Three years after I videotaped their first daughter Amy’s wedding day, the Draper family kindly brought me back to cover Mandy & DJ’s nuptials at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church. The reception took place afterwards at the Marriott North, where this ready-to-party crowd (the Super Bowl Shuffle even made an appearance!) rocked out to music by the great Chicago band Maggie Speaks. It was a pleasure to work again with the reunited vendor team of consultant Leslie Jones, photographer Larry Seidman, and McNamara Florist‘s Alan Thompson. Most of all, it was a joy to be part of another special occasion in the lives of such a warm and loving family.
Molly & Seth exchanged vows on what started out as a rainy Friday evening at the beautiful Sacred Heart Catholic Church just south of downtown. Amazingly, right before the ceremony, the sun defied all weather forecasts and broke through the clouds, convincing all of us that Molly’s sister was smiling down on her from Heaven on her special day. Photographers bobbi+mike took advantage of this break and got some lovely shots of the newlyweds outside the church.
The reception at the newly expanded Central Library was an experience to behold, with nice floral touches by Kathy’s Kloset, lighting by Evans Audio Visual, catering by Flik, and the usual rockin’ music by Zanna-Doo bringing energy and intimacy to this tremendous space. Family friends Carlie Oakley (who referred Molly’s mother Barbara to us) and Rayna Traylor lent their valuable expertise at the ceremony and reception respectively.
We don’t have a whole lot of self-described “blog stalkers” that I know of, but Jennifer has been one of our favorites for quite a while now. So it was with much excitement that I finally got to shoot her and John’s wedding on another lovely fall weekend. The coverage started with a rehearsal dinner at the Skyline Club overlooking downtown Indy, with John’s uncle Rob providing some unplugged classic rock throughout the evening. John’s Vietnamese heritage was evident in the decoration of their cake, which I was happy to help them practice cutting as preparation for the “real” thing the next day.
Everything on the big day took place at the Omni Severin, starting with preparations in the bridal suite as ace photographer Andrew Scalini and I captured the moments, and on through an eloquent and educational ceremony courtesy of Dr. Scott Toussaint. John had proposed to Jennifer with a ring hidden inside a pumpkin (now there’s a trick AND a treat!), so a pumpkin theme was evident throughout The Painted Daisy‘s splendid reception decor, in the jars at the tasty candy buffet, and atop the cake. But the most colorful sight to behold was DJ Sunny Moon‘s re-introduction of the couple in full traditional Vietnamese formal wear halfway through the evening.
A few months after their traditional Hindu ceremony out of town, Neha & Warren gathered with their friends and family for a beautiful wedding experience on a perfect summer-like weekend. The rehearsal dinner marked my first visit to the Obsidian Conference & Catering Center at the top of the Chase tower, and the views from the city’s highest point were unbelievable. The RCA Dome’s deflated roof was interesting to see, as were the nifty miniature stadium replicas Warren gave as gifts to his groomsmen.
The next day’s ceremony took place outside the Eiteljorg Museum, amid splendid decor (loved the arbor!) by Royal Creations and featuring a gorgeous sand ceremony presided over by Dr. Scott Toussaint. The reception was undoubtedly highlighted by the best man’s acoustic tribute to his brother’s love for Neha – and the Colts – as well as his performance of their first dance. The Wendy Reed Band took it from there, while Kahn’s Catering served up their usual amazing cuisine and Darcie of Circle City Planners (who along with the Eiteljorg referred the couple to us) kept everything running flawlessly. Sadly for me, this was the final wedding photo shoot for my dear friends Stacy and Mary, but I was honored to share one last wedding adventure with them.
Sonia & Chris pulled out all the stops for their huge wedding day, with much help from Tonya Shadoan of Circle City Planners, who generously referred them to us. Their ceremony took place under a white canopy in front of a striking sunset backdrop in the theater of the Scottish Rite Cathedral, lavishly decorated by Royal Creations. There were many tears shed by both bride & groom during the ceremony, and many smiles as they made their grand exit outside surounded by bagpipes, drums, and lots of airborne birdseed.
The reception at the Montage was on a scale unlike any I’ve seen there before. Dramatically lit red curtains lined the entrance, transporting the guests into an evening filled with jazz, amazing ice sculptures, excellent food by Kahn’s Catering, moody lighting by Evans Audio Visual, and great dance music by Lakeside Entertainment, capped off by a spectacular fireworks display. I got a kick out of the surprise groom’s cake – a jet ski, every bit as sweet as the couple themselves. I also enjoyed working with Crowe’s Eye Photography for the first time at such a fantastic event.
Jennifer & Casey tied the knot at the Eiteljorg Museum on a perfectly crisp fall day that kicked off the best October weather-wise I’ve ever experienced. Casey was so obviously passionate about Jennifer, even carrying with him the ticket stub from their first date as well as an old cocktail napkin with a message that sealed their relationship. They exchanged vows in the circular outdoor garden in front of a gorgeous dusk horizon.
In an interesting twist I’ve never seen there before, everyone went inside for cocktails, toasts and cake cutting before returning to the transformed outdoor areas for a wonderful dinner provided by Kahn’s Catering amidst a sea of tremendous floral arrangements by Alan Thompson of McNamara Florist. Dave and Rae‘s full band provided the usual spectacular music that had everyone asking for more while Jason Miller of Silvertree Photographics captured all of the evening’s fun.
Heather’s sense of humor had me in stitches from my very first conversation with her, and her wedding day with Matt was every bit as colorful, thanks to the pastel rainbow colors throughout the dresses and the decor. After a short but sweet ceremony at the Omni Severin, we all hopped on a horse carriage ride and headed to Monument Circle for some fun poses with photographer and former client Zach Dobson. The festivities continued at the Omni afterwards, capped by the presentation of a cool handcrafted quilt to the couple. The technically inclined groom gave out some awesome gifts as well that really spoke to me – tiny flash drives containing a photo slideshow that he had created.
Gillian & Wes kicked off their big weekend with a fun rehearsal dinner at the unique Loon Lake Lodge, home of my favorite key lime pie. In fact, I couldn’t resist bringing along my wife & kids, who dined right outside the banquet room. The next day’s wedding took place at Redeemer Presbyterian Church, where Gillian had originally met Wes after a long search for a church to join. (Clearly God had a plan for these two!)
While the limo provided by Antique Limos ushered the couple around downtown for some shots with photographers Dan & Brooke Brand, I had a field day at the Omni Severin capturing the key lime (again!) accented decor of Royal Creations‘ ever-creative Julie Acheson. The guests, almost all of whom were from out of town, rocked Indy the rest of the night with great music by the First Impression Band.
Photo by Brand Photo & Design
Jennifer & Girish’s wedding weekend was an impressive multi-day affair, starting with Thursday night’s Mailanchi ceremony, when Jennifer and the rest of the gals had intricate henna tattoos applied to them before enjoying a huge Indian feast. The bride surprised her mom during Saturday morning’s preparations by revealing a long chapel-length veil that her mom really loved. Jennifer had to hide briefly when Girish made a rare groom’s visit to the makeup chair for a quick touch-up. They finally had the chance to see each other at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church before going outside for photos with Amanda & Nate Reynolds of Turtle Pond Photography. Right before the ceremony, Jennifer surprised Girish with a beautiful poem that she had written and framed.
After the Catholic ceremony, everyone headed to the chic Renaissance Hotel for yet another ceremony, this time in the beautiful Hindu tradition. The Mandap stage was a spectacular focal point of the ballroom, decorated with careful detail and adorned with flowers by McNamara. Following the ceremony, some formalities and dinner, the couple was reintroduced for a traditional first dance capped with a surprising touch of Bollywood. Also unexpected was a poignantly choreographed father-daughter dance. Jennifer did a tremendous job of putting the many details and surprises of this huge weekend together, with much help from her family and friends as well as Adrienne Henn of Eventfull Planning.
Photo by Turtle Pond Photography
Laurie covered Jackie & Bryan’s rehearsal dinner at Meridian Hills Country Club, highlighted by lots of heartfelt speeches and a cool slideshow accompanied by narration instead of just the usual music. The next day’s wedding ceremony took place at Meridian Street United Methodist Church (through whose members the couple heard about us), followed by a lively reception at the Indiana Roof Ballroom.
When I arrived at the Roof to take over for Laurie, photographer Bobbi Sheridan of bobbi+mike warned me that in terms of energy, Bryan was a “10.” (For those who know Bobbi, it takes a lot for her to call someone ELSE energetic!) He lived up to the hype, grooving all night to the great music of Zanna-Doo with his beautiful, sweet and equally funloving bride. Speaking of sweet, special thanks to consultant Rebecca Raymond for the leftover Jelly Bellies from the huge candy station – my kids are still going through those!
Photo by bobbi+mike