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.

November 4, 2022

FILED IN: Engagements

man in jean jacket and woman in sweater sit on picnic bench in front of lake and lots of fall foliage during their brown county engagement session

The leaves on the trees were all changing, from greens too yellows and oranges and reds. Those colors were reflected off the surface of Lake Ogle, providing a beautiful backdrop for photos. After hiking around the lake, Kendall and Connor paused to sit on a picnic table and admire the spectacular view. It was just […]

August 2, 2022

FILED IN: Weddings

a woman hugs another woman from behind in front of bokeh during their lockerbie engagement session

A set of fairy lights twinkled softly on a small tree as the sun slowly descended toward the horizon. On the sidewalk in front of the tree, Danielle and Erin hugged and laughed. Because of the pandemic, these two moved their wedding ceremony with friends and family from the bay area to Indiana. I think […]

April 19, 2022

FILED IN: Engagements

man and woman prepare to kiss during their carmel at-home engagement session

The sun hung low in the sky. The leaves on the trees caught its light, keeping it from gracing the ground below. Sara and Joe stood in the dappled shade, under the trees, reveling in each other’s company. The two of them looked to be perfectly in love and at home with one another. We […]

March 6, 2021

FILED IN: Engagements

man and woman drinking beer in biergarten during their Rathskeller engagement

Condensation dripped off the outside of two glass beer mugs on a hot summer day. The beer mugs were in the hands of Meg and Kevin as they sat on a stage in the biergarten at the Rathskeller. The sound of their laughter as they talked echoed off the hard wood of the stage floor […]

November 30, 2020

FILED IN: Engagements

young man and young woman kiss in front of Eagle Creek Reservoir

A small strip of land runs through the water at Eagle Creek reservoir. Just some dirt packed around rocks with plants growing up between them and wide enough for four people to walk across. A few small trees reach up toward the sky on either side of the land and in a gap in the […]

November 7, 2019

FILED IN: Engagements

man and woman stand under wine club sign for their Louies Wine Dive engagement portraits

Big tungsten bulbs lit up a sign that read, “Wine Club” on the wall of Louie’s Wine Dive. Standing under the sign, and under a chandelier made of empty wine bottle, Ali and Eric stood with glasses in hand. They were sharing a drink at one of their favorite places in Indianapolis. I had so […]

July 24, 2019

FILED IN: Engagements

man and woman hold hands and smile in front of graffiti during their fountain square engagement shoot

A few plants grew up through the cracks in the cement, partially covering the beautiful mural on the wall of a building in Fountain Square. Fountain Square has a knack for allowing artists to paint stunning graffiti art murals on their walls and that makes it one of my favorite places to shoot. It’s one […]

September 14, 2016

FILED IN: Engagements

The setting sun shimmered through the patchwork sheet of cirrostratus clouds draped across the sky. Behind the blue-gray clouds the sky was transitioning from navy blue to midnight blue, like the color of the ocean water far from shore. Cody and Jaclyn stood holding each other, backlit by the beautiful sky. Smiling, they gazed deep […]

May 20, 2016

FILED IN: Engagements

The bridge at Coxhall Gardens had an easy three-centered arch, with a spacious sidewalk along the thin waterway at the center of the lake. The light of the sun reflected off the surface of the water and off the smooth, polished intrados of the archway underneath the bridge. Grace and Jordan paused on the walkway, […]

April 27, 2016

FILED IN: Engagements

The light of the setting sun, warm and golden, reflected off the buildings in downtown Indianapolis. A line of buildings stood with their backs to the sun, only catching sight of those golden rays of light as they reflected off the surrounding buildings. One building, with thin, vertical windows, ensnared those reflections in its windows, […]