Jared & Kate have this easy going love that must be born from being high school sweethearts. They laugh so easily together and as obvious as it was they are in love it was just as clear that they are best friends. I can't wait to watch them take the next step in their journey this year when they tie the knot. Thanks for turning me into a stormchaser! It was worth it!
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Michelle Hamstra Photography NW Indiana Engagement and Wedding Photographer
I was so blessed to be asked to photograph Jason & Alesha's Wedding last week! They are joining their families and were so excited to start their journey they skipped all the details of planning an elaborate wedding and jumped right in! One of the most amazing parts about this day was watching everyone in their church community gather together to bless them with an amazing day! There was a buzz of joy and excitement in the air everywhere you went. Thank you so much for allowing me to share in your special day!
I never cease to remind Lori that she was the first person to invest in me as a professional photographer! It has been such a pleasure to be able to document Triniti's life from maternity pictures until now! She is growing up to be such a smart, witty, beautiful girl and she is adored by everyone who knows her. Thank you CJ & Lori for letting me share in your life!
What were you doing during Chicago's coldest week ever recorded? Ryan and Brittany were getting married! Who could have ever guessed when planning their wedding that they would be getting married in the middle of a blizzard? The plunging temperatures and non-stop snowfall didn't dampen Ryan and Brittany's spirits though. They braved the elements and we had a great time laughing and creating these beautiful images - and I would venture to say Mr. Polar Vortex only made their weekend more beautiful and more memorable!
Ryan and Brittany, thank you so much for allowing me to share in your special day. It was such a joy to see how loved you are by so many people and how perfect you are for each other!

Ryan and Brittany, thank you so much for allowing me to share in your special day. It was such a joy to see how loved you are by so many people and how perfect you are for each other!
I've said it before and I'll say it again... photographing someone's wedding is such a privilege. To know someone is trusting me to accurately and beautifully capture one of the most important days in their lives is so humbling... and so fun. I love being able to spend the day with brides and grooms and see their excitement, their nerves, their first look, their joy. Thank you Brent & Corinne for letting me share in your special day. It was beautiful.
Corinne was breathtaking. Watching her get ready with her mom and her friends was contagiously exciting!


And Brent was equally handsome.

Corinne and her girls didn't stop laughing the entire time we were taking pictures. They were all having a blast!



And the guys, looking tough.

I couldn't get enough pictures of Corinne.


Even the details were beautifully done.

I loved the white pumpkins!

Okay, I loved the orange ones too. :)


And the moment everyone was waiting for. :)



And my favorite part... time with the happy couple. :)
Weddings this late in the year are always tricky... but we managed to catch the tail end of the sun. :)
These next images take my breath away.


*fave*






Love this.


But who needs the sun? A little off camera lighting made these images some of my favorite of the day!



And the whole crew:

The reception was a blast. I loved how they incorporated Brent's Texas home into the cakes. :)




Congratulations again Brent & Corinne!
I'm behind on blogging sessions and this is only the first picture from their session that I've edited... but I had to post it I love it so much. :)

A super fun engagement session!
I love engagement sessions. Its no secret that they're my favorite things to do! This one was super fun. :) And I just couldn't bring myself to narrow it down for the blog post... So get ready for a blog novel. :)

























Nothing is quite as flattering as having someone book you to do their wedding photography, especially when they don't know you personally! Because I'm a 100% referral based business (you can tell I don't even advertise via blog much!) it means a lot to me when people book me.... it usually means they know someone else who was happy with my work.
I'm excited to be shooting Brent & Corinne's wedding next month! This will be my last wedding before maternity leave so I plan on going out with a bang. If they turn out nearly as awesome as their engagement pictures I think we'll all be thrilled.... then again, I'm not sure its possible for this couple to take one single bad picture. :)









These are a blast from the past... but epic!
Get ready... its a long one!
























Collin & Stephanie were married last month. It was a beautiful and sweet ceremony that was so much more about God than about themselves. They wrote their own vows and I must confess... I teared up. :) They are clearly in love with each other and I hope they are half as in love with their pictures as I am. :)
Speaking of love, I fell in love with this wall as soon as I saw it. I actually built all the other locations around where this wall was!


How cool do these guys look?

She's a rock star for the day. And she looks good doing it. :)

I love the cuves and lines of this picture. I'm secretly addicted to it. Every time I see it I kind of smile. :)

Peeking in on the Mr. & Mrs.

Look how intensely Collin is staring at Stephanie! I love this one.

A sweet finale to our outdoor shots.
I really wanted to capture something softer than all the urban funkyness that we rocked out. I practically had the bribe the limo driver to stop near this field... but I'm so glad he complied. This was so worth it to me.

And finally... the first dance. A personal fave.

Collin & Stephanie, your wedding was beautiful. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of it!
I love my work. Its crazy, slammed, wild right now but I do love it. I'm sorry for all of my clients who don't get blog love but its not personal! Its just that it took everything I had just to get your proofs to you!
I'm thinking about "back blogging" just to get some of my work up here but so often I look at my "old" stuff and I don't like it enough to post it... haha...
But nobody came here to read about my poor business skills... they came to see my work! So, enjoy this recent engagement session I had. More soon. Honest.
Talk about a striking couple, right?







