West Michigan Anniversary Photos on the Beach | Gen and Kevin

Gen and Kevin wanted to celebrate their wedding anniversary in a special way, so they rented an A-Frame on the beach in Shelby, Michigan for a weekend getaway and an anniversary photo shoot. Gen is an amazingly talented graphic designer (she did the EKP branding, logo and materials!) and a friend so when she reached out about doing west Michigan anniversary photos on the beach with Kev, of course I jumped on it.

They happened to be planning their weekend getaway the same weekend I was headed to the west side of the state for a Grand Rapids wedding. I went up early on Friday and met them at their Airbnb about 2 hours before sunset to start their session. 

As someone who loves being on the water, it’s always a treat to get a little sandy for some beach couples photos and travel to West Michigan. 

We started the session with their two adorable dogs at a nearby field where they played fetch as a family. Then we headed to the beach to capture the beautiful sunset. While, on the right day, sunset golden hour photos can be achieved almost anywhere (with some planning), being on the west side of the state in the summer is almost a guaranteed sunset. Since the sun sets in the west and on the beach, there are no obstructions to our sight of the sun and its light. So if you’re hoping for beach sunset engagement or couples photos, choose a west facing location and plan your session for the 2 hours or so before sunset. 

Keep scrolling to see how Gen and Kevin’s west Michigan anniversary photos on the beach turned out. 

Love Gen and Kevin’s west Michigan anniversary photos on the beach? You might like Emily and Kellen’s Huron-Manistee engagement photos with a beach bonfire.