Here are some scenes from the Perfect Wedding Guide Bridal Show at the Montage on Allison Pointe in February. Lots of great vendors, lots of brides, and a job well done by Ryan Hendrickson and his PWG staff.
I was only at Charles & Oksana’s wedding at their new home for a few hours, but in that time, I was blessed to witness a lot of love, tradition, and good times shared with those closest to them. Oksana’s Ukrainian heritage was woven into the festivities, from the beautifully embroidered rushnyk that they stood on during the ceremony to the korovai bread that they shared and later tore apart during the dinner, which was served by Great Cooks and Company. Their guests came from all over the world, and the best man hilariously used this blending of cultures as an excuse for the guests to toast (and drink to) the couple in many different languages. “Dyakuju” to Kiralee of EyeMAX Makeup and photographer Angela Talley for the referral!
Photo by Angela Talley Studio
On the night before Halloween, Alicia and Robert treated their guests to a spectacular wedding and reception at the Indiana Roof Ballroom, complete with masks, pumpkins, and spirit to spare. Kiralee of EyeMAX Makeup and photographer Jessica Strickland made sure Alicia looked fabulous for some fun photos outside the Roof with Robert, while the Weekenders team of Circle City Planners made sure the day ran smoothly and the ballroom looked amazing, with some gorgeous florals added by Add Love Flowers. Cousin of the bride and IndyVisual friend (and former groom) DJ Gene Ott set the tone for the reception with some hilarious introductions, and Zanna-Doo rocked the Roof like they always do, with this super-fun couple inevitably joining them onstage. Big thanks to Jess and the Roof for the referral!
Photo by Jessica Strickland Photography
We were honored to be hand-picked to be part of a select group of vendors at the Perfect Wedding Guide‘s Platinum Gala at the Conrad Indianapolis. This event featured displays by Indy’s top wedding pros, eye-popping table design by Lee Johnson and David Strohmeyer, and stunning Vera Wang dresses. Thanks to Ryan Hendrickson and Amanda Coffey for including IndyVisual in this spectacular gala.
It was an extravagant spectacle right out of Hollywood with the coolest, most down to earth couple at the center of it all. Ten years after shooting Rachel’s 16th birthday party, I had the pleasure of being there for another milestone as she and Hale became one at the Crowne Plaza at Historic Union Station.
Coverage started with a superb rehearsal dinner at the Indianapolis Museum of Art the night before, then continued in the 14 West penthouse the following morning as Leslie Jones helped Rachel get ready for the big day. Meanwhile, the amazing team of Premier Events‘ David Jackson, Palmer Kelly Design and Evans Audio-Visual all topped themselves in completely transforming the Grand Hall at Union Station.
After an eloquent ceremony officiated by spiritual author Marianne Williamson, the guests were treated to fabulous dinner entertainment by the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and the Indiana Ballet Company. Then New York party band Starlight Orchestra took the stage and simply blew us all away. It was a treat of a lifetime to work with so much talent, along with friends like Jennifer Driscoll, Sunny Moon and Indy Photo Booths.
I won’t be posting a video clip, so hopefully these fabulous detail and decor shots from Jennifer’s blog post will convey at least a taste of the beauty and magnitude of this most unforgettable day in celebration of a wonderful couple.
Darcie & Jon are such a fun, spirited couple who enjoyed a fun fall wedding and lively reception in the Grand Hall at the Crowne Plaza at Historic Union Station. After their first meeting, we took a trolley to White River State Park with photographer Troy Hill for some fun shots while designer Debbie Watson of Distinctive Designs put her final touches on the gorgeous decor in the Grand Hall for the ceremony. In addition to providing beautiful uplighting for the room, DJ Brian Whitis presided over a fantastic reception in which Jon & Darcie were glued to the dance floor the entire evening. Big thanks to the Crowne Plaza folks and Jessica & Mark Andres for introducing me to this awesome couple!
Photo by Troy Hill Photography
(Check out Darcie & Jon’s photo slideshow at Troy’s website!)
I could write a book about Vanessa & Eric’s beautiful wedding at Holy Rosary Parish and wild reception at the Montage, but I’ll keep it short by listing some of the many unique things I loved about this weekend: Scroll invitations. Luau rehearsal dinner. A perfect miniature replica of the wedding dress. The coin exchange. Doves. M&Ms personalized with the couple’s faces. Ribbon pulls in the wedding cake. Accordion player. Belly dancers. Fireworks. And especially the Mardi Gras-like “Crazy Hour.” Add a fun couple who’s all about having a great time, service by Kahn’s Catering (thanks for the referral!), decor by McNamara Florist, music by Lakeside Entertainment and transportation by Antique Limo of Indy, and you’ve got one very unforgettable evening. This photo by Joe Defabis sums it up nicely.
Photo by Defabis Photography
“Work” didn’t get any better than this in 2009!
The year started with economic anxiety, slowing bookings, the passing of our two longtime furry companions on consecutive days, and the unenviable task of following an unbelievable 50-wedding year that I still can’t explain. Little did I realize what a wild and rewarding ride 2009 would be for IndyVisual.
Starting with the weddings themselves… My travel itch was satisfied with events as far as the Riviera Maya to nice little road trips to Linton and Valparaiso, plus weddings in Lexington, KY and Columbus, OH on back-to-back days. The big ones kept coming, as I counted at least five six-figure weddings and my first ever seven-figure wedding! Clients included a mayor, an NFL player, an NBA owner, and many prominent business owners. Then there were the couples for whom I was the only “splurge,” and so many amazing ones in between, every one of whom I was deeply honored to serve.
I never sought out accolades in 15 previous years of business, but they sure sought ME out in 2009. I was given my first-ever PACE award through ISES, then voted by our clients and fellow wedding professionals (no friends, family or random Facebook/Twitter followers!) as Indy’s #1 Videographer on the IndyChannel.com A-List. I was thrilled to be invited to be the official videographer for the ABC annual conference, which was held in Indy this year. My biggest honor was being invited to present at the WEVA Expo in Orlando to videographers from around the globe, and I’m still floating from the amazing response to the seminar as well as the experience of learning from and helping so many new friends.
In the landlord business, my vision of transforming my stuffy old office building into an artsy, creative environment catering to Indy’s most reputable wedding professionals became a reality, and I’m amazed by the quality of people – tenants and clients alike – that I get to mingle with everyday. We celebrated the newly-rebranded We Do! Professional Centre with a epic day of open houses that we were blessed to share with so many of our esteemed peers in the industry, and I’m still blown away to this day by the generosity of Kahn’s Catering and others who made it happen.
Of course, none of this works without the invaluable contributions of (newlywed) Laurie, Rich and Cathy, and none of it has meaning without the unwavering support of Chris and our three nutty little boys who just keep on growing while I toil away everyday. I promise to slow down someday soon, but it might not be this coming year. With more amazing weddings (including St. Lucia and at least three other destinations in the works that I hopefully won’t jinx here), cool new toys and some HUGE surprises in store, it’s time to bid 2009 a fond farewell and look forward to an exciting 2010.
Happy New Year, everyone, and thank you for all that you do for IndyVisual. Please do not hesitate to let us know what we can do for you!
Vanessa & Cole left no page unturned on a fairytale-themed wedding and reception at the Ritz Charles chapel and pavilion. I loved the use of Disney music during the ceremony, the castles, carriages & butterflies throughout the reception decor, and especially the hot air balloon over the “Happily Ever After” cake. The groom’s love for his bride moved him to tears many times, and the amazing party led by Sound Spectrum‘s Tamara Cooper gave Cole & Vanessa’s storybook wedding day a perfectly happy ending. Thanks to super-fun photographers Brandy & Sticky Rammel for the referral!
Photo by Brandy J Photography
(See more photos on Brandy & Sticky’s blog!)
I was recently honored to be named the official videographer for Business of Brides 2009, the annual conference for the Association of Bridal Consultants (ABC), which was held here in Indianapolis this year. It was a great pleasure to work so closely with many of my friends in the local bridal industry and meet so many of the industry’s most-renowned experts from around the world. It’s hard to do the three-day conference with so many elements justice with a short video culled from four hours of raw footage, and there isn’t nearly enough space to describe all the happenings and acknowledge the many people involved like I normally would. But hopefully this clip has captured a taste of the fun as well as the incredible talent on display. Kudos to our local ABC chapter for hosting a fantastic conference that the many event professionals who attended will never forget!
