1.16.2013

Katie + Mike = Married | Indianapolis, IN Wedding

Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Crist!  Thank you so much, Katie and Mike, for allowing me to be a part of your celebration.  Your gorgeous wedding day was amazing and so much fun!  I am so glad you and your wedding party went outside for some cold, but super cool outdoor pictures.  Your locations were beautiful and you two could not have been more happy for the big day.  It was a gorgeous wedding!  From the first time I met you two three years ago at Matt and Tiffany's wedding day when Mike was Matt's best man, I have seen so much love between you two.  It has been an absolute pleasure and honor getting to know you guys and think you guys make such an adorable couple.  Katie, you are such a sweetheart and you looked absolutely stunning!!!  You have so much strength and I admire you.  You did an amazing job with all the personal moments and details.  Mike, I love your fun personality, love of life and definite love for those around you and especially for Katie!   Both of your wedding parties were so much fun.  There were so many emotional moments from all the fun to the teary-eyed moments!  I loved all the jokes with Mike and the men, Mike's special note to Katie, Katie walking down the aisle, the memorial candles and pictures, your amazing and super sweet families, the amazing first dance, Katie's dances with her uncles, and so many more!  The reception was a blast and you two have super fun friends and family!!  I loved the happiness you two find in each other and I loved seeing everything come together.  You two definitely have a great love for each other and for all of those around you.  We are all so happy for you and know that you will enjoy married life!!   I am so glad you had fun in St. Lucia on your honeymoon.  


Reception:  Community Life Center
DJ & Photo Booth:  Rockin Times DJ
Cupcakes/Cake:  Gigi's Cupcakes
Florist:  Flowerama
Catering:  Sahms Catering
Videography: Brian Sergi at Sergi Productions
Pastor:  Rev Jerry Rairdon
Wedding Photography by Kristin and Lori Thetford with Kristin Hornberger Photography

There so many great photos from their beautiful wedding, but below are a few my favorites from Katie and Mike's wedding and a little more about their love story . . . 
Mike and Katie met on match.com and their first date was at the RAM restaurant for dinner.  Katie knew that she had found “the one” she wanted to spend the rest of her life with when Mike stayed with her time after time when she was going to job interviews and hearing no.  Katie says, “I was not a happy person for a while, but he stayed with me and told me it would be ok.”  One of their favorite date nights was when Mike took Katie to Oceanaire restaurant downtown for her birthday, and surprised Katie with a carriage ride after. They like to go out to dinner a lot, go to movies, and every summer they make a trip to Cedar Point to ride roller coasters. 
The wedding proposal happened on Dec 10, 2011.  Katie was almost at the end of her first semester in grad school and Mike told Katie he was taking her on a carriage ride downtown to see the Christmas lights and to celebrate the semester being done.  Katie had been asking him for two years to take a carriage ride with her to see all the lights downtown and around the circle, so Katie thought "Finally!"  They went on a carriage ride, and when they came to the north part of the downtown circle, they got out and walked up a few steps.  The driver took a few pictures of them, and said 'We need to hurry to get back.'  Mike then said "Ok, just one more" and then got down on one knee and asked Katie to marry him.  Katie started crying and said yes. He stood up and hugged her. While they were hugging, Katie heard her mom scream "did she say yes?"  Katie looked across the street and his and her family were all there running towards them ready to join in the celebration. They then all went to Scotty's Brew House and had dinner. Mike likes to say he remembers that night because it was the night IU beat Kentucky. 
They began planning the wedding shortly after.  They chose the wedding location (church) because Mike’s mom has been going there forever and the reception location at Community Life Center because it was beautiful and Katie fell in love with it when she saw it.  Katie’s favorite part of the wedding planning was adding all the small details and incorporating them into their wedding day so that their wedding was full of very personal touches.  A few of the favorites for Katie were the table numbers with their pictures, their picture slide show, the creative program, etc.  She also loved picking out their wedding invitation. 
Now that they are enjoying married life and reflecting on the day, some of Katie’s favorite memories of the wedding day were: walking down the aisle, sitting on the alter and watching everyone have communion during the ceremony because it gave Katie a chance to look around, take it all in and see who all was there. Katie also really liked when Mike and she smashed the cake in each other’s face. Katie said, “I absolutely loved everything from getting ready with my mom and girls, picture taking, the limo ride with the whole wedding party, the food, caterers tuxedo t-shirts, dances, photo booth, . . . there honestly wasn't anything I didn't like.”  
 
One of my favorite moments of their wedding day was Katie and Mike’s first dance.  Mike’s mom mentioned to me that they had taken dance lessons and I asked Katie about the lessons.  Katie shared, “I have had a walking disability from day 1.  I started walking with crutches after a major back surgery I had when I was about 11 years old.  I have always wanted to dance, but knew I never could. I told mike that if I were to ever walk normal again, I wanted to take dance lessons. After we got engaged I told mike I wanted to try dance lessons. We started lessons around October. We went in and I explained that I wanted to do more than just stand in one place and sway back and forth. The girl who worked with us was amazing and so nice. She really listened to what we wanted and worked with us to adapt steps to my ability.” 
 
I was absolutely blown away by Katie’s strength and all she did to make her wedding day so special.  She only sat down a few times the whole day and was constantly doing it all and being such a trooper with our pictures.  She was completely game for all of our pictures and even held herself with her cleavage at one point!  Talk about dedication for great pictures!!  Hee hee.  Katie revealed, “There were plenty of tough moments and physically, my legs and ankles starting hurting. I did try to sit down when I could, but I did get very tired being on them all day. During my dance with Mike, my legs were feeling like jell-o and I guess I got nervous because I got hot and shaky all over. I get emotional now thinking about it, I think, because a friend sent me a video of it, and I look shaky and unstable.  My facial expressions are terrible, mostly because I was feeling like my legs were about to collapse under me. As I watch it now, and see some pictures it makes me really realize that I am disabled, and will always look awkward.”  And to that, I say, Katie, you looked absolutely amazing and you blew me away with all you did!  You and Mike seemed like you had been dancing for years together and he definitely led you across every inch of the dance floor.  You have so much strength and couldn’t be any more sweet and so fun!  Katie also said that one of the emotionally tough times for her was with her dad not being there, as he passed away a few years ago.  Katie disclosed, “It didn't really make me emotional walking down the aisle. It hit me like a ton of bricks when I was sitting on the dance floor when my step dad was talking, giving an amazing speech and saying how proud my dad would be of me.”  All the while, her dad’s five brothers, Katie’s uncles, were all standing in a line waiting for their dance with her. It was very special that they all and extremely emotional seeing the interactions and special bonds between Katie and all of her uncles.  Katie reflected, “The dances with all of my uncles were very special.  I got a chance to talk with each of them for a little bit while dancing and another moment that made it fun, was when my uncle bob told me he was going to pick me up and spin me around.”
 
When I asked Katie what she looked forward to most now that they were newlyweds, Katie said “Now that I am married, I love saying ‘my husband.’ On our honeymoon I ended up calling Mike "husby.”  It's a mix between hubby and husband, and it has stuck. Mike likes it and he calls me his "wifey,” which I like it too.”  They love and have enjoyed their newlywed status and had a blast on their honeymoon.  But they were glad to be home so they could start their lives together and are just looking forward to their future. 
Mike and his groomsmen were great sports bearing the cold and snow!  They were such a blast!!  
 
The awesome Tiffany and Matt!  I absolutely loved photographing their wedding three years ago and it was so great to get to catch up!  It was at their wedding that I got to meet Mike and Katie for the first time when Mike was Matt's best man.  So fun!!!  
Katie danced with each of her uncles and it was one of my favorite moments of the day!  It was so touching and showed how her dad's brothers loved her.  So emotional.   
Congratulations again, Mr. and Mrs. Crist!!! Thank you again for letting me be a part of your wedding day photos! I had a blast and couldn't be happier for you. If you would like to view Katie and Mike's wedding pictures, click on this link:


http://kristinhornberger.smugmug.com/event/Katie-Mike-Married

I hope you had so much fun! Thanks again and enjoy married life. XXOO, Kristin

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