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A wedding reception at The Allure | Laporte IN

Ben — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 20:00:04 +0000

I was lucky enough to take wedding pictures at this AMAZING wedding reception at The Allure in Laporte Indiana earlier this summer. While The Allure is relatively new on the wedding reception scene it is an absolutely breath taking venue that offers brides

and grooms the opportunity to treat their guests to an incredibly unique wedding reception experience. One of the things the blew me away about this reception venue is the fact that you’d just never expect to find such an amazing space in such an unassuming

area. To get to the Allure in Laporte you drive down a residential street to what looks like an old gym building and in fact that’s exactly what it is, but you would NEVER guess it by looking at the inside. The venue features balconies, a grand staircase, massive

chandeliers, and the most amazing dance floor you’ve ever seen in your life! Of course none of this really matters if your guests aren’t being taken care of and luckily the staff at The Allure is top notch, I’ve never been kept so well informed about the schedule

of events and any time anything was going to happen they’d make sure I knew about it. The food was also DELICIOUS! =) All in all it was an incredibly fun evening for everyone and I’d like to give a big shout out to Chris Pahl and The Party People DJ service for not

only keeping everyone out on the dance floor but bringing in some incredibly cool lighting that gave this venue an even more amazing look that night! If you’re looking for a DJ who can not only keep the music rocking but go above and beyond with a light

show as well you’ve got to call Chris and The Party People!! Also, this was a 2 photographer wedding and I’ve included a couple of shots of the other photographer working the same shot as I am… one of the great things about 2 photographers is that when they work as a team you don’t just get “more” photos you get complimentary photos that work together to capture a more complete wedding story. I just love the “behind the scenes” feel of the photos, it gives you an idea of just what it might be like to have your picture taken on the wedding day!!

In the photos: Matthew Whittlock check out his work here!!

The Lighthouse at Sunset | Saint Joseph Mi

Ben — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 06:13:07 +0000

The wind was howling all day so the waves were really crashing into the lighthouse and pier head off of Tiscornia Beach in Saint Joseph Mi. tonight! I made it down there with my camera just in time for the sun to drop between the clouds and the horizon, we

had this incredible sunset for all of about 10 minutes and then the sun was gone! There were at least 15 photographers down along the lake documenting the sunset and trying to avoid getting the whipping sand in their gear or eyes. Definitely a good way to end the day!

A Wedding Reception at The Veranda | Saint Joseph Mi

Ben — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 03:45:41 +0000

The Veranda at the Whitcomb is relatively new when it comes to wedding reception venues in Saint Joseph Mi but what it lacks in history it makes up for with location and ambiance. The Veranda is situated at the top of the bluff in downtown Saint Joseph

overlooking the Saint Joseph River with a wonderful view of Lake Michigan and the light house. While the views from the Veranda are beautiful the real beauty of the location from a wedding photography standpoint is the fact that you’re so close to the beach

that you don’t have to change your wedding day schedule around to accommodate taking pictures at the beach!! As you can tell, Lisa and Justin took full advantage of this by heading over to Tiscornia Beach for a few beautiful portraits after the ceremony

and we were still able to make it back in time for the end of the cocktail hour! Ok so obviously it’a great location but what about the venue itself? I think it is best described as the perfect blank slate for any wedding. It’s close to everything, it has elegant

columns, a ceiling that’s pre-rigged for whatever sort of lighting or decoration you choose, it’s color scheme will work with any color you can image, and it is wide open so there’s always great light and a bit of a breeze! If you’re in the market for a great

wedding venue close to lake Michigan with amazing views and and nearly unlimited flexibility and potential the Veranda is quite possibly the place for you! Many thanks to all the great vendors who came together to make this day a huge success: Stella Event

Design, Kasl, ProShow, All Star Productions, Beikmann Associates, CK Catering and of course the Rockin band who not only got this party started but kept it going all night long!! I think we’d all agree that Lisa & Justin were a fabulous couple to work with and I certainly wish you guys all the best going forward, congratulations to you both!!!

Family Portraits in Saint Joseph Mi | Lifestyle Portraiture

Ben — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 05:25:28 +0000

Our friends the Zuberts were in town on vacation from Minneapolis last week to see family so we took the opportunity to go do some fun family pictures in downtown Saint Joseph Mi. It was fun to get away from the typical family beach portrait session for a

change and go for something a little more Urban in Southwest Michigan! Of course it doesn’t matter WHERE you do the pictures you’ve got to expect to spend some time working with the kids trying to catch that ONE moment where neither child is whining,

running, screaming, distracted, or just plain missing….wait didn’t you bring 3 kids to this shoot??!! I think these are the only 2 pictures that fit all of those criteria! Ha ha, OK so I’m joking about that but they were definitely two of my favorite pictures from the session and it just so happens that they were both taken with my new toy the canon 45mm TS!! (photographer speak for fun lens) Anyway I figured I’d throw a couple up since I’ve been so bad at blogging lately and this is an easy thing to blog. What can I say blogging takes time and between my day job and the kids there’s just not enough of that to go around! ha ha

If you like the pictures, leave a comment and let the Zuberts know!! =)

A Wedding at Millcreek Barn in Southwest Michigan

Ben — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 03:40:25 +0000

Megan and will got married at Millcreek Barn in Southwest Michigan just over a month ago, and these are just a few of my favorite wedding pictures from their fabulous retro style barn wedding! As you can tell from looking at the wedding pictures everything

about this wedding screams style and the 50′s retro theme was carried out to perfection!! Of course it’s one thing for a bride to have style it’s a whole other matter if she’s got style and can do it on a budget! Yep… everything at this wedding is hand crafted

by loved ones… how about those PAPER FLOWERS for the center pieces… Megan made those with the help of her incredibly crafty mom and all of her moms friends! And then there’s Megan’s wedding dress which she bought second hand and altered herself to

fit the style of the wedding day. Oh yes did I mention that she bought the flowers for her bouquet at A New Leaf in Chicago and MADE her own bouquets and boutonnieres before the wedding!!! Ok so I think you’re getting the picture, she’s stylish and crafty

but wait there’s more… Megan and Will both served in the Peace Corps in Africa for 2 years (apart) before getting married… they said it wasn’t easy but if it worked out (which obviously it did) =) it was meant to be!! Ok so I think you get the picture, awesome

people, awesome wedding, amazing barn reception… what more could you ask for! How about the perfect venue? Millcreek Barn is owned by the same amazing couple that owns the Blue Dress Barn and it’s clear they took everything the did to make the

Blue Dress Barn amazing to a whole new level with Millcreek! Everything from the way the space is laid out to the grounds around the barn to the color and rustic decorations inside are just exactly what you’d hope for if you were looking for a space to get

married in out in the country! While Millcreek is certainly beautiful if you’re considering having your wedding or wedding reception at a Barn you should definitely check out BOTH Millcreek and the Blue Dress Barn because they are both wonderfully

unique and one just might strike your fancy or suit you style more than the other! I certainly can’t wait to go back and shoot more weddings there in the future! Congratulations to Megan & Will I hope you love the pictures as much as I do!

Let us know what YOU think of the pictures… leave a comment!

AND if you want to see even more pictures of this incredible barn wedding check out the post Stella Event Design did with some of our pictures HERE!

Vendors:
Event Planning: Stella Event Design
Butterfly Release: Joyful Butterflies
Venue: Mill Creek Barns
Catering: CK catering

Sneak Peak :: Jay & Jackie’s wedding in Saint Louis

Ben — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 07:59:29 +0000

I’ve known Jackie for about as long as I can remember, we grew spending the summers in Michigan down the street from one another, and our families have always been connected at the hip so when she asked me if I’d be willing to travel to Saint Louis and shoot her wedding of course I said yes! While I love shooting weddings normally this was a particularly fun one because my entire family was there… my sister was one of the maids of honor, my brother flew in from DC, my parents were there, and of course my wife and 2 kids were there too!! It was a beautiful day filled with wonderful moments and at the end of it all you just had to wonder… could 2 people be any happier together? I doubt it! Congratulations you guys!

Engagement Photos at University of Michigan | Ann Arbor Michigan

Ben — Tue, 25 May 2010 06:37:10 +0000

This is the first time I’ve had an opportunity to shoot engagement photos on campus at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor but I certainly hope it’s not the last! Engagement pictures are fun to shoot just about anywhere but on a campus as beautiful as UofM’s

the possibilities for pictures are basically endless, we could have spent another 2 hours just walking around finding random places to take pictures but in the end we decide to call it a day and go eat something instead ha ha! One thing that I think helped make

this engagement shoot so successful at UofM was the lack of a plan… ok correction, it wasn’t like we didn’t plan anything, we just planned NOT to have a set plan which is usually for the best when it comes to engagement photos and here’s why. When you are

shooting at a place for the first time or even a place you’re familiar with it’s almost impossible to know exactly what sort of light you’re going to have to work with and what might be a great location for a fun portrait in the morning could potentially not work

at all in the afternoon or vice versa. While any photographer worth their salt can make just about anything “work” you’re much better off if you can work WITH the light and either compliment it with your own light from a flash or a reflector or something like

that. The last resort is typically over powering the sun although that’s always an option if you bring along the right equipment. Personally speaking when I’m doing an engagement session I travel light, work with the light as much as possible and that worked

out great for these portraits in Ann Arbor!! When I met up with Alex and Jessica by the Union we decided we’d just go check out the campus and look for places with great light, the fact that they were so open to different possibilities meant we could focus on area’s with great light at that moment rather than trying to stick to a pre-determined schedule. In the end I think the engagement pictures turned out great and I can’t wait to go back to the campus at the University of Michigan for more engagement photos in the future! Congratulations to the amazing couple, Alex and Jessica, thanks for wandering around campus with me, I hope you love the pictures as much as I do!

Wedding Photos in Southwest Michigan | Vineyards and Beaches

Ben — Thu, 20 May 2010 00:19:25 +0000

My sister in-law tied the knot this weekend at a beautiful park in Southwest Michigan. The wedding ceremony was short and sweet and it was hard to miss just how excited the happy couple was to finally be married! While the entire day was lots of fun my favorite

part as usual was the photo walk. As soon as the ceremony and reception were drawing to a close the happy couple waved good-bye to the guests and off we went to capture some beautiful pictures in the fading sunlight. One of the things I love about

shooting weddings in Southwest Michigan are the limitless possibilities for beautiful pictures that you can find almost anywhere you go. This vineyard for instance wasn’t a planned stop and in fact it isn’t really much of a vineyard it was just a field of grapes next to

the road where we decided to hop out and take a few pictures, 15 minutes later we were heading on to the beach. By the time we actually made it to the lake the sun had set but there was still plenty of light coming from the horizon so we ran down to the

water and made the most of the light that was left! All in all it was a beautiful wedding day and we couldn’t have asked for a more perfect ending (except for the part where I dropped one of my cameras into the lake… opps!!) But hey that’s why you bring back

up gear to the wedding right!! =) Don’t worry the pictures were fine and the camera dried out and works like new now!! Anyway I just want to finish by saying CONGRATULATIONS to Elizabeth and of course… welcome to the family Bryan!!

Blue Dress Barn Wedding | Southwest Michigan

Ben — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 06:41:28 +0000

Here’s a collection of relatively random images from another fabulous summer wedding at the Blue Dress Barn in Southwest Michigan. If you’re considering the Blue Dress Barn for your wedding reception you’ve probably read all the great reviews about

what a beautiful and unique venue the barn is for both wedding ceremonies and receptions and everyone’s right it pretty much rocks! Laura and Brian were blessed with a beautiful day, that started out at the barber shop with the guys for hot shaves and

ended with the guests partying the night away in the barn and enjoying the bonfire and s’mores out back. Aside from all of the wonderful moments and portraits we captured throughout the day one of my favorite things about this wedding in particular were

the details! The wonderfully creative and talented Mandi Buckland was in charge of the wedding planning and event design and she blew us all away with her thoughtful details, wonderful color pallet, and creativity! I love how Mandi kept so many of the

details personal and managed to make them feel right at home in the barn as if they belonged there all along! If you’re considering getting married at the Blue Dress Barn or really anywhere you should definitely consider hiring an event planner to

help you not just with day of co-ordination but bringing your vision for the perfect wedding to life!! I’ve talked to a lot of people who think hiring a coordinator is an unnecessary added expense but that couldn’t be further from the truth! Coordinators don’t

just set up time lines, coordinate vendor meetings, and help brides who are planning from a distance, they help brides maximize their budget creatively and get the most bang for your buck while personalizing your wedding day! It may sound counter-intuitive

but if you’re planning a fabulous wedding in all likely hood hiring a coordinator will not only save you time it will save you money in the long run! Anyway like I was saying the details were wonderful and complimented the barn setting beautifully, as the guests

walked in all you could hear were a constant stream of oohs and ahhs as people marveled at what an amazing space the barn is. If you’re looking for a rustic space that will charm your guests with it’s unique qualities you’ll be hard put to find a more perfectly

suited reception site! One added bonus of course is the fact that while you may feel like you’re a million miles from anywhere it’s actually quite easy to get to from the highway so if you’ve got guests coming from out of town they won’t have a problem getting

here! All things considered it was a pretty amazing wedding day and the bride and groom have the pictures to prove it! Congratulations Laura and Brian and thank you for the opportunity to work with you on your wedding day!!

Be sure to check out Mandi’s website by clicking here Mandi Buckland | Element Event Design
Or click here to view more Blue Dress Barn weddings photos OR check out the brand new Millcreek Barn wedding venue!!!

Trash the Dress | Round Barn Winery | Southwest Michigan

Ben — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 07:48:39 +0000

Here are a few pictures from a Trash the dress session at the Round Barn Winery in Southwest Michigan this past fall…. (yes I know I am WAY behind on the blog) The shoot was put together by a friend and fellow photographer Monika Caban (Monika Caban

Photography) who organized a DWF gathering here in Southwest Michigan. It was a lot of fun working with everyone and seeing all the different ways people could approach the same picture and scene! I think aside from the gorgeous pictures the one thing that

surprised us all the most was just how patient Linzi and Brice were, they were simply amazing and put up with wind, rain, and cold to allow us to capture all sorts of pictures! While trashing the dress may sound harsh its actually a lot of fun and really there’s no

reason why you’d actually need to trash the dress. We’ve done quite a few sessions similar to this where the dress actually came out just fine, the whole idea behind the session is to be able to go take pictures you simply didn’t have the time to take on your

wedding day. Some couples book a bridal session/trash the dress shoot to celebrate an anniversary while others book them just weeks after the wedding just to have fun and have an opportunity to take pictures they never would have dared to take on the

wedding day! We can get crazy with the picture ideas or play it relatively safe and keep you clean and dry it’s up to you! The only thing we guarantee is that you’ll have fun and love your pictures! Many thanks to Linzi, Brice, and Monika for setting up such a fun opportunity for us all!