It’s hard to know where to start when I talk about Brandi.  The number of years and connections that overlap are too numerous to count.  All I know is that when I found out she was engaged, I immediately felt OLD!  Then I was beyond ecstatic to be asked to photograph she and Luke’s wedding later this year.  As their wedding will be in December, it will likely be completely dark when they arrive to their reception venue in Celina, Ohio.  Knowing that, we decided not to tempt the accuracy of our timeline for wedding day and started their engagement session there.  Celina will always be a special town to me as well.  It’s where my Dad grew up and where I spent weekends/summers/holidays at my Grandparents’ house right on Grand Lake.  I was more than excited to get the chance to shoot there again!

I had never met Luke until that night…but Brandi’s Aunt Leann had told me earlier that day, “You will LOVE HIM!”  She was right-his squished eyes, big smile, bent in half laughter is contagious!  I was completely in love with watching them interact with very little direction from me!

Brandi asked for three things for their session:  1.  To have some taken in Celina (check)  2.  To have a lot of variety (check)  3.  To shoot in one of the wheat fields they own back in Indiana-CHECK!  And that cotton candy sky was an added bonus :)

Brandi and Luke-THANK YOU for a fun night, for trusting me to check all these things off your listt and for being AMAZING!  I can’t wait for your wedding :)

It’s not very often I show up on wedding day without ever having met the bride and groom face to face, but this was one of those times.  Our prior transactions were short and sweet…like we were always on the same page and just needed to check in.  I remember one of our first few emails Courtney commented, “I love your energy!” and I thought, “Thank GOD she doesn’t think my all caps excited comments with a million exclamation points and smile emojis were a plus and not a sign of someone who needed to lay off the caffeine (I’m sure someone out there has thought that about me before).  As the wedding drew nearer, Courtney and I hopped on the phone  and chatted like two old friends.

The morning started at a family friends house and the feeling of welcome was instant the moment I walked in the door.  The energy was high and I knew immediately why Courtney appreciated my “energy….” because she possesses it as well!  It was fun all day long, even in the moments that were a little more difficult….

From our conversations, I knew Courtney had lost her dad recently.  She took a lot of comfort knowing her dad had seen her dress and he loved it.  We made sure his presence would be shown in a few photographs as he was without a doubt, a big part of her day.

All morning, the skies were overcast and I thought just MAYBE the rain would hold off.  Well it did.  Until the exact moment we were to begin photographs downtown.  Enter Plan B…and GO!

I can’t stop staring at the image on the right..one of my favorite bridal portraits of all time.  Seriously, Courtney-GORGEOUS!!!!

The men arrived at our rain location shortly after the girls departed.  Except somewhere en route the girls never found the guys to give them the umbrellas…I think a few rain spots on the jackets is just a good reminder that yes, it rained ALL DAY on our wedding day!

An and his groomsmen were some of the best guys I have ever worked with!  They were so fun with just the right amount of ornery!

Courtney walked down the aisle with her uncle and met her mom (And An) at the end.  A few tears followed by a few laughs. An’s vows had everyone laughing and eventually cheering!

It was still pouring outside after the ceremony and into the night.  Luckily, the Freemasons has so many little nooks and crannies and amazing opportunities for photographs.  And I love a good challenge ;)

A special first dance with her uncle.  I’m not quite sure how she held it together but man, Courtney looking up gets me every time.

While An was dancing with his mom, his little niece came up and wanted a dance too.  She is the sweetest little thing!

The party and dancing were fabulous.  The dance floor huge.  The company out of this world amazing.  Right before I left, I BEGGED Courtney and An to go outside for just ONE photo…they knew I meant business and followed me without question and then understood why when they saw this amazing sky.  A perfect end to a beyond perfect day.

It’s also not very often I get to hang out with my bride and groom the day after the wedding….stay tuned for Courtney and An’s Vietnamese Tea Ceremony celebration-I can’t wait to share all the details!!!  Here’s a shout to some of the vendors:

Flowers:  The DIY Florist

Bridal Gown and Bridesmaids Dresses:  David’s Bridal

Hair:  Roots 828 Salon

Bakery:  Sassie Cakes

Caterer:  Shigs In Pit and Mad Anthony Brewing Company (some of the best reception food I have ever had!)

Ceremony and Reception Venue:  The Freemasons Hall

Decorating:  A Party Apart and Terri Hermann (mother of the bride)

This was a day that had been long awaited for.  The planning began almost a year and a half earlier where following their engagement at Monument Circle in Indianapolis, Tony and Brooke contacted me to inquire about my photography.  What I loved about Brooke instantly from our first phone conversation is that she had a LOT of questions ;)  But they were the kind of questions that told me she was a meticulous planner and wanted to be sure she was hiring a photographer that not only had images she loved, but also someone she trusted completely.  She asked questions about lighting, about the venues she was considering, about how I might handle events should they not go as planned on wedding day…I assured her I had her back.

The first thing I did when I arrived to the bridal suite on wedding day was to assure Brooke’s mom that I also had her back ;)  The ceremony was planned to be outdoors and the forecast was iffy at best.  Rain was popping up all over and it was understandably making mom nervous to think that the ceremony may not happen the way they had planned.  Now, I’m no weather forecaster, but I’ve dealt with my fair share of rainy days and I told her we don’t need to worry about it.  Thank God, I was right!

The buttons on the back of Brooke’s gown alternated with buttons taken from both her mom and grandma’s wedding dresses..such a simple yet meaningful way to incorporate generations of marriages in your family!  Tying up the corset took a little work though…thank God there was a video on someone’s phone for reference ;)

We stopped for a few portraits in downtown Fort Wayne before heading over to the Rose Garden at Lakeside Park for the ceremony.

The ceremony was gorgeous..and hot.  The rain clouds were moving in but all they did was give us some nice shade as we drove into downtown for the reception.  This was one fun wedding party..the antics that happened at the bridge may be my favorite memory of the entire day.

The best man gave one of the most beautiful toasts I have ever heard.  Once he finished, he announced that there was a little surprise for Tony, from his other best man who is currently serving in Afghanistan and was unable to come home for the wedding.  His family came up to the front to watch the video with Tony and Brooke-goodness, not a dry eye in the house!

The dancing was epic…Corene’s dad, Nolan is a crazy man.  I love him-CHA CHA CHA!

Oh my goodness, what a fun day!  That’s all I think when I look at these images. Brooke and Tony, I adored every minute of planning and getting to know you.  I hope you can look back on these images for years to come and that they take you back to remember every moment of your wedding day.  Much love to you both-Erin