We've MOVED: www.benpancoast.com/blog

We have switched sites. Please view our recent work here: www.benpancoast.com/blog

Check out our recent wedding work at:
Wedding Photography at Notre Dame
Willow Harbor Vineyards
Millcreek Barn

And some of our recent Engagement Photos at:
Millenium Park
Chicago
The Beach



A Trash the Dress portrait shoot and Engagement Photos in Washington DC

So if you haven't already, please check out my new and improved wedding photography blog here!

What if it Rains on your wedding day?

So what really happens if it rains on your wedding day? Will your wedding pictures be ruined, will your guests have a terrible time, or will you have good luck and be blessed with many years of happiness? This past season I have had the misfortune or perhaps good fortune, depending on your artistic point of view, of having shot several outdoor weddings that had more than their fair share of stormy weather on the wedding day! So what really happens and does everything really work out in the end?


Carmel Indiana: The outdoor ceremony was finished and the cocktails had just begun on the back patio when this monster storm rolled in. Everyone ran for cover under the tent and watched as an inch of rain and nickle sized hail poured down on us. The skies cleared though and by the end of the night the storm had become just one more part of this fairy tale wedding!


Oval Beach, Saugatuck Michigan: Wind whipped rain drenched people during the vows but the bride, groom, and their guests simply laughed it off. After the vows everyone ran for cover and by the time we got to the reception site the rain had cleared, the dress had dried and everyone had a story to tell!


Chicago Illinois: Torrential downpours kept this couple from San Francisco from completing their vows on Wrigley field but it didn't stop them from going out on the town for some amazing portraits in the rain!

As you can see by the pictures here, not only did the rain not ruin a single wedding day but it actually provided an amazing backdrop for what turned out to be 3 spectacularly beautiful and unique weddings! Now I wouldn't wish rain on anyone's wedding day but if some should happen to come your way I'd suggest just going with the flow, at the end of the day you'll be married to the love of your life, have an incredible story, and probably have some pretty amazing pictures to help you remember it all by!
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This Blog is no longer actively updated, to view my latest work please visit my NEW wedding photography BLOG!!

also Check out our lastest Rainy Wedding Day photos!

Featured in: Shore Magazine BRIDE

One of my favorite beach weddings of the entire summer was featured in the latest issue of Shore Magazines BRIDE. The photograph is their featured "Capture" and can be found just inside the back cover!

The ceremony took place on Oval Beach in Saugatuck Michigan, and yes the dark clouds on the horizon did end up soaking the bride, groom, and all their guests with wind whipped rain. Remarkably that didn't stop the ceremony, or the smiles, of the bride and groom as they finished their vows in the rain before running for cover!

Many thanks to Melanie and David for sharing their wedding day with me and allowing me to share this photograph of their incredible beach wedding with Shore Magazine.

If you'd like to see even more amazing beach wedding photos check out this blog post!

Baby Pictures: Saint Joseph Michigan

Today I had the opportunity to photograph a beautiful baby boy here in Southwest Michigan. I don't normally blog about my family portrait work but I thought I'd start putting more of my baby pictures on the blog since it is slowly becoming a bigger part of what I shoot here in Saint Joesph Michigan.

Photographing newborns on location is not only a lot of fun it is a welcome change of pace from the hectic, but exciting weddings I'm so accustomed to shooting on weekends. A typical shoot revolves around the babies schedule and involves me showing up on location, scouting the light in a house and setting up a portable backdrop by a window. We'll shoot some portraits of the baby with the back drop and then sometimes get more creative and use the room or furniture in the house for props and backdrops. This is of course if the baby doesn't fall asleep first...

If you or someone you know is having a baby soon and would be interested in scheduling a newborn portrait session please contact me through my website! Many thanks to Dave & Molly for inviting me into their home and allowing me to photograph their son!

And the WINNER of the Free Engagment Session is...

This weekend we gave away one free engagement shoot in the hope chest drawing and I promised everyone who entered the drawing that we'd give another one away this week on the blog Congratulations to the lucky recipient: Whitney Martin

Whitney will be receiving a free Engagement shoot along with a 10pg brag book!

Congratulations Whitney!

Engagement Photos in Madison Wisconsin

I had the pleasure of shooting Dan & Sarahs engagement photos in Madison Wisconsin a couple of weeks ago. We started on the University of Wisconsin campus at the Memorial Union. Because it was so cold out we had to stay inside and shoot in the stair wells and hallways around the Union Theatre but I think the pictures turned out beautifully!


Once we were done in the Union we actually went out on the frozen lake for a few pictures looking back at campus and then we headed over to the capitol building where once again we used the incredible architecture inside the building to capture some really neat shots.


We wrapped up the shoot with a quick stop by a bar, a few photos in the Museum of Contemporary Art, and a small coffee shop which was perfect because by then we were all freezing!


I think you can tell from the images that Dan & Sarah are not only incredibly photogenic, they're a lot of fun to hang out with too! I can not wait to shoot their wedding here in Southwest Michigan this July at the Blue Dress Barn!


Check out Dan & Sarahs wedding photos at the Blue Dress Barn here!!