be seeing it for the first time with us. As we crested the hill and came out of the trees there was an audible wave of gasps and “wows” from everyone. We love watching first-time visitors’ eyes light up as they take in the Porcupine Mountains! Whew!
We always love photographing at Lake of the Clouds, and today especially we felt like the Upper Peninsula was showing off for its guests. Days like these remind us why we love living in the UP!
Cory’s cousin Travis officiated their ceremony. After exchanging rings they opted for a spirits ceremony – drinking a shot of tequila at the same time.
We love getting a group shot at smaller weddings like this! Their families drove over nine hours for this special occasion.
Portraits at Lake of the Clouds Overlook
Stephanie’s tattoo “I love you” is comprised of three different handwriting samples from her family.
After family portraits, we headed down the boardwalk. While there’s an amazing view from the top of the cliff, the boardwalk follows the edge of the escarpment. Each turn provides a different view of the Porcupine Mountains, and they’re all beautiful! Cory and Stephanie were checking out the trails and bridges in the valley below and already planning their next trip back to Ontonagon.
In closing –
Cory and Stephanie, thank you for letting us be a part of your Porcupine Mountains wedding day! We loved sharing one of our favorite places in Ontonagon with you and seeing you fall in love with it, too. We hope to see you guys again next time you come back to explore more of the trails. 🙂
Ontonagon Wedding Vendors:
Photography: Enjoy the VU Photography LLC
Dress: Renee Austin Boutique
Bridesmaids: AZAZIE
Wedding Party Footwear: Ariat
Hotel: AmericInn Silver City
Location: Porcupine Mountains
In Their Own Words:
Veronica and Rob were awesome!! We are from the Lower Peninsula and had our wedding at Lake of the Clouds. My husband and I both had never been before so we were a little worried about what it will look like. She has a quick turn around with getting photos back in a timely manner! We had our reception a month after the ceremony, and I got my photos and the album all back before our reception! They turned out AMAZING!
–Stephanie & Cory F.
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