I had a great time capturing Gavin and Sasha’s wedding day in Valparaiso, Indiana.
Gabis Arboretum is a beautiful nature preserve and tailor-made for an outdoor wedding ceremony. From the first looks to Willie the dog playing his role as ring bearer to dancing the night away in custom shades at The Porter County Expo Center, a good time was had by all.
Bridal Prep
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Wendy covered groomsmen prep and we all met up at Gabis Arboretum for first looks with Dad, and then the groom to be.
Groom Prep
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First Looks
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It has been an extreme weather year in Northwest Indiana, but sometimes that can bring unique looks to wedding photos. We had puffs of white clouds with blue, despite being overcast and some overturned trees gave us a woodsy, swampy look like we were in the deep south. I halfway expected some alligators to crawl out of the swampy lake.
We had fun the entire way, and I had a lot of laughs with the wedding party as we made our way around the nature park.
Guests arrive at Meyer Pavilion, which accommodates refreshments and provides shade before and after the outdoor ceremonies.
The ceremony felt like you were surrounded by nature. The open lawn allowed for a large guest list to watch as the bride walked down the aisle in serenity.
Sasha and Gavin included their dog Willie in the wedding ceremony. It made the celebration feel even more personal and meaningful. Willie walking down the aisle carrying the wedding rings brought smiles and laughs from the guests.
Ceremony
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Wedding Portraits at Gabis Arboretum
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Although Willie the dog did not physically attend the reception at Porter County Expo Center, he was there via the decorations, and it appears he even got a taste of the wedding cake!
Besides the heartfelt speeches and dancing, my favorite part of the night was the running gag of everyone trying on the wedding sunglasses. Good times!
Wedding Reception at Porter County Expo Center
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