The 2017 Northwest Indiana Wedding Photography Year In Review

December 26, 2017 Steve Vansak

Bride applies lipstick at Barker Mansion in Michigan City, Indiana.

Welcome once again to the Region Weddings Year In Review for wedding photography in Northwest Indiana, Chicago and southern Michigan. Settle in as it was another full year of weddings and this my longest article of the year with lots of images. To see a video slideshow of this post, check out The 2017 Year In Review video.

The 2017 wedding season saw me photograph for the first time at the historic Barker Mansion in Michigan City. My goal with this series of bridal portraits was to showcase the vintage history of the iconic building with a very modern bride. This resulted in some glorious color right next to sepia tones.

Bride on red staircase at Barker Mansion in Michigan City, IN.

There were quite a few winter wedding this year starting with Annie and Paul at Fair Oaks Farmhouse and then Lynne and Dale with a church ceremony at a stop at One Trick Pony brewery. Samantha and Dale were married at Saint Maria Goretti Church with a very chilly stop by Centennial Park.

As winter gave way to Spring (very begrudgingly), Sam and Alex and Amanda and Mike were on board for a pair of church weddings along with stops at Buckley Homestead.

Spring wedding photos in Northwest Indiana.

Bride and groom strike a magazine style pose at Centennial Park.

Late summer and early Spring saw Emily and Zach with an outdoor ceremony at Villa Cesare and Amanda and Josh at St. Michael's Church.

High fives, neon love, sisters / bridesmaids and church wedding ceremonies.

Summer weddings saw the flowers of Northwest Indiana in full bloom at Hans and Karla's outdoor ceremony at The Inn At Aberdeen with lakeside photos for Jill and Johnny.

July wedding photos in Northwest Indiana.

Bride and groom kiss in front of the old Crown Point Courthouse.

Ashlee and Ryan took a tour of downtown Crown Point for their wedding photos while Samantha and Tyler stayed in Valparaiso for their Aberdeen Chapel ceremony with pictures at Taltree Arboretum and a reception at The Market.

August weddings in Crown Point and Valparaiso.

Post ceremony kiss at The Chapel at Aberdeen Manor.

The groom spins his bride near the cornfields of Indiana.

Late summer say another new venue, Meadow Springs Manor with Karlie and Corey and a spectacular day at The Pavilion At Sandy Pines with Bethany and Keenin and their classic Mustang.

Late summer weddings at Meadow Springs Manor and Sandy Pines.

Bride and groom ride away in a classic Mustang.

September and October were definitely the busiest for weddings as well as engagement sessions. This part of the season saw Christina and Melvin at the incredible Uptown Center and Emily and Todd who were married at the final event at the bride's (soon to be torn down) childhood church next to her parent's home.

Bride on stage at The Uptown Center in Michigan City.

Bride and groom kiss in front an old chapel in Hebron, Indiana.

Romantic wedding photo in downtown Michigan City.

I photographed two Serbian weddings in 2017 with Jessica and Marinko at St. Simeon Church in Chicago and Tanja and Kevin at St. George in Schererville. The circle dances never stopped on either day.

Serbian weddings in Chicago and Schererville, Indiana.

The sun sets as the bride and groom gaze at each other beneath the tall trees in the forest.

As Fall kicked in, I photographed two weddings on opposite ends of the region both in style and geography - Katie and Mike at Lighthouse Restaurant with it's nautical vibe and The Allure in South Bend with Morganne and Chris.

Fall weddings at Lighthouse Restaurant and The Allure.

Bride and groom on the pier at Lighthouse Restaurant.

Bride and groom on a leaf filled bridge near Coffee Creek in Chesterton, Indiana.

The Autumn weddings also saw stops at Sand Creek Country Club with Jessica and Mitchell and The Spa in Porter, Indiana with Julia and Evan. Both weddings featured a deluge of leaves and Fall color.

Autumn leaves at wedding venues Sand Creek Country Club and The Spa.

The bride and groom share a kiss surrounded by Fall color at The Inn At Aberdeen.

November saw a pair of church weddings with Gina and Marcus at The Chapel At Avalon Manor and Emily and Jeff at Holy Name Catholic Church and reception at The Center For Performing Arts. Both had an abundance of unique Fall colors.

Bride in mirror before walking down the aisle.

I certainly can't forget Jeremiah and Kevin with their big Christmas wedding at The Uptown Center or Whinchester and Whinchester (aka Jennifer and David) - my first ever bride and groom with the same last name.

Christmas red and a bride and groom in blue.

Thank you so much for a terrific 2017 in weddings!! I have one more on December 30th so be sure to stay tuned here for the final wedding of 2017. To inquire about your big day, as always please complete the Contact Form. I hope you have a terrific New Year and let's hope for a 2018 filled with love.

Bride inside the "red room" at Barker Mansion.

Winter Wedding At Fair Oaks Farmhouse

January 17, 2017 Steve Vansak

Evening stroll for the bride and groom at Fair Oaks Farmhouse.

Annie and Paul had an epic winter wedding at Fair Oaks Farmhouse with a country theme provided by the bride and her western boots and the incredible Americana band at the reception. Oh, and hearty macaroni and cheese to go along with your choice of steak, chicken or salmon. You can't beat that!!

Things started out in the morning with Annie and her girls prepping for the day ahead. Her dress was beautiful and the remembrance charm attached to her bouquet was a nice touch.

Bridal prep for a wedding at Fair Oaks Farmhouse.

I gathered the bridesmaids together for a slumber party shot, but something wasn't quite right. One of the "bridesmaids" looked a little bit.... out of place.....

A groomsman photobombs the bridesmaids and gets paid back with a tickle attack.

In another room the guys were prepping for the big day. Their red vests and ties really popped.

The groomsmen prep for the big day at Fair Oaks Farmhouse.

Second photographer Kerrie took the guys out in back of the big red barn while I was in front with the girls.

The bridesmaids attack the bride with their winter shawls.

The bridesmaids visit a cow at Fair Oaks Farmhouse.

Keep in mind that is was pretty cold out at this point, but that did not bother Annie as she ditched her shawl for a few pictures showing off the big barn.

The bride in front of Fair Oaks Farmhouse at her winter wedding.

Soon it was ceremony time with the Fair Oaks ballroom packed with family and friends from all over. The bride and groom were serenaded with Your Song by Elton John in a live vocal from a friend in a ceremony filled with love and laughter.

Indoor wedding ceremony at Fair Oaks Farmhouse.

Winter wedding ceremony at Fair Oaks Farmhouse.

Immediately following the ceremony we took family photos as well as a wedding party group shot and some night time bride and groom pictures. Then it was time for introductions, dinner and getting the band tuned up for the big party.

Wedding party group photo at Fair Oaks Farmhouse.

The bride and groom share a kiss in the ballroom at Fair Oaks Farmhouse.

Bride and groom at their winter wedding in Fair Oaks, Indiana.

The mighty WheelHouse band is an Americana and Bluegrass band from Madison, Wisconsin. They were the perfect soundtrack for Annie and Paul's epic reception. They had the dance floor full all night. They have their own brand of Wheelhouse Whiskey, but I'm unclear if any was being served up this night. :)

The WheelHouse Band on stage during a wedding.

After the incredible dinner - desserts were served up, drinks were flowing and the dancing began. It may still be going on! :)

Wedding reception at Fair Oaks Farmhouse.

I hope you have enjoyed this sneak peek look at Annie and Paul's winter wedding at Fair Oaks Farmhouse. Stay tuned to social media below for more images and as always, please fill out the Contact Form to inquire about your big day. Stay warm!

Outdoor Wedding At County Line Orchard

August 16, 2016 Steve Vansak

The bride and groom embrace deep within the apple orchards at County Line Orchard.

From gala apples to apple cider to the explosive entrance of the bride and groom at their reception all the way to the sparkler send off in the rain - Valoree and Taylor's outdoor wedding at County Line Orchard in Hobart did not disappoint.

Our day started off with plenty of laughs as I covered the bridal prep. Valoree and her girls were in great spirits (ahem), as they sipped champagne from their vanity glasses. I learned what 'chambong' means and a good time was had by all.

The bridesmaids get ready for the big day at County Line Orchard.

The County Line Orchard bridal suite is located within the grain silo and is the prefect location for getting into the dress. The wonderful light illuminating through the curtains really showed off Valoree's beauty as she posed in front of the large mirror.

Tending to the wedding dress at the bridal suite inside County Line Orchard.

The bride opens the doors to the bridal suite at County Line Orchard after getting into her dress.

The bride stands on the balcony of the grain silo at County Line Orchard in Hobart, Indiana.

I then took the girls out to the apple orchards for some fun wedding party photos. The guys arrived soon after and I did the same for them. Soon it would be ceremony time!!

Fun bridesmaid photos at County Line Orchard.

The groomsmen looking GQ at a barn wedding in Hobart, Indiana.

The ceremony saw guests nestled between the apple orchards and fields of corn. The signature lemonade stand was available to quench one's thirst along with personalized fans to tame the summer heat. Little Taylor let everyone know that the bride would be walking down the aisle with her Uncle in a few moments.

Wedding ceremony moments at County Line Orchard.

The bride walks down the aisle in an outdoor wedding at County Line Orchard.

A summer wedding ceremony at County Line Orchard in Hobart, Indiana.

The "tractor limousines" took guests back to the barn for cocktail hour as I took family pictures and then photos of the couple. Rain had been on and off all day, but that played to our favor with some great dramatic cloud cover as the newlyweds kissed in the apple fields.

A newly married couple kisses in the apple fields of County Line Orchard in Hobart, Indiana.

The bride and groom in front of the big red barn of County Line Orchard.

Valoree and Taylor exploded out of the gate at introductions and then cut their cake. Apple cider was at every table and the couple had their very own Snapchat filter for tech savvy guests along with a whole bunch of rustic decor. The groom was a lucky man as the bride and her female friends serenaded him on the dance floor.

Wedding reception photos from County Line Orchard in Hobart, Indiana.

The rain was back for the sparkler send off, but nothing could deny the incredible spirits of Valoree and Taylor and their friends and family. What a great day and night it was!!

If you enjoyed this sneak peek, be sure to follow the Region Weddings Instagram page for more images. To inquire about your wedding date, please fill out the Contact Form today.

The bride and groom pose with sparklers at their wedding reception.

June Wedding At County Line Orchard

June 6, 2016 Steve Vansak

Just married sign on the back of a Harley Davidson as the bride and groom kiss in the background.

Wow...... I could probably just stop the text here and just run a bunch of photos from Joan and Daniel's rustic barn wedding at County Line Orchard in Hobart, Indiana. We fought with rain a little, but ultimately we won. It was an epic wedding with the bride and groom's beloved Harley Davidson on display as well as a classic hot rod.

We began the day with the girls getting ready at the couple's home. Team Bride was in good spirits and ready to rock. Even our flower girl had her own custom tee shirt to model.

***Click Images To Enlarge***

The bride opens the balcony doors in the bridal suite at County Line Orchard.

The first look / reveal of the bride and groom saw the maid of honor and best man opening the gates of the white fence for Joan to approach her husband to be. Daniel held out his hand and the two embraced with myself and second photographer Bridget capturing the wonderful moment from different angles.

First look for the bride and groom at their June wedding.

Soon we were off for pictures featuring the bride and groom and their Harley. We did everything from posed "biker chic" images to action shots of Joan and Daniel roaring away. Who gets to the drive the car? Seems as though the bride is staking her claim. It was a lot of fun!!

The bride and groom face each other on their Harley Davidson bike with farmland as their backdrop.

Fun wedding photos of Harley's, hot rods and a bride and groom.

We took a detour over to Deep River County Park for wedding party photos and then it was barn shots with the silo at County Line Orchard.

Wedding photos at Deep River County Park.

Fun wedding photos at County Line Orchard in Hobart, Indiana.

The barn wedding ceremony took place in the Northern barn at County Line Orchard. Daniel and Joan were pronounced husband and wife by their good friend John and then it was off to the reception in the South barn.

Barn wedding ceremony at County Line Orchard.

The reception featured a wonderful meal and the signature County Line donuts. A fire pit was open for roasting marshmallows and DJ 219 Productions brought the room lighting and the beat. Looks like the flower girl decided to crash the first dance as well. What a party it was!!

June wedding reception at County Line Orchard.

The flower girl charges onto the dance floor during the first dance at County Line Orchard.

I hope you have enjoyed this sneak peek look at Joan and Daniel's June wedding at County Line Orchard in Hobart, Indiana. Stay tuned to social media below for more images. To inquire about your wedding date, please fill out the Contact Form and I will be back with you right away.