Paola + Jordan — An Orthodox Christian Wedding in Downtown Indianapolis

The morning of Jordan + Paola’s special day was one that I will not soon forget. I had arrived to their church location in the heart of downtown Indianapolis a little earlier than scheduled. I tend to do this so I can set the story up first thing by grabbing some photos of the chosen locations + surrounding areas.

I ran into Jordan while capturing some shots of the church, and it was then that he let me know Paola was actually going to be baptized before they proceeded with their ceremony. I immediately asked for permission to go ahead and document that – which they happily agreed! It turned out to be a blessing since Jordan and Paola had decided to stick to the tradition of not seeing one another until the moment she walked down the aisle. Now Jordan is able to view his bride’s rebirth via the imagery I gathered while having the honor to witness such an important event.

This was the first Orthodox wedding I’ve had the opportunity to document and I’m hoping it won’t be the last. This ceremony was so rich in tradition and overflowing with significance. It felt like each moment was so meaningful and you could feel the love surrounding this couple from each of their families. Each of their families coming from different cultural backgrounds also added to the fullness of their tying of the knot. One of my favorite moments unfolded back at the groom’s parent’s home where the intimate reception was being held. The mother of the groom came out of their kitchen sporting fuzzy pink house shoes and holding the largest loaf of home made bread I’ve ever seen. She shared the wise words “sometimes life is salty so we dip the bread in salt, but it also is sweet so we dip it in honey”, while feeding pieces to the newlyweds. Breaking bread has never been so beautiful.

Thank you again Jordan + Paola for inviting me in to share and capture your perfect celebration!