Cath and Conor! South Bend/Notre Dame, Indiana Wedding

“I’m coming to liberate you, confiscate you, I want to be your man” – Bruce Springsteen

First wedding of 2019 for M.Rinaye!  Welcome Cath and Conor to the blog again!  [I just blogged their engagement session that we photographed the day before in downtown South Bend, see it HERE].

You guys!  What a gorgeous wedding!  I mean, Basilica weddings are generally pretty beautiful, but woah for this wedding.  AND, since it was the first weekend of March, in northern Indiana, there was a pretty big possibly the weather wasn’t going to be great, and possibly there could be snow on the ground.  BUT, the weather was warmer than the 9* that was predicted the week before, and there was no snow on the ground, and I think generally we kept everyone moving fast enough that we didn’t freeze terribly bad to get some beautiful photographs of their wedding day.

Cath is friends with my past brides Molly and her sister Morgan, and guys, I love every wedding, but seeing the same people over and over at weddings makes it feel SO much like I’m just part of the family. celebrating all the awesome love and marriages with my people!

So favorite parts of this wedding: the green room in Cath’s parents house we used for Cath’s bridal portraits [guys, I saw the room, and the lighting and was like, THIS is going to be amazing, and scroll on down because I was not wrong], Cath’s AMAZING sparkly shoes!  [seriously, as soon as I find some sparkle shoes I can shoot in, I’m buying them], the beautiful hallway of memories [see below for story], green three leaf clover sticker patches for all the guests [so unique!  I’ve never seen this before but I love it so much], the Corby’s experience [my first time in!], the most amazing band I’ve ever heard in my life [seriously, hire them, they’re AMAZING], and glow stick wands AND lastly, the epic dance/experience to Rolling on The River [figure out a way to be invited to their next wedding and GET IN ON THAT DANCE; it’s hilarious and awesome and amazing].

Cath and Conor, you’re day was just as delightful as the two of you are.  I can’t wait to finish up your full gallery and start designing your wedding album!

Cheers!
~Maike

*Cath has to be the MOST amazing aunt of all time.

*drool worthy, right?  I told you!

*Okay, so this photo above guys.  I was talking to Cath [or a sister?] about it, and how when their parents were first married, her mom ran across a framer who was going out of business, and had all these collage frames [like 30 of them], so she bought them all up, and each year for Christmas, she gifted one to her husband with a selection of last years photographs.  Every. Year.  She eventually ran out and had to get a new framer to match the old frames/mats, but she’s kept it up every year that they’ve been married.  So obviously after I saw the wall, and knew the importance [and also how many photos were scattered around their house], I was like, “We NEED a photo in there.” So we’re just about to leave, but I’m like, “One more!”…. and I couldn’t even give them the prompt of what to do before I was tearing up [having a kid CHANGES you guys; it makes you understand and feel so much more than before].  After finally sputtering out the directions, Cath and her momma walking down the hall of memories is one of my favorite captures.

*That Basilica blue ceiling, right?!?!  All the heart eyes.

*This is why you hire a second shooter.  Shout out to Peter for this amazing photo!

Hair : Traci from Bangs Salon and Spa

Make Up : Summer from Bangs Salon and Spa

Flowers : Polly from Poppies

Ceremony : Basilica of the Sacred Heart

Reception Venue : Palais Royale

Music : Rendezvous

Catering : Navarre Hospitality Group

Dress : Flair (Boston) – Theia

Brides Shoes : Nordstrom – Badgley Mischka

Bridesmaids Dresses : Elizabeth Johns (Philadelphia) – Amsale

MUSIC:
bride & groom first dance : Thunder Road, Bruce Springsteen
father & daughter dance : Beauty and the Beast/Higher and Higher, Jackie Wilson
mother & son dance : Fly Eagles Fly/ Days Like This, Van Morrison

BRIDE & GROOM Q&A:

Most memorable moment?

Cath : Seeing Conor when the doors opened at the Basilica as well as serving communion to all of our guests during mass and working behind the bar at Corby’s before the reception.

Conor : Watching Cath walk down the aisle.

Advice for future brides/grooms?

Cath : Take a step back every hour and soak it all in as you are surrounded by family and friends. Things will go wrong, but at the end of the day, you are married and that is what you came here to do!

Conor : Relax and enjoy it!

Funniest memory?

Cath : Watching our flower girls (nieces on both sides of the family) dancing the night away while everyone else was enjoying dinner.

Conor : Watching our friends on the dance floor.

If you could do it all over would you change anything?

Cath : No – it was so great and we were surrounded by so much love.

Conor : No

Honeymoon?

Yes! We’re staying at the Sanctuary at Kiawah Island, SC – it’s amazing!!!

Any others vendors you want to give a shout out to?

My dear friend, Emily C. Bailey, a graphic designer, created all of our printed materials – save the dates, invitations, programs, weekend details, place cards, and table menus. Our musicians at the Basilica were fantastic! Karen Kirner, organist, Rudy Reyes, vocalist, Jim Carter, trumpeter, and Morrow String Quartet were fabulous. Jake Stutzman from Vibe Videography was also incredible – can’t wait to see what he puts together! LaSalle Hospitality Group was fabulous for Friday night rehearsal and welcome party. The Embassy Suites South Bend at Notre Dame team was fantastic with different requests for our guests as well as hosting the post game after the reception.