Cornerstone University: Engineering Matters

One of the things our team loves most about getting to work alongside our alma mater and help them tell their story is just that - getting to watch as their story, their journey, and the lives of their students grow and develop. Last year one of the next major chapters in the Cornerstone campus' story was the announcement of their new Engineering division and program courses. The vision for this new addition to the university's academic experience has been to equip students to learn to be designers, innovators, environmentalists, and engineers of influence and excellence in our world for Christ.

When CU approached and shared the exciting news with us we knew this would be a special project for a lot of different reasons. One of the main ones being how important this step of expanding their academics into this field was, and for such an important step, we decided to push the limits of what our conventional style and storytelling looked like. So here we present to you the official Engineering Matters program commercial developed to help connect prospective students with Cornerstone University to see how they can grow and learn to build lives of engineers that have a lasting influence on this world we all share. 

This has no doubt been a project that we have loved being a part of, getting to dig deep, connecting with the first official students of this new division, but more so we are so excited to see how the program takes off over the coming years!

Cornerstone University: 2018 Commencement Commercial Film Series

Over the last five years our team has had the privilege of helping share the stories of dozens of Cornerstone University graduates as they prepare to begin the next chapters in their journeys. Every year this commencement series offers us a chance to reflect back on these students' college career in a wholistic sense, recognizing all the ways they see themselves having grown and matured, the acknowledgment of all the academic rigor that their endured and have succeeded at, and of course the anticipation of the future they have been prepared to chase after. This particular year was a moment to celebrate these students and who they each have become during their time at CU. From stories of students finding their voice and confidence for the next stage of life, to stories of students working to build a better world for all of us to share, this year we celebrate the many stories of the amazing students who make up the CU classes of 2018.

From all of us at Shadow Shine Pictures, Congratulations to the class of 2018 and welcome to the CU Alumni family!

New Seasons, New Stories, New Adventure.

Seven years: Seven years of adventures. Seven years of living the dream. Seven years of storytelling. The number seems to become harder to comprehend with each passing season. It's nearly impossible to remember back to sitting in my dorm room on a Friday night in April as a Junior in college realizing everything that was before our team, then flash forwarding to now. While seven years feels like such a long time, there are so many parts of it that feel like near no time has elapsed at all. As if just a month ago we were heading to our first wedding, delivering our first corporate commercial, or even getting to start our first passion project. So much life has happened in these seven years and yet we still can feel ourselves growing and stretching every day.

Any journey, any story, worth its merit is both equal parts bitterness and joy, struggle and the strength to overcome, and not least of all, the outward personification of inward growth. I am not the same person I was sitting in that dorm room all those years ago, much the same way I know none of us are the same people we were even just a year or two ago. Being allowed to grow and be present with this team through every success, every failure, every road trip, every celebration, and every reflection has been a blessing. To have walked through countless personal trails with one another and to see how yourself has changed and matured, but then also some of the people you are closest to? That has been an adventure all its own right, and one I am forever thankful for.

I know I've said it before; this adventure for our team is one filled with highs and lows. The moments of pure excitement and the painful ones we'd all rather avoid, but we know all too well that we have to work through them. In all of that, in every season, to be surrounded by a wonderful team of caring individuals who point each other towards truth and the desire to tell a story of the world we want, well, that makes every high and low utterly worth it.

So here it is, seven years of filmmaking, seven years of learning from the failures, seven years of growing to be a deeper community for one another, seven years of working harder and harder to serve our clients and their stories, seven years of being better humans to everyone and everything around us, and to seven years of unfolding journeys. May we be blessed to see yet another one. Thank you for joining us on this adventure.

-Matthew

Rachel + David: Charleston Engagement

While Michigan continues to try and make up it's mind which season it's going into next, we are day dreaming back to this gorgeous sun filled day down in Charleston, wandering all around the city with these two beautiful humans!

We've known Rachel for what feels like forever at this point and when we had heard the news that David, this southern gentlemen that we had seen photos of and heard all about, had asked her to marry him we were swooning from all the emotions! And the only thing better than that news was getting to spend a day with them down in the warm ocean breeze and southern sunshine. It was our first time meeting David that day, but it was apparent almost immediately how perfectly he complimented Rachel. They both are incredibly selfless having two of the purest servant-hearts you could ever find, they're constantly focused on caring for the other, they laugh loud and they laugh often, but above all they live out their lives as an ongoing act of worship to bring glory back to God.

To say we are looking forward to spending a weekend with them this fall down in the gorgeous Hilton Head area is a LEGIT understatement. Aside from the trip down south, the beautiful backdrops that will be aplenty, and some time to hangout beachside, we are just stoked to be spending time with these two wonderful souls who have captured our heart completely.

Seriously counting down the days till this Fall!

Paige + Noah: The Lehmann Wedding

There are few things that get me more excited than spending a day with dear friends, and when those friends ask you to spend their wedding day following them around taking photos of them, obviously I'm in, no question about it! I've had the privilege of knowing Paige and calling her a friend for a few years now, and we've even traveled the world together a bit. I remember hearing about Noah when he first caught Paige's eye and there was something about the way she talked about him that you just knew he was the love of her life. Needless to say it's been an honor and privilege watching these two grow together and lift one another up in the highs and lows of life and I cannot say enough how thankful I am for their example of love and devotion.

In complete honesty this day was a dream in every since of the word - it wasn't work, it was a celebration; it wasn't an event, it was this beautiful unfolding moment of joy; it was everything you ask for in a wedding, especially for your friends' wedding. Getting to watch these two love on each other, make the other laugh, have quiet moments of rest, and then also ecstatic "oh my gosh we just did that!" moments; it was amazing through and through.

I think all our team ever truly wants for any of our couples, above everything else, is just for them to have the absolute perfect day. Now, yes, 'perfect' looks like a lot of different things, but it's more than the perfect weather, the perfect location, the perfect backdrop. Those are all great and important, but the perfect wedding day is something that transcends all of those aspects, in fact it's simpler than those; the perfect wedding day is solely a day focused on your love. This day right here embodied this hope, desire, and idea beautifully and holistically, and I could not be more overcome with thankfulness that Paige + Noah had this perfect day together.

These two have an amazing and bright future ahead for them, and while I may or may not be ugly crying over here because I don't know when I'm going to see them again next I know that these two wonderful souls are setting out in the direction the Lord is leading them, working to love those around them unconditionally, and to bring glory back to their Creator in eveyrthing that they say or do.

Here's to the beautiful and gorgeous Mr+Mrs Lehmann, two of the most kind, silly, most intentional people you will ever meet - and two people I am never going to stop loving!

-Matthew

Roopa + Ryan: Grand Rapids Wedding Photography

How we end up with the most wonderful and beautiful couples is a question we may never know the answer to but they are a blessing we are eternally thankful for. And no, we aren't just talking "beautiful" in terms of how gorgeous they look - because like for real, they certainly have it going on! - but beautiful in the sense that they lift one another up, comfort each other, and point the other to joy and life even when stress and emotions swell up and feel overwhelming. The ones that wipe the tears away, meet their Love where they are at, and walk them through difficult moments. Roopa and Ryan are a shining example of just such a couple, and throughout their entire wedding weekend they reminded us just what we are called to in this life - unconditional love.

Whether it was making sure the needs of the other were being attended to or showering each other with affection; whether it was making sure the other always had their favorite drink in their hand or keeping a smile on each other's face with an endless supply of dad jokes, these two were in a world all their own. Roopa and Ryan are the type of couple that we are so greatly humbled by, the ones that consistently teach us what care and compassion truly looks like. All we can say to these two wonderful and gorgeous humans is thank you - thank you for allowing us to pay witness to your love over your wedding weekend. Thank you for pointing us back to love, and thank you for throwing one hell of a party. You both will forever have all our love!

Lauren + Nick: The Manzer Wedding Trailer

If you were to ask us to name two people we believe could not be more deserving of a lifetime of happiness with their best friend by their side, our answer would undoubtedly be Lauren + Nick. These two love each other both equal parts fiercely and tenderly. They are never without grace for the other, and they model a Christ-like love on a daily basis to everyone they come in contact with. We cannot say it enough: we are truly blessed to call them two of our dearest friends!

We met Nick before he and Lauren started dating, on a trip to Zambia, where we saw firsthand his servant's heart on full display. Nick is a tall man, and one of few words, and one might be intimidated by him upon first glance, but it takes just a minute to realize how kind, compassionate, and deeply loyal he is. Watching him hold the hands of so many orphans and hurting Zambians in Africa showed us this was a man who deserved the most amazing love in the world — one that he would later discover in Lauren.

Similarly, we also met Lauren prior to her and Nick beginning their relationship. We quickly fell in love with her passion for telling stories, her zeal and tenacity to accomplish anything that was put in front of her, and, above all, her heart and desire to love on those around her. Honestly, we couldn't imagine a more perfect match than these two. When we heard the news that they were going to spend the rest of their lives together, well, let's just say there were a lot of happy tears that day!

It can hardly be a surprise that their wedding day was absolute perfection. Everything was wonderful, every moment was filled to the brim with joy and laughter, and everyone that gathered together with them on this day was ready to celebrate one of the truest loves we've ever seen. Here's to wishing these two a lifetime of happiness and never knowing a day without the other!

Cinematography: ShadowShine Pictures

Photography: Radiance Photography

Wedding Event Design and Coordination: Grand Occasions

Florist: Christine Harne

Wedding Dress: Second Dance Bridal & Formal Consignment

Menswear: Jos. A. Bank

Hair and Makeup: Graycen Bailey - Hair Technique

DJ: Box DJ - Yon Bucher

Rentals: Kentwood Rental

Wedding Donuts: Robinette's Apple Haus & Winery

Venue: Wyoming Park Bible Church & The Harris Building