If there's one thing Indiana does well, it's fall foliage and if there's one place to soak up the magic of the Midwest for wedding photos it's at The Eden!

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I love the sprawling property far away from the city bustle and the sunset photos are always stellar. It's a great choice of wedding venue for any couple wishing to have a celebration in the country.  It's also a fantastic choice for the couples who want to have as many aspects to their wedding handled by one vendor as possible. At The Eden not only do they offer the venue but also catering, florals and full bar service. With an onsite bridal suite and seating for well over 300 guests, it's the perfect venue for weddings that have a large guestlist. 

Matthew & Grace tied the knot in the fall and as is common with Indiana weather, mother nature was not big on cooperation that day. But, it's the job of a wedding photographer worth their salt, to be able to create amazing art no matter the circumstances and thanks in part to the gorgeous (and HUGE) arched windows inside the venue, many of my favorite images from the day were created in front of one window with some amazing backlight. 

Grace chose a blush tone wedding color palette which complimented the light aesthetics of the venue but also popped against the fall foliage. But the real show stopper was Grace's wedding gown. The simple design with a high slit, button back and most importantly...POCKETS! Grace also chose to add a removable lace cape which she wore during the ceremony for some added flare. Her whole glam was exquisite. Based on Matthew's reaction during their first look- I think it's safe to say, he agreed. 

wedding-photos-j3designs-photography-the-eden-best-wedding-photographers-in-fort-wayne For those couples planning a wedding and reception at the same venue, I highly recommend considering a First Look with each other. A quick insight into wedding timelines- following the ceremony family photos might take, (for me at least) up to thirty minutes; I tend to be pretty efficient with streamlining family photos but for the sake of buffer time, I always account for 30 minutes.  If the couple hasn't done a first look, wedding party and portraits of the newlyweds still need done, and on the quick side I typically like to have a minimum of an hour.  This means the wedding guests are waiting an hour and a half after the conclusion of the ceremony before the wedding party is introduced, and by the time the invitation to dinner happens it's closer to an hour and forty five minutes. Bonus: you get the nervous jitters out of the way before the ceremony, too!

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Choosing to do a first look also allows for a more relaxed itinerary for the day and ample time for all the wedding photos you've been dreaming of since you created your first wedding Pinterest board :) 

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I am personally, generally a "the more bling the better" kind of girl. However, Grace's wedding dress was absolutely show stopping.  The slit, the buttons, the pockets! 

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I have so many pieces of advice for couples planning their wedding but my biggest one is to choose a great vendor team and specifically a wedding photographer, DJ and videographer team who can work well together. Your wedding photos are one of a few things that you will keep forever to remember your wedding day, but your reception entertainment is who creates the dance floor vibe for those moments to happen! Matt and Grace hired Live the Night Entertainment, Brett & Eric are the best emcees and entertainers especially if you're wanting a great show and a packed dance floor. When I talk about fluidity of working together, we work seamlessly together and I'd like to think all of our weddings together reflect that. If you're in the marketing for a wedding DJ in the greater Fort Wayne area, these guys deserve all the high fives and gold stars :) I mean, where else can it look like you're dancing on a cloud for your first dance?

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Matthew and Grace, they fell in love in high school and their love story is just the sweetest. Wishing a million moments of joy in your happily ever after! 

Black-and-white-wedding-photos-midwest-wedding-photographer-j3designs-photographyBlush toned fall wedding in Indiana photographed by J3Designs Photography at The Eden and entertainment by Live the Night Entertainment Black White Handwritten Minimalist Signature Wedding Planner Logo copy