2011 January | Champaign and Urbana wedding photographer

Champaign and Urbana wedding photographer | Holly Birch Photography bio picture

Welcome to my blog!

Hey! Thanks for coming to my blog! If you're here as a bride or groom, I hope you like what you see. I'd love to meet with you in person to talk about your wedding day and how I can help you. I love photographing weddings and hope that shows in my work!

Things I love: the Illini, the color orange, lobsters, my husband, my son, weddings, my Nikon D700, socks, my dogs, Johnny Cash, American Idol, my iMac, The Sound of Music, Hereford cattle, a pair of good-fitting jeans, the Food Network, & macaroni and cheese (and my Grandma Hazel wants me to add her in here too).

Scroll down to view images from recent weddings and sessions! Also, be sure to "like" my Facebook page to keep up with announcements & specials!

Monthly Archives: January 2011

January 25, 2011

Featured on Pretty Fluffy

Posted in Pets 1 comment

You know what would be awesome? If winter was over and it would start to get warm around here again! I’m very tired of the single-degree digit days and would much rather have the sweltering heat of Illinois summers. You know where it is summer though? In Australia! And since January 26 is Australia Day, my friend Serena over (down?) at Pretty Fluffy in Sydney did a feature on Australian Shepherds that showcased some of my pet photography. And remember, even though I’m posting this on Jan. 25, it’s already Jan. 26 down under!

And since every blog post is better with a photo, here’s another shot from that session (which was actually an engagement session that included Jessica & Dan’s two lovable dogs)!

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Tags: Australia, dogs, featured, pets

January 13, 2011

Rachel + Brian | Mahomet Jewish in-home wedding

Posted in Wedding 4 comments

I am always honored to be such a big part of one of the most special days of a couple’s life together. It is even more humbling though, when I am invited to be part of a small intimate gathering. Aside from the rabbi (and me) you see in these photos, everyone present at this small, in-home wedding was a family member. This wedding was also special for me for a couple of reasons — it was my first ever Jewish wedding, and it was also my first in-home wedding. In the photo above, Rachel + Brian are signing the ketubah prior to the wedding ceremony itself. I love that everyone present is included in this photo, and that you can definitely see the love and happiness on their faces.

Rachel looks so at peace (and beautiful!) while listening to the rabbi as her parents look on.

Sage, the flower girl, was not sure what to make of all the commotion in her home. She was a very cooperative girl though!

I loved the makeshift traveling huppah that the rabbi brought along. Rachel + Brian’s siblings held it up in each corner.

Following the ceremony, Rachel and Brian were treated to heartfelt (and sometimes funny) toasts by each of their parents.

The happy family!

A few details…

Bouquet courtesy of English Hedgerow:

They followed up the ceremony with a family dinner at Bacaro in Champaign.

I’d like to finish this post with a few more of their engagement pictures with Sage from two days prior to the wedding.

I LOVE this one!

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Tags: huppah, Jewish, ketubah, Mahomet, Wedding

January 11, 2011

Nicole + Neal | iHotel Champaign wedding

Posted in Wedding 2 comments

I had the privilege of second shooting for my friend Jeremy Fenelon of JF Image Design on New Year’s Day, 1/1/11 at Nicole + Neal’s wedding. It was a very chilly and very windy day, but we were able to capture just a few shots outdoors and quite a few good ones indoors thanks to the great lighting at the Immanuel Lutheran Church of Flatville and the beautiful decor at the iHotel in Champaign. Here are a few of my favorite images from the ceremony and reception.

I stayed with the ladies while Jeremy was off with the guys. I’m glad I got to capture this moment between Nicole and one of her best friends. I don’t think they even said anything, but it was just the look of “Oh my gosh, you’re getting married!”

Nicole + Neal chose to do a first look prior to the wedding, and we were able to do all the family and group shots before the wedding. Easy peasy!

Stunning bride!

Nicole enters the ceremony on her dad John’s arm. I must give a shout out to John for graciously letting me use (test out?) some of his equipment that day. I got to have a SECOND D700 on my arm all day, as well as an 85mm 1.8! I loved it! Several of the shots in this post were taken with that lens. I also enjoyed getting to test out his Gary Fong dome.

Married!

Here they come! I’m a sucker for the sparkler exit, which sadly seems to be much more popular in the south than here in Illinois! I love it!

So happy!

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Tags: Champaign, iHotel, Jeremy Fenelon, JF Image Design, Wedding

January 7, 2011

Rachel + Brian | Rural Mahomet engagement + pet photography

Posted in Engagement No comments

Here’s a sneak peek of Rachel + Brian’s pre-wedding session + wedding. I met them at their rural Mahomet house this week to get to know them, see the property and snap a few photos of them with their sweet and rambunctious dog, Sage. Tomorrow, I’ll meet them again at their home to photograph their short and intimate wedding ceremony. Looking forward to it!

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Tags: e-session, Engagement, Mahomet, pet

January 7, 2011

Anna + Noel | University of Illinois Urbana engagement photography

Posted in Engagement 1 comment

Anna and Noel met me at the Union on the University of Illinois campus for an engagement session in mid-December. They agreed to do a few outdoor shots, but it was very chilly and windy so we ended up doing most of them indoors. Thank goodness for bright sunshine and buildings with lots of windows! The buildings we used were the Illini Union, Foellinger Auditorium, the Institute of Genomic Biology, and the Business Instructional Facility. They’ll be getting married next fall in Michigan, and I wish them the best of luck!

A redhead with blue eyes? Kindred spirits, perhaps?