Last weekend was Tracy and Chris's wedding weekend. Being that they are from Ft. Wayne, we first got to know each other during the rehearsal dinner instead of an engagement session. These two were great, and their family was absolutely hilarious and a great group of people to take pictures of! Everyone was cracking jokes, laughing, and it was great to be included in all the fun. At the end of the rehearsal we did a huge family picture of Tracy's family. After the picture, everyone separated into immediate families and we did a few more of each. Everyone was very receptive to my ideas which really allowed me to capture each person's unique personality. After the shoot, we headed off to Vera Mae's for the dinner~ it was fabulous! I definitely recommend their Brie and raspberry chicken. The night ended with heartfelt speeches and yummy desserts.

The next morning I headed off to meet the bridal party at Simply Beautiful. Mimosa's and curling irons everywhere~ gotta love it! Tracy and her family were there bright and early. The bride chose an elegant, classic French twist with tiny diamond pins. After all of the women were done, we went to Tracy's brother's house to finish dressing for the ceremony.

The weather turned out to be gorgeous~ windy, cool and not a drop of rain. We ran out to Minnetrista Rose Garden to do some classy bridal portraits.  Next, we headed back out to her brothers property for the bridal party photos.  Both the reception and ceremony took place on her brother's property, under a perfect white tent, decorated with fall mums. The bride's floral bouquets were created by Dandelions...talk about breathtaking!! They were the most gorgeous flower creations ~ exotic choices mixed with traditional roses and calla lillies. The floral arrangements were absolutely stunning. The officiant, a close friend of the couple, performed a short and romantic ceremony.

All Tracy and Chris wanted was to make sure everyone was enjoying the beautiful day and getting their fill of food and friends. The reception ran through the afternoon and into the early evening. It was a fabulous time with great people and great picture opportunities. It was obvious there was an abundance of happiness throughout the entire reception. Congrats to you both, I know you'll have a fun life as husband and wife.

Andrea and Adam were such a cute couple. We arrived in the afternoon at Nana's house. I have never seen so many cars at one house! As we walked inside, Nana met us at the door, welcomed us in and asked if we'd like anything to eat or drink...which is exactly what Andrea told me would happen. Walking through the house there were a thousand things going on; people rushing around, corsages being pinned on, dresses going on and the bride's make up was just being finished up. The bride looked gorgeous already. Bridesmaids were everywhere bustling around. As the bride finished getting ready, we headed out to the backyard to do some bridal party pictures. After we got those done, I gave Andrea some time alone and ran off to Minnetrista to meet up with the groom and his groomsmen for some pre-ceremony photos.

When we arrived at Minnetrista, Nate (the wedding planner) was setting up the reception decor while others finished the ceremony details. Nate was fabulous. In fact, I was surprised to see that I got a good, clear picture of him because he was so busy decorating the reception. I swear, that guy moved at the speed of light! Andrea chose the perfect wedding planner!

Next, I found the groom, grabbed the groomsmen and we all headed off to another part of Minnetrista for their pictures. The photos came out great. The groomsmen looked very suave in their tuxes and made my job as the photographer very easy!

After the pictures with them, we headed back to where the ceremony was to take place. An hour later the bride arrived at the ceremony. She looked gorgeous...a little nervous...but still fabulous. She waited patiently on a path behind the trees with her dad by her side. As "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" started, the bridesmaids began to walk. It was such a beautiful song for a beautiful outdoor wedding.

Between the ceremony and reception, we ran around Minnetrista and found a couple fabulous places for the bridal party images as well as the bride and groom portraits. The pictures came out great! I couldn't have asked for a more photogenic couple!

The reception was beyond gorgeous. The flowers were so elegant, there were twinkle lights all over and the evening weather was perfect. Everyone danced and drank and had a great time. I have to say, the speeches were so sweet! Everyone who spoke had a tear. Everyone who listened had a tear too! You could just feel the excitement and love around this couple. Both families were so excited to finally become one. I'm sure Andrea and Adam will have a great marriage. The newlyweds are both very cool people and love to just have fun together. Congrats to Andrea and Adam. I'm so thankful to be allowed the opportunity to be such a big part of such a special day.

Last Saturday was a special wedding for me. Janna and I met at Macys several years ago.  I remember one day we were talking about my photography business and she said if she ever got married I would be her wedding photographer. I didn't think much of it at that point.  She wasn't even engaged! Yes, she had a boyfriend, but I didn't know how serious they were. Then a few months later she calls me.  She wants to meet and talk about her wedding!! What? She had just gotten engaged and wanted me to be her photographer! Not that I didn't believe her before, but ya never know how things can work (or not work) out sometimes. So we meet, schedule her engagement session and start thinking about her big day. I was so excited to be working with her.  She is classy, contemporary, elegant ~ but crazy too. I knew we would be a great match and she'd be up for any creative ideas I have. She confirmed my hunches once she decided to do her engagement session in the snow on a baseball diamond. I made a guest book from her engagement session photos and we all felt it came came out fabulous.  I am so lucky to have such open minded, photogenic customers!  

So the wedding day gets here. I meet Janna at her parent's house to start the day. She's calm, hair perfect, make up finished~ just hanging out in her Victoria's Secret hoodie. The groom shows up, he and Janna have a moment~ then we're off to downtown Muncie. Next, we're headed to Puerta. Two reasons, first~ it's their favorite restaurant  and second~ a Margarita before the wedding! I love taking some time to relax with the bride and groom before the ceremony. They need to get ready for the excitement of the day and I love the casual, relaxed shots I get when they aren't worried about posing, smiling and everything else that's going on. After all of the couple portraits were done, we head off to Minnetrista to grab the wedding party and get shooting. When we get there, the reception rooms were amazingly decorated. The bold contrast of the black, white and teal patterns were placed elegantly throughout. So we grabbed the wedding party and headed out to create some fun photos. The ceremony was a traditional Catholic ceremony held at St. Francis in Muncie, Indiana.  The ceremony was full of tears, and gorgeous.  After the ceremony, we rushed straight to Minnetrista to start the reception fun. The bride and groom spent the evening dancing, visiting and socializing with their guests. The teal colored signature drink, The Turnertini, was in everyones glass and the cake was delicious! We hung out for awhile just shooting the action and got some great candid shots. I (with my husband's help) even got a photo of the groom smiling a time or two!  It was so exciting to show Janna and Michael their images. This wedding was especially important to me because I've known the bride for so long. I'm glad their day turned out to be perfect and hope their marriage is the same!  Thanks to Janna and  Michael for letting me be part of your special day!!!!

Tonight after I came home from attending a fabulous seminar on maternity and infant photography in Indianapolis, there was the most special surprise waiting for me.  The photographer I saw spent the evening sharing creative ideas and special stories about her most memorable clients.  She stressed how important it is to build relationships with clients~ which I totally agree with.  Many people who start out as clients of mine have become my friends and I continue to photograph them and their families throughout the different stages of life.  I love watching children grow and families change.  I love creating a bond.  I love watching the memories rush back when my photos are presented.  I love capturing an essence, a personality, a moment... instead of the way most do~ just photographing their face, asking for an order and then ending the relationship.  Honestly,  I think of special clients all the time.  Some I continue to photograph, others I haven't heard from in awhile but I remember how much fun they were to spend the afternoon with creating memories.  As I'm driving the hour drive home I began to think~ I wonder if anyone ever thinks of me, I wonder if I, my personality, how much fun I have on shoots gets remembered when others look at my photographs?  I then turn on the radio and listen to some random radio show, still hoping I have made a difference in someones life, but a little unsure.  It's about midnight , I get home, the house is dark and walk into the kitchen to get a drink.  There's a letter on the table for me.  It's a little, small letter with shiny, crooked stickers on its back.  I flip it over.  I look at it for a second and wonder what it is.  I open it and pull out the sweetest letter I've ever received.  In the most gorgeous handwriting it says, "Amanda I like your pictures".  Can you guess what happened next?  Yeah, if you know me at all... I got teary eyed.   It was exactly what I needed to lift my spirits.  I've made a difference in one persons life and that's all that matters.  I know I'm extremely lucky to be able to have a career that I love.  I truly appreciate everyone who supports me and all my clients who let me document their lives.  I am so grateful that I'm able to stay busy capturing memories for my family and others.  *sniff sniff sniff*  Alright...I'm done being sentimental..  I think this has to be my favorite fan letter of all time...

Erynne and Brad, from the moment I met them during their engagement shoot I could tell they were so in love. The engagment images look exactly like something from a wedding~ without the dress and tux. I get to the wedding site, her parents farm, around 11 am and was able to watch it all come together. People everywhere setting up the site, the bride... exceptionally calm... was so polite to me and made me feel like I was a close friend, not just the photographer. I could tell this wedding was dreamt about down to the smallest detail every night since Erynne was a little girl. There are so many creative details I can't begin to talk about them all. The dress, was something from Vogue Weddings... delicate red embroidery with bead embellishments in perfect elegance. I've got to share one of my favorite images below. I look at countless bridal magazines all the time for inspiration and always wondering what type of bride wears such a dress... now I know, a romantic bride who is about to marry her Prince Charming. Her hair, her makeup, everything followed the glamorous theme, oh yeah...did I mention the horse and carriage? I gotta show it. It was an absolutely breathtaking evening. Then there's the groom, so in love. Every time he looks at the bride you can tell he absolutely adores her. It's like no one else exists when they look at each other. The wedding was in the evening, outdoors on a hill top, next to their pond. It was nothing less than a fairytale. The reception was just across the field, under a perfect summer sky. The rain settled in about 9 pm, but the guests didn't even notice. I didn't even care until I had to be escorted, via golf cart, back to my car for a minute. So, we're going along, I'm chatting with the driver and AAHH, we start skidding, tail spin out in the mud and miss the tiki torches by inches!! Geez, don't kill the photographer! We got out of the skid and continued on.  He drove a little slower from then on!

Honestly though, I had a blast and am honored to have been chosen to document these two family's wedding. Everything about this wedding was wonderful, gorgeous bride and groom, fabulous setting, amazing sunset light and love everywhere... did I mention the horse and carriage? There are more creative settings in this one place than I could ask for, and I've got some amazing wedding photos to prove it!