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How to Choose The Wedding Photographer That's Right For You
Choosing a wedding photographer can be overwhelming. There are SO many options. I’m sure you have multiple friends with “fancy cameras,” but maybe you’re wondering if you should find someone on the Knot or search hashtags on Instagram. Sometimes for non-photographers, it’s difficult to tell what the difference is between different photographers in order to make a decision. I hope the list below helps you figure out how to decide which wedding photographer is right for you!
Do you LOVE the photographer's style?
This is first on this list, because it’s the most important thing you need to decide on when choosing your wedding photographer. And this means everything from editing, to lighting, to posing. When you look at a photographer’s images, can you see yourself and your fiance in those exact photos. OR do you look at the photos and think “These are great, but I would want different poses or slightly different editing.” OR maybe you only see natural light images in a photographer’s portfolio, but your wedding is going to be outside at night. If so, that person is not the photographer for you. You can’t hire a photographer and expect them to be able to give you a product you’ve never seen in their portfolio. Most photographers aren’t willing to change any aspect of their style, and even if you find one who is, they won’t be as good at it, because it’s not what they do. Find someone who specializes in EXACTLY what you are looking for!
Are you excited about the experience the photographer offers?
Does the photographer send a bridal guide to help you prepare for your wedding? Do they have blog posts that help you with wedding planning? Is your wedding going to be on their blog or possibly published in a magazine? How does the photographer deliver photos? Do they sell prints or albums? Do they offer a print release? Do they help you with your timeline and day-off photo plan, or do you have to do that on your own? How many time do they meet with you in person before the wedding? Do they try to do everything online for convenience and planning around your work schedules? Do they help you at all or just show up on the wedding day? These are all parts of the client experience that will differ from photographer to photographer.
Do you feel comfortable with them?
You spend more time with your wedding photographer on your wedding day than with your spouse. It’s important to find someone whose personality you like. Do you click well with them? Would you like to work with them for a year or so during your wedding planning and on the most important day of your life?
Is the Photographer in your budget?
Of course, this one is important, but I hope it’s one of the last factors considered. I see too many brides making decisions based on price alone, and they end up very disappointed by the outcome. Your wedding day goes by so quickly, and you’ll only have two things left when the day is over: your marriage and your wedding photos. You’ll have your wedding photos for the rest of your lives, and you’ll even pass them down to future generations. You deserve photos you’re in love with and you deserve the perfect photographer for YOU!
Have you found a photographer who meets all of these criteria? Make sure you ask them these questions before hiring them!
Are you looking for a wedding photographer? I would LOVE to work with you! Send me a message over on my contact page!
Winter Wedding at The Mill Top Noblesville | Abby and John
It all started back in Elementary School in Ohio. That’s when Abby and John met. But they didn’t really connect until they both found themselves in Indianapolis after college. Four years after they got reconnected, this adorable couple was married in a beautiful winter wedding in the middle of a snow storm at The Mill Top in Noblesville.
All of Abby and John’s wedding details were so on point! It was a wedding photographer’s dream! Their theme was modern, edgy, and romantic for the wedding with lots of jewel toned colors, and geometric shapes. I love how they incorporated so many unique details to show off their personalities. Check out the amazing florals by Bokay Florist! I’m obsessed!
One of my favorite parts of Abby and John’s wedding was photographing their first look. Remember that post I made about first looks? Well Abby and John were a great example of tearing up and having such a sweet, emotional moment for both the first look AND that coming down the aisle moment.
Abby and John, you two are so sweet and so much fun, and your wedding was incredible! I loved photographing your wedding SO much, and I hope you had the best day ever! Enjoy these sneak peaks while I finish editing the rest of your photos! I can’t wait to send you the full gallery!
A huge thank you to the amazing vendor team:
Photographer: Rakoteet Photography
Venue: The Mill Top
Florist: Bokay Florist
Cake: Classic Cakes
DJ: Brian Whitis
Hair and Makeup: Maggie McCalley and Maggie McCalley
Catering: MBP Distinctive Catering
Bride’s Gown: MB Bridal
Bride’s Shoes: Bella Belle Shoes
Engagement Ring: Dahlkemper's Jewelry,
Wedding Bands: Shane Co.
Groom’s Attire: The Black Tux
Invitations: Tiger Lily Invitations
Videography: Unsilenced Films
Officiant: Veronia Maximo
Second Shooter: Cassie Dunmyer
Favors/Gifts: Handmade by the Bride and Groom
Photo Booth: JNP PhotoBooth
Winter Wedding at INDUSTRY | Leah and Devin
Leah and Devin both crushed on each other in high school, but never told each other. Then one day in college, Devin asked Leah to play Tennis with him. They had so much fun that they ended up staying out until 4am just talking. And the rest is history. Two years later, they won a beautiful winter wedding at INDUSTRY.
A few of my favorite things about Leah and Devin’s wedding were when Devin teared up during the first look AND when Leah walked down the aisle, and he could barely say his vows through the tears. The whole day was so emotional and sweet. I also loved Leah’s gift to Devin. She made him a scrapbook of all the the memories they shared since they started dating.
This wedding was entirely put on by the venue, INDUSTRY, and the vendors, which are linked and listed below, for an event called the REAL wedding. Leah and Devin really got married, and they got to invite their closest friends and family as well as choose their bridal party. But in addition, “wedding crashers” were also invited. Anyone could purchase a ticket to the wedding, just like a bridal show, so they could see the vendors in action and see how the venue set up the ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception in their open concept floor plan.
Leah and Devin, you are such a sweet couple, and I’m so glad you were the winners of this beautiful wedding. Enjoy these sneak peaks, and your full gallery will be on its way soon!
The Vendor Team:
Wedding Photography: Rakoteet Photography
Venue: INDUSTRY
Coordinators: 828 Coordination
Catering: Jacqie’s Gourmet Catering
Live Ceremony Music: DEOC Ensemble
Florist: Molly & Myrtle
Hair and Makeup: Something Blue Stylists and Esthetics with Ashlee and Kayla Davenport
Cake: Classic Cakes
Donuts: General American Donut Co.
Calligraphy: Laura Reilly Calligraphy
Videography: Kae Marie Videography
Rentals: Violet Vintage Rentals
What to Wear to Your Engagement Session | Outfit Inspiration
One of the most common questions my couples ask me before their engagement session is what they should wear. So today, I’m sharing the advice that I share with all of my clients.
I always recomend that my couples bring two outfits, one formal outfit, and one more casual outfit. The casual outfit is the one that you should show up to the session in, so you can save your formal outfit for sunset. For both of your outfits, you should coordinate with your fiance, but not match.
I know the tendency is to go for darker colors, especially for your formal outfit, but for that light and airy look, lighter colored outfits really help to achieve that aesthetic.
Here’s a great example of a perfect casual outfit.
Here’s an example of a more formal outfit that Andry and I wore to our own couple’s session. I bought this outfit from Amazon and would highly recomend it. The skirt comes in almost any color. You can find it here. You can find the lace shirt here. Andry wore a white button-down shirt, a tie that matched my skirt, jeans, and a sport-coat. This is my favorite outfit that he wears!
If you come from a culture with unique traditional clothing, that would be a great outfit to wear to your engagement session.
Button-down shirts tend to work really well for grooms and go well with both their bride’s more casual and more formal outfits. I loved Michael’s outfit shown below.
Here are a few more awesome outfit ideas that my couples have worn to their engagement sessions. I love how many of my brides wear white for their session. It’s so bridal! AND I love when my grooms wear full suits for that formal look.
Amanda’s hat was the perfect accessory in the photo below.
One last tip - when in doubt, overdress. You already have so many photos on your phone of you and your fiance dressed casually. Your engagement photos are special. You’ll look at them for the rest of your life, and you’ll print them and hang them in your home. You’ll love seeing photos of yourselves all dressed up.
Are you looking for a wedding photographer? I would LOVE to work with you! Send me a message over on my contact page!
On the cover of Indianapolis Premier Weddings Magazine!
One of the best surprises of 2018 was when I found out that, not only were my photos from Cam and Chelseigh’s fairytale themed Laurel Hall wedding going to be published in print, but my photo was also going to be on the COVER of Indianapolis Premier Weddings Magazine!
One of my major goals with my photography for 2018 was to get published in print. I accomplished that when a shoot that I did at the Crystal Gardens in Chicago was published in a local Chicago magazine. I did have a goal of someday being on the cover of a magazine, but it wasn’t a 2018 goal, because I didn’t think I would be able to achieve this until a little later. I guess I learned that I need to set my sights higher and not doubt that I can achieve my goals sooner than I imagined. It’s so fun when you check off a goal as accomplished, because then you can make new ones and keep striving to be better and better.
I couldn’t have done it without Cam and Chelseigh’s amazing wedding, and their entire vendor team. You can check out some of my favorite photos from their wedding here on the blog. They got married at one of my all time favorite venues, which is one of the most beautiful venues in Indianapolis in my opinion. And they had amazing florals including a floral arch, and huge centerpieces for the head table. Cam and Chelseigh were one of my favorite couples to work with! They took all of my suggestions on their timeline, and gave me so much time for details photos and portraits, which is why their wedding photos are some of my favorites that I’ve ever taken.
Thank you so much to Cam and Chelseigh, their vendor team, and Indianapolis Premier Weddings Magazine!
Are you looking for a wedding photographer? I would LOVE to work with you! Send me a message over on my contact page!
Why You Should Consider a First Look with Your Groom on Your Wedding Day
Let’s start at the beginning. What is a first look? It's a special time where you and your fiance get to see each other for the first time on your wedding day in a private moment before the ceremony. I highly recommend them! A first look not only allows more time for photography and a smoother timeline, it's also a sweet intimate moment for you to share with your fiance before the craziness of the day. If you aren’t sure about the tradition, this blog post will help explain why it would be a romantic addition to your wedding day. 90% of my couples have a first look, and they absolutely LOVE it!
Andry and I did a first look on our own wedding day three years ago. We both agree hands down that it was our absolute favorite part of the entire day. We were both so nervous the entire morning, but when we finally got to see each other, all those nerves went away. We shared such a sweet special moment, just the two of us. We didn’t even notice the photographers. BUT our photographer captured our priceless reactions, and I have a framed photo of our reactions hanging in our bedroom. They are some of our favorite photos from the whole day. Not to mention, after our first look, we got the spend the entire day with each other! We didn’t have to wait until the 6pm ceremony.
Many couples don’t want to consider a first look, because they get caught up in how “non-traditional” they are. But the digger I deep, the more I realize what is most important to my couples is the reaction of the bride coming down the aisle, and the photos of the reaction. Well, I can tell you after photographing countless first looks, that first look reactions are so priceless. I’ve witnessed so many tears by grooms. But those reactions to the first look don’t change the fact that even though the groom has already seen the bride, they always still have an amazing reaction, tears and all, to their bride walking down the aisle. If anything, I think the first look helps the walking down the aisle reaction, because all those nerves are gone, and true emotions can express themselves.
When you have a first look, you and groom get to embrace each other when you first see each other. You get to cry together, laugh together, and KISS each other! You get to take a moment for yourselves. You get to be TOGETHER and ALONE (besides the photographer who you won’t even notice). You don’t have 50-300 pairs of eyes on you. After your first look, you get to move casually into portraits. There’s no time crunch, no DJ reminding us that guests are waiting, and there’s plenty of time for photos. We get to take all of your bride and groom photos, bridal party photos, and family photos BEFORE the ceremony. That way, after the ceremony, you can head straight to your own cocktail hour to spend time with the people you love the most. Think of it this way, when you do a first look, you get DOUBLE the amount of portraits.
I would never want to pressure any of my couples into a first look if it’s just not for them after they’ve looked at all the pros and cons for having a first look or not having a first look. I ALWAYS respect my couples’ wishes. However, if there is no first look, we’ll either have to cram all of the portraits into 1-1.5 hours between the ceremony and reception (meaning we won’t get as many photos or as much variety), or you’ll keep your guests waiting for quite a long period of time if we use the entire 2-3 hours that I generally recomend for capturing a wide variety of bride and groom, bridal party, and family photos. Just remember, that these portraits are the ones you’ll frame and hang in your home, and these are the photos that will be passed down for generations.
I want the BEST for all of my couples, and after shooting over 75 weddings, I’ve been able to figure out what works really well. I love to give my couples’ all the advice I possibly can, because most of them have never been married before, and I’ve been a part of SO many weddings at this point.
Still on the fence? Check out some of my favorite first look photos!
Are you looking for a wedding photographer? I would LOVE to work with you! Send me a message over on my contact page!
Bridal Party Gift Ideas
Your bridesmaids and groomsmen are some of the most important people in the world to you. They’re there for you throughout your lives as well as on the biggest day of your life. And they often put in a lot of work to help make your wedding amazing, whether they’re helping you research vendors, working on your DIY projects with you, or just celebrating with you! Have you thought about getting each of your bridal party members a small gift to say thank you? It doesn’t have to be extravagant or cost a lot, but a small token of appreciation can mean a lot to your bridesmaids and groomsmen.
I recently discovered an online shop called Bridesmaid Gift Boutique as well as their sister company for groomsmen gifts, Groovy Guy Gifts. There are so many unique and inexpensive gift ideas for both bridesmaids and groomsmen in their shops! They sent me the necklace below, which is adorable, and you can customize the initial, the metal type, and the thank you note. I think this would make a great gift to surprise your bridesmaids with on your wedding day.
I also love their personalized stemless wine cups! For groomsmen gifts, some of my favorite items in the shop are these whisky stones that you can customize to say whatever you want and this billfold in a box. They also have some super unique gifts on both websites that involve a caricature artist! I wish I had known about these gift ideas back when I got married! I definitely recomend checking out these websites. Browse around through the different options to see if there’s something you may want to give your bridal party members as a little thank you gift!
Are you looking for a wedding photographer? I would LOVE to work with you! Send me a message over on my contact page!
My Trip to Mexico
For some reason, I thought it would be a good idea to take a week off in the middle of my busy season to take a vacation to Mexico with my sister. I happened to have a weekend that I still hadn’t booked around 5 months out, and flights just happened to be super cheap that weekend. Nicole and I have been wanting to take a sister trip for the longest time, so this was the perfect opportunity.
Before this trip, we hadn’t vacationed together since my senior year of high school school when we went to South Carolina with our mom. During that trip, I had mono and Nicole spent the whole 13 hour car ride home with car sickness. Needless to say, we didn’t have the best vacation memories before this trip. Since then, we’ve grown to be best friends, and I was so happy that we got the opportunity to take another vacation together, just the two of us.
We chose this vacation, because it was super cheap, but we seriously felt like we were living in luxury for a week. All-inclusive Mexican resorts are definitely the way to go for budget vacations! We used my favorite travel agent, Suz Haire to find the perfect resort, El Dorado Seaside Suites. This resort is adults only, and has the most amazing view! Every balcony has a jacuzzi that overlooks the ocean, where you can see the beautiful sunrise each morning.
I didn’t take as many photos on this trip as I normally do, because I wanted to focus on the experience and time with my sister. The photos I did take were more focused on the two of us and less focused on the scenery. I did this because the one thing I regret most from my Europe trip with Andry last year is that all of my photos are of the gorgeous architecture and beautiful scenery, but there are no photos of us in these stunning locations.
If only Nicole and I had a third person with us to get photos of both of us! But I’m sure we’ll be back in Mexico together some day. Maybe even with our future families! But for now, enjoy these photos from our recent trip!
Are you looking for a wedding photographer? I would LOVE to work with you! Send me a message over on my contact page!
Behind the Scenes of the Allison Mansion Styled Wedding
Yesterday, I posted a few of my favorite photos from our styled shoot at Allison Mansion at Marian University here on my blog. These are some of my favorite photos that I’ve ever taken, so definitely go check it out if you haven’t seen that post yet. I also got to the shoot way before I actually started shooting the model and set up, so I could take behind the scenes photos for the vendors. Most wedding vendors, even us photographers, don’t have very many photos of us in action, and these can be such fun photos to have. Plus, I think clients and potential clients love seeing these types of photos.
It was so fun to watch Chrissy from Special Occassion Designs create the amazing bridal bouquet and floral arch. She is so good at what she does! I don’t think I even realized how obsessed I was with the bridal bouquet until I got home yesterday and started editing. I love the shape that Chrissy decided on, and she always chooses the most fun colors. I also loved taking behind the scenes photos of Lora and Amanda from Magical Moments Event Planning and Erica from Pickle Prints setting up the tables and stationary.
Enjoy a few fun behind the scenes photos from yesterday. If you scroll all the way to the end, you’ll even see a photo of me with the flowers.
The Vendor Dream Team:
Photography: Rakoteet Photography
Planning: Magical Moments Event Planner
Florist: Special Occassion Design by Chrissy
Dress: Blue House Bridal
Hair and Makeup: Something Blue Stylists
Linens: Linen Hero
Venue: Allison Mansion at Marian University
Stationary: Pickle Prints Custom Paper Creations
Model: Kay Insley
Cake: Nothing Bundt Cakes
Are you looking for a wedding photographer? I would absolutely LOVE to work with you! Send me a message over on my contact page!
Allison Mansion Wedding Styled Shoot at Marian University
Yesterday was an absolute dream! I don’t think there are any words to describe how incredible it was. Chrissy from Special Occassion Design and Lora and Amanda from Magical Moments Event Planning brought together an amazing group of vendors to create a beautiful upscale styled wedding shoot at the Allison Mansion on Marian University’s campus.
I had never heard of the Allison Mansion before, but my goodness, this place is one of the most gorgeous venues I’ve had the pleasure of shooting in. The stunning architecture, the white marble walls and floors, and the unbeatable natural light from all of the windows and the stained glass ceiling make for a wedding photographer’s dream location! I’m hoping some of my 2019 and 2020 couples decide to get married here!
Special Occassion Design by Chrissy created the most beautiful florals! Can we just talk about how good she is at what she does?! My jaw dropped to the floor when I saw the elegant, high-end florals she created. They complimented the vintage feel of the venue so well. And I love how much color Chrissy likes to use in her designs. Check out the amazing floral “arch” that we used as a backdrop for the ceremony set up as well as the sweetheart table.
This shoot was honestly one of my favorite styled shoots of all time. I hope you enjoy the photos as much as I do. Scroll to the end to see the entire list of amazing vendors! And stop by the blog again tomorrow to see the behind the scenes of all of the vendors in action during the shoot (including one of me)!
The Vendor Dream Team:
Photography: Rakoteet Photography
Planning: Magical Moments Event Planner
Florist: Special Occassion Design by Chrissy
Dress: Blue House Bridal
Hair and Makeup: Something Blue Stylists
Linens: Linen Hero
Venue: Allison Mansion at Marian University
Stationary: Pickle Prints Custom Paper Creations
Model: Kay Insley
Cake: Nothing Bundt Cakes
Are you looking for a wedding photographer? I would absolutely LOVE to work with you! Send me a message over on my contact page!
10 Questions You Need To Ask Your Wedding Photographer Before Hiring Them
Every once in a while, I’ll have a potential client come to a consultation or send me an email with a pre-made list of questions that they found on the Knot or somewhere else on the internet. While I’m always happy to answer any questions that my clients may have, I don’t think most of these lists serve the client well or get them the information they need. And at the same time, I hardly ever have anyone asking me the REALLY important questions. So today, I’m sharing my own version of the 10 most important questions you need to ask your wedding photographer before deciding to hire them.
Do you have liability insurance?
Besides just being a good idea for the photographer’s business, most venues will require all of your wedding vendors to have liability insurance before they will even let the vendors step foot through the door.
Do you have backup equipment?
I cannot stress enough how important this is. Yet I’ve NEVER been asked this question by a potential client. In my opinion, every professional wedding photographer needs to have at least two full frame cameras with dual memory card slots. The dual memory card slots is important! Technology fails sometimes. Even brand new technology, and a wedding photographer needs to be prepared for anything to happen without it affecting their client’s images. I wrote a whole blog post about the equipment I use here.
Can I see a full wedding gallery?
Again, this one is SO important. I have been asked this multiple times, and I’m always happy to share a few full wedding galleries. It’s so easy for photographers to pick and choose a few good images from each wedding to put in their portfolio, but what do the non-ideal parts of the day look like? How much variety in posing are they able to achieve? Are the family photos the same quality as the bridal party photos? Are the indoor reception shots just as good at the natural light portraits?
What is the turnaround time for delivering the photos?
I can’t tell you how many horror stories I’ve heard about brides not getting their wedding photos back for six months or even longer! So many photographers have super long turn around times that their clients aren’t aware of ahead of time. My turn around time for engagement sessions is one week and for weddings is 30 days. However, I’ve never taken longer than two weeks to deliver a wedding gallery. Your photos are just as important to me as they are to you, and I’m just as excited to get them to you as you are to have them!
Do you have a contract?
Every professional needs to have a contract in place! It protects both the vendor and the client and outlines the agreement in writing.
Why do you love photographing weddings?
This question may not seem as important as the others, but it totally is! It can really help you get a feel for whether the photographer actually loves photographing weddings or not. Sadly, in every profession, some people just do it for the money. Some photographers specialize in a different type of photography that they really love, and only do weddings to make a living. This is so sad to me, and it’s why I always recomend finding a photographer who SPECIALIZES in what you’re wanting to hire them for. Personally, I ONLY shoot weddings and couples, because it’s what I love! I could go on and on for days about why photographing weddings specifically is my life calling (maybe this will be my next blog post). You deserve a wedding photographer who’s excited to be there on your wedding day, not one who just wants to get it over with.
Why should I hire you?
This question gives the photographer the opportunity to tell you what makes them unique compared to other photographers in the local area. Personally, I love to talk about the unique experience I can offer to my clients.
What is your approach to shooting a wedding?
I pose and direct my clients during portrait time, and getting ready, but during the ceremony and reception, I try to be a ninja. I get lots of awesome candid photos without being too intrusive. It’s important to know whether your photographer will pose you or just let you do your own thing, and how they approach the ceremony and reception photos.
What kind of lighting do you use throughout the wedding day?
This goes along with seeing a full wedding gallery. While natural light images are so beautiful, it’s important to know that your photographer is prepared for your ceremony if it’s in a dark church and your reception if it’s happening during the evening in low light. How do they plan to light those images, so they will still be the same quality as the rest of the day? Do you they use off camera flash?
Will I be able to share and print my images?
Imagine how sad you would be if you finally see your wedding photos, but you find out you’re only allowed to print through your photographer, and you don’t actually receive any of the digital files to share online. Not every photographer gives you all of the images for the same price you paid for them to shoot the wedding. Personally, when clients invest with me, ALL of the edited digital images are included. They can print through my professional lab if they want to, but they also have the option of printing wherever they would like, and they are free to share their images.
I hope these questions help you get all of the information you really need during your consultation with your wedding photographer!
Magical Moments Event Planning at the January Indianapolis Monthly Bridal Show at the Ritz Charles
While I was photographing A Classic Party Rental’s booth at the January Indianapolis Monthly Bridal Show at the Ritz Charles this afternoon, I ran into my wedding planner friends, Lora and Amanda from Magical Moments Event Planning. I ended up having just enough time to take a few photos of their booth at the bridal show while I was there at the Ritz Charles before the show began and the venue became flooded with all of the excited brides to be.
Magical Moments Event Planning always collaborates on their booth with one of my favorite florists, Chrissy from Special Occasion Design by Chrissy. They also collaborated on the booth with Atmospheres Indy. I loved their entire booth set up for this show! I’m sure all of the brides and grooms who came to the show loved it as well.
Lora and Amanda are honestly some of my favorite wedding planners to work with. They are so much fun, so detail oriented, and they come up with amazing designs and ideas for their clients. Every time I’ve had the opportunity to work with them, they absolutely blow me away with their work! I hope I get to work with them on lots of weddings in 2019!
I’ve said it before, and I will keep saying it, one of the best decisions you can make for your wedding is to hire a wedding planner (or in this case, a wedding planning team). If not a wedding planner, at least hire a day-of coordinator for your wedding day. Magical Moments event planning does coordinating as well!
Enjoy the few photos I took of the Magical Moments Event Planning booth at the January Indianapolis Monthly Bridal show this afternoon!
Are you looking for a wedding photographer? I would absolutely LOVE to work with you! You can send me a message over on my contact page!
Kyle and Megan | Broad Ripple Winter Engagement Session
From the moment that Megan and Kyle inquired with me, I knew we would be the perfect match. Right away in he inquiry email, Megan mentioned that her and Kyle definitely wanted a winter engagement session, and they wanted to do it in Broad Ripple. I absolutely love when my couples are dead set on doing an engagement session with me, because I feel the same way! Engagement sessions are such a great way for us to not only get to know each other, but also for my couple to get to know my posing and shooting style. On their wedding day, Megan and Kyle are going to be old pro’s!
These two chose Broad Ripple for their engagement session, because they currently live there together. When I asked if there were any specific places in Broad Ripple that were special to them, Megan told me that at this point, they have special memories all over Broad Ripple. What a sweet answer! We ended up using a path right off of the Monon Trail for their photos with their adorable dog. I love when couples bring their dog to their engagement session. Next, we took some photos at the Indianapolis Art Center, which is such a neat little hidden gem that our city has. Then after an outfit change, we took some photos on the love lock bridge. And we finished our session on the rooftop of the HopCat parking Garage.
This was seriously such a fun session, and we got to explore all of Broad Ripple. Megan and Kyle were so much fun to work with and just adorable in their interactions with each other. I already can’t wait for their wedding at the Mavris Art Center in downtown Indianapolis this October.
Megan and Kyle, enjoy your sneak peaks! Your full gallery will be on its way soon!
Are you looking for a wedding photographer? I would LOVE to work with you! Send me a message over on my contact page!
A Classic Party Rental at the Indianapolis Monthly Bridal Show
I always love getting to work with my friends over at A Classic Party Rental, so, of course, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to photograph their booth at the January Indianapolis Monthly Bridal Show this afternoon. A Classic Party Rental provides amazing upgrades to the standard wedding rentals such as linens, tables, chairs, flatware, etc. They also have bigger items like tents as well.
For A Classic’s booth at the bridal show, they showed off an amazing tablescpe set up with some of their new linens. I loved their new blush velvet linen! And they used my favorite chairs, the wooden vineyard cross back chairs. If you want to instantly have a huge upgrade to the overall look of your ceremony and reception, upgrading your chairs from the standard white chairs or chair covers to something like these vineyard cross back chairs is the way to go!
The stunning florals were provided by McNarma Florist, who I always love getting to work with. The stationary was provided by Pickle Prints Custom Paper Creations. I hadn’t gotten to photograph their work before, but I’m already obsessed. I always love getting to experience the work of new vendors that I haven’t had the opportunity to work with before.
If the January bridal show this afternoon is any indication, 2019 will be an amazing year filled with working with the most fun brides and the best vendor friends. I can’t wait for all of the weddings that this year has in store.
Below are a few of my favorite photos from A Classic Party Rental’s booth at the Indianapolis Monthly Bridal Show this afternoon. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!
Are you looking for a wedding photographer? I would absolutely LOVE to work with you! Send me a message over on my contact page!
Katlin and Jake | Elegant Downtown Indianapolis Engagement Session
Katlin found me through a mutual friend that we have, and I’m so glad she did, because this session was SO much fun! I loved working these with these two yesterday! They opted for an engagement session downtown, because it’s a special place in their relationship. It’s so sweet when couples have an adorable reason for choosing a certain location for their session. I absolutely love using downtown locations in the winter, because architecture is beautiful in any season. You can read more about some of my favorite locations for engagement sessions here.
We actually scheduled this session for way back in mid-December, but we had to reschedule three times due to rain. Snow would have been fine, but we’ve been having such a warm December that we ended up with rain every time. Luckily Katlin and Jake weren’t in a huge rush to get their photos, and we were able to push their session back until we could get some good weather on our side.
Katlin was sweet enough to trust me to choose the specific downtown locations we used for their engagement session. She and Jake originally wanted to use the canal downtown, but unfortunately it was being drained for a once in 10 years cleaning. I ended up choosing the Central Library and the pillars outside of the Indiana Government Center. These are two of my absolute favorite places to shoot, because of the beautiful architecture and the elegant vibes.
Katlin and Jake also chose the perfect outfits! I love that they opted for a formal look, and a more casual look. They were absolutely stunning!
Katlin and Jake, I hope you enjoy your sneak peaks! Your full gallery is coming soon!
Are you looking for a wedding photographer? I would LOVE to work with you! Send me a message over on my contact page!
You're Engaged! Now What?
I remember the moment I got engaged. I felt like I was on top of the world. I was so giddy, envisioning my future with Andry. But we got engaged when I was twenty two and Andry was twenty five. We were the first of our close friends to get engaged, and we had each only been to probably two weddings in our lives. We had absolutely NO idea what we were doing when it came to wedding planning.
This time of year is proposal season. I’ve seen so many engagements pop up on my Facebook timeline. So I wanted to put together a helpful guide for any couples like Andry and myself were, who need a little help with knowing what to do first after getting engaged.
Celebrate!
You don’t have to start planning your wedding the moment you get engaged. Take a moment (or as long as you want) to just celebrate the fact that you get to spend the rest of your life with your best friend! Don’t let the stress of planning overshadow the importance and excitement of being engaged. Celebrate not only with your fiance, but with your friends and family as well.
Determine your budget and guest count.
These are the two most important decisions in wedding planning. Every other decision you make with stem from these two decisions. Ask both sets of parents what they are willing to contribute to the wedding, and then determine what you’re willing to contribute as a couple. The number one thing you can do to increase how nice of a wedding you’ll be able to have for whatever your budget is, is to reduce your guest count to the smallest amount of people you and your fiance feel comfortable with. A higher guest count means extra money spent on a bigger venue, more food, more linens, extra chairs, tables, centerpieces, etc.
Select your venue and wedding date.
You can’t set your wedding date without knowing the dates the venue you select has available. I would recomend finding a few venues you love that are within your budget and going and touring them. Look through photo galleries or check out their tagged photos on Instagram to make sure you love the way it looks in the season you’re getting married.
Hire vendors that will make your wedding day stress free and give you an amazing experience.
Once you have your venue and date, you can start looking for all of your other vendors. Couples usually reach out to me right after they book their venue. When hiring vendors, make sure you not only love their work, but you love their personalities and you feel comfortable working with them on the most important day of your life. The biggest piece of advice I can offer here is to hire a wedding planner! I’ve never talked to anyone who regretted hiring a planner, but I’ve talked to plenty of couples who regretted not hiring a planner.
Relax and let your professionals take care of all the details.
If you hire amazing vendors (especially your wedding planner!), you won’t have to worry about anything! Your vendors will tell you everything you need to know, ask the important questions, and make sure everything is taken care of! The rest of your wedding planning will be stress-free!
Get married to the love of your life!
Enjoy the fruits of your wedding planning, and celebrate the first day of your marriage with the people who are the most important to you!
Are you looking for a wedding photographer? I woud LOVE to work with you! Send me a message on my contact page!
Industrial Glam Wedding at INDUSTRY in downtown Indianapolis
I get so excited every time I get to shoot at one of my favorite venues in downtown Indianapolis, INDUSTRY. Industrial glam has been such a popular trend this year, and I suspect it will only continue in the coming years. I’m a preferred vendor at INDUSTRY, so I would love to get to shoot here more often in 2019! I have another wedding there in January, and I already can’t wait!
One of the many reasons I love this venue is the beautiful natural light. Huge windows fill the walls of the venue. The bridal suite, especially, might be my favorite room at INDUSTRY. The lighting, the cute furniture, and the gorgeous white walls make for amazing getting ready photos. I even took the bride and groom back to the bridal suite after the first look for some bride and groom portraits. I loved that I had enough time to take photos in every single section of INDUSTRY.
One of my favorite aspects of this wedding was the amazing florals by A Bride’s Choice Florist. Check out the amazing ceremony arch that doubled as a sweetheart table backdrop after the room flip between the ceremony and reception.
AND just wait till you see the groom’s first look reaction! THIS is why I recommend that all of my couples have first looks! The groom’s reaction is so much better when it’s just the two of you, without two hundred people’s eyes on you. It’s such a personal, intimate, and joyful moment.
I hope you enjoy these photos as much as I do!
A HUGE thank you to the amazing vendor team:
Florist - A Bride's Choice Florist
Styling & Planning/Coordination - A Planned Affair and Events by D. Nicole
Linens - LGi Linens
Rentals - A Classic Party Rental
Indianapolis Wedding Photographer: Rakoteet Photograpy
Table Setting - Uncommonly Styled
Venue - INDUSTRY
Are you looking for a wedding photographer? I would LOVE to work with you! Send me a message over on my contact page!
Best of Couples and Engagement Sessions 2018
Of course, I couldn’t write a Best of Weddings 2018 blog post, without also writing a Best of Couples and Engagement Sessions 2018 blog post. I specialize in photography for two two things: weddings and couples, because these are the two things I absolutely LOVE to photograph. I always talk about how much I love weddings, and why I love them so much, but I don’t post as much on social media about why I also love being a couples photographer.
Two of my three wedding photography packages include a complimentary engagement session. This isn’t only a benefit for the couple, it’s a benefit for me as well. Engagement sessions are such a great way for me to get to know my couples before the wedding day. They get to learn my posing and directing style while we chat about their wedding day. This is such great practice, because once the wedding day comes along, my couples already know all the poses. And they already know that they loved their engagement photos, so they don’t have to worry about whether or not they are going to love their wedding photos.
Another benefit of the engagement session is it’s a great opportunity for my couples to communicate their hopes for their wedding photos. Maybe they get the images back and they realize that they loved the twirling photos, and want more like that on their wedding day. Or maybe they didn’t like the sitting photos, and want to skip those on the wedding day. This is another reason a trial run is so important!
Not to mention, my couples get awesome photos of the two of them that they can print and frame. Most of my couples (even the grooms) have a blast at the session. It’s like a date where you get to snuggle up to and flirt with your favorite person. What could be better?!
Besides just engagement sessions, some of my couples come back to me for anniversary sessions. And some couples who are just dating and want beautiful photos with their significant other come to me for photos as well. Any time I can get couples in front of my camera, I’m all for it!
Check out some of my favorite couples and engagement session photos from the year. A lot of these couples used some of my favorite engagement session locations. Some of these couples got married this year as well, and some of them will have awesome weddings that I’ll get to photograph next year. This year was amazing, and I’m so looking forward to 2019!
Best of Weddings 2018
2018 was an AMAZING year for Rakoteet Photography! This year, I photographed over 50 beautiful wedding days. Words can’t express how grateful I am to all of the wonderful couples who trusted me to be their wedding photographer. I’m SO excited to share just a few of my best wedding photos from this past year’s weddings.
You have no idea how difficult it was to only pick one or two of my favorite photos from each wedding. All of the weddings I was lucky enough to photograph this year were SO stunning. Narrowing it down to the photos below was one of the hardest things I’ve had to do all year.
This year I got to shoot at new venues like The Ritz Charles as well as old favorites like Laurel Hall. I photographed weddings all around Indianapolis and the suburbs, and I also got to explore northern Indiana and Southern Indiana. More importantly than anything else, I was able to witness, experience, and document the beginning of so many beautiful marriages. Marriage is seriously the best!
In 2018, I was also published over 20 times, and I was even on the front cover of a magazine! My goals for my business are being accomplished faster than I can come up with new ones. But all of the success in my business is honestly owed to my amazing clients. I could not have done it without you all!
As I look forward to 2019 weddings, I’m sure it will only keep getting better and better from here. I’m already about halfway booked for 2019, and I can’t wait for all of the new venues I’ll get to work at, new states and countries I’ll get to work in, and new couples that I get to serve. I’m SO excited to be getting more into destination weddings! I have two international weddings booked for next year so far.
With all this being said, enjoy my best wedding photos from 2018, and I can’t wait for you to see everything in store for 2019!
The Top 5 Benefits of Friday and Sunday Weddings
As I was going through all of my weddings from this year, preparing a blog post on my best wedding photos of 2018, I realized something. So many of my favorite weddings of the year were on Fridays and Sundays. I’m so thankful that these brides and grooms decided to have non-Saturday weddings, because if they hadn’t, I wouldn’t have been available to shoot their wedding date. During the busy season, my Saturdays book up around a year in advance, but I can keep taking on Friday and Sunday weddings. I even photographed a handful of week day weddings this year! I would love for more couples to start having non-Saturday weddings, so I’m laying out the top five benefits of Friday and Sunday Weddings.
Venue Discounts
Most venues offer discounts for Friday and Sunday weddings. With all that money you’re saving, you can afford to spend a little extra on other things that may be really important to you and your fiance, like beautiful statement floral pieces or those amazing designer shoes you’ve had your eyes on.
2. Vendors are more likely to be available
Wedding planners, photographers, and other vendors tend to get booked for Saturdays about 10-12 months or even farther in advance during the busiest months of the year. For Friday’s and Sunday’s, however, we are much more likely to be available on your wedding date.
3. You can plan a shorter engagement
If you have your heart set on a certain venue or certain vendor, you can have a shorter engagement without compromising anything that’s important to you since your preferred vendors are much more likely to be available on shorter notice. It would be so difficult to plan a wedding only a few months in advance if you were getting married on a Saturday in October for example (the busiest month for weddings here in Indiana), but if you move that to a Friday or Sunday in October, you can keep your preferred time of the year AND get your first choice of vendors! That means you get to marry the love of your life sooner!
4. Cheaper Flights
I know that the number one concern of most people when it comes to non-Saturday weddings is inconveniencing their guests. Both a Monday and a Wednesday wedding that I photographed this year had over 150 guests in attendance. If you’re having guests travel in from out of town, you can actually save them a lot of money by having a non-Saturday wedding, since they can book flights for cheaper days of the week. As an avid traveler myself, I try to always fly on Tuesdays or Thursdays whenever I can!
5. Portrait Locations won’t be as crowded
If you’re planning on using any public locations for portraits, they can be very crowded on Saturdays, especially if it’s a nice day outside. Friday and Sunday weddings can really help with being able to use locations you want, without the crowds. Earlier this year I shot a Friday wedding where we took most of our portraits on the Canal. We had almost the entire canal to ourselves! I shot a wedding downtown the next day on Saturday, and we had a difficult time keeping people out of the backgrounds of our shots.
Friday and Sunday weddings are becoming so much more popular, and there are so many benefits of having your wedding on a day other than Saturday. I hope these 5 benefits have caused you to consider a Friday or Sunday wedding if you weren’t before or at least helped with your decision!