devin + rebecca
During their final year of college at Grand Valley State University, undergrads Rebecca and Devin met at a lunch with mutual friends. With their minds each focused on post-graduation plans—not finding a soul mate—the last thing they were expecting at that lunch was the immediate connection they felt with each other.
To Rebecca, Devin’s proposal was just as unexpected as their introduction. While the couple was out on a dinner date, their family and friends gathered at Devin’s sister’s house—where Rebecca and Devin were headed after the meal. Devin blindfolded Rebecca and led her to the backyard. After her blindfold was removed, Rebecca saw all of her loved ones standing before her with sparklers, and Devin down on one knee with a ring!
Rebecca and Devin chose the W.K. Kellogg Manor House in Hickory Corners to accommodate their 200-guest outdoor wedding on Gull Lake. Held in the estate’s botanical garden on a sunny July day, the ceremony was made even more special by a “last kiss” for the bride and groom from their mothers, who had given each of them their first kiss in life.
With a gentle breeze keeping the guests comfortable, they moved to a tented area on the estate which was decorated exquisitely by Events by I. Candy from Grand Rapids. Each table featured a number card with a special story about the couple. Following dinner and an exceptional cake from Boonzaaijer’s Bakery, Rebecca, Devin and their guests hit the dance floor for the evening.
The next morning, the pair hosted a thank-you brunch for family and friends where they opened gifts and said their final goodbyes before leaving for their honeymoon.
Looking back on their wedding, the newlyweds agree that their favorite moment was seeing each other for the first time that day as Rebecca made her way down the aisle to Devin. After planning all of their unique wedding details— from handmade invitations to custom-designed jewelry— the perfect moment was all in a look. “It was a dream come true,” Rebecca says of the exceptional day. And after seeing the way the bride and groom looked at each other at their wedding, Rebecca and Devin’s family and friends know that the dream continues in their new life together.
Phrené Hoeksema of Phrené – Exquisite Photography captured the images of their wedding day that will take them back again and again to the moment they became husband and wife.
Photography: Phrené – Exquisite Photography, Grand Rapids, MI
Reception Location: W.K. Kellogg Manor House, Hickory Corners, MI
Catering: Brann’s Distinctive Catering, Kalamazoo, MI
Cake: Boonzaaijer Bakery, Kalamazoo, MI
Party Rentals: Events by I. Candy, Grand Rapids, MI
Transportation: Leisure Limousine, Kalamazoo, MI
