The 2018 Year In Review for Northwest Indiana and Chicago Weddings

December 31, 2018 Steve Vansak

Bride and groom steal a kiss on a hilltop at Briar Ridge Golf Course.

I’m typing this blog post on December 31, 2018 on what is supposed to be a slow day in the world of a wedding photographer. It’s not!! With several client meetings today and the final wedding of the year just this past weekend, one of my busiest years in Northwest Indiana and Chicago wedding photography is ending as it began with a very active schedule. No complaints here, but get ready because I have LOTS of images and wedding stories for the year down below. Let’s get to it…

Late winter 2018 weddings in Valparaiso, Indiana and Grant Park, Illinois.

After a busy December the previous year, I photographed Nicole and Luke’s wonderful church wedding in early March in Beecher, Illinois and followed shortly by Ashley and Adam at Aberdeen Manor.

Wedding Ceremony At Faith United Reform Church

In early Spring I found myself at Briar Ridge Country Club quite a few times starting off with Rachel and Matt with Sheri and Ryan the following Saturday. Both couples had some blazing sun for their golf course weddings.

Two Spring weddings at Briar Ridge Country Club in Dyer, Indiana.

The previous Fall I had done Ashley and Michael’s engagement session and they had such a wonderful chemistry together that I was eagerly anticipating their outdoor wedding at the spectacular Sandy Pines Pavilion with it’s beautiful bridal suite and perfectly landscaped scenery. It was a wonderful Sunday wedding.

I was also back for another golf course wedding with a touch of Disney with Abby and Sean at Sand Creek Country Club.

Bride and groom hold hands on the lake pier at Sandy Pines Golf Course.

Weddings at two golf courses - Sandy Pines and Sand Creek.

In mid May it was the first of two weddings at County Line Orchard with Jaime and Tom. The groom’s family came all the way from England for this exquisite barn wedding.

The bride and groom exit the County Line Orchard south barn after their ceremony.

Spring wedding photos at County Line Orchard.

Late in May saw me heading to Chicago for Veronica and Adrian’s church wedding and then it was time for another trip to Valparaiso University and The Chapel of the Resurrection where Lauren and Edward declared victory.

May weddings in Chicago and Northwest Indiana.

The groom rings the victory bell at Valparaiso University.

Bride and groom at the bottom of the spiral staircase at Valparaiso University.

The groom and his guys at Valparaiso University.

Also in late May, I made it back to the beach for Nicole and Chad’s Memorial Day weekend wedding at Marquette Park Pavilion. Then it was back to Briar Ridge Country Club for Patty and Stephen’s outdoor nuptials.

Late Spring weddings at Marquette Park Pavilion and Briar Ridge Country Club.

June saw another golf course wedding reception with Jennifer and Carl and a stop by Meyer’s Castle two weekends in a row for Valerie and Anthony and then Mallory and Ryan.

June weddings at Briar Ridge and Meyer’s Castle.

The bride is soaked by sunlight at Meyer’s Castle during a summer wedding.

June wedding at Meyer’s Castle in Dyer, Indiana.

Summer rolled on with another County Line Orchard wedding where Ashley and Zach had their un-plugged wedding ceremony.

Bride and groom smooch in the farm fields behind County Line Orchard.

Gang of bridesmaids stalk the open fields of County Line Orchard.

July saw another Chicago wedding with Lauren and Mark at The Signature Room on the 95th floor of the John Hancock Building and Katie and Patrick’s church wedding at St. Michael’s Parish in Schererville, Indiana with reception at The Munster Center for the Performing Arts.

July weddings in Chicago and Schererville, Indiana.

The groom kisses the bride at the edge of the Centennial Park Lake.

The summer weddings rolled on with Kim and Tim at St. Maria Goretti Church as well as Patti and David and their wonderful backyard wedding in Crown Point.

Summer weddings in Northwest Indiana during August of 2018.

Summer is the height of baseball season of course, so super fans Kaitlyn and Ryan took to the field after their wedding at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Griffith, Indiana. I also shot at the brand new Allure on the Lake for Katie and Arnie’s wedding reception.

August weddings at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, St. Paul’s Catholic Church and Allure on The Lake.

Labor Day weekend brought an end to summer but the beginning of busy season with Josie and Victor’s bohemian outdoor wedding at Friendship Garden in Michigan City with a stop at The Market for the reception. It also saw another stop at Briar Ridge Country Club with Molly and Chris.

Kissing bridge at Friendship Garden in Michigan City, Indiana.

Outdoor weddings at Friendship Garden and Briar Ridge Country Club.

Boho bride from above during bridal prep for her big day.

A couple in love gazes romantically at each other.

It was my first “wedding selfie” shot at Tracey and Chris’ outdoor wedding at Peck Farm Park in Geneva, Illinois. The grain silo is just massive and I was so glad to take some images showcasing the bride and groom next to it. Early September also saw a stop at Centennial Park for an outdoor wedding with Julie and Jason.

September weddings in Illinois and Indiana.

The grain silo at Peck Farm Park towers over the bride and groom.

As September drifted into October, we saw the absolutely fun wedding of Emma and Kyle at Croation Center and then it was Nikki and Johnny’s wedding with a church ceremony at St. Michael’s Church in Schererville, Indiana and a rocking reception at St. Elijah Banquet Center in Merrillville.

The bride and groom sport a take no prisoners look for their wedding photo.

Bridal portrait at Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago.

October also saw Captain America and SpiderWoman (Jess and Josh) get married at Lighthouse Restaurant as well as Erika and Mitch with a Great Gatsby themed wedding at The Allure in Laporte, Indiana.

Captain America marries SpiderWoman at Lighthouse Restaurant in Cedar Lake.

A wedding picture during a hailstorm in Laporte, Indiana.

The bride and groom get mischievous at The Allure.

Karen and Jason had their hometown wedding in Crown point with a St. Mary’s Church ceremony with stops at the fairgrounds and a reception at the old Lake County Courthouse Maki Ballroom.

More October weddings at The Allure and in downtown Crown Point.

Late October and November Fall weddings saw me back at Sand Creek Country Club for Marz and Tom’s big day as well as Krueger Memorial Hall in Michigan City for Ashley and Terry’s beautiful Fall wedding with Autumn leaves everywhere.

Fall weddings at Sand Creek Country Club and Krueger Memorial Hall.

Leaves fall upon the bride and groom for their Autumn wedding.

As winter finally arrived, The Uptown Center got all lit up for Kristen and Patrick’s wedding and last, but certainly not least the grand finale, last wedding of 2018 was Sarah and Nick’s snow filled day at Sand Creek Country Club.

Winter weddings at Uptown Center and Sand Creek Country Club.

Whew, thanks for making it all the way though this long review of weddings in Northwest Indiana and Chicago in 2018. Please contact me here on the website to set up a meeting to discuss the photography for your wedding day. I service Northwest Indiana, Chicago and southern Michigan but I’m also available for travel. 2018 brought me to a few new venues as well as old favorites. I’m looking forward to seeing where you take me next year and beyond. A special Thank You to Kerrie, Bridget, Schylar, Michelle, Lauren, Doug and Jaime for their help in Wedding Season 2018. Happy New Year!!

Wedding At Peck Farm Park

September 14, 2018 Steve Vansak

Bride and groom beneath the grain silo at Peck Farm Park.

Tracey and Chris had a true “family style” barn wedding at Peck Farm Park in Geneva, Illinois. Close family and friends gathered in a half circle for the outdoor ceremony and then it was time for an all day, open air reception. Let’s start at the beginning of the day with bridal prep at The Herrington Inn and Spa.

Bridal prep at The Herrington Inn and Spa.

Wedding day fun for the bride and her crew.

While I spent the morning in and out of the bathtub with Tracey’s bride tribe, photographer Grant was with Chris and the guys as they learned the art of tying ties.

Tracey got into her dress at the Peck Farm Park farmhouse and we utilized the classic front porch of the building for some portraits of the bride.

A vintage tone for the bride on the front porch of Peck Farm Park farmhouse.

The beautiful bride on her wedding day in Geneva, Illinois.

Black and white portrait of the bride inside the farmhouse.

The wedding party was also a family affair with Tracey and Chris’ children taking on bridesmaid and groomsmen duties.

The bridesmaids take a stroll at Peck Farm Park.

The groomsmen all dressed and ready to go.

The ceremony area is just beneath the grain silo with a half circle of seating. The view of farmland was especially picturesque on Tracey and Chris’ perfectly overcast day. Some emotional moments occurred as the couple read their vows and the nuptials were capped off with a “ceremony selfie” at the very end.

Outdoor wedding ceremony at Peck Farm Park.

Wedding ceremony beneath the grain silo at Peck Farm Park.

Exchanging wedding vows at Peck Farm Park in Geneva, IL.

One of the attractions at Peck Farm Park is the famous butterfly house. We did some bride and groom portraits along with a flirtatious butterfly and then it was outside with the Illinois heartland as our backdrop.

Bride and groom photos inside the butterfly house at Peck Farm Park.

Bride and groom embrace in the Illinois fields.

Farmland wedding photos in Geneva, Illinois.

For the reception (which essentially started the minute the ceremony was over) there was an enclosed barn that housed desserts and another open air barn where the bar and dancing was. Roaming servers came around and served food to guests throughout both areas. The party favors of inscribed blankets were perfect for this slightly chilly night.

Wedding reception decor at Peck Farm Park.

Wedding reception fun at Peck Farm Park in Geneva, Illinois.

I took the bride and groom out for a night portrait as the sky turned deep blue just after sunset. It was a beautiful day and a lovely barn wedding with Tracey and Chris in Geneva, Illinois at Peck Farm Park. To inquire about wedding photography for your big day, be sure to fill out the Contact form here. Stay tuned to the social media channels below for more images from this wedding and others.

June Wedding At County Line Orchard

July 9, 2018 Steve Vansak

It was a hot summer day for Ashley and Zach's rustic barn wedding at County Line Orchard. Fans were working overtime keeping the girls cool as they prepped for the day in the grain silo that overlooks the orchard fields.

Bridal prep in the grain silo at County Line Orchard.

The bride gets into her dress at County Line Orchard.

The grain silo isn't just a great spot for bride and bridesmaid prep and an area to pop champagne, it's also great for bride portraits and Ashley certainly had a great dress to show off. She asked for a traditional wrap around dress photo like her mom had at her wedding in addition to my usual "bride in the doorway" image that I love to take at this venue.

Bride portraits inside the County Line Orchard grain silo.

Second photographer Kerrie was with the guys as they poured a pitcher of beer in lieu of champagne. Zach had his boutonnière placed by his mom and then it was out into the orchard fields for pictures.

I took the girls out for pictures while Kerrie took the guys. Ashley looked incredible in her dress and Zach was rocking his custom made boutonnière for sure.

Bride and groom are ready for their big day.

I love the wooden fences out in back of the barn and I thought Ashley's flowers would really pop against the background. To show off her train once again, we blocked off the road a bit to capture the silo as our background.

The bride leans back against the wooden fences of County Line Orchard.

A beautiful bride shows off her dress with the County Line Orchard grain silo in the background.

A big shout out to Ashley's bridesmaids who let me take them out into the punishing heat and sun in back of the big barn. You can see exactly what they think of the idea in the photo next to the silo. At one point I told them to wear sunglasses and walk toward me like I was the weatherman!! :) It looks like Kerrie kept the guys sheltered under the tractor limo for their pictures.

Bridesmaid photo fun at County Line Orchard.

Groomsmen photo fun at County Line Orchard.

Ashley and Zach had an unplugged wedding ceremony which can be really helpful to keep everyone focused on the very reason for this day - to witness the official coming together of a couple deeply in love. With two photographers and a videographer, there isn't any reason for guests to wander the aisle taking cell phone pictures or posting to social media. They all mean well, but hey - we got this! :)

Wedding ceremony at the Room of Trees at County Line Orchard.

After the ceremony we took family group pictures and then it was time for wedding party and the newlyweds. Soon the sun would go down and time to light up the dance floor.

Bride and groom portraits in the apple orchard.

Wedding party group photos at County Line Orchard.

Bride and groom share a romantic kiss in the farm fields underneath a blue sky.

The iconic red barn of County Line Orchard.

We don't always get an opportunity to capture the wedding venue decorated and not filled with guests yet, but on this day we did and it's a spectacular venue as seen from above.

The decorated reception ballroom at County Line Orchard.

Rustic wedding decorations inside the big barn.

After Ashley's 1993 commitment to "never get married" was revealed, it was time to celebrate that broken promise on the dance floor.

A blue hour wedding portrait at County Line Orchard.

I hope you have enjoyed this sneak peek look at Ashley and Zach's June wedding at County Line Orchard. Please do fill out the Contact Form to inquire about wedding photography for your big day. Follow the social media channels listed below for more images from this wedding and others.

Barn Wedding At County Line Orchard

May 16, 2018 Steve Vansak

Bride and groom walk along the apple orchards.

Jamie and Tom's barn wedding at County Line Orchard was an incredibly fun day filled with laughter, rain, English accents, Game of Thrones poses, confetti throwing, more rain, speeches worthy of performance art, sorority girls and more.

Our day began at Kara's Hair Studio in Hobart and made it's way into the grain silo bridal suite for getting ready.

Bridal prep for a barn wedding in Hobart, Indiana.

The bride inside the rustic silo bridal suite on her wedding day.

Second photographer Kerrie visited with Tom and his guys who are all lovely blokes who came all of the way from England for the big day.

Groomsmen getting ready for a County Line Orchard barn wedding.

The groomsmen arrive at County Line Orchard.

Jamie's sorority sisters even paid her a visit for a big group photo in front of the red barn doors.

The bride's sorority sisters visit her on wedding day.

Bridesmaid fun inside the grain silo at County Line Orchard.

The weather was on and off rain, but everybody was in good spirits about it. Jamie decided to move the ceremony indoors and made her descent down the steps from the second floor balcony of the barn. As they exited, guests threw confetti. You can even see me from one of Kerrie's shots on top of a wood crate to capture all of the fun from above.

Indoor wedding ceremony at County Line Orchard.

Bride and groom are congratulated with confetti at County Line Orchard.

After family photos it was time for wedding party group photos. I didn't have to coax this group too much to get some fun expressions.

Wedding party group photo at County Line Orchard.

Wedding party fun at County Line Orchard.

The grounds were pretty wet at this point, but Jamie was game for getting out into the orchard for some photos. Showing off their happiness of course is the main goal, but we did take a few showcasing the grain silo and the rustic texture of the big barn itself.

The happy couple at their barn wedding at County Line Orchard.

Bride and groom kiss with the rustic grain silo in the background.

Fun bride and groom pictures at County Line Orchard.

The reception had live music along with 27 Entertainment as DJ. The bride even sang a surprise song to the groom.

Barn wedding reception at County Line Orchard.

Dancing fun at a barn wedding reception.

This is merely a sneak peek look at Jamie and Tom's barn wedding at County Line Orchard with many more images to come. To inquire about photography for your big day, be sure to fill out the Contact Form so I can answer all of your questions and set up a meeting.