A greenery filled Tanzanian-inspired Northern Michigan wedding #Real Weddings: Midwest US#bearded groom#couples of color#michigan#natural hair Posted Oct 14 2019 Catherine Clark bijouxandbits Photos by: Photos by Ciera Photos by Photos by Ciera This Tanzanian-inspired Michigan wedding was a gorgeous sight to behold. Jason and Eneke's photographer, Ciera of Photos by Ciera, told the story so beautifully, I wanted to share it here… Family and friends traveled from all over the world, including Tanzania, expecting the colder Upper Michigan weather only for it to be over 100 degrees that day in Iron Mountain, MI, the hometown of where the groom grew up. The bride's Tanzanian heritage was celebrated throughout the day from African women singing as the bride walked down the aisle towards her groom to an African dance shared by father and daughter. The bride even chose tanzanite jewelry in honor of her heritage including a beautiful necklace and earring set to match her tanzanite wedding ring. The groom finalized his look with a braid to symbolize the bride's heritage. The sun was shining and the rain held off until the night as friends and family traveled from all over the world to be there to witness the love between Jason and Eneke in Jason's hometown of Iron Mountain, MI. The travelers enjoyed the breathtaking views from one of Iron Mountain's landmarks, Pine Mountain, before heading to the country club to celebrate the love of Jason and Eneke. As the bride walked down the aisle escorted by her father in her glistening Hailey Paige wedding gown, African women beautifully sang in honor of her heritage. Their vows made their guests shed a few tears and you could hear the rumbles of laughter throughout the church during the funny moments. As family and friends gathered together at Pine Grove Country Club, they walked into the reception filled with lush florals and greenery resembling an elegant Tanzanian forest, just as the bride dreamed of. With a heartfelt speech by the father of the bride straight from his leather book, cheers filled the room with laughter and love. The groom even busted a move in the middle of the first dance followed by an emotional mother/son dance and a traditional African dance by Eneke and her father. From there, the dance floor was non-stop all night. Vendors Photography: Photos by Ciera • Second Shooter: Betsy Bianchi Photography • Dress Designer: Hayley Paige • Dress Store: Alice in Ivory • Floral Designer: Linnea & Kristine • Groom's attire: Formally Modern Tuxedo • Tailor: The Dress Doctor • DJ: Taylored Weddings • Reception Venue: Pine Grove Country Club Gallery This slideshow requires JavaScript. Catherine Clark Catherine Clark loiters at her local library, makes art, watches movies en masse, plays video and tabletop games, poorly cooks healthy things, cuddles with her feline fur babies, and blogs at BijouxandBits.com. @enidjcoleslaw @bijouxandbits @bijouxandbits PREVIOUS A celebration of Neo-Soul with rich florals, jumpsuits, & tulle skirts NEXT A chat with Chicago photographer Emma Mullins (& why I chose her to capture my own wedding!) Show/Hide comments [ 0 ] Join the conversation Cancel ReplyYour email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Comment Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Sign me up for your offbeat awesomeness newsletter! No-drama comment policy Part of what makes the Offbeat Empire different is our commitment to civil, constructive commenting. Make sure you're familiar with our no-drama comment policy. Biz owners & wedding bloggers Please just use your real name in your comment, not your business name or blog title. Our comments are not the place to pimp your website. If you want to promote your stuff on Offbeat Bride, join us as an advertiser instead.