Non-Traditional Wedding in Marquette
This non-traditional elopement at the Black Rocks in Marquette, Michigan was amazing! The gorgeous fall setting on Presque Isle was an absolutely perfect location for it. Cassandra’s black wedding dress was jaw-dropping. Her bouquet and the boutonnieres were all hand-crafted by her and featured pages from The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings and featured specific, meaningful quotes.
The Black Rocks Elopement Ceremony Spot
The couple chose a private location at the Black Rocks for their wedding ceremony. A high outcrop of unique lava rock situated between a huge wooded hill and Lake Superior. Josh arrived at the ceremony spot nervous, but eager to get started. As the small wedding party walked the path to the natural altar, “Concerning Hobbits” (the song from the intro to The Shire in the Lord of the Rings movie) played on a Bluetooth speaker. Josh was turned away as Cassandra and her father walked down the pathway to the ceremony. His sister, also his groomswoman, helped him remain as calm as possible but he was hardly keeping it together. When he turned to see Cassandra it was an amazing, intense, beautiful moment!
The rest of the ceremony was amazing! There was a peaceful calm in the autumn air as Cassandra and Josh said their vows. At one point Josh became very emotional, and a time-out was called. Everyone could feel the love and utter joy that this couple shares.
A Unique Wedding Tradtion
After the ceremony, the couple chose to include a very interesting family wedding tradition. They call it “The Malört Ceremony”. Malört, a pretty terrible-tasting liquor, is passed around a circle and whoever is holding the bottle has to say something they’re thankful for, a favorite memory of the couple, or a piece of marriage advice. Then, if able, they take a swig of Malört.
I’ve never seen anything like this at a wedding before, and I have to say, it was pretty awesome! We laughed, cried, and all agreed that Malört is pretty terrible.
Wedding Photos at the Black Rocks
The guests headed out to a local bar to relax while Cassandra, Josh, and I spent a few hours exploring the Black Rocks and Presque Isle. It was relatively quiet, despite a lot of tourists hanging out at the “popular” spots for sunset. The weather was perfect, and we had a great time hiking around and making some amazing photos.
Enjoy!
Andrea
Are you thinking of eloping or getting married in Michigan? Let me help you design the most amazing, unforgettable wedding day and document it in beautiful photos for you! Just reach out and let’s get the conversation started!
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Hi! I’m Andrea!
Photographer, storyteller, nature lover
Lume Photography is a creative Michigan elopement photographer & planner based in the Upper Peninsula. Behind the camera, you’ll find me (Andrea) photographer, forager, paranormal enthusiast. My passion is helping free-spirited couples craft their dream wedding in nature, and documenting the moments, emotions, and story in amazing photos. READ MORE ABOUT ME
Just popping by to say these are gorgeous!
Hey thanks!!!
So many great images. Well done!
Such a unique place for these two adventure souls….love the Black Rocks and anything rocky coastline gives me all the feels!
Andrea, your style mixed with their vision left an incredible mood to appreciate. Such a great job on this elopement in Marquette!
Wow! I love this moody elopement! It looks like this couple had such a great group of people to witness and cheer them on! I love the black dress and spooky vibe!
I love how they included the Lord of the Rings in their wedding day! How cool! These images are amazing!
The aesthetic here is to die for! What a fun wedding day!
What a fun and unique spooky elopement! I love that she wore a black wedding dress and such a gorgeous floral headpiece. These photos are stunning!