Indianapolis Colts Pro Bowl safety Antoine Bethea invited many of his fellow playmakers and friends to the Colts Grille for a launch party and fundraiser for his new charity, the Safe Coverage Foundation, benefiting youth in several communities.  There were some very sweet auction items including signed jerseys by the likes of Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky, Albert Pujols, Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady and of course Peyton Manning.  I had a blast mingling with Antoine and other Pro Bowl players such as Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark, Joseph Addai &  Robert Mathis, and it was great to catch up with team captain & former client Gary Brackett (who confirmed that he loved his wedding film – yay!).  The gals from Eventfull Planning, along with Molly Connor Photography, Pink Poppy Ink,  Sweet Pea Floral and Evans Audio Visual, did a superb job of not only implementing the event, but handling the very busy checkout line after a successful evening.

I’ve been honored to be involved with Wish Upon a Wedding over the past year, and what a year it has been! From our launch in January through two wishes granted, the Indianapolis chapter has been one of the most active in the country, in large part due to the many event industry friends who have supported us tremendously in our efforts to provide weddings for couples facing life-altering circumstances.

Our final big event of the year was the Blissful Wishes Ball, held at the Conrad Indianapolis, which gave us an opportunity to raise additional awareness and funds, say “thank you” to a lot of people, and announce yet another wish to be granted this spring. Here are some highlights from a very fun and inspiring evening!

A few years after filming Amanda & Michael’s wedding, I was excited to film the wedding of Michael’s twin sister Courtney & Ross at East 91st Street Christian Church, followed by their reception at the Eiteljorg Museum.  Prior to the ceremony, photographer Dawn Fisher of Galleria Studios & I captured some fun shots of the bridal party, which included many of our previous as well as future clients.  The reception looked fantastic thanks to colorful decor by Circle City Designers, and the service by Kahn’s Catering was top notch.  The DJs of PBJ Entertainment presided over a lively evening of dancing, highlighted by a cameo appearance by Purdue Pete, and the flutter fetti sendoff was the perfect way to top off a glorious day.

Sijia & Matt enjoyed a picture-perfect fall day for their wedding and reception at the Mansion at Oak Hill.  Along with Dawn & Mike Fisher of Galleria Studios (who referred the couple to us), we captured some nice shots under the canopy of trees which later became the backdrop for their beautiful and emotional ceremony, highlighted by a unique rose ceremony that Sijia & Matt will recreate on their anniversaries.  The bride looked stunning in her dress as well as makeup by Karen Hall.  The flowers by Jan Johnson of Belle Fleur added elegance to the ballroom for the reception, which was expertly presided over by Jeremy Gearries of DJs Direct.  The big day concluded in style with Sijia & Matt’s grand exit in an Antique Limousine provided by Jack Gambs.

Photo by Galleria Studios