A couple dressed in wedding attire sharing a joyful hug outdoors among trees, with the bride wearing a white gown and veil, and the groom in a dark suit.
Black and white photo of a smiling bride holding a bouquet and standing next to a groom in a suit with a bow tie, outdoors with trees in the background.
White high-heeled shoes and a small jewelry box on a black window sill.
A young couple sharing a kiss in a park during daytime, surrounded by trees and grass.
Three silver rings on a light beige textured surface, one with a small gemstone.
A family enjoying a sunset in a park, with a large tree in the background. The family includes two adults and two children, with the children running towards the camera and the adults smiling and standing nearby.
A couple walking hand in hand outdoors on a sunny day, with a white building in the background, surrounded by green grass and trees.
A newlywed couple kissing amidst falling white confetti during their wedding celebration.
A woman in a black dress is helping a smiling bride in a white dress prepare, with a mirror and greenery in the background.
Six women in black dresses and a woman in a white wedding gown walking on a grassy field, holding bouquets of white flowers, smiling and laughing together during a wedding celebration.
A couple hugging on a bridge outdoors during golden hour, smiling and touching foreheads, with trees in the background.
Family gathering outdoors with grandmother and young children, including a newborn, on a blanket.
Two women walk barefoot on a dirt path during sunset, holding hands, wearing casual clothing.
A bride with blonde hair in a white dress crying during her wedding ceremony outdoors, with a man holding a microphone and an officiant standing nearby, surrounded by green trees.
Close-up of a newborn baby's tiny feet on a soft beige blanket.
A close-up of a couple with their foreheads touching, holding hands in a field at sunset, with focus on their intertwined hands and one with an engagement ring.
A joyful couple sharing a moment outdoors at sunset, with the woman in a white dress and the man in a white shirt and black vest, standing on a grassy field near a pond or lake.
A bride in a white lace wedding dress holding a large bouquet of assorted colorful flowers outdoors.
An elderly man appears emotional, dressed in a white shirt with a lanyard around his neck, standing close to a woman in a wedding dress. They are indoors, in a decorated room possibly for a wedding or special occasion.
A woman in a white wedding dress dancing with her arms raised in a joyful pose surrounded by people dancing at a celebration or wedding reception.
A bride and groom laughing together at their wedding, close-up of their faces with the bride wearing a white lace wedding dress and the groom in a dark suit with a white shirt and boutonnière.

Natural, vibrant photos that feel like you!

For couples who care more about the vows than the trends.

I photograph your wedding day as it unfolds - offering guidance when it helps and stepping back when it doesn’t. No heavy staging. No stiff posing.

Just real moments, true-to-life color, and images that reflect who you actually are.

If you’re looking for photos that feel real, and a photographer who helps the day feel smoother—not more stressful—you’re in the right place.

A bride and groom hugging, the bride holding a note, during a wedding celebration.
A bride and groom sharing a joyful moment, with the groom kissing the bride on the cheek and the bride smiling with her eyes closed, holding a colorful bouquet of flowers, inside a decorated venue.
Three rings and a diamond ring placed on a windowsill with sunlight and shadows.
Two people walking barefoot on a dirt path at sunset, holding hands, with grass and open field on the side.

Hey there! I’m Mary Ellen —

I’m an Indiana wedding photographer with a passion for telling stories. In my years of capturing weddings and experiencing my own in 2022, I've learned that your wedding day shouldn't feel like a day-long photoshoot. Instead, it should focus on your story, the people who gather to celebrate with you, and the beginning of your life together as one. My intention will be to capture it all exactly how it unfolds so you remember the day, the moments, and your people.

Black background with a logo featuring someone with curly hair, wearing sunglasses, and a pearl necklace, next to the words 'The Velvet Swords' in white text.
A woman with long brown hair wearing a brown corduroy jacket, smiling and sitting at a dark wooden table against a plain light-colored wall.
Learn more
Finally getting around to sharing this family session from last fall 🍂 The Thompsons are the kind of family that makes my job so easy! They’re fun, laid-back, and have the most well-behaved kids ever. I started taking on more family session
Mr. and Mrs. Hennemann! Finally getting around to sharing some images from this beautiful day last fall! This day was full of joy and pure fun - plus the fall weather was literal perfection 🍂
Mr. and Mrs. Danus! 🥂 Finally getting around to sharing this beautiful day! Conor and Elena were so fun to work with (and had the most epic dance party ever)! They thought through every single detail of their day and it was stunning!

  • The Petersens

    “We had an amazing experience with Mary Ellen! From the moment we met, we knew we made the right decision for our wedding. She took the time to understand our vision and delivered beyond our expectations! The photos are breathtaking. We love how she captured all the little details and emotions throughout the day. I would highly recommend her for your wedding day!!!”

  • The Walstras

    “Mary Ellen could not have done a better job capturing our wedding day! She was such a fun addition to our day and helped make sure everything went smoothly! She had such a joyful and happy spirit the whole day and we had so many family members comment on how wonderful Mary Ellen was to have around. She got our gallery back to us so fast and our pictures were beautiful! Would highly recommend her to everyone :)”

  • The Rosas

    “Mary Ellen was a phenomenal photographer for our wedding! She balanced professionalism and fun perfectly! Her photos turned out incredible and had an amazing sense of lighting and shadows. She was so much fun to work with, gave amazing directions and was very fast with the photo turnaround! I'd give her 10 stars if I could!”

  • The Smyths

    “Mary Ellen did an absolutely amazing job on the day of my wedding. She helped make my day more stress free, and went above and beyond her role to make the day amazing. I will forever recommend her to anyone looking for a wedding photographer. She has an extremely smooth process for how she photographs your special day, and you can tell that she absolutely loves doing her job. She was never in the way of anything, yet captured all of the amazing moments of my wedding day. Most importantly, she does AMAZING work. I am still in awe of every single wedding photo she took. She truly captures the most precious pictures, and helps the whole process feel fun and natural. She is an amazing photographer and such a great person! I’m grateful that we chose her to photograph our wedding day.”

  • The Wills

    “Mary Ellen was the most wonderful photographer for our big day! She was so helpful and willing to make all our dreams come true! She was stress free and truly captured our day without us missing the wedding by taking pictures! Truly such a wonderful joyful presence and we could not recommend her enough! 10 stars!”

  • The Ripleys

    “Mary Ellen capture the simple, beautiful romance of our day while keeping all of her photos genuine and authentic. She found our happiest moments, snapped a picture of them and now they hang on our wall. We are incredibly thankful that Mary Ellen blessed us with her photography and we were blessed with her excellent communication and endearing nature.”

  • The Bymans

    “Mary Ellen took our engagement and wedding photos and they were AMAZING! She is such a genuine person and photographer. During our wedding, she worked very closely with our wedding coordinator and went above and beyond being our wedding photographer!”

  • The Brovonts

    "Mary Ellen did our photos and was absolutely amazing! The pictures turned out so good! The day of she was so kind and helpful and got us the edited (beautifully by the way) photos in only a few days! Cannot say enough good things about the experience!”

  • Gracie C.

    "I chose Mary Ellen as my photographer because I saw many of my friends have her as their photographer and the quality of her photos are amazing. She did not disappoint in either of my two sessions I had with her. Mary Ellen is so sweet and made me feel comfortable posing in front of a camera when I had never done that before. I am so grateful for her hard work to make my pictures look spectacular.”

  • The Beans

    “A wedding photographer is so much more than just your photographer. Mary Ellen was so amazing. She helped us so much with things I didn’t think of being a first time bride. She kept me on schedule, helped direct us to have a smooth day, suggested photo opportunities, and was overall so wonderful and pleasant that it added a calmness to our day. She was part of our big day, not just the photographer. The photos are amazing. So many high quality, beautiful photos. So many moments captured that we get to treasure forever. Sometimes I thought “how did she get the perfect moment!! Wow!” We highly recommend Mary Ellen.”

  • The Christensons

    “Mary Ellen did a great job with our engagement photos and documenting our wedding day! She is so sweet and easy to communicate with! I am so glad we had her as part of our wedding day and highly recommend her to anyone looking for a great photographer!”

  • The Cardies

    “Mary Ellen is a wonderful, thoughtful, professional photographer! She captured our wedding day and all its emotions so beautifully. We had our sneak peak photos the day after, and we received the remainder our photos in a timely fashion. Highly recommend Mary Ellen!! You wont be disappointed!!”

  • The Dillings

    “Mary Ellen is the absolute best!! She has been my go to photographer for so many things so it was obvious to have her capture my wedding! From the day I got engaged to after I walked down the aisle Mary Ellen was so helpful. She helped the day go by so smoothly and captured all the little moments I wanted!”

Some recent love stories…

Let’s work together!

  • Whether you are a bride wanting a big wedding or a small, intimate one with only your closest people, I’ve got your back! Click on the dropdown menu and navigate to “weddings” for more information!

    Average spend: 4-5.5k

  • Engagements are so special, and I love getting to meet you! Engagement sessions are included with my wedding packages, but can always be booked separately.

    Pricing starts at $450

  • Photographing portraits is how I began my photography career and I still love to photograph those special milestones - graduations, baby announcements, and any other fun event in your life.

    Pricing starts at $450