Amanda and Paul are Engaged! Preview! {Northwest Indiana Wedding Photographers | Southshore Photography in Northwest Indiana}

Jose and I had an awesome time with Amanda and Paul! They came all the way out from Ohio for their engagement session in our little corner of Northwest Indiana...so Jose and I felt pretty special. Ok, well they DO have family here so we may not have been the ONLY people they were looking forward to seeing, but we like to think we were. ;)

Amanda and Paul are one of those couples that you can just tell they adore each other. It also doesn't hurt that they are outrageously cute. We're so glad that we will get to be a part of their wedding in July 2010!

Why, you ask? Well, besides the obvious fact that they are hopelessly in love (and we LOVE love!), they also have approximately 12 million cool points stacked up:

*They loved our work enough to book with us all the way from Ohio!
*They are going to have an antique car (which if you haven't already noticed, we LOVE!)
*They arranged plenty of time for a super amazing separate location shoot of just the two of them after the ceremony (Score!)
*They are going to have sparklers....woo-hoo!
*and well, they are just AWESOME. The proof is in the images. :)

Yep, Amanda had some pretty stunning bling. Paul picked it out!

We already warned you that these two are outrageously cute!

Amanda rocked the red heels. Love them!

For this shot, Amanda and Paul were cool enough to stick around after sunset so Jose and I could experiment with some new off-camera lighting equipment we brought along. We can be hard to stop when we're on a roll. Thanks for staying after dark with us! :)

Amanda is crazy gorgeous!!! Can't wait to see her rock the wedding dress!

Some more off-camera lighting experiments! :)

So cute!

Thanks for coming out with us and for just being awesome, Amanda and Paul! We can't wait for the big day! :)

Congratulations, Kelly and Todd! {Northwest Indiana Wedding Photographers | Southshore Photography in Northwest Indiana }

Jose and I had a fabulous time with Kelly and Todd! Not only did we LOVE Kelly and Todd, we LOVED all the details of their big day. We had plenty of time to get some awesome, relaxed, romantic shots of the two of them (that's our specialty!). Plus, I'm just a sucker for fall. Throw in a antique car and I'm swooning. :)

Kelly and Todd, you rocked it!

How cute is this? Todd sent this little message to Kelly while she was getting ready for the big day!!

Todd definitely has some competition though....this little guy is pretty cute, too! :)

Todd looking dashing...

Kelly, you are GORGEOUS!!

The guys...

These guys can't stay serious for long though!!

Holding back tears...

BEAUTIFUL ceremony!

I don't think there was a dry eye in the house...

The new Mr. and Mrs.!!! :)

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE when we have plenty of time for a relaxed, romantic shoot! It's such a great way to reconnect and remember what this day is all about. Kelly and Todd are ADORABLE. We had so much fun during their session! :)

Plus, Jose and I love having a chance to experiment and really flex our creativity!

Oh yeah, they worked it.

Kelly and Todd had a fabulous fall wedding...

Congratulations you guys!! Thank you for letting us be a part of your big day. And Kelly, yes, let's definitely all go for coffee together! :) We hope you had a fabulous honeymoon!

Congratulations, Lisa and Jason!! {Southshore Photography in Northwest Indiana | Northwest Indiana Wedding Photographers}

The way they look at each other, oh the way they look at each other! If Jose and I didn't already know, we would have never suspected that Lisa is a Sox fan and Jason is a Cubs fan. These two make it work and are madly in love...maybe there really is hope for us "all just getting along!"

Lisa and Jason are adorable...we had such a wonderful time! Everyone was laughing and smiling all night, and my heart seriously melted when I saw the way Jason looks at Lisa. The proof is in the images... we were so happy to be there to capture their FABULOUS fall wedding.

The gorgeous bride sporting a Sox jersey on their big day! If Jason only knew... ;)

Getting handsomfied! Yep, I just made that word up. :)

Beautiful! Beautiful! Beautiful!

This church was awesome to shoot in...it had such a cozy feel. I loved the light coming in from the windows at the side of the altar.

Lisa and Jason's wedding colors went beautifully with their church. And wow...Jason might as well have two cartoon hearts for eyes here! How sweet is that!!?!?! They are so much in love.

The first kiss!

Congratulations you two!! And by the way, LOVED the candles in the aisle!!! Absolutely beautiful. Future brides out there, take note. :)

Fun bunch! Even in the cold. :) We're glad they stuck it out for some group shots!

Lisa is gorgeous x 100.

He knows he's a stud. Working it for GQ here... :)

Although Lisa and Jason don't exactly agree when it comes to baseball (Cubs vs. Sox!), we knew that they are both huge soccer fanatics! Jose and I were practically jumping up down when we saw the nets...

They are both kids at heart... lots of laughs all day!

Thank you for letting us be a part of your big day, Lisa and J! You two are amazing...much love and congratulations!! :)

Tami and Luke! {Wedding Preview} Northwest Indiana Wedding Photographers | Southshore Photography in Northwest Indiana

Tami and Luke's wedding was FANTASTIC! They are just one of those couples that you can tell from the moment you meet them that they just adore each other. When we met up with Tami and Luke (and Inky, their adorable dog!) for their engagement session last winter, Jose and I knew right then that their wedding was going to be fabulous...they both have such fun-loving personalities.

Tami and Luke went out of their way to make Jose and I feel like friends, not just photographers! The best part of what we do is getting to know such amazing couples like Tami and Luke. We were thrilled to be a part of such a wonderful wedding.

Here, Tami is doing what she does best! Tami is actually a Mary Kay consultant, so of course she and all the girls in the bridal party had fabulous make-up!

How cute is this??!?! Luke did his little brother's hair. I must say, both of them looked quite handsome!

Maid of honor extraordinaire.

Beautiful dress and....

beautiful bride!

Her hair looked amazing!

Tami's mother helped her get her necklace on...a wedding gift from Luke.

He lost his first tooth! A big day for everyone! :)

LOVED the fall colors! Tami's mother did all of the flowers believe it or not! They looked beautiful.

Tami and Luke are so much in love! I have to admit, I started to tear up a bit.

The first kiss!

Adorable!

Loved how unique the cake was! A very pretty complement to the color palette of the wedding.

Everyone had a great time!

Tami and Luke, we hope you enjoyed the preview as much as we've enjoyed working with you guys! Congratulations! :)

Michelle and Jim {Wedding Preview!!} Congratulations! {Northwest Indiana Wedding Photographers | Southshore Photography in Northwest Indiana}

Michelle and Jim's wedding was FABULOUS! Jose and I had an amazing time...they are an amazing couple so we shouldn't have been suprised! I also shouldn't have been surprised that I was so enamored with their wedding....I've discovered that Michelle and I have an unusally large amount of favorite things in common. The color pink. Damask patterns. Mexican food. Whale Wars. Wedding dresses with mermaid silhouettes. Texting. The totally bizarre and random list goes on!

We had such an amazing time with these two! Whether we were trekking through murky fields and getting eaten by mosquitoes during their engagement session or getting to know their wonderful friends and family who adore them (and can tear it up on the dance floor, by the way!), we had a blast. You can tell how much these two love each other, and we were so honored to be able to document that!

Michelle was a GORGEOUS bride...

The flower girl was adorable x 10 million. She had to have known. :)

Michelle had been waiting for this purse for forever...Jim kept it hidden from her and promised she'd get it on their wedding day! Here's her reaction. Trust me, Jim, your plan worked...she was ECSTACTIC!

Simply stunning...

Jim and his father...

This was such a sweet little moment in the limo! Straight up cuteness...if I must say so myself.

Beautiful!

Michelle and Jim kept sneaking in little moments like this during the ceremony. It was pretty adorable! They really can't get enough of each other.

They were so excited! I love the way Jim is looking at her! I think they were anticipating the best part...

The first kiss!

Not only was the bagpipe music awesome, it was a subtle tribute to Jim's grandfather. I love when couples incorporate their own personal meaning and cultures into their wedding.

The reception held at the Avalon Manor in Merrillville was BEAUTIFUL! No detail went unnoticed. Jose and I always have a great experience shooting there.



Michelle and the girls!

Fun group!

Jim got pretty wild on the dance floor...the crowd loved it!

NOTHING could top his dad's splits though!!! WOW. Jose and I thought we had seen it all! It was amazing!

Michelle and Jim, we were so happy to be a part of your big day! Thank you for making us feel like we were friends or family. We hope you had a fabulous Hawaiian honeymoon. :)

Jill and Kevin's Engagement Session Preview!! {Southshore Photography in Northwest Indiana | Northwest Indiana Photographers}

Let me first start this out by saying that Jill and Kevin are an AMAZING couple! They were so much fun to hang out with (and basically be goofy with) at the Indiana Dunes in Chesterton! Jose and I were so happy we were able to meet up with them for their engagement session...especially after the original date we had all planned was a definite no go. There were tornado warnings and some pretty intense storms here in Northwest Indiana!

Thankfully, we had much better weather for our Plan B date...and we had an AWESOME time with a super cute couple! We can't wait for their wedding in June at Griffith Lutheran Church and the Avalon Manor in Merrillville!

Jill and Kevin picked the dunes for their engagement session because Kevin loves being outdoors, and they both love going to the beach together. Nice choice guys! It was so nice that Jose and I decided we need to go the beach there more often!

The water, sand, and sky around sunset definitely made for some nice images. Oh and yeah...the incredibly ADORABLE couple didn't hurt either! ;) I love this shot.

A good 80% of the session was spent laughing...we had so much fun with Jill and Kevin!

This is one of my (many!) favorites of the day!

And this is one of Jose's (many!) favorites...

Jill's beauty really shines through in this image...you can tell how much Kevin adores her.

Jose and Kevin did some landscaping for this shot. :) I thought a log would look cool here so they dragged it up the dune fom the beach! Go Kevin and Jose!

Ok, THIS shot may be my favorite!

Jill and Kevin, you guys are awesome! We hope you enjoy these previews...can't wait for the big day! :)

Congratulations, Erik and Laura! Wedding Preview! {Southshore Photography in Northwest Indiana| {Northwest Indiana Wedding Photographers}

Erik and Laura's wedding was a beautiful mix of Mexican tradition and glamour. It was GORGEOUS!

Laura was such a stunning bride, too...she practically glowed! You could tell how excited she was to be marrying Erik...everyone around her was so happy to be in her presence. Especially Erik! The way those two looked at each other...wow.

Their wedding ceremony was held at St. Andrew the Apostle Church in Illinois, and their reception was held at Avalon Manor (which Jose and I love!) in Merrillville, Indiana. It was a fabulous day with a fabulous couple!

Laura looking absolutely GORGEOUS during some finishing touches!

Erik helped everyone get ready. How cute is this little guy?!?!

Jose caught Erik's father, Jesse, looking especially distinguished here on his son's big day. I love this shot!

This was a great moment! Laura's grandmother is a wonderful woman! Between the two of us, we had a little bit of a language barrier, but her smile and kind eyes said it all...

So beautiful!

This church was stunning...

It was such a beautiful ceremony...

This little guy was SO excited to be a part of Erik and Laura's big day...watch his expression as he walked back to the pew. He knew he did a good job and was super proud. ADORABLE.

Erik and Laura took part in Mexican wedding traditions, including the Lazo cord. The lasso is not only a beautiful part of the ceremony; it symbolizes the union of their marriage.

I love how proud Erik looks! They are such a beautiful couple!

Back at the Avalon Manor in Merrillville, IN we had plenty of time to get some awesome shots with their getaway car! Jose and I were in love with this car, and we LOVE that Erik and Laura built in some time for romantic shots! So to sum up...we highly recommend including time for just the two of you, AND we highly recommend a cool antique car. ;) You can check out Chauffeured Classics for the classic car. Roger, the owner (and chauffeur) was a great guy and the car was a photographer's dream! We had a blast with Erik and Laura!

You can tell Erik and Laura just adore each other. Jose and I are so happy for them!

SO cute. Erik's really digging that kiss from Laura!

Glamour break! Laura's on-location stylist was there to help her stay fabulous all day! I loved what he did with her make-up and hair.

Gorgeous cake!

Not only did Jose and I get to eat a great, vegan meal (thanks again, guys!), the mariachis during dinner were awesome! It was wonderful that Erik and Laura incorporated their Mexican heritage into the wedding. They also both had family members come from Mexico to be a part of their big day!

Their first dance...

These two are SO in love!

Their friends and family had such a good time celebrating with them!

Laura's brother shows them how it's done!

This little guy was a dancing machine!

Congratulations, Erik and Laura... we hope you enjoyed this preview! Thank you for letting us be a part of your big day! :)

Jennifer and Matthew's Wedding Preview! {Southshore Photography in Northwest Indiana} {Northwest Indiana Wedding Photographers}

Ok, I may be pointing out the obvious, but Jennifer and Matthew are ADORABLE.

There's more to these two than just being ridiculously cute, though! When our car got stuck in the snow after their engagement session, Matthew went out of his way to help us! Jennifer and I laughed a majority of the day, and her personality was infectious even though it was freezing! After getting to know Jennifer and Matthew during their session, Jose and I hoped that their wedding would be perfect...and it definitely was!

There were signs of good luck everywhere for them, too! From the ladybug that Jennifer found on her gown to her grandmother's handkerchiefs
and lucky penny that she carried with her down the aisle...

The flower girl always worked it for the camera! :)

Gorgeous!



Jennifer and Matthew decided to do a "first look" before the ceremony...Jose spotted this butterfly right before Jennifer appeared while Matthew was waiting to see his beautiful bride! Another sign of good luck! :)

A little alone time before the rush of the day begins!

The officiant, Rev. Dennis Montella did an amazing job. He walked around during their vows, allowing Jennifer and Matthew to face their guests or each other. It was a beautiful ceremony!

This was right before their first kiss...did I mention that they're adorable?

Their details at the reception were just as beautiful as the ceremony.... all those good luck signs must have paid off! Everything went perfectly as planned!

Notice the image in the glass? We loved that Jennifer and Matthew incorporated their engagement session images into the wedding! Jose and I always love to see that! It makes everything so much more personal...or maybe we're just a little vain and like to look at our own work! Probably both. ;)

So, what do you do after a perfect day? You party!

This crowd knew how to have a good time!

Jennifer and Matthew, your big day was filled with good luck, but we all know you two won't need it! Congratulations you guys! :)

Our New York Trip! Farm Sanctuary, Watkins Glen/Ithaca, Seneca Wine Trail, and Niagara Falls! {Southshore Photography}

Every year, Jose and I take a road trip to upstate New York for Farm Sanctuary's annual hoe down. As many of you may already know, we are both vegan and very passionate about animal protection issues...so Farm Sanctuary is basically a dream! Their annual hoe down is a great way for us to relax, camp out, get some great shots of the scenery, meet other liked-minded individuals, and of course, spend time with the rescued animals!

Theresa, a rescued cow, was AMAZING! We found this sweet little girl hanging out by herself. She is mising her left eye, so when I came up to her, she turned around to get a good look at who was giving her some lovin'! She is such a survivor.

This turkey girl was super friendly...and a bit demanding for affection! She came up to me and kept yelling until I pet her! I sat there for a while and gave her some affection, but when I decided to get up and leave, she wasn't having it and decided to tug my hair! It was adorable, so of course I had to stay a bit longer. Notice her smug "I got my way look" in the last shot! :)



Marino was such an AWESOME turkey! When I talked sweet to him, he would come over and show off a bit! At one point, he also did a little dance and stomped his feet. He knew he was cool...

This is Stryker....Jose and I wanted to take him home with us! Stryker is a sweet little boy who couldn't get enough affection. He kept following us wherever we went...in and out of the barn! Whenever we would pet him, he would snuggle into the straw.



Stryker strikes again...here he asks Jose to pet him now!

When Jose did (and Stryker got his way, of course....who could resist?), he laid down and closed his eyes several times. It was adorable. I miss Stryker!



The turkey girls loved affection and hanging out with their friends on a beautiful day! This is the way life SHOULD be!

When we visited the pigs, they had just finished up their lunch. A few of the especially clever ones stayed back and checked for leftover crumbs while the others left for the pasture. The sweet little girl below even lifted up the trough to see if there was anything underneath! Not surprising, considering that a pig is smarter than a three year old child! After getting every last bit, it was out to the pasture with the rest of the pigs! :)



The sheep were so sweet...it was impossible to love up just one! Someone else would always get jealous and come over for some affection, too! Often times, I didn't have enough hands...

These two goats could not get enough of each other! It was so amazing to witness the friendships and bonds that many of these rescued animals formed at Farm Sanctuary.

Mmm...that must have tasted good!

This sweet little rescued chicken still has feet and leg problems. Chickens raised on factory farms are genetically bred so fast that their legs and feet can't keep up and often break. Thankfully, this chicken has been rescued and is being well taken care of by the caring people at Farm Sanctuary. To learn more about factory famring issues, please click here.

This is Autumn and Brady...they were rescued seperately but have been inseperable since they met at Farm Sanctuary. Their adorable story is here.

All of the animals at Farm Sanctuary are living, feeling, beings that have their own stories. Sometimes their stories have sad and often tragic beginnings, but each has been given a happy ending thanks to those who have cared! Jose and I encourage you to check out Farm Sanctuary and the work they do on behalf of animals.



After camping out at Farm Sanctuary for the weekend, Jose and I spent the week checking out the state park, eating awesome vegan food (such as soy cheeze pizza!), going to tastings along the Seneca Wine trail, and visiting Niagara Falls! We had a blast!

Mmmm...vegan cheeze pizza at Pizza Aroma!

Niagara Falls!