“He has made everything beautiful in its time.” Ecclesiastes 3:11
For Maddy and Mike, those words feel especially fitting. Their story began with a message on Catholic Match. Then continued across hundreds of miles between Indianapolis and Pensacola. And eventually brought them together for their St. Pius X Catholic Church & Gillespie Conference Center Wedding in South Bend, Indiana.
From the beginning, faith was at the center of their relationship. Only five days after they began talking, Maddy flew to Florida to spend a weekend with him. What followed was a whirlwind season of flights, FaceTime dates, prayer, and finding ways to build a relationship despite the distance between them.
By December, Mike had graduated from pilot training and proposed to Maddy during a walk along the Monon Trail. Less than a year and a half after that first message, the two were surrounded by their family and friends in Granger, Indiana. Ready to begin their marriage with the sacrament that had been at the heart of everything leading them there.
Their wedding was photographed by Megan. She is one of the lead photographers on the Cat Alkire Photography associate team, alongside our second photographer.
A Classic Summer Wedding Morning
Maddy began her wedding day surrounded by the people closest to her. Her wedding style was classic and timeless. She wore a strapless satin gown with simple pearl jewelry and carried a bouquet of soft blue, blush pink and white flowers.
Her bridesmaids wore dusty blue dresses in a mix of styles. Their bouquets were filled with blue delphinium, pink roses and other soft summer blooms. Meanwhile, Mike and several members of the wedding party wore their military dress uniforms. It added such a meaningful and personal element to the day.
Before leaving for the church, Megan took a few quiet bridal portraits of Maddy. Her classic gown and colorful bouquet looked beautiful together. The addition of her long veil made these some of my favorite photographs from the morning.
A Catholic Wedding at St. Pius X Catholic Church in Granger, Indiana
Maddy and Mike were married during a Catholic Mass at St. Pius X Catholic Church in Granger. Just outside of South Bend, Indiana.
Their faith had been woven throughout their entire relationship. So it felt especially meaningful that the heart of their wedding day was the sacrament of marriage. Maddy walked down the aisle with her father before she and Mike exchanged vows in front of their family and friends.
One of the things I value most about Catholic wedding photography is documenting every part of the Mass. Of course, that includes the traditional moments of the wedding ceremony. However, the sacred moments are just as important. From the readings and homily to Maddy and Mike kneeling together during the Liturgy of the Eucharist, it all matters. Megan and the team photographed each part with care, keeping the importance of their faith at the center of their gallery.
After Mass, Maddy and Mike walked back down the aisle as husband and wife. Outside the church, Mike’s fellow service members welcomed the newlyweds with a traditional sword arch. It was such a fun and meaningful way to end their ceremony. Afterward, everyone gathered outside St. Pius for wedding party photographs.
Wedding Portraits at Saint Mary’s College
After leaving St. Pius X, Maddy and Mike headed to Saint Mary’s College for their wedding portraits.
The summer greenery around campus was beautiful, and the pond and bridge created such a timeless backdrop for the two of them. Mike’s dark blue dress uniform looked incredible alongside Maddy’s classic white gown and pastel bouquet.
The portrait time also gave the two of them a chance to slow down together after the ceremony. Some of my favorite images from their wedding are the simplest ones: the two of them walking together, laughing beneath the willow trees, and Maddy’s bridal portraits near the water.
These are the kinds of photographs that feel just as beautiful decades from now as they do today, which is always the goal for a Cat Alkire Photography wedding gallery.
Gillespie Conference Center Wedding Reception
The celebration continued with a Gillespie Conference Center wedding reception in South Bend.
Soft blue and white carried throughout the reception design, tying everything back to the bridesmaids’ dresses and flowers from earlier in the day. White linens and draping kept the ballroom light and classic, while blue napkins, pastel floral arrangements and candlelight added color throughout the room.
Their simple three-tier white wedding cake sat on a blue floral linen, and the room was ready for guests to settle in for dinner, toasts and an evening of celebrating the newlyweds.
Later, the formal military uniform was traded for a slightly less formal American flag shirt, which felt like a pretty appropriate way for Mike to hit the dance floor. 😂 From there, Maddy and Mike spent the rest of the night surrounded by the family and friends who had supported them through the long-distance relationship that brought them here.
Maddy & Mike’s South Bend Catholic Wedding
Maddy and Mike’s story began with two people willing to trust God’s timing, even when that meant beginning a relationship hundreds of miles apart. Their wedding day felt like such a beautiful culmination of that season and the beginning of something entirely new.
From their Catholic Mass at St. Pius X to portraits at Saint Mary’s College and their Gillespie Conference Center reception, their day was full of the faith, family and joy that had carried them to this point.
Maddy and Mike, congratulations! It was such an honor for the Cat Alkire Photography associate team to document the beginning of your marriage. We are so grateful you trusted us with these memories and are wishing you a lifetime of love, faith and plenty of adventures together.
VENDORS
Photographer: Cat Alkire | Ceremony Venue: St. Pius X Church | Reception Venue & Catering: The Gillespie Event Center | Florist: Local Roots Floral Design | Stationery: Minted | DJ: Love ENT by Milk Majer | Hair: Beauty & Bliss | Cake/Bakery: Bit of Swiss | Wedding Dress Designer: House of Idan | Wedding Dress Purchased At: The Wedding Studio (Carmel) | Rings: Reis-Nichols Jewelers | Backdrops/Lighting: Pro Show
Planning a Catholic Wedding in South Bend, Indiana?
As a South Bend Wedding Photographer, documenting the sacrament of marriage and the traditions of a Catholic Mass is an incredibly important part of what I do. My associate team is trained with that same approach so that every couple we serve receives thoughtful, consistent coverage centered around the moments that matter most.
And if you’re beginning to choose your ceremony location, I’ve also put together a guide to Catholic churches for weddings in the South Bend area.
I’d love to hear what you’re planning and learn more about your wedding day.
