Ashley & Lee – 9.17.11
 December 17, 2011
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Laurie captured the moments as Ashley & Lee exchanged vows at St. Mary’s Catholic Church before celebrating as the marquee attraction at their Fountain Square Theatre reception.  Ryan Kimberly Shui of Sweet Beginnings kept the day running smoothly, Kathy’s Kloset provided the elegant floral decor, and DJ Alex Graessle kept the dance floor packed.  As amazing as the theatre looked on the inside, the best view was up on the roof, where Laurie accompanied the couple as well as photographers Ian & Cecilia Borgerhoff for some shots with a stunning view of the downtown skyline as the backdrop.  Eight years after filming Ashley’s brother Jerad’s wedding, it was a pleasure to work with the Dalton family once again.

Marissa & J.W. – 9.17.11
 December 11, 2011
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Marissa & J.W. shared an elegant, music-filled ceremony at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church before celebrating during a high-energy reception at the Indianapolis Museum of Art.  Marissa looked amazing, and J.W. is simply one of the most free-spirited grooms I have ever met, which became clear when I had to dodge Nerf darts just to say hello to him.  The ceremony included a large share of music beautifully sung by a choir that included many members I recognized from my own church.

Antique Limo brought the couple to the IMA, where we spent a good amount of time roaming the grounds of the IMA for photos with Turtle Pond Photography before heading into Deer Zink for a superb dinner by Kahn’s Catering.  The decor by Circle City Designers was fabulous as usual, but one only had to look up to see the true focal point of the room – dozens of paper stars from India modified by Scott Evans into stunning lanterns.  With the band Groove Essential leading the way, J.W. set the tone for the evening by twisting, turning and twirling Marissa to the point that they both ended up dizzy on the ground at the end of the first dance – seeing stars, of course.  Kudos to Darcie Kornmeyer of Circle City Planners (who referred us) for coordinating such a memorable occasion to perfection.

(Click here to see more photos by Turtle Pond Photography.  And click here for more info on this amazing wedding by Circle City Planners.)

Image by Turtle Pond Photography

Sarah & Jonathan – 9.10.11
 December 6, 2011
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Sarah & Jonathan got married in a full mass at St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church, a beautiful ceremony in which they were the first couple I’d ever seen do the presenting of the gifts themselves, which was a nice touch.  Afterwards, we all headed downtown for a rocking reception at the Crowne Plaza at Historic Union Station.  My favorite moment was when in lieu of a traditional blessing, the father of the bride led the whole crowd in a spirited rendition of “God Bless America.”  A Bride’s Choice Florist provided an elegant variety of looks for the tables, and the band The Rumors came up from Louisville to keep the crowd on their toes all night.  Huge thanks to photographer Jennifer Driscoll for referring Sarah & Jonathan to us!

Leslie & Matthew – 9.4.11
 December 1, 2011
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When Leslie & Matthew first booked the new JW Marriott for their wedding & reception venue, they had to wear hard hats during their site visits as the construction continued.  The JW was more than ready for their wedding day, however, and what a day it was.  Following preparations with help from planner Leslie Jones (who referred this wedding to us) and a sweet first meeting, they took lots of family pictures with Nate & Tiffany of Nathaniel Edmunds Photography before heading into the ketubah signing.

After a beautiful ceremony under a stunning chuppah and a cocktail hour overlooking Victory Field, everyone made their way into the enormous Grand Ballroom as Tim Kelley‘s gorgeous decor and Endless Summer‘s music welcomed them.  My favorite moments of the evening were when Leslie’s father surprised her with a “Glee”-style mash-up created especially for their dance, and when Matthew fulfilled a promise to his cancer-surviving grandmother that they would one day dance together at his wedding.

Photo by Nathaniel Edmunds Photography

Charlotte & Rodney – 9.4.11
 November 28, 2011
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Laurie captured the details and emotions beautifully as Charlotte & Rodney tied the knot at the Indianapolis Museum of Art.  After an elegant wedding highlighted by unique readings and a special sand ceremony, the couple roamed around the grounds for some fun shots with our friends from Wyant Photography.  Meanwhile, the Deer Zink Pavilion was decked out in fabulous fashion by McNamara Florist, while the Pulliam Great Hall was expertly accented by Evans Audio Visual for cocktails, with a dramatic change-up in lighting for dancing later in the evening.  A “Soul Train” line was a fun and funky way for the band to kick off a memorable night of dancing for the guests.

Bridget & Chad – 9.3.11
 November 26, 2011
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Bridget & Chad are a fun couple who love a good party, so it was only fitting that their wedding day at the Scottish Rite Cathedral was more than just an occasion for two to become one – it was also the party of the year.  After a first look in the Tilers Room, the couple went off for photos with Hether Miles and then returned to preview the spectacular ballroom and practice their first dance.  After exchanging vows in the beautifully transformed theater, they returned to the ballroom for the first dance as their surprised guests looked down from their cocktail hour on the mezzanine level.

Everyone had a blast during the reception, which was filled with a lots of sweet family moments, personal touches, superb service by Thomas Caterers of Distinction and great music by DJ Freddie Lockett with percussionist Joe Melton amping up the beats while some guests made their way to one of the Indy Photo Booths.  But that was merely the warm-up, as the South Lounge was converted into a virtual nightclub for a wild afterparty (vodka snow cones, cotton candy & caricatures were among the surprises) with music by DJ Orion that kept everyone hopping until 2 a.m.

Bridget’s brother J Scot Reid, himself an event planner, entrusted the day’s events & decor to the Detail+Design team of Gene Huddleson and Monica Richard, who did an amazing job transforming not just one but three separate spaces.  I was honored to be included with this A team, which gave me a lot of spectacular sights – and memories – to film.

Mary Hession’s Surprise 50th – 9.2.11
 November 21, 2011
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Photographer Erin Hession pulled out all the stops to celebrate her dear Aunt Mary’s surprise 50th birthday party at D’Amore Indianapolis.  Because Mary, owner of Canine Retreat, has such a tremendous passion for dogs, Erin set out to create a canine-themed event, hiring her friends at A Touch of Elegance, Setting the Mood, Thomas Caterers of Distinction, Classic Cakes, DJs Direct and Strike a Pose among others to create one of the most abundantly clever implementations of a theme that I have ever seen.  From the bone-shaped napkins to the two huge treat tables (only one for humans) to the “Come Sit Stay” window decals to the photo booth props (see yours truly below), not one opportunity was overlooked to make Mary feel right at home.  Her reaction to every surprise that kept on coming was priceless.  Everyone had a blast, and it was an honor to take part in yet another milestone in the lives of this wonderful, close-knit family.  (Click here to see more photos of this paw-sitively fun event!)

Photos by Erin Hession Photography

Christina & Kyle – 8.27.11
 November 10, 2011
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I had such a blast filming Marie & Jay’s wedding last year, so I was very excited to get the chance to film another wedding in the Martin family up at the Tippecanoe Lake Country Club in northern Indiana.  In fact, family played a huge role throughout the day, with a cousin coordinating the wedding, an aunt doing the flowers, another aunt & uncle hosting the reception, etc.  Best of all, Christina’s mom was the matron of honor, her dad was the officiant, and Kyle’s dad was the best man.

After a sweet first meeting followed by pictures with photographer Nicole Mehl, we squeezed in a beautiful outdoor ceremony in between storms, and then raced down in golf carts to a lakeside beach for a toasts and more photos.  The reception featured an amazing slideshow, great music courtesy of Dance N’ Sound, the biggest dessert spread I’ve ever seen, and a wonderful couple at the center of it all.

Photo by Nicole Mehl Photography

(See Nicole Mehl’s photos here!)

Erin & Enrique – 8.20.11
 October 26, 2011
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Erin & Enrique were a very fun and energetic couple who tied the knot in one of downtown Indy’s newest (so new it’s not really open until 2012) and most unique venues, the Sanctuary on Penn.   Following the ceremony in the former church’s old sanctuary space, we went out for photos with the venue’s new owner, Captured Art Photography‘s Scott Wheeler.  Meanwhile, the guests mingled in the cocktail plaza while the main space was flipped into a nice reception setup.

David Boyce of Platinum DJ Productions pumped up the crowd with boxing announcer style introductions, and the energy never waned throughout the night.  My favorite moment was the first dance, which featured not one but two surprise song switches that showed off the couple’s considerable dancing abilities.  I was thrilled to be one of the few “outside” vendors to get an early inside preview of this unique full-service wedding venue, where brides have the flexibility of either having all of their wedding services arranged by the venue or bringing in outside vendors other than the caterer.  Best wishes to the Sanctuary on Penn as well as to Erin & Enrique!

Olivia & Andrew – 8.13.11
 October 25, 2011
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Olivia & Andrew enjoyed a gorgeous and emotional wedding ceremony at the Ritz Charles chapel before celebrating in an epic reception in the adjacent pavilion.  Laurie captured all the special moments alongside photographer Jennifer Clark as the bride and groom incorporated a couple of unique touches like the sand ceremony and private communion into the ceremony.  The chapel was beautifully transformed by David Strohmeyer of The Empty Vase, which only hinted at his complete reinvention of the pavilion for the reception, including the draped ceiling and the tall trees and centerpieces that filled the space.  AMS Entertainment filled the evening with music that kept the crowd going strong right through Olivia & Andrew’s farewell.