Lacey & Martin Engagement

posted on: January 30, 2008

Lacey & Martin Engagement

When I found out that Lacey & Martin were BOTH art students, I knew I wanted to try some very different and experimental stuff for their engagement session! On one hand it was inspiration to step outside of the box, and on the other hand, it was a lot of pressure to create something very unique and different for a couple who already lives outside of the box in their everyday lives! ;-) I wanted to create more abstract images... striving to make unique pieces of art. Some of the things I attempted were a great success, and some were not so successful. I'll let you be the judge. ;-)

Lacey & Martin Engagement

Lacey & Martin Engagement
This little sculpture is a piece of Lacey's art and I LOVE what she did with it! The subject is actually found in the negative space between the two pieces- if you look long enough, you'll see the shape of a pregnant woman outlined by sculpture.

Lacey & Martin Engagement

Lacey & Martin Engagement

Lacey & Martin Engagement

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Lacey & Martin Engagement

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Lacey & Martin Engagement

We had started off in the Broad Ripple area and ended up in downtown Indianapolis, along the canal. I planned for about half of our session to be after dark, so we could get some great night shots and try some different lighting techniques.

Lacey & Martin Engagement

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Lacey & Martin Engagement

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So, I'm anxious to hear what you think!

Lacey & Martin Engagement

Emily & Aaron Engagement

posted on: January 28, 2008

emily & aaron engagement

I don't know how I get so lucky to have such beautiful couples, but I'm not complaining!! Emily & Aaron are so cute together- they couldn't help but smile whenever they looked at each other and it was soooo endearing. ;-) Their wedding will be in Indianapolis, but they wanted to capture the spirit of their new home together in Chicago. They live in the perfect urban neighborhood where Emily can walk to work and they can just walk down the street for groceries or a night out. I love neighborhoods like that!

emily & aaron engagement

emily & aaron engagement

When we talked about what they wanted for their engagement photos, they told me that they wanted to incorporate the city and the feeling of living in the downtown area. Nothing says downtown urban quite like alleys, subways, construction and busy streets!
emily & aaron engagement

emily & aaron engagement

It rained a little, but not enough to stop us from shooting!!
emily & aaron engagement

Bling shot!
emily & aaron engagement

We found a garden courtyard full of green plants and flowers that was quietly tucked behind an iron fence, just across the street from the alley we started in. I thought it was really interesting when Emily & Aaron told me that they had never really noticed it before... but maybe now it can become their little hideaway in the city. ;-)

emily & aaron engagement

emily & aaron engagement

emily & aaron engagement

emily & aaron engagement

emily & aaron engagement
I admit, I totally prompted it, but Emily gave me the idea when she told me how much she loved the floral arrangement in the window and how she wanted one like that for her wedding! I think she looks pretty convincing, don't you?!

emily & aaron engagement

Emily asked if I ever take pictures in crowded areas, and I had to chuckle because almost all of my images are taken in very public areas with plenty of on-lookers! However, you often don't see other people in the pictures because I'm pretty crafty about how I choose to frame an image. So, for their engagement session, I set out to show a little more of the people around us- to really add to that feeling of being in the middle of everyone and everything.

emily & aaron engagement

emily & aaron engagement

emily & aaron engagement

And some onlookers just want to have THEIR picture taken...
emily & aaron engagement

emily & aaron engagement

It's always a great sign for me when the guys start getting silly! That's when I know I've successfully loosened them up in front of the camera! HA!
emily & aaron engagement

I looooove kissing pictures!! I also love that engagement photos are a time for you to just enjoy being together. ;-)
emily & aaron engagement

emily & aaron engagement

Thank you so much Emily & Aaron for the wonderful Italian dinner before heading back on my long drive. I never told you about what happened that night, but I didn't make it home until about 6 am. It's a long and crazy story, but let's just say that I learned I need to hire a driver for my future trips to Chicago. I really wish we had a train or bus that went direct from Terre Haute, but I'm sure I'll find at least one college kid here who doesn't mind hanging out in Chicago for a day! I can't wait to see you on your wedding day!!
emily & aaron engagement

Solved the Peg & Hole Game!

posted on: January 27, 2008

Sunday mornings are a breakfast tradition for me. No matter where I am or what I'm doing, I must have breakfast on Sunday... even if I can't get it until the afternoon. Well, a few Sundays ago my husband and I went to Cracker Barrel for breakfast, and while we were waiting for the food to arrive, I solved the little wooden peg game they keep on the table! I was so proud of myself that I had to do it a second time and take a picture of each step with my iphone to show you how I did it! I guess this means that I'm officially a genius- at least that's what the little piece of wood says... HA!! But now that I've shared the secret with you, you can be a genius too!! We can all be geniuses! (Yes, I'm such a dork.) :-)

Brooke & Jason's Wedding

posted on: January 26, 2008


Brooke & Jason are some of the nicest, kindest people you could ever meet. She's a special ed/art teacher, and he's an EMT- so they both spend their lives helping others in need. The world definitely needs more people like them. ;-)


They decided to start the day off together in the same house. I walked in to find the guys relaxing in the living room while the girls were in a screened porch on the back of the house getting their hair and makeup done. What a great place for hair & makeup with all of that beautiful natural light! So often the makeup and hair people have to cram into a tiny bathroom, or take over the kitchen, with artificial light and just hope that they're not putting the makeup on too dark or too light! So there's a tip for you girls - find a place with great natural light for your hair & makeup people!


When Jason & I first saw Brooke, we couldn't help but stare at the rows of curls pinned to her head. Jason was afraid... very afraid... that this is how his future wife had decided to do her hair for the wedding day!! Afterall, the hair people did such a fabulous job of hiding the pins, that it really did look like a finished head of hair! Finally Brooke reassured Jason that her hair wasn't done and that it would be coming out of the curls in due time. He laughed with a huge sigh of relief- thankful that he wasn't going to be walking down the aisle with a totally different bride. ;-)



You're going to see a lot of the little boy below- Brooke's nephew. He was such a character, even when he wasn't trying! He reeeeeeally didn't want to wear a baby tux! It took 1, 2, 3... 4 people to get his tux on! The poor kid thought he was undergoing surgery with everyone trying to get him into that thing!


After all of that crying and fussing, he was just exhausted...


The ceremony and reception were held at Oak Hill Mansion, in Carmel, IN. With its grand entrance staircase, beautiful landscaping, and great layout, it's a popular spot for many Indianapolis brides and grooms!



Even though Brooke & Jason had already seen each other at the house, they decided to get into their wedding attire at the mansion and arranged for all of their formal pictures to be taken before the ceremony so that they could simply move on to enjoying their guests and dinner immediately after the ceremony. I always leave it up to the bride & groom to decide what they'd like to do, but I can say without hesitation that there are many great reasons to get the posed pictures done before the ceremony.

They also arranged a special first look with Brooke making an elegant entrance on the stairs and Jason waiting at the bottom to see her for the first time in her wedding gown. I just love being able to capture that first moment with so much more intimacy than is possible during the ceremony! I captured a few straight on shots, but when I noticed the mirror and Brooke's huge smile, I decided to take a different angle...


Isn't he just adorable? And the flowers were incredible... and HUGE!


Not my idea... but I sure did crack up when they did it! Hey, watch those feet Jason!


The guys were so kind to give me front row tickets to the gun show... ha!



One thing I've noticed about brides who see grooms before the ceremony is that they are sooo much happier and more relaxed when they walk down the aisle. Ironically, grooms are still just as nervous as usual! HA!




Such a gorgeous voice!

Even though not all guests could make it down the stairs to get close for the ceremony, they still had a great view from the rear balcony, which I also took advantage of for the large group picture.


One guest shouted, "Are you sure that lens is wide enough!?" Apparently he didn't believe me when I said yes because he asked again, so- here's the proof! That's right folks, this is not your standard point & shoot camera I'm working with here. ;-)


Being the crafty person that Brooke is, everything went together so well and she did most of it on her own! Her bright and bold pink details and flowers were set off with accents of black and silver..

She had this really interesting idea of having her guests sign bottles of wine that would be saved and opened on each of their anniversaries!

I have to show you a close up of this cake, because it was just so much fun with it's asymmetrical tipsy-topsy design!


Everyone gave a great toast, especially Jason's brother who talked about life growing up as Jason's identical twin... and watching his brother fall in love with Brooke... it was really touching. Jason's father even played the piano! What a great family!



One of the things I love watching out for are the reactions to the main action in the room, it often tells a much deeper story than the action alone. ;-)



Remember when I told you what a character this kid was?! Check him out staring at that cash! Love it!

This just cracks me up! This was actually the SECOND time that he tossed the garter because the first time it landed on the floor. Crazy enough, the same guy who picked it off the floor the first time, was the one who caught it the second time. Some things are just meant to be. ;-)


Name this tune!


This just makes me smile...


Brooke & Jason - thank you so much for allowing me to capture your wedding day!! You are surrounded by so many loving and caring people and I'm so honored that I was able to capture those feelings for you!

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