If you’re planning a wedding at St. Elijah Serbian Orthodox Cathedral in Merrillville, you already know it’s not your average church wedding. There’s history to it, in the best way. The traditions run deep, the space is grand, and the whole day carries a kind of reverence you feel the moment you walk in.
I’ve spent more than a decade photographing weddings around Northwest Indiana and Chicago, and the ones held in churches like this one always stay with me. So if St. Elijah is on your list, here’s a little of what I’ve learned about pairing a first look with a St. Elijah Serbian Orthodox Cathedral wedding ceremony — and why it tends to make the day feel calmer and more like you.
A Little About the Cathedral and a St. Elijah Serbian Orthodox Cathedral wedding
St. Elijah has been part of Northwest Indiana since 1964. The current cathedral on Taft Street was built at the end of the ’70s and consecrated in 1983, and it belongs to the Serbian Orthodox Church’s New Gracanica Midwestern Diocese. It serves families all across the region and into Chicagoland.
What you notice first is the detail — the color, the iconography, the sense that generations of people have stood exactly where you’re about to stand. It’s a beautiful place to begin a marriage, and a beautiful place to photograph one.
Why I Love a First Look Here
An Orthodox ceremony has its own beautiful order to it, and every parish handles the day a little differently — so one of the first things I’ll gently nudge you to do is check with your priest and the church office early on. Once you know how your ceremony will flow, a first look beforehand often makes so much sense.
Here’s what I love about it. A first look gives the two of you a few quiet minutes before everything begins — before the guests, before the nerves really kick in, before the day picks up speed. Just you two. More often than not, that’s the moment shoulders drop and the whole thing starts to feel real.
It helps the timeline breathe, too. We can slow down for your portraits in soft, pretty light and, if the schedule allows, get through couple and wedding party photos before the ceremony — so when you walk out of the cathedral, you get to go straight to the fun part. If you’ve been going back and forth about whether to do one, this is me nudging you toward yes.
A Few Things Worth Planning For during a St. Elijah Serbian Orthodox Cathedral wedding
Orthodox weddings are full of tradition, and a big part of my job is helping you feel settled while it all happens. A couple of things I always mention to couples:
Talk to your priest about photography before the day. Every church has its own customs for where and how photos can be taken during the service, and sorting that out ahead of time keeps everything feeling respectful and relaxed. Give yourself a little cushion in the timeline, especially if you’re hopping between your first look spot, the cathedral, and your reception. And honestly — lean on me. Keeping the day calm and moving is just part of what I do; it’s not something extra you have to manage.
What Your Photos Will Feel Like
My work is light and airy, and I’m always chasing the way a day actually felt rather than a set of stiff, posed frames. The hush of your first look, the color and quiet of your ceremony inside St. Elijah, the little glances no one else catches — that’s what I’m there for.
Getting Married at St. Elijah / St. Elias?
I’d genuinely love to hear about your day. I photograph weddings in Merrillville, throughout Northwest Indiana, and across Chicagoland, and my whole goal is to make you feel looked-after so the day runs smoothly and you actually get to enjoy it. Most couples invest between $4,400 and $5,200 for full wedding coverage, and a second photographer is included every time.
Reach out here » and let’s see if your date is open.
