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.

March 9, 2022

FILED IN: Weddings

bride and groom hug in front of brown background during their indy canal wedding

Sunlight fell through the open window of Canal 337. Tyler stood near the window, the sunlight gracing his face, as Anna walked up behind him and gave him a hug. They both smiled. This was just one of the moments we created together during their portraits. Scroll down to see all of the amazing moments […]

February 11, 2020

FILED IN: Engagements

Couple wraps arms around each other in a city park while they laugh.

Megan and Jeremy had gorgeous weather for their Indianapolis canal engagement shoot. The Indy Canal Walk is great for those couples who want a mix of city and nature in their photos. Even though the location is popular, there are so many hidden gems that can make each session unique. After the first time chatting […]

October 2, 2019

FILED IN: Weddings

black and white photo of groom kissing bride on head during the cocktail hour of their canal 337 wedding

Standing in front of Canal 337, Jonathan wrapped his arms around Stephanie. He pulled her close, and kissed her on the side of the head. Behind them, their guests were enjoying cocktail hour and let out a small cheer of appreciation when they saw the two of them. We had so much fun capturing this […]

March 7, 2019

FILED IN: Portraits

dad and two kids sit on steps and laugh in these Indianapolis Canal family portraits

On the steps behind the Indiana State Museum, the Robertson family sat down to take a quick break from their family photos! While sitting there and listening to their parents talk, the boys both began to laugh. I raised my camera mid sentence to capture the moment. They were just so cute! I had so […]

January 22, 2019

FILED IN: Weddings

Bride and groom walk while laughing on patio of the Mavris in downtown Indianapolis

Part 1- Wedding Portraits, First Look, & Send-off This year was filled with travel, unique outdoor settings, beautiful ceremonies, and a ton of people in love. We can honestly say that in 2018 we had some of the best couples! We’ve included some of our favorite portraits to celebrate a wonderful 2018 season. Thank you […]

December 8, 2017

FILED IN: Weddings

stunning freelensing photo of a bride and groom in the white river park holding hands, the bride's face is in focus but not much else in the photo and leaves on the trees behind them are fading from a brilliant orange to a brown

The leaves had faded from a vibrant green to a muted, burnt orange.  On a sidewalk in White River Park, Grant held Amanda’s hand and looked at her lovingly. The breeze tugged lightly at the ribbon hanging from Amanda’s bouquet. It was a beautiful moment. I realized I wanted to shoot something a little different. […]

November 10, 2017

FILED IN: Engagements

After walking up and down the canal in downtown Indianapolis capturing photos of Lotti and Rodrigo, we decided to move away from the busy walkway for a few moments. On top of a bridge overlooking the canal, with less foot traffic, things felt a little more private. Rodrigo hugged Lotti from behind, pulling her close […]

July 7, 2016

FILED IN: Weddings

He found her on the balcony, looking out at the city. It was half way through their reception, and Lauren had stepped out on the balcony to get some fresh air. Allen walked up behind his bride and put an arm around her shoulders. She looked up at him and smiled. They were able to […]

April 14, 2015

FILED IN: Engagements

I really think our couples bring us great luck with the weather. In the middle of all the terrible weather we had in Indiana, we had an engagement shoot scheduled. The forecast was dismal. We were bummed, but then it ended up being one of the nicest days of the year. Not only were we […]

April 6, 2015

FILED IN: Engagements

I just love Erin & Evan! They are incredibly sweet. So, it is hard to describe how excited I was to capture their engagement, and how excited I am to be a part of their wedding, capturing beautiful images of their love story! The downtown canal walk was the perfect location to get a mix […]