01/27/2025
What a beautiful wedding 🥰
Kristen & Daniel met at hers and his childhood campground. Their families had been camping together for many years before they had met. It was definitely fate that brought them together, considering they nearly grew up at the same campground and never knew each other.
It didn't take long after for them to become a couple and spent 4 years together. They got engaged and shortly it fell apart, they grew apart. They separated for 2 years in this time Kristen was in a very abusive relationship and Daniel got married, needless to say they went through many trials and tribulations in these short 2 years. When Kristen finally got away from her relationship she found herself right back in Daniels arms. Scares and traumas didn't make the beginning of their relationship easy, she had to overcome the fear of loving again. He was there, comforting her, reassuring her, help giving her confidence back. He was her knight in shining armor. Their relationship has only grown from there. They love to take vacations to the Tennessee area, they have been there 3 or 4 times since being back together. Their families are very important to them and friends the same, God has truly been a presence in their journey they wouldn't be where they are without Him.
They got engaged on one of their vacations to the Tennessee/North Carolina area. They got a little cottage right next to a beautiful little stream. They went for a hike to sight see to find a waterfall. Seemed easy enough to find but they ended up hiking for over 9 miles through the mountains, they were about halfway through their hike that seemed to be never ending, and they walked right on top of a venomous rattle snake. Kristen's heart was ripped out of her chest almost stepping on him. Later finding out it's one of the most venomous but the most docile rattle snakes in Tennessee. Once they got back down the mountains, still not finding the waterfall they started driving out and there it was, on the drive in so they stopped and went down to see it.
At the time, Kristen had her camera, still trying to learn how to use it. She wanted to get this shot that wasn't easy with the lighting, took her awhile to get it, probably felt like a lifetime for Daniel behind her down on one knee patiently waiting. She turned around and just started crying. Afterwards Daniel started telling her about the ring situation because it wasn't the one she had chosen, he had tried to order it and they told him it wouldn't be here in time for their vacation so he went out and bought a different ring to do the proposal and surprised her with the ring of her dreams on the day of the wedding during the ceremony.
Wedding Date: 8/10/2024
Venue location(s): A Cut Above Event Center in Saugatuk
Bride's Dress: True Society in Grand Rapids
Bridesmaids Dresses: Azazie
Mens Tuxes: Dunhill Tuxedo in Holland
Officiant: Jay VanHoff
Florals: Lings Moments, assembled by wedding party
Hair: Karly Bergsma
Makeup: Haily West
Invitations: Zazzle
Catering: City BBQ -Kentwood MI
DJ: David Homola - Disco Dave Services
Bartender: Ashley Smoger
Cake/Desserts: Berts Bakery
Event Coordinator: TLC Weddings
Second Shooter: Bailee B. Photography
Wedding Gallery: https://rebeccaburgen.passgallery.com/-weddingbeck