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Jessica & Tian | Wedding Photography | Rolling Prairie, Indiana | The Wineberg Family Farm | Amazing Barn Wedding

Jessica, Tian, and their families escaped the city life and gathered at Jessica's family getaway farm in Rolling Prairie for their wedding. THIS is why I am a wedding photographer. Stunning rural intimacy.

Their friend performed a song for them during the ceremony-- breathtaking!






Here is a photo of everyone at the wedding in their amazing barn!




Check out Everett, the happiest and most well behaved baby I have met to date. Adorable.








All of their flowers were picked the day before! Nothing more beautiful.





Awesome treats!


Two future mommies are snuggling close to Everett! What an awesome group of friends.


Interesting enough, a Future Farmers of America meeting was being held upon a nearby tractor. (read: all of the men from the party)


I was so happy to be included in your day, thanks guys!

Cassie and Mike | Wedding Photography | Lowell & Hebron, Indiana

Cassie and Mike had an awesome wedding! Let me tell you, I was meant to shoot it. Cassie called and I was booked, so we talked about JUST doing the engagement session. Right after that, my bride for her date called and said she had to reschedule for another date due to a conflict with her hall. AMAZING!

Speaking of AMAZING, check the makeup on this lady!

These flowers were simple and adorable! Made by a family friend. Great job!



























Gigantic bridal party! How they even fit is a mystery!









Cassie made about sixty of these adorable Martha inspired creations out of tissue paper, adorable!








slideshow coming soon!

Natalie & Mike | Wedding Photography | Friendship Gardens & Lubeznik Center for the Arts | Michigan City, Indiana

Natalie and Mike, where do I start!

Natalie and booked with me what seems like forever ago. We did their engagement session over a year ago. I've been dying for this wedding!

Natalie's best friend Sarah booked with Jose, my assistant, when it turned out I had already booked her wedding date. I had the pleasure, however, of editing her wedding and doing two portrait sessions for her family! In fact, I'm heading down to Florida this winter on vacation and have planned to do some more portraits for them. I think I even ended up hanging out with Sarah's parents for over an hour when I dropped off their CD.

Natalie and I were also using the same caterer. Typically, that doesn't mean anything, but this is Great Lakes Catering. It means everything! I felt like Matt Kis was my maid of honor by the end of my wedding night (no offense, Monica) because he doted on me so much. Plus I'm a member of the Lubeznik Center!

Basically, this wedding was on my home court. I love it!

Check out some of my favorites here:















They were the first to the dance floor as soon as the special dances were over!




This is the first wedding where I've seen such a stunning execution of the stanky leg!


I love the iTunes DJ!


Check out the rest of my favorites here in the slideshow...


-- slideshow coming soon --

View all of the photos here!

John & Melissa | Wedding Photography | Michigan City, Indiana | Countryside Christian Church

John and Melissa are probably the nicest people I have ever met! Such a loving, adorable couple. John is a pastor at Countryside Christian Church, so they decided to have their ceremony and reception there. When I first heard "cake and punch in the gym" I thought about a middle school dance and totally loved the idea. When I saw the "gym" and the amazing linens, it was nothing like I imagined! I'd been there before, but gosh, it cleans up nice! Swanky!

I absolutely love daytime weddings, not just because I get to go home early. Every movie you ever watch shows the couple getting pelted with birdseed in the bright sunshine, then driving off in a fabulous convertible. This was my image of weddings as a girl. They got it, spot on!

Pelted with birdseed:


Fabulous convertible:





View all of the photos here!

Gabby | Senior Portraits | 2010 | Washington Park & Michigan City High School

Gabby is my friend Shirley's granddaughter, so I was really excited to do her senior portraits. Especially since Shirley has keys to the high school, so we got into the gym!

View all of the photos here!

Nick & Victoria | Wedding Photography | Niles, Michigan & South Bend, Indiana | Morris Farms & The Landing

Victoria and Nick got married on the hottest day ever, but didn't sweat it. (Emotionally, they probably sweat literally. I know I did!) Their wedding was fantastic!

I've never been to Morris Farms before and it was adorable. If it wasn't so icky out, we probably would have done tons of more photos all over the property. The chapel was fabulous though! A perfect, classic little country church. Their reception was at The Landing in South Bend, with the best food ever!

It was a blast!




























View all of the photos here!

Jackie and David | Wedding Photography | LaPorte County | The Mill Pond

Jackie and David had an amazing wedding at the Mill Pond! I wrote a ton about this in their engagement session post, so I'll just leave it to the photos.

View all of the photos here!

Jackie and David | Engagement | Laporte County

I'm pretty sure I was born to photograph Jackie and David, engagement or wedding, or really anything. They have the kind of chic rural flair that sets off the John Mellencamp discography in my iPod when I started thinking about their engagement session, but of course, in a chic way. No city skyline or opulent cathedral could ever compete with the endless beauty that is an Indiana county road. The fact that we started this session at my favorite childhood park, finished up at their family farm complete with decades of stunning farming implements, and all of this prior to their trip to the LaPorte County Fair to see the demo derby, puts this session close to my heart.

David and Jackie live in Alaska, which makes them even cooler. David serves in the Coast Guard. I had an amazing time with them during their short stay in Indiana, and I can't wait to blog their wedding next! It's at the Mill Pond in Union Mills!

The perfect Indiana wedding!


View all of the photos here!

Congratulations ImageMakers!

This winter, I lead an activity at the Boys and Girls Club of Michigan City that teaches members photography skills and lets them express themselves through digital and film photography. Over twenty kids met with me and did tons of different activities, including participating in a national photography contest with the theme "Be a Photographer" in mind. The members had a chance to interpret this however they wished, then enter photographs into a range of different categories. From black and white to essay, all of the photos were on display at the Lubeznik Center and judged. I have been dying to post the photos, but can't until the contest is over. I was so inspired by their work! They worked so hard, not just on taking the photographs, but also their essays, matting the photos, and learning tons of new skills.

Our club winners had a chance to compete at the regional level in St. Louis, Missouri. Two of our members won first place at the regional level and are going to NATIONALS! Another photo placed third at the regional level.

CONGRATULATIONS MAXWELL HOLLAND AND KATHRYN RANGE!

Look out for their photos in my blog the second I am allowed to post them! I can't wait to start working with the ImageMakers this year, some old and some new, on their photographs for next year. The theme will be announced around Christmas, so until then, we can work on basic skills and other fun projects!

Check out more about the ImageMakers program here!

OUR WEDDING, finally!

Amazing that I finally got this up! It was super difficult to choose photos, so I decided just to post a slideshow. My vendors were fantastic! Much thanks to Chris Z, Nichole Frank, Great Lakes Catering, Michael Frigo, The Cookie Jar and More, Wright's Flowers, and especially DJ Lori!

Valerie and Tyler | Wedding Photography | Valparaiso University Chapel of the Ressurrection | Duneland Falls

Tyler and Valerie planned the perfect wedding, and by planned I don't mean put together casually-- I mean drew up floor plans in AutoCAD. Their itinerary was feirce yet flexible. Their entire wedding day was fun and smooth! I salute your organization!

Here's a quick preview before you leave for Costa Rica! Enjoy!
























ps. I feel the need to mention that this amazing bride was ON WHEEL OF FORTUNE! How amazing is that!





Register to view Val and Tyler's photos before they go online and you receive a FREE 4x6! Plus, I e-mail you when they are ready!

Click here to preregister!

Bill and Becca | Wedding Photography | Spring Valley Presbyterian & Sergio's | Itasca, Illinois

Becca and Bill had a fantastic wedding! I'm working on the rest of the photos now, but here is an adorable preview of how they didn't let the rain get them down!

slideshow coming soon!

View all of the photos here!
Register before I get them up and you get a $5 gift credit!

The Voegeles | Family Portrait | Beachwalk | Sherdian Beach | Michigan City, Indiana

This is the first time the Voegeles have been to the fabulous beaches of Indiana! Welcome!

They stayed with friends at the Beachwalk Family Resort, a totally cute vacation neighborhood in Sheridan Beach, right here in Michigan City!















Cynthia has a photo just like this with her mom, so she wanted to get one with Lauren, adorable!



View all of the photos here!

The Tolmans | Family Portrait | Beachwalk | Sheridan Beach | Michigan City, Indiana

The Tolman's have been coming out to Beachwalk every summer for the past few years, how fun! The kids are definitely at home at the beach.

This photo happened while the above photo was taken. He was on the run!







Love the wagon!





View all of the photos here!