Samantha & David: Wedding at Longacre House Farmington Hills

Wedding Service at Longacre House Farmington Hills MI

Dave and Samantha’s wedding was held at the historic Longacre House in Farmington Hills, Michigan, on a gorgeous summer day. The sun was out but perfectly softened by scattered clouds, creating an incredibly comfortable setting for an outdoor celebration.

Longacre House is proudly listed on the Michigan Historic Registry and has been hosting beautiful weddings for decades. The property features a gorgeous outdoor gazebo on the manicured lawn, offering an incredible backdrop for portrait photography.

I remember the very first wedding I ever photographed here several years back—it was for Mary Beth, a prominent reporter for The Detroit News. Longacre House has long been one of my absolute favorite local spots for intimate gatherings and micro weddings.

Our connection to this wonderful family actually goes back a few years. We had the pleasure of photographing David’s sister’s lovely backyard wedding at their family home, where I first met the siblings and immediately hit it off with Dave. It was incredibly special when he reached out to secure us for his own wedding photos.

He and Samantha wanted a distinct, authentic documentary style for their memories rather than the highly staged images they had seen from other weddings. I was absolutely thrilled to accommodate their vision.

Getting Ready for the Service at the Longacre House Gazebo

The Longacre House features spacious dressing rooms upstairs that the bridal parties are free to utilize. We met up early for some getting-ready details before coordinating a private “first look” session in the estate’s west gardens.

They purposely planned their timeline this way so they could capture stunning, relaxed portraits of the two of them before their guests arrived. Oftentimes, couples who prefer to wait until the ceremony to see each other end up completely missing their own cocktail hour. Because Dave and Samantha prioritized mingling with their guests, this layout worked out perfectly!

We spent about half an hour exploring the gardens for portraits before tucking the couple away safely out of sight as arrivals began.

I do remember a funny moment during the first look where a guest stuck his head right through a window of the house trying to get his own camera angle. It completely crashed the privacy of the moment and looked a bit awkward in the frame, but no worries—we seamlessly edited him out of the final images!

The groom’s twin brother had the honor of performing the wedding service. He did an outstanding job, and it was beautiful to listen to his heartfelt, personal commentary as they exchanged their vows. Many times, couples have a stranger officiating their service, but having a brother stand up there made the entire moment wonderful.

The service lasted about 20 minutes, after which the newlyweds briefly slipped upstairs to sign their license before heading back down for family portraits.

While guests mingled on the garden patio during cocktails, we knocked out formal groupings. We choose not to showcase a massive wall of family formals on the blog, but we generally spend about 10 to 15 minutes capturing immediate family, extended aunts and uncles, and special friend groups.

A well-organized group can breeze through family photos remarkably fast. We generally estimate about 2 minutes per portrait combination. If you can distribute your photo list to your VIP guests ahead of time so they know exactly when to stay put, the entire process goes infinitely smoother than trying to make it up on the fly!

The Party Inside the Longacre House

This was a beautifully intimate micro wedding with an estimated 20 to 30 guests. Following their grand entrance, they shared a wonderful first dance, followed by traditional father-daughter and mother-son dances.

It was an absolute joy to be surrounded by such a tight-knit group and witness the immense love in the room. Capturing authentic emotion alongside the pure fun of the day is exactly what we strive for—it is what makes for the very best wedding photojournalism.

We hope you enjoy a quick peek into these wedding memories! Please reach out to our studio at 734-453-4321 to let us know how we can help document your upcoming wedding day.

❓ Question 1: What makes the Longacre House in Farmington Hills, MI ideal for small weddings?

💡 Answer: The Longacre House is proudly listed on the Michigan Historic Registry and is widely considered one of the best locations in the Metro Detroit area for smaller, intimate weddings and micro celebrations. With its spacious upstairs dressing rooms, beautifully manicured west gardens, and a classic outdoor lawn gazebo, the estate provides a gorgeous, private setting that allows couples to seamlessly host their getting-ready, ceremony, and ballroom reception all at one venue.

❓ Question 2: How much time should we schedule for family formal photos on our wedding day?

💡 Answer: Our studio typically estimates about 2 minutes per family portrait grouping. For an organized list focusing on immediate family, grandparents, and special extended family groups, the formal portrait session can easily be completed in a smooth 10 to 15 minutes. To maximize your time, we recommend distributing your portrait combinations to your VIP guests ahead of time so everyone knows exactly when and where to stay put right after the ceremony.

❓ Question 3: Can you shoot a documentary or photojournalistic style for an outdoor garden wedding?

💡 Answer: Yes, absolutely. Outdoor estate venues like the Longacre House are perfect for a documentary and photojournalistic approach. By utilizing natural daylight and coordinating a private “first look” in the gardens prior to the ceremony, we can capture candid, unposed interactions and genuine emotions as the day unfolds naturally, rather than relying on stiffly staged poses.