Natalie and Tom! Indianapolis, Indiana Wedding Photography

“Your love is bright as ever
Even in the shadows” – John Mayer

Natalie and Tom and their beautiful Indianapolis Central Library wedding are HERE!!!!

And what a spectacularly beautiful day!  I LOVED photographing them and spending time with their awesome crew of bridesmaids, groomsmen, and best women ;).

I’m going to take a moment here and just let you know that green is one of my least favorite colors, but HOLY COW, how much do I LOVE their color scheme.  Maybe it’s the beautiful deep green that they chose for those dresses?  Maybe it’s that green with Natalie’s awesome red hair?  Maybe it’s those beautiful bouquet colors?  I don’t know, but I’m so much in love with it all!

Natalie and Tom did a first look, and if you read below, both the first look AND walking down the aisle were their favorite parts of the day [her for the first look and him for her walking down the aisle].  Lot’s of people think first looks take away from the aisle feeling, and here’s a pretty good example of how both moments of their day were incredibly special and wonderful in their own way.

Things I loved about this wedding: the colors [duh], that one groomsman who was all “Turn it UP!” basically the entire day [yay!!!], the adorable ring bearer [Tom’s nephew], who was so fun and charming throughout the day, but when it came time to walk down the aisle got a bit freaked out and cried the whole way walking towards Tom and the other groomsmen, while his sister the flower girl followed close behind with a bit of a bewildered look on her face, the AMAZING location [it feels like it fit Natalie and Tom PERFECTLY], the beautiful weather, and the awesome party!

Natalie and Tom, we’re so grateful you found and hired us to photograph your wedding day!  We loved spending the day with you and wish you all the best for your first year of husband and wife!

Cheers!
~Maike

PS: Special shout out to Ashley, awesome second shooter for the day!

Hair : Tyler Mason Salon Spa

Make Up : Tyler Mason Salon Spa

Florist : Special Occasion Designs

Ceremony/Reception Venue : Indianapolis Central Library

DJ : EventOne

Cake : Ritz Charles

Catering : Ritz Charles

MUSIC:
bride & groom first dance : XO, by John Mayer
father & daughter dance : Unforgetable, by Nat King Cole and Natalie Cole

BRIDE & GROOM Q&A:

Most memorable moment?

N: Seeing Tom for the first look. I was so excited to see him.

T: When Natalie was walking down the aisle.

Advice for future brides/grooms?

N: Know that all the details will work themselves out and have fun!

Funniest memory?

N: Getting to the cake cutting part and realizing we didn’t know what we were doing. Thanks for helping, Maike!!

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

N: No

T: No

Honeymoon?

Yes, we went to Mauritius, Africa, an island off the coast of Madagascar. Absolutely beautiful and relaxing.

Lastly, are there any other vendors that you LOVED and want to give a special shout out to?

Special shout out to Chrissy from Special Occasion Designs for her absolutely beautiful flower arrangements, Janelle for her wonderful coordination skills at the Indianapolis Central Library, and of course Maike and Ashley for fantastic guidance and capturing our day!!!!

Kellie & Jamie! Indianapolis, Indiana Engagement Photography

“The human race has one really effective weapon, and that is laughter.” -Mark Twain

So if there is one thing I learned about Kellie and Jamie during their engagement session, it is they love laughing together.  Now that I’ve typed that, I’m thinking maybe it sounds a little hokey, but seriously, these guys just totally love being with each other, and smiling, and laughing, and joking, and I LOVE it.

Having your photograph taken can sometimes be a little [for some of us, maybe a lot], intimidating, and weird, and it’s hard to step in front of the camera and be natural.  The more you joke and have fun, and act goofy in front of my lens though, the less hard it will be [and no worries, I help guide you through poses and prompt you with silly things to make you smile, and look adoringly at each other ;)].

BUT, back to Kellie and Jamie.. they’re awesome.  At some point in the session, we had a mini dance session in the park [was there singing?  I’m pretty sure it might have been prompted with some singing], and at another point, no kidding, Kellie recited all the words to the Fresh Prince of Bel Air.  It was magnificent!

I loved wandering around Indy with you, and finding sweet little Broad Ripple spots for these fabulous engagement portraits Kellie and Jamie!

Can’t wait to hang out with you again on your wedding day!

~Maike

Caitlin & Rob! Chicago, Illinois Engagement Session

“She is novelty; for she is never the Chicago you saw when you passed through the last time.” – Mark Twain

Meet Caitlin and Rob!!!  It’s hard to believe, since I lived in South Bend for almost five years, and I live in Indy now [totaling 5 years pre & post South Bend], BOTH being relatively close to Chicago, this is the FIRST session I’ve ever shot in ChiTown!

And of course with the Cubbies winning the World Series last week, it’s seems so appropriate I’m sharing my first Chicago engagement session this week on the blog!  [BTW: congrats Cubs!]

Caitlin and Rob were awesome, and had pre-scoped, and pre-walked a path for us to wander through for our session, and we were able to photograph some spectacularly awesome shots!  And while I did bundle up [scarf, layers, etc], the weather was actually really spectacular for wandering around the city [so glad we didn’t plan for the day before, because it was completely rainy and dreary out!]

Thing I love from this session [besides awesome Caitlin and Rob, of course ;)]: the great weather, the awesome skylines, the fabulous bridge, and the lovely big city Chicago atmosphere!

In case you were wondering, we walked a total of 2.7 miles during our shoot.  City session for the healthy train win!

Caitlin and Rob, I’m super excited to photograph your wedding next year!  So glad we were able to do Chicago together for your engagement session!

Cheers!

~Maike

Morgan and Michael! South Bend, Indiana Wedding Photography

“I needed the shelter of someone’s arms and there you were
I needed someone to understand my ups and downs and there you were.” – James Taylor

Morgan and Michael tied the knot!

You’ll notice a special someone in the brides awesome collection of bridesmaids, because Molly [Morgan’s maid of honor], was one of our brides last year!

And much like Molly and Jordan’s wedding, Morgan and Michael’s wedding did not disappoint!  There were so many special moments with this team of awesome people!

First, I have to say, the night before their wedding, I was scrolling through my instagram, and Molly posted a photo with the caption from the “Sisters” song, from the movie White Christmas [Ronald and I watch it every year on Christmas Eve :)], and the entire night it was in my head!  Then, while editing these images, I remembered that little tidbit and, totally in my head again!!!  So that’s my theme music for this wedding :).

Now onto the actual wedding!  Soft purple bridesmaid dresses for the WIN! Beautiful floral arrangements, and awesome wedding and reception venue [Tippecanoe Place], and awesome people and awesome party!

Newest favorite thing on a wedding dress: something called a ‘donut’, which is the shawl type thing around Morgan’s shoulders during the ceremony.  I LOVE how it made that dress look so different, glamorous and stunning!

And Morgan and Michael pointed out my two favorite moments of the day below as well: Morgan’s dad, Rufus’ speech… and Michael’s best man/brother Patrick, fluffing the tail of Michaels tux during the ceremony as Molly fixed Morgan’s train.

There were so many more beautiful moments though: the blue kiss paper [from Morgan’s first day at pre-school], and the awesome minister, who had candy treats at the end of the aisle for the flower girl and ring bearer [such a GREAT idea!], Dr./groom Michael, ready to abandon portraits to go help a dude that stumbled out of a car nearby and was laying on the ground [not to worry, after making sure there were other doctor-type people over there, we convinced him it it was handled], the beautiful tent on Tippecanoe’s grassy front lawn, the amazing weather, and just all in all an amazing beautiful day.

Morgan and Michael, thanks so much for inviting us to be a part of your wedding day!  We loved being there!  [It sort of felt like a mini-reunion since we were hanging out with your family just a year ago!]  Best of wishes for your first year of marriage!

Cheers!

~Maike

PS: Special shout out to Ashley, awesome second shooter for the day!

PPS: If you haven’t seen it yet, HERE are the Photo Booth images from the night!  They are GREAT!!!

Hair : Bangs

Make Up : Bangs

Florist : Michael Angelo Florist

Studebaker Getaway Car : Studebaker National Museum

Planner : Plum and Poppy Weddings [Beth McHugh]

Ceremony Venue : St. Anthony Catholic Church

Reception Venue : Tippecanoe Place

Emcee : Tyler Crowley

Band : Darryl Buchanan

Tent : Mutton Rentals

Videographer : Vibrant Video Productions

Dessert : Macri’s Bakery

Catering : Tippecanoe Place

Dress : MH Pomander

Tux : Bernardos

Bridesmaids Dresses : Bella Bridesmaid

MUSIC:
bride & groom first dance : How Sweet It Is, by James Taylor
father & daughter dance : Glory of Love, by Keb ‘Mo
mother & son dance : Don’t Worry Be Happy, edited by Nancy Rice

BRIDE & GROOM Q&A:

Most memorable moment?

Morgan: Seeing Michael for the first time that day when I was walking down the aisle. It felt like we were the only two people in the room.

Michael: Watching Morgan walk down the aisle

Advice for future brides/grooms?

Morgan: Take it all in and soak it up! It goes by so quickly

Michael: Enjoy the day!

Funniest memory?

Morgan: My dad’s toast! It was hilarious!

Michael: Getting my tux “fluffed” by my Best Man, Patrick

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

Morgan: Not a single thing! It was the most perfect day!

Michael: No way!

Honeymoon?

Yes, we are heading to tour Ireland for 2 weeks!

Lastly, are there any other vendors that you LOVED and want to give a special shout out to?

We really loved all of our vendors, however Beth McHugh from Plum and Poppy is the most amazing wedding coordinator! She made the day seamless and allowed us to relax and enjoy all of the love we were feeling!

Emma and Derek! Bloomington, Indiana, IU Campus Engagement Session

“In a great romance, each person basically plays a part that the other really likes.” -Elizabeth Ashley

Meet Emma and Derek!

If I’m remembering right, Emma and Derek have been together since high school up in South Bend and then went to different colleges for undergrad [Emma to Notre Dame, Derek to Indiana University], and then for their grad school, went to different colleges again [Emma to Indiana University this time, and Derek to Marquette University Law School, in Milwaukee (I hope I got that right :)].

So they have been doing this long distance thing for a LONG time!!!

BUT, luckily, we found a gorgeous October weekend to meet up for their engagement session in Bloomington, Indiana!

We did some nature shots right near Emma’s apartment [where, when I was leaving for the night, I saw three deer just hanging out by the road!], then we wandered around IU campus, which happened to also be game day, and we were asked by some non-IU fans, who we were rooting for… I claimed neutrality, and thank goodness was wearing neither colors for the teams ;)…. if you don’t know, I’m not a huge sports person, so conversations about sports teams maybe gives me a little anxiety :).

All that to say though, we had a BEAUTIFUL session!  The weather held out for us, and the light was magnificent, and we just wandered around and had a ton of fun!

And, hopefully Derek, who’s not a huge fan of having his photo taken, agrees with me, that the session WAS fun and not as gruesome as anticipated.

Emma and Derek, I’m so excited about your Notre Dame Basilica wedding next year!  YAY!!!  Can’t wait!

~Maike

*these two images [above and below], are maybe some of my favorite from the session… the words “think logically” and “act creatively” are PERFECT for these two!!!  Derek = law school, Emma = art school.  RIGHT?!?!  The image below I asked them to give me their best impression of ‘logical’ and ‘artsy’… LOVE it.

Taylor Family! Indianapolis, Indiana Family Portrait Session

“As soon as we saw you we knew an adventure was going to happen.” – Winnie the Pooh

Taylor Family!

So there are certain things as an artist/portrait photographer that are just certain truths.  Like, no matter how good you are, you can always find someone better than you.  And along with those truths, sometimes it’s easy to forget the journey you’ve been on and how far you’ve come, because it’s so easy to compare yourself to all these amazing other artists out there!

All that to say, photographing the Taylor family since 2010 has been AMAZING, and it’s so good for me, every year, to sort of reflect on where I’ve come from, and how I’ve grown.  When I link up to all their past blog entries I get to SEE exactly the same people through my lens then and through my lens now.

And it’s pretty awesome.

It’s also pretty awesome to hear how each photo holds a place in their heart, even though my style has changed and I’ve grown as an artist and photographer so much in the past 6 years, the meaning in those photos, and capturing those moments holds a lot of significance for my friends.

So… the Taylor Family!  If you are a long term blog follower, you know they have been on a crazy journey the last seven + years.  First they adopted Mia from Ethiopia, and then they got pregnant with twin boys, and finally they have added Eve to their tribe, also adopted from Ethiopia!  Which means they have three 3 year olds and one 2nd grader total!

As if that wasn’t enough adventure and crazyness for one lifetime, Sarah has also been fighting breast cancer for the last year…. and winning: 8 rounds of chemo, 2 surgeries, and 25 radiation treatments.

I know it’s really cliche to say, but I feel really blessed to know these folks, and to be able to have them in front of my camera once a year and create beautiful memories of their family, at whatever stage that looks like.

Travis and Sarah, you two are rockstar parents, and just so amazing and kind and wonderful human beings.  So glad to call you friends!

Cheers to you and all the hard things you’ve done so far in 2016!

~Maike

ps: Speaking of that whole learning and growing, HERE’s the first session we did, HERE’s the second session we did, HERE’s the third session we did, HERE’s the fourth session we did, HERE’s the fifth session we did, and HERE’s the sixth session we did.  Whew!  So many beautiful memories!

Meredith and Jeremy! Lafayette, Indiana Wedding Photography

“I felt my lungs inflate with the onrush of scenery—air, mountains, trees, people. I thought, ‘This is what it is to be happy.’” – Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar

Meredith and Jeremy’s wedding had Ashley and I traveling to Lafayette to shoot at their alma mater, Purdue University!

And you guys, it was gloomy looking initially… like, Ashley and I drove up in huge downpours of rain, and the night before their wedding, the wedding party was hanging out in the basement because of tornado warnings… BUT… miraculously, every single time we had scheduled to go outside and shoot, there was NO RAIN!

Like, every time.  They did a first look and it drizzled a little bit, so we went inside to do some shots, but 10 minutes later, we checked outside, and no rain… then their ceremony came, and it poured outside while we were in Fowler Hall, but then when we were ready to do family images outside immediately after, NO RAIN!

I mean, luckily, even if it had rained, the Union at Purdue isn’t a shabby place to take photographs, but I’m so glad we were able to wander around outside, ‘cause Meredith and Jeremy are self proclaimed nature lovers!

Besides the crazy weather, every other detail of their wedding was beautiful!  Their bridal party was so fun and go-with-the-flow, their reception hall was awesome, and the entire feel of genuine happiness was felt throughout the entire day.  I loved it.

My favorite part of this wedding though… MIGHT have just been the donuts… and while I’m not a donut  connoisseur [or maybe really, I’m a bit of an amateur connoisseur :)]… the best donuts I’ve ever tasted in my life come from northern Indiana… specifically from Rise’n Roll Bakery, which produces an amazingly simple awesome donut called the Cinnamon Carmel Donut [or, “Amish Crack” as the locals call it].  Uhm, you guys.  If you haven’t ever tried it, YOU MUST… also, if you’re trying to get on my good side and want to buy me a gift, in addition to massages, ThredUp and shoe gift cards, Rise’n Roll also sells their donuts from their website.  Just sayin.

But back to Meredith and Jeremy!  They really are the coolest, and we LOVED working with them!  I’m so excited for your adventure in Louisiana you two!  So glad you stumbled onto the M.Rinaye photography website and hired us for your wedding day photography!

~Maike

*also, just a heads up, the two images below are why we try to sneak you out during golden hour, I mean, LOOOOOOOOOK at how beautiful the lighting is, and how warm and glowey and romantic!!!

Hair : Evan Todd Salon & Day Spa

Make Up : Evan Todd Salon & Day Spa

Florist : Red Fox Flowers

Ceremony Venue : Eliza Fowler Hall in Stewart Center at Purdue University

Reception Venue : South Ballroom in Purdue Memorial Union at Purdue University

Sound/Lights : DJ Connections

Dessert : Donuts – Rise N Roll in Fort Wayne, IN

Catering : Purdue Memorial Union

Dress : Justin Alexander dress from The Bride to Be [Ft Wayne, IN]

Shoes : Merona, Target

Bridesmaids Dresses : Watters, from The Bride to Be [Ft Wayne, IN]

MUSIC:
bride & groom first dance :  You Are the Best Thing, by Ray LaMontagne
father & daughter dance :  The Way You Look Tonight, by Frank Sinatra
mother & son dance : Somewhere Over the Rainbow, by Israel Kamakawiwo’Ole

BRIDE & GROOM Q&A:

Most memorable moment?

Meredith: Reciting our vows to each other, seeing and hearing the weight and meaning of his words to me and mine to him. c.

Jeremy: Our last dance of the evening to Closing Time by Semisonic with all our friends and family circling us as we danced.

Advice for future brides/grooms?

Meredith: Remember the real meaning of the day and put the most time and effort into the ceremony.

Jeremy: Don’t try to do everything yourself on your wedding day. Turn your phone off and ask your friends and family for help.

Funniest memory?

Meredith: Seeing everyone’s awesome dance moves on the floor, mine included.

Jeremy: My father-in-law’s toast. He is typically a man of few words but had quite a few things to say about Meredith at our reception.

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

Meredith: Eat more dessert.

Jeremy: I would have brought our cat, Puddles.

Honeymoon?

We are taking our honeymoon two weeks after the wedding in St. Lucia. We will be staying on a cocoa plantation in a small cottage in the middle of the rainforest.

Lastly, are there any other vendors that you LOVED and want to give a special shout out to?

Our flowers (Red Fox Flowers), DJ (DJ Connections), and ceremony site (Fowler Hall) were awesome to work with. Required very little time and effort to set up, communication always went smoothly, and extremely friendly to work with.