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Trash The Dress

Last Saturday, we photographed Keri’s trash the dress session. We started out super early in the morning and as we were packing up the car, we walked outside and saw this AWESOME sunrise!! I’m usually a night owl so it was funny to see the sun “on the other side of the sky” as I told John! LOL

One of my clients sent me photos a few weeks ago from her trip to the Exotic Feline Rescue Center (she knows I’m a cat lover) 🙂 and so I inquired about shooting a trash the dress session there since I’ve NEVER seen any other photographer do a TTD session with lions or tigers before…and you know I’m all about trying something DIFFERENT!

We got there and a tour guide lead us around the property during the shoot…we thought they would be a little more tame then what they were. We couldn’t get closer than 3 feet to the cages because these guys would actually take their paws and pull anything into their cages that they could get their paws on! Eeek! So yeah, it kind of limited us on what we could do but I think we still got some cool shots! 🙂

Autumn was soooo precious, she was giving Keri the sad kitty eyes… 🙂

Gorgeous morning sunlight!

Autumn was pretty friendly…she kept rubbing her face against the cage…she was like an overgrown house cat!

Big feet!!!

They had some neat walkways that we used for some cool photos…

CUTE KITTY!!!! I wanted to pet some of them so badly!! They look so friendly! LOL

Keri said her sorority mascot was a lion…

We had her do a few more “spinning in her dress” shots and the tigers heard the dress against the rocks and were very curious as to what was going on!

These two looked like they were ready for a manicure or something! Their paws were so big and so cute!

After we finished at the EFRC, we met up with Keri’s bridesmaids at The Flying Cupcake! They have some adorable wall decor…

I love this one…it’s so Keri!

They have this AWESOME chandelier when you walk in…I loved the details in it!

And they made Keri some pink & green cupcakes to go along with her pink & green wedding theme!! SO CUTE!!!!

LOL!

OMG have you ever seen a cookie sandwich so big in your life?!? YUM!!

Last week, I ordered a few new Shootsac covers…one of them was called “festive” and it’s got these fun colors and stripes…well, this cupcake was just begging to be photographed with the new Shootsac cover! LOL Isn’t it fun?!

I was thinking a few weeks ago about how else we could incorporate candy and fun-looking “stuff” into her trash the dress shoot during our stop at The Flying Cupcake…this random lollipop idea came to me and it turned out AWESOME!! I figured since the girls wouldn’t have their bouquets for the shoot, we should replace them with oversized pink lollipops!! 🙂 I think we’re starting a new trend…wouldn’t it be fun to have a whimsical summer wedding with lollipop “bouquets”?! LOVE it!!!

After our cupcake and lollipop stop, we headed to Mulberry Fields, the new water park in Zionsville. We started with some fun photos on the playground….it’s so cool to see bridesmaids willing to trash their dresses! LOL I couldn’t help but think “wow, these girls really DID get to wear their dresses more than once!” 🙂

BUBBLES!!

Then it was time to get WET!!

They were SOAKED!

LOL!!!!!!

Just as we gave her the tips of her veil, the wind picked up! We couldn’t have timed this any better!!!!

YAY!!

Thanks for a fun time girls!! More pics coming soon! 🙂

Photo shoot #3 on Sunday was at the Indianapolis Sailing Club! We met up with Katy & Clay (who are huge blog stalkers of ours) 🙂 to shoot their engagement session with their adorable dog Toby! Toby is quite famous, he now has his own FaceBook page and you can friend request him HERE. 😉 (not kidding) LOL Toby’s mom and dad are getting married out of state next year and are going for a nautical themed wedding since they LOVE the water…and since Indiana is a bit land locked, they thought Geist was the perfect option for a photo shoot! 🙂 When we arrived, Katy surprised each of us with a box of chocolate chip oatmeal cookies too….she is soooo sweet!!

In love…. 🙂

Love this one with her flip flops in the foreground…

Katy is so adorable, she has a million different expressions, I loved it! Check out this sequence…

LOVE THIS!!!

Who knows WHAT he said to evoke this reaction!??! LOL

Check out their save-the-date shots!

OK, this has to be the funniest sequence of photos EVER…they were all taken within about a nanosecond of one another…Toby was sooo hot and he just looked miserable. Katy was trying to coax him in the water to get wet and cool off. So here I am, focusing on the dog (who loves to drink fresh water but doesn’t like getting in lakes supposedly) ….and Katy has his leash and he does NOT want to get in…

Then a split second later, I hear “aghhhh!” and the leash goes flying…notice no one is on the other end of the leash! LOL

And Katy fell in the reservoir! LOL So yeah, it quickly turned into a trash the dress session! 🙂 I love how Toby is just staring at her and it looks like he actually wants to come to her rescue at first!

Or maybe not…LOL

Her face was priceless! Then Toby decided maybe this whole water thing wasn’t so bad…especially since mom jumped in!

WET DOG!! 🙂

SO CUTE!!!

LOL!! Loved his face…so funny!

So then Clay decides to join them…and Toby swims right through his legs…

I think this should be your Christmas card photo you guys! No one else would have anything like it! LOL

So things begin to get even funnier…Clay tried to help her back to the shoreline and instead, they both fell in again. The slope was filled with slimy algae that was really slippery…

Did I mention she had her hair & make-up professionally done before this shoot?? Oops! LOL 🙂

Toby is LOVING it at this point!

So Katy starts splashing water on him…

I love Toby’s face, he’s like “what?!” LOL

We finally got all 3 of them out of the water so I sent John to get our emergency kit…he found our extra towels, hair dryer and women’s underwear…yes, we have almost anything you can imagine with us…just in case! 😉

Katy told me last week that Toby LOVES the hair dryer, so this was pretty fitting for the occasion. Doesn’t he look like he’s smiling here?! 🙂

Once they changed clothes, we continued the rest of their shoot ….on dry land this time… 😉

FAVORITE!!

LOVE this one too, doesn’t it look like a magazine ad with her hair flying in the wind?!

Toby’s turn…. 🙂

Thanks for such an awesome time you guys!! I think we started a new “trash the dress” trend…anyone else want to do this?!?! 🙂

This years A-List competition was fierce, we were competing against 113 other photographers but I’m SO excited to announce that we made the Top 5 for the 2nd year in a row!!! Thank you to ALL of you who voted for us, it really does mean the world to us to know that all of our hard work, creativity and behind the scenes effort pays off and is appreciated. 🙂

Check out all of the new reviews we received on our listing this year too! WOW!!

Posted by: dadawson1962, 8/15/2008

Erin and her group are great! They are always willing to go that extra mile. In fact, they have offered to help with event planning, that is beyond taking photographs of the event! I would highly recommend Erin Hession Photography!!!!!

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Posted by: CCCCCCC, 8/15/2008

An excellent photographer you can count on.

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Posted by: homemom, 8/15/2008

Awesome photography team, they have taken awesome family and individual portrait shots of our children. Erin is patient, has an awesome eye on how to capture the scenery around you and knows how to capture the innocence of the child and to draw it out of the kids for precious unforgettable pictures. T.B.H.

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Posted by: zacklegend, 8/15/2008

good stuff here!!!

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Posted by: jenplusthree, 8/14/2008

I will be looking into Erin for our future wedding. Very impressive.

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Posted by: jlphillips, 8/14/2008

We had an outdoor wedding with horrible weather. Despite all of the rain and a water logged camera, I still had amazing pictures!

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Posted by: mnmsgrl19, 8/14/2008

Wedding photography not only amazing but flow of wedding and reception did not require an event coordinator. We are still getting compliments on our wedding and the photography three years later! Thanks for everything Erin!

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Posted by: al2tse, 8/14/2008

FABULOUS

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Posted by: mom5dennis, 8/14/2008

Erin does great wedding photos. She did my sons pictures and they were wonderful.

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Posted by: msplum, 8/14/2008

First class people, first class imagery. Imaginative, dedicated, client-driven, and a pleasure to work with.

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Posted by: rhammack, 8/14/2008

I AM A FLORIST, AND I HAVE WORKED WITH A LOT OF PHOTOGRAPHERS IN MY TIME. ERIN IS THE MOST ORGANIZED AND PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER I HAVE EVER SEEN. HER WORK IS BEAUTIFUL AND SHE IS A JOY TO WORK WITH. IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A TERRIFIC PHOTOGRAPHER LOOK NO MORE, ERIN HESSION IS IT.

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Posted by: iufan1, 8/14/2008

Very nice work on a friend’s wedding. Wow, we were impressed!

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Posted by: zwissler, 8/14/2008

She did our family pictures and they were absolutely everything we wanted! Great to work with as well!

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Posted by: barbarafaye, 8/14/2008

She does awesome work

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Posted by: Hess8895, 8/14/2008

Captures the moment! She covers every angle in a professional way.

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Posted by: tsahakian, 8/14/2008

Erin and her photography team are truly the best photography team in Indiana. When my sister got married five years ago, she and her staff traveled abroad just to be part of the special event in our lives. Since then she has continuously been in touch with us throughout the five years. She is truly one special photographer and an individual beyond one-person can attempt to describe. Her work speaks for itself.

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Posted by: syphotography, 8/14/2008

Beautiful work – good luck !!!!

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Posted by: pjsbabyboutique, 8/14/2008

Erin did a wonderful job taking pictures at my daughter’s wedding. We love her!

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Posted by: biddle66, 8/14/2008

Good Luck Erin!

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Posted by: dcastino, 8/13/2008

Love your photography. If I was getting married I’d definitely call you!

Posted by: nickilaycoax, 8/13/2008

Good Luck Erin!

Nicki

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Posted by: Daigham, 8/12/2008

What can I say? Erin’s work speaks for itself.

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Posted by: Blissfullyhappy, 8/1/2008

Erin was a pro at everything! We loved her!

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Posted by: KeriIndy, 7/25/2008

I can’t put into words how wonderful my wedding was because of Erin and her staff! Erin is such a great listener and gives the best suggestions on how to make your wedding everything it can possibly be. I am sure by the time the wedding came, everyone felt like Erin was a long lost friend, because I talked about her all the time. Because of Erin, I also got great references for my cake, my flowers, makeup, even my Day of Wedding Coordinator. I loved every minute of working with Erin and her staff!

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Posted by: Korkhouse, 7/18/2008

Erin and her team are some of the most talented photographers I’ve ever seen. They’re not only great to work with, but capture the most amazing shots possible. Best photography company hands down!

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Posted by: CharlesRWadsworth, 7/12/2008

These two have got it together! Amazing couple, amazing pictures. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. Perfection pictures! ROCK ON Erin and John!!! YEAH!

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Posted by: mar0829, 7/11/2008

Simply the best…her work speaks for itself!!!! Thanks Erin and John for all the wonderful family pictures through the years!!!!

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Posted by: LoriRae917, 7/8/2008

I loved working with Erin. I recommend her. She is too sweet!

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Posted by: thompsonkc2003, 7/8/2008

Erin and her staff are the greatest! They did a WONDERFUL job of capturing every single detail of my wedding day! Amazing work done by amazing people!

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Posted by: rafresquez, 7/7/2008

Erin took my daughter’s wedding photos and they were fantastic. All of her work that I have seen is outstanding.

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Posted by: Joe5555, 7/7/2008

Simply AMAZING!!!! These will be the memories you SAVOR FOR LIFE !!! Why gamble with someone else?????????????????????????????????

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Posted by: errn78, 6/29/2008

Erin and her staff are the nicest most professional staff you could ever work with!! They are great with the children and are there for YOUR EVERY NEED. She has done my wedding, my anniversary, my kids, my service dog and much more. She is not only an awesome awesome photographer she is a nice sincere person!! As they would say in the south “she is good people”. Very shortly after my wedding my grandmother was dying and she got a photo of me and my grandma done early so I could give it to her before she died. That is just the person Erin is. Full of talent and heart and you just can’t find that out there these days. She could charge three times the amount and still be worth EVERY PENNY!! I would not have anyone else do my photography. She captures the story of the day not just the line up and that was important to me. She was also willing to listen to ideas I had as well of what I wanted from my wedding and what was sentimental to me. I just can’t say enough about Erin except she is doing more photos for me this week!! I just keep going back!!! She always takes her time and is never in a hurry she makes sure everything is perfect!! Way to go Erin!!!

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Posted by: mrsdurbin1, 6/29/2008

She is the most creative photographer! Her work is amazing and timeless and captures every moment you dream of and then some you never imagined! She is wonderful to work with in any situation, I have used her to photograph my wedding, reception, trash the dress, maternity, family and newborn sessions and her work stands out every time!

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Posted by: kimkingsmith, 6/26/2008

Erin and I worked together at the Summer Bridal Show at Allisonville Nursery. She did such a great job. I loved looking through her photography books and seeing all the wonderful pictures she had taken. She is creative and fun.

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Posted by: kim317, 6/26/2008

absolutely beautiful i would love to have her someday make memories at my wedding or of my family

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Posted by: Sergiproductions, 6/25/2008

There is no better choice!

Brian and Julia Sergi
Sergiproductions.com

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Posted by: cbshively, 6/25/2008

Erin and her staff do the most amazing photography that I have ever seen. They are also so organized and really friendly. I couldn’t have asked for a better photography team for my wedding! They are AWESOME!

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Posted by: MavrisArtsEventCenter, 6/24/2008

Erin’s eye for the shot and professionalism in her field makes her one of the best in our opinion. Add her to your list of must interview for photographer.
John Mavris, Owner, Mavris Arts & Event Center

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Posted by: CountryMouseCityMouse, 6/23/2008

Erin is the best. I worked with her as an event coordinator for a wedding in November and it was such a joy to work with another vendor that had as much passion for pleasing the bride and groom as I did! Her work is spectacular and she is willing to work in the craziest of conditions to make your day look beautiful!

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Posted by: grrlygrl88, 6/23/2008

Erin is an amazing photographer! She will give as little or as much advice and direction as you’d like for your special occasion. She takes perfect shots and works with you to make sure they are exactly what you want.

Posted by: karenlvonk2, 6/23/2008

BEST photographer hands down, no questions..look no further!

Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who voted for us!! XOXO

We had a tie! 🙂 We had tons of ideas that were entered into the contest and many of you had the same great ideas so we had to go with the TTD ideas that she chose that were the first to be emailed to us. The first idea that she chose was Brooke’s idea which was to go to a candy shop for a fun & girly trash the dress session with her bridesmaids and the 2nd idea that she chose was Erin E.’s idea which was to go to the new water park in Zionsville for some fun in the water! Brooke & Erin will each be receiving a $100 gift card to put toward any of our services!!! Thank you EVERYONE who participated and sent in SO many cool ideas!!! 🙂

One of our recent brides (Keri) wants to do a fun, girly, trash the dress session with ALL of her bridesmaids involved too!! How cool is that?! But, we need YOUR HELP! She wants to do something different, but isn’t opposed to getting wet. We’re trying to think of GIRLY & FUN ways that she could trash her dress. She doesn’t want to roll around in paint or change the oil in a car or anything like that though, and she plans to try to sell the dress afterwards, so that does limit what we can do to some extent.

So I thought we’d have a blog reader participation contest and let Keri pick the winner! Email me your ideas at [email protected] by 7/31 and we’ll announce the winner on 8/1. Our winner will receive a $100 gift card to use on any of our services! GOOD LUCK!! 🙂