Corner House B&B Wedding in Rockport

I am SO excited to share this wedding!!  This past Saturday, two of our best friends in the entire world, Brad and Bianca, tied the knot at the Corner House Bed and Breakfast in Rockport, Indiana. Settle in, friends…this is a long one! 😉

Bret met Brad YEARS ago in elementary school. The Altstadt’s and the Nowak’s have stayed family friends throughout the years and once the couple was engaged, it was decided that we would be their wedding photographers. Thank goodness for that, because it helped a beautiful friendship blossom between Bianca and me. I cannot even describe the love that we have for these two humans (and their 3 furry babies Nala, Nigel, and Ned)!

Saturday was the perfect day for literally one of the sweetest couples we’ve ever met! Let me just start off by saying that it takes a village to pull off a beautiful wedding. When we arrived in the morning, we saw a large group of people working in the event barns like little worker ants. This amazing group of people worked their tails off ALL DAY LONG to bring Bianca’s vision to life!

The morning was cool and crisp as Bianca and her bridesmaids got ready in the bridal suite of the Corner House Bed and Breakfast. The girls enjoyed mimosas and the most adorable bridesmaids’ brunch from the bed and breakfast owner, Jenny Wilkerson. I’ve talked many times about how much I love the Corner House.  From the bridal suite to the plentiful locations for photos, there is a reason that this southern Indiana venue is on my list of recommended places to get married!  It’s always a great joy to work at a place I love with people that I love, and Jenny is fabulous.  From the beautiful country views to the brilliant sunshine during their portraits, this fall wedding was joyous from start to finish.

Bianca seemed a little anxious, but she kept saying that she knew seeing Brad would make all the difference. After 10.5 years, their day was FINALLY here!  Her maid of honor and bridesmaids worked very hard to keep Bianca cool and collected throughout the day. She had a great group of girls standing next to her that day, each of them doing whatever they could to make sure her day was just as she envisioned it. The girls swapped between hair and makeup appointments throughout the morning. Stephanie and Stefani from POSH International Hair Studio worked their magic with most adorable updos, while Brooklyn Maldonado and her assistant, Chelsea Meyer perfected the girls’ makeup. Once the final touches were complete, Bianca’s sweet mom helped her get into her gown from Beth Carter. All of the bridesmaids anxiously waited to see the beautiful bride. The girls opened their eyes and all of their jaws dropped! Bianca looked ravishing in her lacy gown, gorgeous veil, and dark lip color. Her makeup complemented all of her perfect facial features and looked oh so natural. Her gorgeous bouquet completed the perfect ensemble. I must say that I expected nothing less, though. She is one of the most beautiful people I know, inside and out…I am so very blessed to call her my best friend!

While the girls were getting pampered, the groomsmen were arriving dressed and ready to go. Bret had just finished up all of his detail shots, and gathered all of the groomsmen outside the house for some group shots. Once the group shots were complete, Brad’s twin brother, Preston gave him his sentimental gift and letter from Bianca while I gave Bianca hers. A few tears were shed and many smiles were had. It was a very intimate moment and always one of our favorite moments of a wedding day. Once Preston had finished up with Brad’s gifts, Bret took Brad outside alone to get him set up for his first look. Once we got Brad into position, Bianca slowly made her way behind him. Teary-eyed and gushing with excitement, she tapped Brad on the shoulder. When he turned around, she immediately melted into him. It was almost as if all of the nervousness from the morning had vanished. Brad kept sneaking little glances Bianca’s way in the sweetest, most romantic way. It took a lot for me not to cry in this moment! Not only were our best friends getting married, but we were getting the honor of capturing their special day! That means more to us than anything!

After the first look, we got the whole bridal party together for some group shots back by the barns. This group was an absolute blast. They constantly had each other laughing with their goofy jokes and silly puns. The guys really got a kick out of my silly “fake” laugh throughout the day. (Past clients, I am sure you can hear it now!) And I’m pretty sure that the girls had their giggles mastered by the end of the day! The bridesmaids all wore the prettiest mismatched dresses from Ella Park Bridal, and the guys wore the most adorable floral printed ties. It all tied together so well with the colors that were chosen for all of the décor.

Up next, we headed to the ceremony set up on the top of the hill of the venue. It was the perfect setting for this sweet, romantic wedding.  The ceremony was beautiful with the sun slowly starting to set behind the altar and Brad and Bianca’s closest friends and family behind them. After 10.5 years, Brad and Bianca finally got say “I do”. This moment was long awaited by everyone in the audience, including us!

Next up: our fav…the intimate sunset session! This was by far one of the most gorgeous sunset sessions that we have ever done! Bianca is one of the most photogenic people (and Brad isn’t too shabby himself). Their smiles and giggles illuminated on the back of our camera screen. I was giddy with excitement as Bret was showing me some sneak peeks. The love that these two have built over the past decade is something magical.

Bring on the reception! This reception was BY FAR one of the most beautifully decorated that I’ve ever attended. It was full of the most stunning fall colors with most incredible backdrop I’ve ever seen behind the head table – I mean look at that ornate creation! Did we mention it was handmade?!?! Kim Nowak blew the décor out of the water! Everything was the perfect combination of new and vintage with simple touches of gold and cranberry.

Once the bridal party was introduced, we enjoyed a delicious catered meal by the Old Mill. One of our favorite touches was the “tower of pies”. I have never seen so many different pies in my life! Family and friends brought pies for all of the guests to enjoy. They were so delicious that I’m pretty sure I saw tables taking not only single slices, but entire pies back to their seats for their table’s enjoyment!  The speeches were full of tears, but mostly laughter – the good kind of laughter that makes your belly hurt!  Such an incredible evening full of family, friends, and the sweetest memories!

Next up was the first dance under the twinkling string lights. This moment is the one that really got to me, the moment that I realized once again that our BEST FRIENDS WERE MARRIED! It was such a special moment that really tugged at my heart strings. To watch these two melt into each other as if they were the only two in the room was pure magic.

Let the party commence! Brad and Bianca’s family and friends really knew how to party and have a good time! The dance floor was full of laughter and dancing until their grand exit at the end of the night! I don’t think that some of the guests ever left the dancefloor! Brad’s brother, Justin Altstadt, was the DJ and he made sure that the guests were having a fabulous time!

B&B, we are so proud of you, happy for you, and most importantly, thankful for you. We hope that Saturday was everything that you wished for and more. Bret and I were so humbled to be such a big part of one of the most important days of your life. We love you both so much and you make our hearts so full with happiness and laughter. Here’s a sneak peek to enjoy on your honeymoon! xoxo