Alice + Alex: The Wedding

I love the notes I get from my clients. They make my day. Since I have begun to limit the number of clients I take on each season I feel I have become even that much closer to the clients I have. They are such awesome people with such incredible personalities. So by the time the wedding day arrives I have been looking forward to it for so long that I am always just overwhelmed with joy.

Alice is definitely one of my awesome clients. I just adore her. She has such a laid-back and funny personality. I call her “lawyer dry” and what I mean is that her humor is delivered in a dry, serious tone and she almost always seems to be “all business” but once you get to know her she is laid-back and charming. Oh and she loves pink. And ruffles. And I love that she loves the color pink and ruffles. It must be so difficult to remain so girly in so many aspects while being so amazing in such a male-dominated field. Yay for being a woman, right? Hell yes, yay!

So this week I received this (note the dry humor — I love it!) note from Alice and it made my cheeks go hot it made me smile so big!

A note from Alice this week:
Angela -

I have to admit I am a little vexed with you:)  Here I am in the nation’s capital while Alex lobbys Congress…. in a shopping mecca…. greeted by fabulous museums… and now I just want to sit in my hotel room and check your blog.  I LOVE the first photo… and can’t wait for more.  Thank you so much for being a part of our day and for capturing the little moments that made it such a big deal.   We are ever so excited to see the rest - and thankful that still photos don’t reveal how badly we needed to take dancing lessons before our first dance (I guess I don’t take well to being led… tough luck for him for the next 50 years.)

Regards,
Alice Bartanen Blevins (and her groom too)

 See why I love her?

And I have known Alice for ages, or so it feels like. She hired me 18 months prior to her planned wedding day. Alice is the kind of woman who knows what she wants! And plans early to get it! I remember when she and her assistant came down to visit me — I think I had not even moved into my most current studio at that time — but I was still at Butchertown Market. Alice was very matter-of-fact and expressed to me, plainly and certainly, that I would be her photographer. She was passionate about having me present at her wedding day and it truly inspired me to hear her talk about my work so intensely. Her connection with my work was immediate and again — she knew what she wanted!

It was a number of months later that I met her now new husband, Alex. Not only do their initials match (Alice Bartanen & Alex Blevins) but their personalities also meshed so well. Alex is also a very serious man, with (as I could tell) a very serious desire to better his world. These are both people you would want on your side fighting for you, if you needed it.

We did their engagement session at the Indianapolis Art Museum. Here’s one of my favorites from the session when we went to downtown Indy:

 


Next, a few months later I photographed Alice’s bridals (in which she looked absolutely stunning!!).

 
But, finally, the wedding day was upon us.

It had called for rain (what is with the weather these days!?) but instead, of course, only sun and a wonderful, light breeze. It was a bit toasty but the festivities were all indoors and air-conditioned so that was of no matter. I had actually gone up to Danville (where the wedding took place) a day early as Alice had requested some rehearsal coverage. I stayed at the really quaint “Beaumont Inn” outside of Danville. The next morning, the wedding. The wedding was held on the Centre campus (Alex’s alma mater) and the campus is so beautiful! We photographed a number of portraits around the campus as it was a gorgeous backdrop. Alice looked so beautiful. When I took her outside the cottage she was staying in to take pictures I was taken aback but how gorgeous her skin was and how — inside the camera — the light was just falling so wonderfully on her face. I could have photographed her all day!

The ceremony was held at the church on campus. After the ceremony Alice and Alex drove off in one of my favorite wedding vehicles — the Gold Shield Rolls Royce. It was a perfect choice for Alice’s understated elegant theme. Immediately after portraits the reception was held at the Norton Center on campus. The guests were surrounded by wonderful art and photography (and the good vibes from all of the art that has come through the Norton!). Kevin Moreland played the beautiful music everyone enjoyed and Hollie Chambliss did the gorgeous (pink!) flower arrangements. They were truly gorgeous. And Alice truly outdid herself. I loved, loved all of the pink. The cake was awesome and all of the little details around the reception were a true delight. I know some of my blog readers will get some inspiration from Alice’s talents!

I feel as though I have been in communication and working with Alice for such a while now that I hate that the wedding is over and we will only be working on the album and then that is it. So Alice and I will definitely have to come up with some more excuses to get together or more things to photograph soon!!

I love this picture because it stills moment that really shows how Alice and Alex interact!

Note the pink crocs!