The Northwest Indiana Wedding Photography Year In Review 2016

March 13, 2017 Steve Vansak

Wow - going through wedding photos from 2016 has simply been overwhelming!! So many moments - fun, serious, emotional, unexpected - the list goes on. The year started with winter weddings and freezing temperatures and ended like that as well. There is so much to share and not enough space, so I'm going to dive right into it.

My year started off photographing a winter wedding at Meyer's Castle with an indoor ceremony. However, I had to venture outside with Lisa and Mandeep for a few shots. Our next stop was in Crown Point with the winter wedding of Marissa and Dennis.

Winter wedding photos in Northwest Indiana in 2016.

Spring weddings in Northwest Indiana can vary from 75 degree days to snow. Our April wedding saw all 4 seasons in a span of 8 hours!!

Spring wedding photos in Northwest Indiana in 2016.

A sudden snowstorm breaks out during wedding photos in Crown Point, Indiana.

Bride alone at Holy Spirit Church in Crown Point, Indiana.

Late Spring saw stops at Notre Dame Basilica as well slightly warming temperatures. From Harley Davidson boots for the bride to a groom getting serenaded at church - the 2016 wedding fun was just beginning.

Spring weddings in Northwest Indiana in 2016.

Bride and groom take a stroll at Wicker Park in Munster, Indiana.

June is traditionally a busy month for weddings in Northwest Indiana as the temperatures tend to settle in, although it can get quite warm. June weddings in 2016 saw more Harley Davidson motorcycles along with stops at County Line Orchard, The Patrician as well as a church wedding at St. Michael's Parish in Schererville.

The bride and groom roar away on their Harley Davidson motorcycle.

Summer wedding photos in Northwest Indiana in 2016.

I was very proud to capture the new Mrs. and Mrs. Wendy and Kelly at Lighthouse Restaurant in June 2016. We had a blast covering their big day and I'm so glad mother nature gave us a nice sunset overlooking the pier.

Summer 2016 wedding at Lighthouse Restaurant in Cedar Lake, Indiana.

Sunset wedding photo at Lighthouse Restaurant.

June continued on with many stops at the beach and an epic Chicago church wedding with a reception at The Halls of St. George.

June wedding photos in Northwest Indiana during 2016.

July saw stops at Sand Creek Country Club for Kelly and John's big day as well as a Catholic wedding ceremony at St, Kasmir Church in Hammond. We stopped by Centennial Park a few times as well.

Bride and groom at the fountain at Centennial Park in Munster, Indiana.

July weddings in Northwest Indiana in 2016.

August saw another stop at County Line Orchard along with The Pavilion at Sandy Pines. Lets open the balcony door and take a look...

The bride opens the balcony door at County Line Orchard.

Northwest Indiana wedding photos in August of 2016.

The bride and her bridesmaids take a walk at The Pavilion At Sandy Pines.

September and October have increasingly become the busiest times of the year. The 2016 Fall wedding season was exactly that!! We started things off on Labor Day weekend at White Hawk Country Club in Crown Point with the outdoor golf course wedding of Amanda and Zach and then it was onto The Allure in Laporte, Indiana where BB8 delivered the wedding ring.

Bride and groom on the golf course at White Hawk Country Club in Crown Point, Indiana.

September 2016 wedding photos in Northwest Indiana.

The second half of September saw us at barn weddings, riding tractors and exploring some nearby forests.

Wedding photos in Northwest Indiana in September 2016.

October 2016 was one of the busiest with outdoor weddings at Briar Ridge and church weddings and receptions back at Lighthouse Restaurant and elsewhere.

Bride and groom sit on logs at Coffee Creek Park in Chesterton, Indiana.

October wedding photos in Northwest Indiana in 2016.

Bride and groom at Briar Ridge Country Club in Dyer, Indiana.

Bride and groom walk in front of the courthouse in downtown Valparaiso, Indiana.

One theme of the Fall weddings here in Northwest Indiana and the surrounding Chicago area in 2016 was the Chicago Cubs playoff games and of course, World Series win!! Almost all of the receptions had updates. As we made our way into November, fall color was at it's peak.

Fall wedding photos in Northwest Indiana in 2016.

A romantic moment between bride and groom during a Fall wedding.

December 2016 saw the train roll in for some winter weddings in Crown Point as well as Aberdeen Manor in Valparaiso. Warm hearts melted the falling snow...

Northwest Indiana winter wedding photos in 2016.

A winter wedding photo at Cloister In The Woods in Munster, Indiana.

So there you have it, the Northwest Indiana Wedding Photography Year in Review 2016. So many wedding images to share and simply not enough room here. Please check out the Region Weddings Instagram feed to see even more. To inquire about your date, the Contact Form is the best method.

Happy New Year!!

Northwest Indiana Wedding Photography: 2015 Year In Review

December 28, 2015 Steve Vansak

The Trinity Hall gazebo at twilight in Chesterton, Indiana.

The year 2015 saw me photographing weddings all over Northwest Indiana, Chicago and Michigan. Let's take a look back at this spectacular year in weddings. At the end of this article I will embed my Northwest Indiana Wedding Photographer Year In Review video for even more images. Be sure to click on an image for a larger view.

If you are a 2016 or 2017 bride, keep in mind that next year is already 60% booked. Please fill out the Contact Form to inquire about your date.

We began the year at the grand ballroom of The Allure with Ivy and Luscious and then it was on to Trinity Hall in Chesterton with Kelsi and Peter.

Usually a few winter weddings start off the year, but 2015 saw us starting in the Spring in a big way. One of the busier weekends was a double header wedding at the old Crown Point Courthouse. Kelly and Matt picked the perfect venue for their 1920's themed wedding and Beth and Charlie closed it out with their elegant ballroom dancing inside the building known as The Grande Old Lady.

This past Spring saw really heavy rains all over Northwest Indiana and the entire Midwest. We tried, but could not escape the elements for Kelly and Danny and Dolores and Erich's wedding. It didn't matter as we embraced the storms and got our pictures inside and out. We were back again at The Allure and also shooting at Sand Creek in Chesterton. We were able to see the sun in full view for Ashley and Matthew's outdoor wedding at Centennial Park.

June brought some more themed weddings. We had baseball at Erica and Alex's wedding and Harry Potter and the literary arts in general at Katie and Kurt's reception. Lauren and Ryan had a terrific church wedding in Hebron and then it was on to an open air reception at the YMCA Pavilion in Valparaiso, Indiana.

As the Summer progressed, stops at County Line Orchard and Fair Oaks Farmhouse gave some some rustic wedding looks. Megan and Bobby brought the fireworks to their July 4th wedding and Ogden Gardens in Valparaiso gave some great scenery for Stephanie and Brett's wedding photos.

Photographing at The Pavilion At Sandy Pines is always a thrill and the Summer had me back at Sand Creek for the second time in 2015 for Jennifer and Daniel's wedding. April and Fred took me to Avalon Manor for their pink and black colored outdoor wedding.

Soon I was back in Crown Point for Erica and Jon's wedding and then it was onto the estate of "a guy named Bob" for Katie and Logan's outdoor ceremony. I tease as bob is a great family friend to them and he welcomed us to his wonderful home and all of the spectacular scenery that if offers - from lakes to woods to centuries old furniture. We then made out way back to Chesterton and photos at Coffee Creek Park with Allen and Nicole. If you live in Lowell, you may seen the hayride with Gwen and Keith parading through town.

I usually make several stops at Centennial Park throughout the course of the year and the outdoor wedding of Katherine and Justin brought us back again. Maria and Seth brought us to the LaPorte, Indiana area for their Catholic wedding ceremony and then a reception at Trinity Hall.

Fall weddings are right up there with June weddings and this year really showed that. Some of our stops included Krystin and Chachi's wedding photos at Lake County Fairgrounds and Michelle and Derrick's fun shots at Carmelite Shrine in Munster, Indiana.

Late Fall saw us venturing off to Chicago for Jen and Nathan's wedding as well as the Halloween celebration of Matt and Michelle and the Autumn themed wedding of Sandra and Andrew, all at Radisson Hotel. I can't leave out the first ever wedding at Perry Court in downtown Crown Point!!

Please take a moment to enjoy the Region Weddings 2015 Year In Review Video below. Be sure to have a terrific New Years Eve!! See you soon.

The year 2015 in photos from Northwest Indiana Wedding Photographer - Region Weddings. All images from the Northwest Indiana, Chicago and Michigan area.

Introducing the Wedding Photographer Assistants for 2011

March 28, 2011 Steve Vansak

If you have been a client in the past, you know that I usually have a female assistant accompany me at all my wedding shoots and sometimes on engagement photo sessions as well. In addition to holding my lighting and other equipment related duties, they are also there to look after the brides. They will attend to your dress as well as the groom's crooked tie and help me gather up family members for group shots, etc.

Winter is still hanging on in Northwest Indiana so we all had our coats on for a recent training session. I met the girls at Deep River Country Park in Valparaiso to go over what their job will entail fror wedding and portrait sessions in 2011.

Let me introduce the girls one by one.

First up is Amy, who has assisted me on many wedding, engagement and high school senior sessions. She has always done a great job and I'm glad she is on board this year as well. My other assistant from 2010 - Brooke is busy with her own wedding taking place this summer. Congratulations Brooke!!

Our first newbie is Mya. She will be assisting me on the first Chicago Sessions Engagement shoot of the year. She is dressed for the cold, but her warm personality always shines...

Mya is also pictured in the first photo above with with Leslie, who will be on board for Angela and Mike's wedding in Valparaiso, Indiana in April. We intend to have a lot of fun while making some great wedding images this summer.

Next up is one of my favorite baristas - Kristine. She has a friend who is a photographer in Muncie, Indiana and has the distinction of being the only assistant to ever fold up one of my lighting reflectors on the first try!!

Due to a great amount of weddings booked (and more coming) for the year I will have 5 assistants on call for weddings in Northwest Indiana, Chicago and Michigan.

Our final assistant to spotlight is Melissa who is a friend of my family...

So look for us all this summer at various venues around Northwest Indiana, Michigan and Illinois. Chances are you will see a bride and groom or two as well. :) Hopefully no winter coats!!

Preparing for Wedding Photography Season 2011

March 21, 2011 Steve Vansak

Wedding photography season for 2011 kicks off for me in two weeks as I head to Chicago to photograph a Chicago Sessions Engagement Package. The weather is finally starting to break a little here in Northwest Indiana and calls are coming in to schedule the local / Chicago engagement shoots as well as outdoor family portraits, kids and high school seniors too.

The first actual wedding of the year will be April 30th with Angela and Mike's Valparaiso wedding with a reception at The Raddison at Star Plaza Theater in Merrillville.

As a wedding photographer there is MUCH to do in these weeks leading up to the photo shoots. Here is some of what has been on my agenda in recent weeks:

Meetings with clients and potential clients. Emails and calls have been coming in daily as it is booking season. I do presentations here at the home studio and also a mobile presentation. I bring sample wedding albums, prints, gallery wraps and more. Most importantly, I answer all your wedding photography questions. For already booked clients, we get out photographic timeline together along with locations, etc.
New photography gear. It's NOT about the gear you have. However, one of my camera bodies was getting long in the tooth. So I bit the bullet and purchased a new professional body to add to my collection. I'm always traveling with two to every wedding for shooting convenience and for back up as well.
Classes and workshops. To avoid getting stale, a good photographer is always going to be adding knowledge. I've got a few tricks up my sleeve for 2011 weddings courtesy of some top of the line pros who unselfishly share their craft.
Equipment maintenance: I love the look of magazine-esque commercial photography and I like to do this with my wedding clients. This requires external lighting and other accessories to make this look happen. I'm testing, cleaning and (unfortunately) even sending some things in for repairs.
New computer. Digital wedding photography requires knowledge of the digital darkroom and a computer that can handle the tasks at hand. With so many weddings booked for 2011 and many back to back, it was time to upgrade my already fast system with and an even faster one with greater storage. All the better to get images back to my clients in a timely manner.