Saint Vincent de Paul Catholic Church Wedding: Adam + Ashleigh

The perfect wedding day began with Ashleigh, her mother, Adam's mother and Ashleigh's bridesmaids and flowergirl getting hair and makeup done at her parents home in Huntertown, Indiana.  Amy Waldroup from A Day Away Salon and Spa did two fabulous updos for Ashleigh on her wedding day.  First, a graceful half-updo to compliment her veil and tiara and second, a playful sideswept ponytail with a flirty feather hairpiece for the reception.  Katie Kindness from Alter created an elegant updo for the bride's mother, Kim.

Ashleigh (such a divine bride!) wore a breathtaking strapless dipped neckline and corset closure satin Maggie Sottero gown which she found at Touma's Bridal Shoppe (along with her tiara and veil).  Her Ambrosia bridal dress had glamorous embellished lace accenting the entire bodice, a soft shimmer satin skirt, lace and handmade flowers nestled in the bustled train.  "She looked absolutely majestic," one guest said.  Her amazing flowers throughout the day were created by Ceruti's.

The gorgeous purple bridesmaid gowns with flower petals gracing the back of the dress were from Touma's Bridal Shoppe.

This was our brief attempt to get nine grandkids to sit still for one brief moment.  LOL!  : )  I felt right at home (after all, my hubby and I have five bouncing little ones ourselves).

The handsome groomsmen's tuxes were from Men's Warehouse.

Ashleigh and Adam have been dating for, well...forever!  They were high school sweethearts.  They got engaged the day after Christmas in 2008.  Adam proposed by taking Ashleigh on a very nice date (she got to choose the restaurant so they headed for one of their favorite local pizza joints...Pint & Slice downtown Fort Wayne).  Adam then took her ice skating, followed by a carriage ride through Franke Park to see all of the Christmas lights on display.  It was on the carriage ride that he slipped the engagement ring onto Ashleigh's finger under the blanket and asked her to marry him!  That is SO sweet!!  I just LOVE their proposal story.


Adam and Ashleigh finally tied the knot on June 2, 2012 at their home church of St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Fort Wayne, IN.  The atmosphere and all of the details were perfectly romantic.  "Today I married my best friend!" Ashleigh said.  No one could deny the joy in both of their eyes all day long!

Ceruti's Summit Park Diamond Room was decorated with sprays of purple lights, candles and flowers.

At their seat, each guest received a gift of love...a jar of homemade jam made by some of Ashleigh's friends and decorated by hand by Ashleigh and her mother.  

The amorous and fun mood that filled the air was infused with cool live jazz being performed by Alicia (a friend of the Tippmann family) and some very talented IPFW students.

Beautiful!  The cake was beautiful!!!  Kudos to you Bagel Station!  The adorable retro floral cake topper was found on Etsy (btw, SO many of my brides are Etsy-fanatics!).  Ashleigh is now using it as a decoration in her house!  I love that she is recycling her wedding decor!!!!

Wow!  The amazing table top ice sculptured martini bar kept guests coming back all night long.  And Jerry Berghoff from Pro DJ kept the reception dance floor hoppin!

Thank you Adam and Ashleigh for bringing me along on the photographic journey of your engagement and marriage.  It has been an honor to share in your joys.  May God bless you, keep you and ever light up your lives with His Hope!


To view the full proof gallery from this Wedding on ShadowlandsPhotography.biz, please contact Adam or Ashleigh for permission to acquire the passcode. You can also see more pictures from this session (as well as other clients' sessions) on Facebook.com/ShadowlandsPhotography and ShadowlandsPhotography.com.

Healthier Moms and Babies: Baby Pictures!

When I first became a professional photographer, I remember being overwhelmed with the number of social service providers in our community that were in need of GOOD photography...whether to help promote their cause to philanthropists, to serve the needs of their group or to solicit volunteers.  But rarely do non-profits have the opportunity to hire professional photographers as part of their marketing and fundraising budgets.  If you are a photographer, please consider donating some of your time and energy to someone (or a group of people) who might not otherwise have the chance to enjoy and utilize great pictures.  If you are not handy with the camera, there are SO many other ways you can help organizations and individuals in need!  Get involved!  BE the change you want to see.

Sally Edington of Healthier Moms and Babies reached out to me a few years ago to let me know about some of the needs of her non-profit group.  And for a couple of years now, I have happily been able to provide a picture day for the sweet mommies and kids who benefit from HM&B.  HM&B is a perinatal outreach project based out of Saint Joe Hospital and their goal is to improve the outcome of pregnancy and reduce infant mortality by providing health education and case management to at-risk families.

Just look at the beautiful smiles on the faces of just a few of the wonderful little lives being impacted by the great people at Healthier Moms and Babies!

If you feel like this outreach project is pulling at your heart strings, you can help them make a difference in our Fort Wayne community!

To view the full proof gallery from this Portrait Session on ShadowlandsPhotography.biz, please contact Sally at Healthier Moms and Babies for permission to acquire the passcode. You can also see more pictures from this session (as well as other clients' sessions) on Facebook.com/ShadowlandsPhotography and ShadowlandsPhotography.com.

FREE Bonus Gift with any Portrait Session this week!

This week only...all portrait sessions include a bonus gift of an iPhone 4 or 4s custom photo case! Session must take place this week on or before Saturday, June 30th! May not be combined with any other offer or discount. Spaces are limited! Contact us at 260-307-2876 to book.

Big Greek Wedding: Krista + Ben

I have always wanted to photograph a big Greek wedding and over Memorial Day weekend, my wish came true!  Enter the Greek goddess Krista and the handsome Ben who swept Krista off of her feet when they met in college.


Krista got ready in her parents' home alongside her side of the family, just like Kiki (her mother) had done and many generations before.

Ben prepared himself for the big day with his family at the Hyatt Place.

The wedding ceremony took place at the gorgeous Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

In the Greek Orthodox tradition, there are so many symbolic moments during the ceremony.  One of my favorites was the Crowning.  The priest took the crowns  (or "stefana") from the altar table, blessed Krista and Ben, and then placed the crowns on each of their heads.  The wedding crowns are joined by ribbons which symbolize the unity of the couple and the presence of Christ who blesses and joins the couple.  Ben and Krista's sponsor then exchanged the crowns over their heads to seal the union, followed by a celebratory processional around the altar.

Ceruti's Summit Room was the perfect venue for Ben and Krista's reception.  We needed lots of space to accommodate all of the lively dancing!  There was the Bread Dance, Kalamatiano, the Tsamiko, the Tsifteteli, and the Zembekiko (a great dance where money was thrown at the bride and groom for good luck!).  It was SUCH a celebration!  I even got sucked into the dance line quite a few times myself!  God bless you richly Krista and Ben!!!  Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to capture the essence of your wedding day!  What fabulous, energetic, loving and faith-filled families you both have.  ~ Lesa

For permission to view the full proof gallery from this Wedding Session on ShadowlandsPhotography.biz, please contact Krista or Ben for the passcode. You can also see more pictures from this session (as well as other clients' sessions) on Facebook.com/ShadowlandsPhotography and ShadowlandsPhotography.com.

Engagement Session at Cincinnati Reds' Great American Ball Park: Amber + Mike

For Amber and Mike's engagement session, we headed to the place in which they fell in love...Cincinnati, Ohio!  We met at the Reds' Great American Ball Park and had so much fun exploring downtown Cincinnati's many beautiful locations to shoot.  Aren't they adorable?!  For permission to view the full proof gallery from this Engagement Portrait Session on ShadowlandsPhotography.biz, please contact Amber or Mike for the passcode. You can also see more pictures from this session (as well as other clients' sessions) on Facebook.com/ShadowlandsPhotography and ShadowlandsPhotography.com.