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 4, 2022

FILED IN: Weddings

bride and groom dance outside Allison Mansion/Riverdale during their Marian University Wedding

The gardens around Allison Mansion were filled with trees, providing a lot of shad even at noon. Mat stood in the shade, as Abby walked up behind him and tapped him on the shoulder. He tuned around and looked astonished at the sight of her. Then they hugged and kissed and danced in the shade […]

March 2, 2021

FILED IN: Weddings

bride and groom standing on steps and looking into each other's eyes at a mill top wedding in noblesville

The sun light filtered through the sky light over the stairs. Laura and Bob stood on the stairs, just moments after their first look, backlight by the light. Laura grabbed Bob’s jacket and pulled him close for a hug. This was just one of the amazing moments we captured during Laura and Bob’s portraits. We […]

July 9, 2020

best masks for photographers collage of steven van elk in different masks in park

If you’re a photographer who has to work or is choosing to work during the COVID-19 pandemic, then you’ve probably been looking for a good mask. I was too. I wanted mask that looked professional and felt comfortable. After doing some Amazon searches, I thought I found one that was perfect. Well, I’ve shot a […]

February 3, 2020

FILED IN: Weddings

Some of our best work in 2019. Grab a box of tissues and keep it handy! We had some amazing couples last year who were madly in love and couldn’t hold back the emotion! Those couples also had amazing families that were overwhelmed with emotions too! We only cried a little bit selecting these photos […]

August 13, 2019

FILED IN: Weddings

man and woman stand for wedding photos at indianapolis art center before their indiana landmarks wedding

The green leaves of the trees soaked up the warm sunlight on a beautiful day in July. It was a little hot, but the Indianapolis Art Center grounds looked beautiful in the midday sun. Sigal walked up behind Ben and tapped him on the shoulder. He turned to look at her for the very first […]

August 9, 2019

FILED IN: Weddings

groom kisses bride on the head at sunset at the end of their Tinker House Wedding

The warm glow of the setting sun illuminated the green tree leaves. The leaves turned from a dark green to a lovely golden color. Under the tree, Bertram hugged Jylian and kissed her gently on the side of her head. We loved capturing this whimsical Tinker House wedding! This wedding was so much fun to […]

June 27, 2019

FILED IN: Weddings

bride and groom walking and laughing at sunset at norris estate wedding

The sun was setting over the pond and a cool breeze was gently rustling the cattails. Heather and Jay walked, holding hands away from the pond and the beautiful sunset. They were smiling and laughing as they went to rejoin their friends and family at the reception after a brief round of sunset photos. I […]

June 25, 2019

FILED IN: Weddings

mesh wedding with ashley and chris posed in light filtered through a stained glass window in the indiana statehouse

Standing beneath the domed stained glass in the Indiana Statehouse, Chris held Ashley in a loving embrace. The dark and moody light gave the moment an intimate feel. We just love this beautiful wedding at the Indiana Statehouse and Mesh on Mass Avenue! A big thanks to all of the vendors who helped make this […]

April 17, 2019

Lisa Mark Hines and Rebecca Lozer of the Secret Life of Weddings Podcast

So this is super cool! We were recently asked to do a guest spot on one of our favorite podcasts! The episode just came out, and we couldn’t be more excited to share it with all of you! Steve and I got to sit in and comment on wedding horror stories with Lisa Mark and […]

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 […]