Wicker Park Bridal Show Raffle Winner

I want to thank everyone for dropping by my booth at the bridal show at Wicker Park Social Center today.  My assistant Leslie and I really enjoyed meeting all of you.  I hope you enjoyed all of the images we showed and will explore the site further and learn about my wedding photography.  If you are still in search of a wedding photographer, please fill out the Contact Form so we can set up a meeting where I can answer all of your questions and show you my work in a quiet atmosphere without the large crowds of the show.

A winner has been picked for the $100 Gift Certificate.  This is good toward any package.  Please see the Rates Page for engagement and wedding packages.  If you already have your wedding photographer, please visit my sister site SBV Photography for studio and other on location packages.

I know bridal shows can be overwhelming, so to remind you of which photographer I am, here is one of my favorite images from my 2012 wedding season.  Is this a beautiful veil or what?

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I had a similar image (groom included) displayed at my booth today.  Now that I've jogged your memory, onto our winner...

Michelle Schaack will be receiving a $100 Gift Certificate.  Congratulations Michelle!!

Here is how to confirm your prize: 

• Respond to the email I will be sending you shortly
• Schedule a meeting where I will hand you over the certificate
• Use the certificate of $100 by May 31st, 2013 - good toward engagement photography, studio or wedding 

If you are not a winner of the gift certificate and you end booking a wedding with me, please mention that you were at this show.  I will add a complimentary 11x14 Professional Print to your package as a thank you.  Fill out the Contact Form to schedule your meeting.  I want all potential clients to have awesome wedding photos. If I have your date booked, I'd be glad to send you to another highy qualified wedding photographer.  You deserve great images!!

Here is another image taken at today's show of wedding harpist Jamie Lynn Haney.  Thanks again for participating in our Bridal Show raffle.

Introducing: Wedding Guestbooks

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My new 2013 Wedding Packages now have options for wedding guestbooks that feature your engagement photographs on one side, with space for writing on the opposite page.

These are large 12x12 harcover books, much like my wedding albums except with a matte finish to allow for writing on the pages.  The books allow for 216 signatures with a message or a whopping 432 signatures when both columns are used.

As usual all pages are custom designed by me and have a neutral earth tone to them so as to go with whatever your wedding colors may be.

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The wedding guest books can be purchased on their own or are included at a discount within the Digital Deluxe and Love Story Edition wedding packages.  Fill out the Contact Form if you have any questions or would like to add one before your big day arrives on the calendar.

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Fun Wedding Photos at Avalon Manor

Pure, unadulterated fun is the best way I can describe David and Jessica's wedding at Avalon Manor.  You can see from the crazy dance of the bride and bridesmaids above that this young bride and groom and their friends were going to make sure it was a day of smiles and laughter.

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After leaving the Razor's Edge Hair Salon, I met the girls at the Avalon Manor bridal suite where we took candid photos of the bride and bridesmaids as well as the image above in front of the large mirror.  I gave it a slight vintage look in the digital darkroom to compliment the look of the grande, old mirror.

I took one detour over to Deep River Park for some Fall shots of the groomsmen such as this candid wedding photo of the guys having a few laughs.

Once the guys arrived back at the Hobart Banquet Hall, I borrowed their tuxedo jackets for a fun bridesmaid image with the girls wearing the jackets and holding their flowers in the air.

Jessica was very concerned about David seeing her beforehand, so we blindfolded him and led him around in various setting for photographs.  Here we placed him at the bottom of the stairs as the bridesmaids looked on in mock horror, afraid that he could turn around at any moment.  He's too good of a guy to do that!!  :)

Just before the ceremony, the bride's grandmother helped with a few adjustments of the dress...

The indoor wedding ceremony at Avalon Manor was a lovely one with the bride entering from the balcony and down the staircase as her grandmother awaited to walk her down the aisle.

The banquet room was packed with family and friends and adorned with pink petals all along the white runner.

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Talking with Jessica and David after the wedding, they told me they had to hold back some of their smiles as they knew exchanging wedding vows was a serious affair.  However, they were so happy to have this moment finally upon them, that lighthearted laughter and smiles shone throughout.  I kept my lenses focused on their reactions as well as family members looking on.

So many of my first kiss photographs are taken from center aisle and I love that classic viewpoint, but it was great to get behind the couple for this one and also see much of the Avalon Manor banquet room as well as the white runner with the pink petals pointing right at the newlyweds.

Even family photos after the ceremony had a fun element to them.  I like to avoid stiff images anyway, so I was welcome to the idea of their respective mom and grandmother holding up a picture frame to showcase the just married couple. 

We had some great Fall colors to work with and the sky at dusk behind Avalon Manor enhanced our portraits even further.

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We took a variety of silly pictures with the wedding party and then I slowed them down with one traditional wedding photo before dismissing them to the reception.

Jessica's veil was so dramatic and I knew I had to use it for some unique images.  She was all for it and her new husband's smile says it all...

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Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Evers!!  Thank you for having me be a part of your big day and for being such a fun group.  See you soon for that Trash the Dress session.

regionweddings

Wedding Album Designs

As I get ready to showcase my wedding photography at the many Northwest Indiana bridal shows this winter, I thought it was a good time to revisit some of the custom wedding album designs I did for clients this year.  I plan on ordering some duplicate copies so I can show them off at the shows and also give new clients a chance to see an entire wedding from me.  This can be helpful for newly engaged couples looking to hire a photographer for their wedding.

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First and foremost, I'm purely a local wedding photographer, serving Northwest Indiana, Chicago and Michigan. However, I'm very proud of the designs that I do for my client's albums.  I like to wear that hat as well and nothing is outsourced.  After the wedding is complete and all of the images are edited, I notify my couples and we have a Premiere Night.  First we watch their highlight video of images captured from getting ready all the way to the reception.  We then look at images one by one.  After all of this is complete, we decide together what would be the best images for the front and back covers of the wedding album.

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The above walking away shot made for a fitting end to Dustin and Jenny's album.  We took many great shots on the spectacular bridge that overlooks Centennial Park in Munster, but something about the happy couple making their way into the sunset, resonated with the newlyweds as well as me.

For Nathan and Nichole's outdoor military wedding at Wicker Park, classic white was featured throughout the book.  I added many flourshes with brushes in photoshop to give them a unique, yet classic design for their album.

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Adding quotes is also very effective and when laced throughout the album.  Chris and Candy's summer wedding at Avalon Manor seemed to call out for many philisophical words of love.

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Stacey and Steve's wedding reception at The Center for Visual and Performing Arts in Munster was a grand old time.  For their reception pages, some champagne decor seemed to compliment the happy mood of the bride's father spinning her around on the dance floor as well as the other key events at the reception.

One of their favorite wedding images of the day is this photo of them strolling through the garden at the Shrine of Christ's Passion in St. John, Indiana.  The off white rose added a nice soft touch to the decorated album page.

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I encourage you to fill out the contact form and schedule a meeting to take a look at sample albums in person. I love cusomizing them for my wedding clients and I'd love to show them to you as well.  See you at those bridal shows this winter!!  :)

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