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.

August 1, 2022

FILED IN: Weddings

bride and groom under beautiful stone arch during their Minnetrista wedding

An overhang outside Minnetrista provides a rare spot of shade in the middle of the property. At noon on a sunny day, it makes a great place to take photos. So we chose this location to do the first look with Sam and Priscilla, and it did not disappoint. Sam’s face also did not disappoint […]

June 2, 2022

FILED IN: Weddings

beautiful blonde bride standing in front of steps of building for her unique wedding photos

A soft breeze blew across the quad at Ball State University, lifting the lace of Sara’s dress and tousling her blonde hair. She lifted the skirt of her wedding dress and spun in the breeze taking in the day. Her groom Adam stood watching, a smile on his face, as he watched Sara having her […]

December 1, 2021

FILED IN: Engagements

man with long hair hugs blonde woman in downtown muncie engagement session

As the sun was setting in Muncie, its last rays came across lighting up Sara and Adam as they hugged. Adam leaned down to kiss Sara on the cheek. It was a magical moment. I had so much fun shooting this downtown Muncie engagement session with these two! We started this shoot on Ball State […]

August 23, 2019

FILED IN: Weddings

bride and groom kissing at sunset with sun setting over the bride's shoulder for their muncie wedding photography

As the sun set over the field of wildflowers and grass, Kathryn and Nate hugged each other. They kissed on the side of a small pond, in the most beautiful light with plenty of warm tones. This was just one of the many sweet moments from Kathryn and Nate’s wedding day! There were so many […]

August 2, 2019

FILED IN: Engagements

man in blue shirt hugs woman in floral dress during their Ball State Engagement

The setting sun turned the green grass to a light golden color. Standing in front of an evergreen tree with the sunlight streaming down behind them, Kathryn and Nate hugged. They laughed and smiled, and Nate kissed Kathryn on the cheek. There were so many gorgeous moments just like this during their wonderful Ball State […]

April 25, 2019

FILED IN: Weddings

groom in burgundy suit kisses bride in white dress at sunset during their East Central Indiana wedding

As the sun was dipping below the horizon, we ran outside to do a few photos of Makenzie and Kyle. We were losing light fast, so we only had a few moments to make some magic happen. Caught up in the moment and the romance, without me asking for any poses, Kyle hugged Makenzie and […]

March 8, 2019

FILED IN: Portraits

a family stands backlit by the sun in their minnetrista family photography session

Backlit by the sun, and standing in front of the woods, Joe and Jackie Gauder held their adorable children. I am so glad the Gauder’s booked a family portrait session with us! The Gauders are past wedding clients of ours and we’re so glad that they keep choosing us for their portraits! Especially since it […]

October 20, 2016

FILED IN: Portraits

mom, dad, daughters, and grandparents hold hands and walk across grass Muncie Family Photography

The sunlight shined down through the trees at the Minnetrista! The light caught the glass of my camera lens, and left a beautiful orange flare on the photos. The Driscoll family, three generations of them, held hands and walked along a path together. They were smiling and laughing the whole time! I had so much […]

June 9, 2011

FILED IN: Senior Pictures

I had been nervous getting into seniors because of the drama.  Yes. I’m a wedding photographer worried about drama in… senior portraits.  I had been a photographer in college and worked with mothers before and it was not a good environment.  I have to say, this was not what I was expecting when I got […]

July 28, 2010

FILED IN: Other

After much rest caused by a pretty tough first trimester, I’m back on my feet ready to work! My blog has fallen pretty far behind but I have frequently updated my facebook page. To see recent work please visit: Link to Facebook Thanks for visiting!