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.

October 31, 2019

FILED IN: Styled shoot

clown holds beer and stands in front of scarlet lane logo for this Indianapolis brewery photography

My friend, and one of the brewers at Scarlet Lane, approached me with an idea this fall. He wanted to do a parody mash up of the horror genre and of social media influencers. The idea being to take horror figures out of their spooky and creepy vibe and make them look like regular people. […]

August 15, 2019

FILED IN: Weddings

bride and groom hold hands and look at each other in garden at newfields on wedding day

The warm sun shined down through the humidity, backlighting Bryana and Darnel. They stood holding hands in the Four Seasons Garden at Newfields, after their ceremony had ended. Their bridal party and guests had all walked back to the reception in the Deer Zink Pavilion, and they were enjoying a few moments alone in the […]

December 10, 2018

FILED IN: Weddings

sunset over the pond at this willows wedding in broad ripple

The sun was setting over the pond next to the Willows on Westfield and the soft, yellow light was reflecting off the placid surface of the water. Flowers grew next to the water, adding little pops of color to the greenery on the banks. Standing in front of a patch of red flowers, Mike held […]

September 17, 2018

FILED IN: Weddings

bride and groom dance in barn while guests on dance floor and in balcony look on at this Lindley Farmstead wedding

The guests in the balcony all stood up from their tables and crowded along the railing, looking down at the dance floor below. Since there wasn’t enough room along the railing, some of the guests walked over to the stairs and stood on the stairs so they could have a better view of what was […]

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 […]

December 12, 2017

FILED IN: Engagements

framed by trees and flowers a beautiful young couple hugs while bathed by golden sunlight at the Indianapolis Museum of Art

The rays of sunlight filled the the garden with with a golden glow. In the middle of the garden, framed by trees and flowers John and Angela hugged each other. As they hugged at the IMA, smiles lit up their faces. The two of them couldn’t look at each other without breaking out into huge […]

November 27, 2017

FILED IN: Weddings

bride and groom look at each other with love in woods with golden sunlight in indy

Sunlight filtered through the leaves in a small copse of trees. Standing in the middle of the trees, backlit by the sun, Steve held Danielle around the waist. They looked into each others’ eyes and smiled, their mutual attraction unable to be contained even in front of a camera. I love these delightful moments from […]

September 6, 2017

I was fortunate enough to work with some of the most creative wedding industry leaders this summer. I can’t tell you how wonderful it was to work with people who understood my vision and over delivered. They completely exceeded my expectations. Coming away from seasons of blush, glamour, and sequins, it was time to explore new eras. […]

August 25, 2017

FILED IN: Other

Hendricks gin and hors d’oeuvres were at the ready at the Garfield Park Conservatory, just waiting for a group of Yelp Elites to visit and consume them while learning to make cocktails. The mixology class was held in the beautiful Horticulture Hall. The tables and chairs were surrounded by plants and the roof and walls […]

October 5, 2016

FILED IN: Weddings

The white flowers growing along the canal stretched toward the sun, leaning out over the peaceful water and letting their blossoms blow in the breeze. A raft of ducks paddled by in the water, disturbing the tranquil surface. Rachel and Jake paused near the beautiful flowers while walking along the canal. Standing close together, Rachel looked up […]