Wedding Advice & Photography

Two things we are confident in: Wedding Planning & photography. Van Elk & Co is made up of a team of photographers who love to create portraits of love & happiness and share advice for wedding couples.

This isn't your typical photography blog. We share useful info for couples who are getting married and those who are heading that direction. Let us show you pretty things while you fill your head with all things wedding planning.

December 12, 2018

FILED IN: Weddings

a blonde bride looks up at her bespectacled blonde groom at sunset at their rathskeller wedding

The sunlight was fading. We only had a few minutes before it would be gone completely. I spoke with the bride and groom to see if they wanted to do sunset photos, and they did. We only had about a five minute window to get them done though. We rushed downstairs from the Athenaeum Theater […]

September 19, 2018

FILED IN: Weddings

bride and groom under umbrella backlit by warm light on a rainy Neidhammer wedding day

The rain was coming down in sheets, and there wasn’t a break in the clouds. Victoria and Mike stepped outside for a break from their wedding festivities. While outside, they huddled together under a transparent umbrella. It was quiet outside. It was one of the few places they could have a moment alone during their […]

September 6, 2018

FILED IN: Weddings

The water from the brief rain hadn’t yet evaporated and clung to the slats of the deck in little pools. Hope had to raise her dress as she walked out onto the deck to keep her train from getting wet. Once out in the middle of the deck, in an unusually dry patch, Hope and […]

August 15, 2018

FILED IN: Weddings

windswept bride holds dress up in front of black gate with greenery with groom outside the mavris

Greenery clung to the thin black bars of a rolling gate in downtown Indianapolis. In front of the gate, Sierra and Clayton, newly wed, held hands. They had only just left their ceremony to do a few photos. They were so excited though that they couldn’t look at each other without smiling and laughing and […]

August 2, 2018

FILED IN: Weddings

bride in modern chic wedding dress stands with groom in two piece tux in moody window light, woman behind man and clutching his arm

The light from the sun permeated the glass window at the Mavris. It’s light filtered into the room where Lily and Zack were standing looking out at downtown Indianapolis. Lilly was standing behind Zack, her arms wrapped around his and her eyes looking upward toward him. A smile had broken its way across not just […]

May 30, 2018

FILED IN: Weddings

Man holding woman on stairs of omni severin at night

We arrived in the afternoon to capture some getting ready shots of Candace and Bryon at the Omni Severin in downtown Indianapolis. I was focusing on wedding photography while Steve was busy capturing video. Once Candace and Bryon were ready to go, we headed over to Lockerbie for their first look. The way they looked […]

May 24, 2018

FILED IN: Weddings

a groom with a lei kisses a bride in front of the boughs of an evergreen tree

The green needles of the conifers were vibrant from the spring rains, and the boughs of the trees struggled upward under their weight at Meridian Hills on Megan and Ian’s wedding day. Megan and Ian stood in front of the trees as they waited for their reception to begin. Ian turned to face Megan, holding […]

January 18, 2018

FILED IN: Weddings

Wedding Photo of Groom and Bride in front of Indiana Statehouse in Winter with Snow on Ground

The temperature was in the single digits, but at least it hadn’t dipped below zero. There was a layer of snow on the ground from the previous day. All of downtown Indianapolis looked stunning dressed in white though. Standing out in the cold in front of the Indiana Statehouse, John held Angela lest she become […]

November 29, 2017

FILED IN: Weddings

a bride and groom stand in a triangle of light under a bridge in downtown indianapolis on their wedding day

The bridges for the train tracks ran together over South Street in downtown Indianapolis. Because of the angular way the came together close to the Alexander hotel, they formed a rough triangle. The sun’s light penetrated through the gap. Because of this, there was a beautiful contrast on the street beneath between the light and […]

November 20, 2017

FILED IN: Weddings

The sun had already fallen below the rooftops of the buildings downtown, so I wouldn’t necessarily call this a sunset shot. Instead we set up a flash and placed it at the right distance and angle behind the Bing and Spike to give the same feeling and glow as a sunset shot. I couldn’t be […]