Our horsedrawn carriage arrived at the Harbour View Inn at
3:30, shortly after our wedding ceremony. It was an ornate, authentic,
original 19th century carriage and a very handsome one indeed.
When we boarded it and began our ride towards downtown,
Rob Jerstrom followed behind us on his bicycle. Rob has done a lot
of this type of photography, and is somehow able to follow a
carriage and take photos with his Nikon with one hand while steering
his bicycle with the other hand. This way he can get a lot of
candid shots during the ride in addition to the many posed shots
he takes of wedding couples at various scenic spots.
photo by Robert Jerstrom
photo by Robert Jerstrom
I had worried about intense sun exposure during a long carriage
ride, especially since I didn't want to dose-up with sunscreen
under the makeup I wanted to wear for our wedding. I solved this
problem the old-fashioned way - I bought a pretty little parasol
from sarasparasols.com. It was
white with a baby blue trim that matched my eyes and little decorations
on my dress. This parasol only cost $35, and was a very practical
device for sheltering from the sun and adding a bit of Victorian
authenticity to our carriage-ride photos.
photo by Robert Jerstrom
Our ride took us to many beautiful locations all over the
Island. The carriage ride was quite an experience. It was like
a one-vehicle parade. Everyone and everything stops to watch!
Many folks waved, shouted congratulations and took photos of
us. On weekends there are often a dozen or two wedding parties
taking carriage rides. During the week there are only a few each
day, so we got a lot of attention from the crowds.
For those considering a small ceremony on Mackinac, you must
realize that even small weddings are an "event" on
the Island. Everyone seems to be thrilled at the idea of weddings
there, and you'll get lots of attention wherever you go. Everyone
wants to get a look at and congratulate the newlyweds, not only
the tourists but also the Islanders. The Island's has a reputation
as being a "special place for couples" and there always
seems to be a hint of romance in the air. Weddings seem to bring
this feeling into the open even more.
