Jen and Evan’s Indianapolis Artsgarden wedding reception (or should I say elopement reception) was the wrap to my 2023 wedding season and the perfect way to tie up the year. If you’ve been around for a while, you’ll know that elopements are near and dear to my heart and my own story, and a delayed reception to celebrate it all is the same storyline of my own marriage.

Jen and Evan were married a year ago in the most majestic and intimate elopement in the mountains of Colorado. A year and a few days later they got together with all of their best people to celebrate it all. It was a day that focused on both Jen and Evan as newlyweds and all of the people most important to them in their lives. And what better venue to use as a backdrop for it all than the Indianapolis Artsgarden? Especially when you plan to use the city for portraits and then it downpours out of nowhere. There’s just no better venue to be stuck inside for portraits. The rain let up, Jen and Evan were ready to go with the flow for whatever the day threw at them, and we ventured out for what turned out to be some of my favorite couple portraits I’ve ever shot (that leg bend on the dip kiss, I mean COME ON!). Jen’s cape paired with the wind? Swoon worthy and worth the scroll.

I always walk away from a wedding with favorite parts of the day, and this reception was no different. But what really took the cake for me was Jen’s dad’s speech. At the start of the day he was with us at the Conrad before Jen got into her dress and was updating his list of Jen’s favorite designer shoe brands that he had in his jacket pocket. I didn’t think much of it at the time, rather than it was cute that he was keeping up with her interest in quality fashion footwear (my Von Maur shoe department days all came flooding back to me as he read aloud the list – she’s got good taste!), but it came back around during his speech. There’s no shortage of shots of Jen and Evan laughing wildly during his toast. It was everything a speech should be and it will stick with me for a long time to come.

Jen and Evan, happy elopement anniversary, happy reception-iversary, happy everything. Congratulations!

VENDORS & GOODS

Hotel | Conrad

Reception | Indianapolis Artsgarden

Hair & Makeup | Jamie Driscoll

Gown | Anthropologie (Watters)

Tuxes | The Black Tux

Florist | Red Daisy Floral

Donuts | Long’s Bakery and Rosie’s Place

Catering | Conrad Indianapolis

Band | Bluewater Kings Band

Live Watercolorist | The Lettering Grove

Casey and Her Camera is an Indianapolis Wedding Photographer specializing in family, couple, lifestyle, elopement and wedding photography for Indianapolis, Indiana and the surrounding areas.