Why the Ford House in Grosse Pointe Is One of Michigan’s Top Engagement Session Locations

If you’re dreaming of a timeless, classic, and artfully elevated setting for your engagement session, the Edsel & Eleanor Ford House in Grosse Pointe is truly one of Michigan’s most breathtaking locations. As a Michigan wedding photographer, I’ve had the joy of photographing many couples here — and every time, I’m reminded why this estate remains one of my favorite backdrops for beautiful portraits.

1. Historic Architecture & Elegant Design

Designed by the famed architect Albert Kahn and completed in 1928, the Ford House is modeled after the Cotswold-style manors of England. From stone roofs and vine-covered walls to arched windows and ornate doorways, every corner of the property offers texture and timeless beauty — the kind that never feels dated or overly posed. It’s an aesthetic that resonates perfectly with couples who love artful, intentional photography.

2. A Variety of Stunning Backdrops

What makes this location exceptional is its range of scenery, all within one property. You can stroll through the rose garden, wander shaded stone paths, pause at the lakeside, or explore the grand lawns overlooking Lake St. Clair. Each spot tells its own story — whether you’re going for soft romance, modern editorial, or something classic and refined.

3. Lakefront Light & Natural Beauty

Because the estate sits right on the water, the light here is absolutely magical. During golden hour, the sky glows softly over Lake St. Clair, creating luminous tones that photograph beautifully. Whether we’re capturing gentle movement or still, quiet moments, the natural light helps create those timeless, editorial-style images you’ll treasure for years.

Ford House Photography Session Details

The Ford House requires a photography permit for all professional sessions. You can reserve your time directly through their Photography Booking Page. As of 2025, session rates are:

1-hour session $90

2-hour session $170

📸 Wedding or extended sessions (such as bridal portraits or wedding party sessions) start around $400–$500 for 2–3 hours.

Booking Tips:

• Reservations should be made at least 3 weeks in advance.

• The interior of the house is not available for photography — all sessions take place on the grounds.

• You’ll need to complete a short Photography Request Form

My Approach to Ford House Engagement Sessions

When photographing at the Ford House, I love to take full advantage of the variety and light the property offers. My engagement sessions here typically last about 1–2 hours and include:

• Multiple looks (often one formal and one relaxed)

• A mix of editorial, artistic and natural poses

• Timing around golden hour for the most flattering light

• Gentle direction to help you feel confident and comfortable in front of the camera

Ready to Plan Your Ford House Engagement Session?

You can learn more about the location and reserve your photography permit directly through the Ford House website. If you’d like to work together to create your engagement session there, I’d love to help. You can book your session directly via my online booking calendar.

Taylor and Bogdan mixed classic and timeless with some University of Michigan love for their engagement photos. We started their engagement session at the stunning law quad for some elegant engagement photos. Taylor had the prettiest dress! Then we headed over to the Block M for some U of M pics. Bogdan was so excited about these…you could see it in his face. He immediately started grinning once we got to the Big House! Here are some of my favorites from their spring session!

If you asked me what my favorite season was to photograph in, it would be hard for me to answer! They are all wonderful for different reasons. However, there is something special about spring…the excitement and energy of everyone emerging from the winter slumber…the excitement for the green, the warmth and of course, the flowers! Spring flowers seem to only be in bloom for 1-2 weeks for each kind…tulips and magnolia trees in April for a week or two…lilacs in May…peonies end of May and early June. Capturing photos with these fleeting blooms is so special for that reason! For Zoe and Jeff’s session, we were lucky enough to capture some of these spring blooms in all their glory on the stunning MSU campus. Here are some of my favorites from their East Lansing engagement session!

When I set out to photograph a wedding, I am not just shooting to shoot. Or shooting to provide a few good profile photos. I am shooting to tell a story- the story of a momentous day in a couple's lives. Increasingly, when I chat with couples in initial consultations, we talk not only about capturing the wedding day but about the end goal- what will they do with these photos? How will they enjoy them? Look at them? How will they relive their day? What is the purpose of these photos? How will they preserve their family's history?

One way to do all of these things is to create an heirloom wedding album. It has space to tell the story, include the important details, preserve the family history, display the family photos, and allows the couple to relive their day and enjoy, once again, those important moments- all by flipping the pages of their book.

Albums have thick pages and luxurious leathers so they are durable and stand the test of time. They come is many colors, so that they can seamlessly blend in on your coffee table or shelf. They can easily be packed and moved from a couple's first apartment together to their first new home together.

Here is an album I designed for one of my couples at beautiful Cherry Creek Golf Club.

When Jadyn and Marc booked me for their wedding, they had already had an engagement session…in Italy! However, it was a year earlier and they confessed, all of their things had been stolen during the session when they set them down on the ground to take photos, so a second round of engagement photos sounded good to them! They thought they could use the practice…and maybe a stress free session too!

We met up in Detroit in January, which is not a popular time for engagement photos. It may have been cold enough to turn our skin pink and purple, but we prevailed, dipped into a few places to warm up, and got some gorgeous photos. These two were in from out of town, so rescheduling wasn’t an option when zero degree temps hit the forecast. They wore long coats, we secretly had hand warmers in our pockets, and the Siren Hotel lobby helped warm us back up to normal skin tones. It was all worth it for these photos; my favorites are below! Can’t wait for their War Memorial wedding in Grosse Pointe later this fall!

Let’s face it- engagement photos feel awkward! That’s one of the benefits to doing them- you won’t feel as awkward on your wedding day, right? To combat some of that awkwardness and to make things feel as comfortable as possible, these two chose to have their engagement session at their beautiful home in Grosse Pointe. We took photos inside and out, and I love how they came out. Bonus to doing them at your home- you don't have to worry about permits, fees, venue hours, bathrooms to change in, etc...because it's at your own home. Here are some of my favorites!

One of the cutest accessories a couple can bring to their engagement session is their puppy! Last summer, I spent an evening on beautiful Belle Isle in Detroit with these two and their corgi! They hugged him, cuddled him, kissed him, and those big corgi eyes gave me some of my favorite photos ever! I’m super excited to photograph S + N’s wedding at the Book Tower in Detroit next month! Come back to check out some of those favorites soon, but for now, here are my favorites from their engagement session!

Let’s face it- the economy is not the bet right now! With that, couples are always looking for ways to save on their wedding expenses. One way couples can do that, is by choosing a venue where everything can be held in one location- getting ready, portraits, ceremony, and reception. The Saint John’s Resort in Michigan is one of those venues that host it all. They have a hotel on site with large suites for getting ready, beautiful gardens with a waterfall for portraits, a chapel and indoor ceremony location, and a beautiful atrium for the reception. By having a wedding day’s events all in one location, couples can save on transportation costs and shorter days for your photographer and coordinator mean lower costs there as well. Plus- it takes so much stress off knowing you just need to head downstairs for things or can run up to your room if you forgot anything! It’s so easy!

Katelyn and David lived out of town, so the convenience of having everything in location was a priority for them. Here are some of my favorites from their day!

One of the nice things about working two regions is that I’ve made a little niche for myself- people who have connections to both. This is exactly the case with Daniel and Jean…they are getting married at Shinola in Detroit in 2024, but currently live, work and go to graduate school in Boston. We were able to do their engagement session in Boston this summer when I was in town for a wedding I was photographing over Labor Day weekend. It worked out perfectly, we got gorgeous weather, and I love what we captured. Here are a few of my favorites!

Clare and Eric were my first wedding of 2022! With the wedding boom that is 2021-2022, I’ve gotten to photograph at many new venues, and it was my first time shooting at the Lafayette Grande in Pontiac, MI! I absolutely loved the architecture inside and out, the brightness of the space, the chandeliers, large staircase window, and the food was excellent, too!

Clare and Eric had a classic style with pops of spring color, and I absolutely loved the florals that Olive’s Bloombox created for their wedding. The bouquets and centerpieces were stunning! A big thank you to my second shooter Amanda for capturing all these beautiful detail shots of the table settings and centerpieces.

From our arrival to the first look, portraits, ceremony and reception, everything went smoothly, which doesn’t always happen in the wedding world! The rain stayed away until portraits were over, and we stayed on time for the entire day.

It was such a pleasure to work with these two recent med school grads, and I wish them luck as they move across the country for their residencies! Congrats Clare and Eric! What a fantastic start to 2022!

Eberly + Taylor planned the most stress free wedding day! They did a first look and the majority of their portraits prior to the ceremony, and then had an hour gap in between the ceremony and reception which gave everyone a bit of time to relax before finishing the portraits during cocktail hour. Nothing felt rushed and Eberly + Taylor seemed so relaxed! For those couples seeking a stress free wedding day, doing a first look can really help relieve some of those time constraints that make everything feel so rushed. And, even though they did a first look and saw each other prior to the ceremony, both Taylor and Eberly were teary eyed and emotional during Eberly's walk down the aisle at the church. First looks don't seem to make that moment any less emotional or less special (at least from a photographer's perspective when capturing these moments!).

Eberly and Taylor were married at the Great Oaks Country Club in Rochester, MI. Eberly's hair and makeup was done by Mie Salon in Rochester, and the floral and event design were by Floral Designs by Lori.

Congratulations, you two! Have an amazing time on your honeymoon in Hawaii!!

Annie + Austin's wedding was a dream! They got ready at the Dearborn Inn, had their ceremony at a church in downtown Detroit, and had their reception at Lovett Hall at the Henry Ford in Dearborn, MI. Annie purchased her dream gown at Kleinfeld Bridal in New York, and chose a dress inspired by Kate Middleton's.

The historic brick buildings at the Henry Ford and Lovett Hall reminded me of downtown Boston and Providence and made me feel as if I were shooting on the East Coast again. The lighting was absolutely perfect, and Annie and Austin couldn't have been gifted with a more gorgeous day.

Congrats you two!

Meghan and Andy were married on the most beautiful June day! I was mid-seventies, no humidity, with beautiful blue skies and a light breeze. They held their wedding ceremony at the Stone Chapel at St Hugo in Bloomfield Hills and had their reception at the Birmingham Country Club in Birmingham, Michigan. They actually met at the BCC, so how great is it that they could hold their wedding at the place that they met?! Here are a few of my favorites from their wedding day. Congratulations again, you two!

{A big thank you to my second shooter Brian, who captured a few of the images included in this wedding day story}.

Mallory and Mike chose to have their engagement photos taken in downtown Plymouth, MI. I had never been before, and it was ADORABLE! Like as in I started looking at housing in the car after the shoot :) . I'm SO happy Mallory and Mike introduced me to Plymouth, and am thrilled with how the photos came out. They were so natural and fun to be around, and I can't wait for their wedding at the Dearborn Inn later this year!

Oksana and Corey held their wedding at the beautiful Cafe Cortina in Farmington HIlls, Michigan. Everything was perfect: the weather, the food, the gorgeous patio for photos, the beautiful bouquets by Twigs and Branches Floral, and all of the DIY details that Oksana and Corey put so much work into, even though they planned the entire wedding in UNDER THREE MONTHS. Can you believe it? I'm not sure how they did it and how they remained so calm and laid back, but they pulled it off, and it was amazing.

Oksana and Corey's wedding was so unique because of the blend of Canadian, Ukrainian and Kazakh traditions that were included. There was vodka, jokes a plenty, traditional dress and song...it was pretty incredible, not to mention fun.

While there are so many great photos from the day, here are a few of my favorites to tell the story:

I can't believe it, but this was my first time doing a shoot at Lake Michigan! Since I've been living out on the East Coast since 2007, I hadn't been to Lake Michigan since college. I completely forgot how beautiful it is...and how underrated. The water was so clean and clear and so blue and the sand was so white! It was gorgeous...I can't wait to get back. 

I normally shoot an hour before sunset, but since Kristine and Matt were driving in from Chicago for the shoot, and since thunderstorms were being predicted in late afternoon, we decided to play it safe and do it midday. Plus, there was supposed to be cloud cover...ummm, not so much. We worked with the sun and it was hot, but Kristine and Matt were troopers. It was so much fun exploring South Haven. It was Kristine and Matt's first time visiting as we chose a location halfway between where they live in Chicago and where I live in mid-Michigan. And even though we had to deal with bright sun and hot temps, Kristine and Matt still rocked the photo session. Take a look at my favorites below, and if you are a Michigan bride or groom looking for a wedding photographer, check out my pricing page for a current promotion for all new 2017 wedding bookings in Michigan!

Caitlin Maloney Photography is now booking weddings in Michigan! So, if you are looking for a wedding photographer in South Haven, Grand Haven, Holland, St. Joe, Grand Rapids, Charlevoix, Leelanau, Northport, Mackinac, Traverse City, Petoskey, Detroit, Ann Arbor, Dexter, or Lansing, please check out the pricing page for a current promotion for 2017 Michigan couples, and get in touch!