Carly and Ryan's Lake House Wedding

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Last month I had the pleasure of heading back up to Jamestown, Ohio for Carly and Ryan's lakehouse wedding.  It was a relaxed day full of sunshine.  Carly's mother Shari did a wonderful job designing the event.  I love that they used vendors from their hometown of Ft. Thomas, Ky.  I have never seen so many smiles at a wedding, it was hard choosing pictures to post because they are all so sweet.  Thank you Carly and Ryan for inviting me to be part of your wedding, I left the lake that night with a heart full of love.            The house was absolutely gorgeous.Carly looked stunning.  Her dress was so perfect for a relaxed wedding. Ft. Thomas Florist  did a wonderful job with the flowers. All of the broaches in Carly's bouquet were given to her by friends and family.  Shari made a book with pictures of each broach for her to keep.  The flower girls had mini bouquets made out of their grandmothers earrings.  What a unique idea and a way to really make it special.Carly's dad seeing her for the first time that day.  He was glowing all day.  Carly made a very unique entrance in her dad's Corvette!  

Lauren and Justin's Cincinnati Wedding

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Lauren and Justin's Fourth of July wedding was a true celebration of love, family, and patriotism.  Justin is in the military and both come from military families, so they decided this would be the perfect day for their wedding.  It was one of those crazy, rainy Saturdays we had last moth, but that didn't stop anyone from smiling and having a great time.  They had a beautiful church ceremony at St. Clare Chapel followed by an intimate reception at Niederman Farm.

Thanks to all of the amazing people who helped make their wedding fantastic. Coordinator: Shannon Wullenweber Food:  Village Pantry Flowers: Holly Schweitzer Cake: Maureen Thie

I always give myself a little pep talk on the way to my weddings.  Just a little something to make sure I am present, focused, and positive when I arrive.  For this wedding I just kept telling myself, don't worry about the rain, get creative with window light.  Ahh the power of positive thinking.  I think this might be my favorite bridal portrait to date, so dramatic. Remember Candice and Chris from their Riverboat wedding I shot a couple of years ago?  Chris is Lauren's brother.  I was so happy to see them again!All of the tables were named after American heroes.One of the coolest things I have ever seen at a wedding.  Lauren lost her grandmother not long ago.  She decided to display her gorgeous vintage wedding dress as an homage to her. Lauren's Dad is one of the most intense, passionate people I have ever met.  He gave an epic speech that had the entire room, including me laughing and crying at the same time. 

Aelisa and Brandon's Krippendorf Lodge Wedding

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I met Aelisa for the first time about a month before her wedding.  When I asked to tell me about the details of the day, she said she wanted no traditional elements, she didn't even have a dress yet,  I loved her carefree attitude.  All that mattered to her was that she and Brandon were able to celebrate their love with all of their close friends and family.   Their  low key wedding took place at Krippendorf Lodge at the Cincinnati Nature Center.  This is one of my favorite places to shoot.  The lodge is cozy,  the courtyard is gorgeous at night, the staff is outstanding, and I am truly in my element shooting anywhere that involves trees and water. :)  I had a wonderful time at this wedding.   Coincidentally during dinner, I was seated with some of Aelisa's friends who are from Seattle.   I am taking a trip there next month, so I was able to pick their brain a little about things to do.  I appreciate the advice guys!

I loved the cute wood burned coasters they gave as  favors.Courtenay Lambert Florals  brought lots of color to the event with her amazing flowers.  I have never seen roses this big, beautiful.

Megand Ryan's Bell Event Centre Wedding

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Megan and Ryan's wedding at the Bell Event Centre was an elegant affair full of smiles, hugs and amazing red shoes!  The day started out rainy, but that didn't stop them from being happy and optimistic.  It was a real celebration.  Megan and Ryan have known each other their entire lives, their parents are best friends.  Though they grew up together, it wasn't until they were on a family vacation stuck on a cruise ship that they truly fell in love.  I just love their story!

See Megan and Ryan's lake house engagement session here.

Black, white, and red, so classic and elegant. A very touching ceremony at the Bell. There were lots of bird details throughout the space. Cutest cake ever!  

Stephanie and Chris' Backyard Kentucky Wedding

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I had the pleasure of celebrating Stephanie and Chris' wedding with them at a beautiful home in Ft. Thomas a few weeks ago.  Stephanie's best friend's family owns the house.  Stephanie said that since she was a little girl, she dreamed of one day getting married there.  The outdoor ceremony was laid back and intimate.  The setting was gorgeous, the weather was perfect, the food consisted of delicious Southern specialties (my favorite), the guests had a blast, and Stephanie and Chris smiled the entire day.

Sometimes I have to pinch myself, I really do have my dream job.  I am so thankful for people like Stephanie and Chris who allow me to do what I love everyday!

I also want to thank all of the awesome vendors who helped make Stephanie and Chris' day so special.  Elisa from Elegant Events was wonderful to work with and my favorite second shooter/right hand man, Andrew captured some really awesome images!

See Stephanie and Chris' engagement session here.

A very sweet father daughter moment. I am a huge fan of the girls wearing different dresses in the same color. I loved their DIY decor.

Styled Shoot at Bakersfield OTR

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I had the amazing opportunity to collaborate with some of my favorite people for this styled shoot at Bakersfield in Over the Rhine.  We wanted to do something unique and fun.  Marti, of Marti's Floral Design styled the shoot and had this to say about it...Off the beaten path, not the typical love. Not the typical bride. That was our inspiration of this. Focusing on the love. Even if it is not the one that everyone sees as being normal. The casual wedding taken past the mason jars. We found so much inspiration in the casualness of a quickie wedding and how stylish it could still be. Bohemian meets Masculinity. We wanted to show that both could still be present in a wedding. Something to reflect both of them. Lace and leather. Guns and flowers. Not everything has to be typical for a wedding. Make it reflect the couple that you are and not a formality. Caroline and Jesse are the perfect image of the couple today. Off the beaten path, showing the love, and forgoing the typical wedding.

Location: Bakersfield OTR Flowers and Styling:  Marti's Floral Design  Invitation/Menu Design: Erica Keuter Designs Make up:  Cinci Makeup Wardrobe: Sloan Boutique Hair: Colleen Herman

Brooke and Dominic's Key West Wedding

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Brooke and Dominic's wedding was super special to  me.  I have been friends with them for years.  I absolutely love them and their family.  They are the most gracious group of people I have ever known.  I was very excited when they asked me to join them in Key West for their wedding.  The wedding was a laid back beach ceremony at the Casa Marina Resort.  Brooke looked stunning and smiled the entire day.   Dominic, who I thought would be nervous was calm and cool.  I think I heard them say I love you to each other at least 100 times, it was so sweet.  Brooke and Dom, I cant thank you enough for this amazing opportunity.  I had a blast and I am truly honored you chose me to photograph your wedding. :)       The night before the wedding Brooke and Dominic chartered a sailboat for a sunset cruise.  It was so much fun!The wedding was so beautiful.  The weather was perfect and the beach backdrop was gorgeous. Check out Brooke's killer shoes.  Brooke is the only girl I know who isn't afraid to wear wedges like these on the beach.  Dominic and his family own the Bell Event Centre.  They had a reception there to celebrate with all of their friends and family when they got back. The amazing women of the Bell.  

Backyard Wedding Package Cincinnati Wedding Photographer

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Sometimes I get emails from people who are having a creative, homegrown wedding I know I would be a perfect fit for, but my price does not fit within their budget.  It breaks my heart when this happens.  Because I never want to turn down the opportunity to photograph a wedding where I get to really use my creativity, and because I understand that sometimes great wedding photography is not affordable for couples on a tight budget,  I have decided I want to provide a package that is designed for creative couples who are having a Backyard/Homegrown/DIY wedding.  It is designed for couples who  might not be able to afford a full day of wedding photography.

Here's the deal...

This package is for weddings that take place at home, at a friend's home, in a park, on a farm, on a boat, or any other unique  location.  Destination weddings are included, but travel fees will apply.  This is only eligible for weddings with less than 100 guests.

Included is 6 hours of photography by me.  I will not have an assistant or second shooter.  Additional time, a second photographer, and an engagement session can be added to this package.  You will receive a high resolution disc of edited images.  The 2013 package price is $2000 and it is non negotiable.  Feel free to email me with any questions or if you would like more details nikita@nikitagross.com.

Natash and Hank's DIY farm wedding has been my inspiration for creating this package.  It was a true DIY wedding.   Their budget was around $5000.  Their wedding is still one of my favorites.  Family and friends helped with food and decor.  It was laid back and full of creativity.

See more of their wedding here on my blog.  Or here on Borrowed and Blue where they got a two part feature.