Ellen and Ty got married at the gorgeous St. Johns Church in Omaha Nebraska. A wedding day mixed with elegant beauty, and unique ideas.

The couple met during a Minnesota/ Nebraska football game and have been together for 7 years. Immediately when meeting these two, you can feel their energy and the amount of love they have for each other. One of my most favorite engagement sessions involved traveling to Minnesota and wondering around the city with these two. They seeked me out to create art with them and that is exactly what we did.

Before The Ceremony

Ellen got ready at the Hilton of Omaha with all of her best girlfriends, and there was such an exciting atmosphere. Instead of wearing typical robes as they got ready, they wore velvet, cozy pants and sweatshirts ( um, yes please). I love that Ellen has a unique style and doesn't fall into the trap of being like everyone else. She wore a gown by designer Calla Blanche, and looked so stunning. That dreamy open back and long train….I fell in love! The girls then jumped into the hotel shuttle to get to the ceremony. We arrived at the church gardens where Ellen and Ty had their first look and wedding party photos.

Ty got ready at the Marriott in Capitol District across from where Ellen was with his groomsmen. Ellen surprised him with a sweet little love note and gift from Cartier. There may or may not have been some tears shed. He wore a suit by The Black Tux. A Very classic look for all the guys, as they all looked very handsome. Ty also wore some fancy slippers by Brooks Brothers with his suit. So dapper! The boys travelled to the ceremony before the ladies in the hotel shuttle. Ty was anxiously waiting for Ellen in the gardens as we arrived.

The Church Ceremony

The ceremony took place inside a beautiful church, St. Johns at Creighton. The ceremony area was surrounded by giant pillars and stained glass windows, which was just stunning. My mouth probably fell to the floor as I walked into the church. The beauty of it was incredible. The full mass, catholic, ceremony began with several beautiful readings from friends and family, and finished with a kiss and cheering from all their guests.

After the ceremony, we took a bus through the city to the reception, which was the start to the wild party. I mean it when I say, these guys know how to party! This is the part of the day I wish I could spend forever on. I got some hilarious candid photos on the party bus – but I am thankful we got to stop at a nearby open park that had rolling hills and stunning views. The scenery was filled with all that bright red, and green, autumn colors. The weather was a bit drizzly, but didn't put a damper on moods. I love me some overcast sky and deep, rich, colors. The wedding party made the whole time so much fun. I was lucky enough to get to know quite a few bridesmaids and groomsmen then turn around to hang with them again at a wedding I photographed the next weekend.

The Reception

For the reception, the whole wedding party was announced in by their DJ. Something different and that I really enjoyed during their reception was inspired by a wedding Ty attended in New York previously - a dance-through -dinner. So when the bread & butter was plated - about 10 minutes of eating that, Ty and Ellen had their first dance, then had all of the guests join them on the dance floor for a dance together. The salads were then plated while everyone danced so they were there when the guests got back to the tables.  After another 10 minutes of eating, the father/daughter dance started. Then the guests joined in again for a couple group dances while the entrées were plated. They repeated this one more time while Ty had his mother/son dance and desserts were plated. The band, Diamond Empire, really helped keep it all going. How neat is this idea?! The whole energy of the room was upbeat and kept guest interested. I love that Ty and Ellen wanted their guests to enjoy something different. After the dinner they cut a yummy, caramel, popcorn, cake made by Cupcake Island. Have you ever seen one of those?!

The couple says , the biggest piece of advice they could give you is- “to make it your mission to fall in love with the things about your spouse that bother you the most. Stop trying to change anything about them and just love them for who they are... even if that means they leave dishes in the sink or the toilet paper roll empty or the laundry in the washing machine, wet.”

This wedding was a perfect mixture of elegant, timeless, and unique. If you’re getting married and looking for a moody, documentary, fine art wedding photographer, get in touch. Check out the photos below!

Venue : St. John’s at Creighton

Reception : Founders One Nine

Dress: Calla Blanche, from Ready or Knot

Tux : Black Tux

Rings : Ellen’s was from a family jeweler and Ty wears his mom’s old wedding ring that he melted down into a solid gold band.

Floral : Blooms & Bouquet

Dessert : Cupcake Island

Food : Provided by venue

DJ/ Band : Diamond Empire

Makeup : Lauren Sasich Woita

Videographer : Dundee Digital