Melissa had trouble sleeping the night before. It was her wedding day. She and Jon were getting married at Elizabeth Park in Trenton, on the iconic pedestrian bridge, surrounded by close friends and family.
All week, we had watched the weather nervously. The forecast was gloomy. I quietly prayed for just one dry hour at 2 p.m. so their Elizabeth Park Trenton wedding could still happen outside. Rain or shine, Melissa and Jon were ready to get married.
And somehow, the skies held off. We stayed dry. The clouds created soft, even light, and a breeze kept the humidity at bay. It was perfect—serene, even. The outdoor ceremony on the bridge went off without a hitch.
Afterward, guests made their way to Rookies Sports Bar for a relaxed early dinner. Just as we arrived, the sky opened up and rain poured down. Not just light rain—it was an absolute downpour. But almost everyone made it inside still dry. Well… except me.
When the rain finally let up, we rushed outside to take portraits. The rain left behind clean, glistening paths and softened skies. And Melissa looked stunning. The light was warm, golden, and fleeting—the kind of light that photographers live for.
But the surprises weren’t over. A bigger storm was on the way, and the boat originally planned for the celebration wouldn’t provide enough cover. That’s when Portofino’s Restaurant stepped in and surprised the couple by upgrading the entire party to the MV Portofino Yacht.
That’s right. Their Elizabeth Park Trenton wedding ended with a sunset yacht cruise down the Detroit River. It was absolutely magical.
There’s no better way to wrap a day like this than with music, movement, and pure joy. The night closed with everyone belting out “Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey under the open sky. Honestly, I couldn’t have asked for more.
Melissa and Jon’s wedding was heartfelt, joyful, and full of surprises. I’m so honored to have documented their day—and I’m still smiling about it.
Melissa had trouble sleeping. She had so much on her mind. It was her wedding day. She and Jon were going to be married on the bridge in Elizabeth Park in Trenton with their closest friends and family. We had all been watching the weather and the forecast was gloomy, and I was just praying for one dry hour at 2 that afternoon. There would be a wedding whether it was sunny, cloudy, humid, light rain, or torrential downpour.
The ceremony went on with looming clouds, but we stayed dry. It was miraculous. The clouds kept the sun from beating down on us, and the breeze made the humidity almost not an issue. Ahhh, perfect. But it got darker, and we head back to Rookies Sports Bar for an early dinner and conversation. And it started raining. Raining isn’t the word. It was dumping buckets of water. But frankly, almost everyone made it to Rookies pretty dry. Well, other than me.
And then the rain let up so that I could capture intimate portraits of Jon and his gorgeous new wife. The earlier rain made the precious sunlight timed just right even more wonderful.
We had quite a surprise too. A bigger storm was rolling in and the boat that we were going to use was going to be just a little too open, and so Portofinos Restaurant surprised Melissa and Jon’s guest with boarding them on the new Portofino Yacht (the MV Portofino). It was absolutely one of those nights I couldn’t really describe in words…you just have to see for yourself.
When you end the night belting out “Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey because its been that sort of a day, I couldn’t ask for more.
Melissa and Jon’s story is heartwarming and happy, and I couldn’t have been happier to be with them on their day.
Ceremony: Elizabeth Park in Trenton
Floral Design: Silk Thumb Florist
Dinner: Rookies Bar and Grill
After Dinner Cruise: Portofino Restaurant in Wyandotte
