Ryan + Alisha | Blissfield, MI Wedding

Alisha + Ryan are one of my favorite couples!! I was sooooooooo sooooooo SOOOOOOO verrrrrrry excited to travel to Silver Lakes to shoot their engagement session last July. It just so happened to be right after I broke my ankle so I was a little nervous riding up and down the dunes while clutching onto my knee so I wouldn’t bump my poor foot!! I wouldn’t have been so adventurous to go up and down the big dunes with such an injury, but Carol was with me and was screaming YES YES YES so Ryan gave us quite a thrill!! Carol & I both hung out on the beach with the family soaking up the summer rays…. Boot cast and all! I was quite a sight but was so happy to see their take on Silver Lakes. After our full day we headed off to take their engagement session! Amazing!!! Alisha + Ryan are so comfortable together in front of the camera….not to mention Alisha has the cutest giggle!! I just couldn’t wait until the BIG DAY! They have both been together exactly 12 years on this day! From elementary to now. Wow.

I’m pretty sure Alisha shares my same love for photography… because she booked unlimited coverage and two photographers. This means we are there start to finish and get all the “goods” aka “black mail” at the end of the night! Greg Horvath was my second photographer and went super early as the guys had morning “activities”. Greg said the “Beware of Dog” sign was a joke. He said the dog was harmless, it was the guys with all the guns people should worry about! hahahahaha. Apparently they had quite the festive morning. Alisha’s gift to Ryan was a new gun! How lucky is he???

I was amazed at Alisha’s peacock themed wedding! Details, details everywhere! Everything about her day was perfect…. from the weather… to the last details and special thoughts for the guests…. late night pizzaaahhhh at the reception!! How cool is that? But a definite highlight was hands down, Alisha’s dad’s speech at the reception… I just so happened to get a copy to share!! Enjoy!Reception speech given by Alisha’s dad:

Hold on, I just want to check my itinerary to see if I am actually supposed to be speeking at this very moment. …………………….Yep I’m good.

Welcome Everyone.

I’m not sure how long I’m supposed to talk but I will say that after some very late nights and some careful editing that I have this whittled down to a paltry 1 hour and 16 minutes. And when you consider that Mikaela turned 19 just about a month ago this will be the first time that I will get to speak uninterrupted in a very long time, so I intend to be quite deliberate.

Many of you that know me know that this beverage is strictly for affect. And that I have gone nearly 14 years without a drink… Now it’s not that big a deal however because it was the first 14 years of my life.

A lot goes into getting to this point in a day like this…All the dieting… the countless tanning sessions…eye brow plucking… leg waxing… jazzersize 3 times a week….doesn’t Jesse look great?

You are getting married in a month, right Jesse?

Marriage is a funny thing though, Jesse. Did you know that in a recent survey carried out to establish whether married men live longer than bachelors, they found that actually there’s no difference. It just seems longer when you’re married!

I’d like to personally thank each and every one of you for joining us to help celebrate this special day. (at this point he individually points to several members of the audience personally thanking them… as if he is going to thank everyone individually) HAHAHHAHAHA!!

Really, thanks to two very special people that without them this day would not be possible. Let’s hear it for the party bus driver for getting everyone here safe and for the DJ for playing it loud and proud.

Seriously…. To Rick and Deb – Cheers. A new beginning. To Nanny and Papa… you mean more to these kids than you may ever know… To our friends ….you have been there every step of the way and thank you is not enough… so celebrate like our friends know how. To our Family… be proud, very, very proud that you have been and will be a part of Ryan and Alisha’s live’s. To My Dad…THANKS POPS.

A lot of you might be surprised by the fact that my beautiful wife Rhonda has decided to let me speak for the two of us tonight. She really did relinquish this honor solely to me…Honey I think you spelled relinquish wrong.

She did give me some advice and said try to speak from the heart, but after careful consideration she just told me try not to offend anyone. You however Jesse are not married yet and should say whatever the hell you want.

This is a day of firsts….

The Halls are a family populated rather unevenly by a bunch of males. I have 2 brothers Mike and Jeff, no sisters, My dad (thanks pops) 2 brothers, no sisters, his brother, 3 sons no daughters. Therefore, I am the first Hall with the extraordinary privelage of escorting my daughter down the aisle in a very long time.

Another first…This is the first time in the newlyweds twelve year relationship that anyone has actually witnessed Ryan kiss Alisha. Very nice work RYAN.

Alisha, my daughter. You are special. Your light shines bright. Your brother and sister are lucky to have you showing them the way. Your mother and I are blessed that you will always be a part of us.

Right now I will admit that I am the proudest dad in the world to have walked beside you, My daughter today. You are stunning and you have never failed to amaze me with your charm and courage.

Suffice it to say that her mom and I are both very proud of how she looks today and how she has grown up and are both delighted that she has found someone who she obviously loves and cares so much for, Most of the time. We love you.

Ryan, every Father hopes his daughter will find a reliable, sensible, and considerate partner and as much as you try not to interfere in their lives, you always hope your kids will make the right choices. And Alisha has chosen Ryan.

They have been together for a long time and when I was younger, years ago I had the same feelings as any father that maybe he wasn’t right for my daughter. As I have grown older and hopefully wiser I have found that I don’t have either the time or the energy to worry about it anymore. But honestly over the years Ryan has grown in to a reliable, sensible, and considerate young man. This can be seen in that he switched from Chevy to Ford, Bud Lite to Miller Lite, and he has a bar in his basement. Reliable, Sensible, Considerate. All traits that match my own values, WELCOME TO THE FAMILY SON.

In closing I have been thinking about some special advice that I share with them to keep them safe and healthy in their lives together, And I came up with this.

When Eating food out of a vending Machine try to choose something without Mayonaise. So raise your glasses…To Alisha and Ryan

Maid of Honor: Mikaela Hall (Bride’s sister)

Bridesmaids: Kelsey Knoblauch (Friend and sister-in-law of the bride), Amanda Robinson (Groom’s sister), Casey Graf (Best Friend) Katy Tuckerman (friend), Brittany Laundra (Friend)

Flower Girls: Catelyn Hall and Jordan Hall (Bride’s cousins)

Best Man: Jesse Sieler (Best Friend)

Groom’s men: Nathan Hall (Bride’s brother), Roger Robinson (Brother-in law of groom), Jed Bung (friend), Steven Clements (Friend), Cody Sieler (Friend)

Ringbearer: Jack Hall (Bride’s cousin)

Ushers: Robert Clements (Friend), Jared Klump (Friend)

Greeters: Robert Whitman, III, Wyatt Whitman (Bride’s cousin)

Parents of bride: Scott and Rhonda Hall

Parents of Groom: Ricky and Debra Nearhood