A note from the editor: We had the opportunity to share a couple Sophia’s Bridal gowns with a talented wedding photographer named Chloe Luka. She had a vision and brought it to life beautifully during this styled shoot at The Neidhammer, which is a beautiful venue for a wedding. We’ve asked her to share about herself and this stunning photo-shoot.

Meet the Wedding Photographer

I’m Chloe Luka, and I am a hybrid wedding photographer for hopeless romantics. Over the past few years it’s been a crazy, beautiful whirlwind of being published nationally and internationally, fulfilling photography commissions from Paris to Seattle and everywhere in-between, and I’ve gotten to work with some of the most amazing couples in the world! I love my job and the privilege I have of documenting these incredible moments. I specialize in capturing the genuine emotion of my couples, and believe in relational wedding photography that not only gives you images to cherish for a lifetime, but that authentically tells the story of your day.

When I’m not behind the camera you can find me snuggling my fur-baby, Lucy, leading worship with my husband at church, or watching a Disney movie!

Truly this shoot was comprised of the dream team! Amanda of Wild Heart Blooms is one of the most creative florists that I know. We really let her shape the shoot by giving her the freedom to bring her vision to life. She chose all of the flowers and wildlife – incorporating pieces she had grown in her own garden to complete the bohemian feel! As we were shooting she came up with the idea of a floral crown that she put together while we were shooting. Her artistry shines through each image and I love any opportunity I get to work alongside her!

Ashley is one of my dear friends and has been such an encouragement to me in the wedding industry. She has a wealth of knowledge and experience, and serves all of those around her with love and grace. This shoot would not have been possible without her! She picked out the dresses from Sophia’s, brought many unique styling pieces to the shoot (such as the vintage cigar box and the deer skull), and collaborated with me to make our vision come to life on the day of the shoot!

Emily of Emily Ventura Designs is not only incredibly talented, but has drive and dedication to her craft as well. She found so many of the pieces that I loved for the shoot, including the champagne flutes, and the bride’s earrings. Emily is so fun to work with and has a great eye for the trends in the industry. I’ve enjoyed getting to know her and I’m confident that whatever event she plans it will be executed perfectly!

Now for Andi and Brittney of Something Blue Stylist; I met Andi at one of our weddings last fall and loved not only how beautiful her work was, but what a great encouragement and sweet spirit she is! Brittney worked with me on another styled shoot this winter and I was blown away by her talent and the ability to take my ideas and create them even more beautifully than I had imagined! They both came for the shoot and helped to create the two different looks for our bohemian bride. These two are amazing – volunteering to help us amidst busy schedules and long drives and I’m so thankful for their hard work that made the shoot so amazing!

The Neidhammer was a new venue to us, and every minute we spent with them planning the shoot was a dream! They are truly some of the kindest and most generous souls, who made the entire day a breeze. They were so helpful for each part of the process and each member of their staff was gracious to us throughout the planning. I can’t wait to see all that they have in store for the Indy wedding market!

And of course any chance we get to work with Sophia’s is a treat! We were especially thankful to work with them this time around because they turned what could have been a stressful situation into one that surpassed our expectations! When Ashley went to pick up the dress we had decided on for the shoot, the zipper was broken. So the ladies at the store were kind enough to let us choose not one, but TWO new dresses for the shoot along with a veil! They were so helpful in guiding us based on what would be best for our model as well as the style of what we were aiming to accomplish, and they knocked it out of the park! They were so accommodating and kind throughout the whole process, and we loved every minute of working with them!

In preparation for the styled shoot that is featured, we had several planning meetings to come up with a theme and vision, as well as to assign roles for each vendor to fulfill for the shoot. We met with the venue several times as well to get a feel for the space and to know what parameters we had to work with to make our vision come to life. For this particular shoot that involved a few trips to some vintage thrift stores to find the perfect pieces for our bohemian bride – including the gorgeous sequined shoes, gold ornate trays and some other styling details!

What is the process for couples, as they plan to work with you as their wedding photographer?

Before I meet with a potential bride and groom, they fill out the contact form on my website which asks them to share with me about the plans for their wedding day (venue, colors and theme). This helps me to become acquainted with their vision for their day before I’ve even met them! I’ve also spent this past year putting together a bridal guide for potential couples to look through at our booking meetings. This 70-page magazine is filled with helpful advice for everything from their engagement session to details they should bring to be photographed on their wedding day to the wedding galleries that are delivered after their big day has come and gone! I’m so excited to debut the bridal guide this year and hope that it will serve as a practical tool for them during the planning process to relieve stress and help them think through the events of the day so that we can work together to create gorgeous images for them to cherish for a lifetime!

What are your tips for couples as they search for a wedding photographer?

What I strongly suggest to all couples that I talk to is to look for and hire a wedding photographer that is the right fit for you! Have coffee with them, look through their website and portfolio and choose someone whose work and personality resonates with you and your vision for your wedding day. Make it a priority to get to know the person who will be documenting your day and build a relationship with them. It makes all the difference not only for your experience on your wedding day, but also for how your pictures will turn out! I love getting to know my couples so that on the day of they’re not nervous around me, and I am able to be more of a friend with a camera that’s been invited to share in these moments with them 🙂

Vendors:

Florals: Amanda Glow of Wild Heart Blooms
Event Planning: Emily Ventura of Emily Ventura Designs
Hair & Makeup: Andi Sherman & Brittany Lear of Something Blue Stylists
Wedding Dresses: Sophia’s of course!
Venue: The Neidhammer
Collaborater/Stylist: Ashley Wittmer of Ashley Wittmer Photography

To Learn more about Chloe Luka Photography click HERE