Olivia and Thomas’ Notre Dame Wedding at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart & Palais Royale was colorful, sophisticated, and so much fun from beginning to end. Their day paired the timeless beauty of Notre Dame with soft periwinkle, pink, and purple florals. It was a classic black-tie affair that paired perfectly at the historic Palais Royale in downtown South Bend.
I first had the chance to photograph Olivia and Thomas for their engagement session in New York City. Getting to photograph them again at Notre Dame made their wedding day even more special. Their celebration felt completely like them—sophisticated and beautiful, but never too serious.
Getting Ready at the Morris Inn
Olivia and Thomas began their wedding day getting ready at the Morris Inn. The morning was filled with all of those little moments I love photographing before a wedding day really gets underway. Meanwhile, Olivia got ready alongside her bridesmaids before stepping into her gown and finishing her look with a soft blusher veil. And her colorful bouquet brought in shades of pink, lavender, blue and green—the first glimpse at the playful color palette that would continue throughout the day.
Thomas kept things sophisticated in a classic black tuxedo and bow tie. You can never go wrong with that!
All morning, there was one thing we were keeping a very close eye on: the weather. In fact, the forecast was calling for a 100% chance of rain all day. With so many of Olivia and Thomas’ portraits planned outdoors around Notre Dame, we were all praying for even the smallest break later that afternoon.
A Basilica of the Sacred Heart Wedding Ceremony
Olivia and Thomas celebrated their marriage inside the Basilica of the Sacred Heart. As you know, it is one of the most meaningful places for a Catholic wedding for any Notre Dame graduate.
The Basilica is always incredible to photograph, but beyond its architecture, what makes a wedding ceremony here so special is the reverence of the space itself. Their ceremony centered the day exactly where it should be. And as they were surrounded by their family and friends, Olivia and Thomas exchanged vows and celebrated the sacrament of marriage.
For couples planning a Basilica wedding of their own, my Getting Married at Notre Dame: A Complete Guide shares more about planning a wedding day on campus.
Wedding Portraits at Notre Dame
After the ceremony, we headed outside for portraits around Notre Dame’s campus—and somehow, the timing could not have worked out more perfectly.
With a forecast showing a 100% chance of rain all day, we had been praying for even a small break between 2:00 and 4:00. I was praying, my kids were praying, and everyone was hoping we would get just enough time outside for portraits.
Then, almost exactly at 2:00, the rain stopped. And it never started again.
We took full advantage of the unexpected dry afternoon and explored some of my favorite portrait locations around Notre Dame. The rain left everything especially lush and green, while the overcast skies gave us beautiful, soft light.
From the iconic architecture around campus to the vine-covered pergola, we created a mix of timeless portraits, wedding party photos, and more relaxed moments with Olivia and Thomas. After spending the morning preparing to work around the rain, having the time to photograph everything we had planned felt like such a gift.
For couples planning their own portraits on campus, I’ve shared more of my favorite locations in my Where to Take Wedding Photos at Notre Dame guide.
Portraits at the Palais Royale
After the ceremony, we headed into downtown South Bend for the reception at the historic Palais Royale.
Before guests arrived, we had some time to explore the building with Olivia and Thomas. The Palais has so many beautiful architectural details, from its marble and ornate columns to the chandeliers, grand windows, and upstairs balcony overlooking the ballroom.
And because the Palais is so beautiful, it gave us the perfect opportunity to create something a little different. After taking photos inside we went outside to see their names on the marquee, what a fun surprise!
Colorful Wedding Details at the Palais Royale
The reception design brought such a fun, fresh feeling to the historic Palais Royale ballroom.
Soft shades of periwinkle, pink, purple, ivory, and green filled the space through loose, garden-inspired floral arrangements. Candlelight warmed the tables while the colorful flowers added just enough playfulness against the classic architecture of the ballroom.
One of my favorite details was the seating display. Overflowing white hydrangeas surrounded the individual seating cards, while a blue-and-white patterned sign invited guests to find their seats. The soft blue linen underneath tied everything together beautifully.
The tables continued the colorful garden-inspired design with arrangements of pink cosmos, hydrangeas, delphinium, and greenery surrounded by glowing candles. It felt romantic and elevated without being overly formal.
And then there was the cake—a classic white tiered design with piped detailing and the sweetest pair of swans on top. It felt perfectly at home among the historic details of the Palais.
A Palais Royale Wedding Reception
Once guests entered the ballroom, the rest of the evening was all about celebrating.
Olivia and Thomas shared dinner surrounded by their favorite people, followed by heartfelt—and very funny—speeches. One of the things I loved most about photographing the reception was how expressive these two are together. There were constantly little glances, huge smiles, and moments of laughter happening between them.
After dinner, Olivia and Thomas opened the dance floor with their first dance beneath the ornate ceiling of the Palais Royale ballroom.
From there, the party officially started.
Guests packed the dance floor, shamrock glasses made an appearance, Olivia ended up above the crowd. And just like that, the formal black-tie elegance of the beginning of the day gave way to a dance floor full of people having an incredible time.
It was perfect.
Celebrating Olivia & Thomas
The forecast may have promised rain all day, but we ended up with an unexpectedly dry afternoon. Olivia and Thomas celebrated with a beautiful ceremony at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, colorful portraits around Notre Dame, and a packed dance floor at the Palais Royale. Their entire wedding day was such a joy to photograph.
I’m so grateful I had the opportunity to photograph Olivia and Thomas in both New York City and Notre Dame. From their engagement session to their wedding day, it was such a joy capturing this season for them.
Congratulations, Olivia and Thomas! 🤍
VENDORS
Photographer: Cat Alkire | Getting Ready Venue: Morris Inn | Ceremony Venue: Basilica of the Sacred Heart | Reception Venue & Catering: Palais Royale | Florist: Country Florist | Planner: Plum & Poppy | Stationery: Minted | Band: Night to Remember | Videographer: Old North Film Company | Hair & Makeup: Beauty & Bliss | Cake/Bakery: Macri’s | Wedding Dress Designer: Jenny Yoo | Wedding Dress Purchased At: Flair Boston | Tux: Proper Cloth | Bridesmaid Dresses: Azazie | Rings: Delicate Gem | Late Night Snack: Rocco’s
Planning your own Notre Dame wedding? I’d love for you to explore more Notre Dame weddings and information about working together on my Notre Dame Wedding Photographer page.
