Wedding At St. Mary's Catholic Church In Griffith, Indiana

October 27, 2015 Steve Vansak

The newly married couple exits St. Mary's amid bubbles.

Michelle and Derrick's Fall wedding at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Griffith saw them surrounded by a large group of family and friends. And, as you can tell from the image above, some very large celebratory bubbles as well.

Our day started with bridal prep at The Patrician where the reception would also take place. It was a whirlwind of activity with hairspray, make up, laughter, champagne and more.

Bridal prep at The Patrician in Schererville, Indiana.

Derrick's mom brought along baby pictures of the groom to show off while Kristina, MOH and sister of the bride displayed stuffed bears representing the bride and groom as part of the decor.

I photographed the bride and bridesmaids at The Patrician while my second photographer photographed the guys near the church. Then it was off for a first look with Dad and then the ceremony.

The bride just before her Fall wedding ceremony.

I love the long aisle way at St. Mary's Church in Griffith and the balcony that gives me a bird's eye view of the ceremony. It's a lovely church and it was filled with love and laughter during Michelle and Derrick's wedding vows.

Wedding ceremony at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Griffith, Indiana.

A view from the balcony at St. Mary's Church in Griffith, Indiana.

The newly married couple were radiant as they exited the church...

The newly married couple exits St. Mary's Church.

After family pictures it was off to Carmelite Shrine in Munster for some hidden forest, Fall wedding photos.

The bride and groom stroll through the walkways of Carmelite Shrine in Munster, Indiana.

The Patrician was filled with a purple hue for the celebration. Wine was distributed to every guest and also served as a table placard. The toasts were funny and heartfelt and the cake was cut and eaten. It was now time for dancing and fun!!

Wedding reception fun at The Patrician Banquets.

First dance awash with purple and blue uplighting.

Bouquet toss at The Patrician Banquet Center.

For more Derrick and Michelle photos and all kinds of wedding photography updates, please visit the social media links below. Happy Fall everyone!!

Catholic Wedding Ceremony At Immaculate Heart Of Mary Church

September 29, 2015 Steve Vansak

The bride and groom stroll down the aisle at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church.

I sometimes refer to some of the weddings I shoot as an "epic wedding". Maria and Seth's Fall wedding truly was an EPIC wedding!! The 20 bridesmaids and groomsmen, Maria's beautifully long veil, the couple's wonderfully large families, the rocking dance floor at the reception are a few of the highlights that made it such a memorable day. Let's take a look...

When I walked in to photograph bridal prep at Maria's parents home I found a very welcoming, very happy and jovial group who were like worker bees on a mission. The laughter and the tears were flowing, but these girls were serious. They snuck in a few selfies and oggled some adorable babies, but when it was time to get Maria into her dress, they were all over it.

Mom and bride share a moment on wedding day.

I checked in with my second photographer who was with the groom and his guys. She said they were terrific and they were getting some fun shots. Soon it was time to trek off to Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Kingsford Heights, Indiana near LaPorte.

The quaint church is tucked away amid farmland. It was filled up with friends and family as you can see from this balcony shot. The altar provided some wonderful architechture as a backdrop to the grand ceremony. A little under two hours later and we were taking family photos and then off to Chesterton for the reception.

A view from the balcony at Immaculate Heart Of Mary Church.

Catholic wedding ceremony in Kingsford Heights, Indiana.

The church gave us a nice wooded area to shoot in where we had a bunch of fun capturing Maria and Seth and the entire wedding party.

Wedding party has fun after the ceremony.

With such a long and flowing veil, I had to get a shot of it floating in the air as the bride and groom kissed.

The veil floats on air as the bride and groom kiss.

We got back to the hall before guests arrived, but this group was already ready to dance. This was a good sign. While I sometimes had to fight my way through the crowded dance floor, it was perfect as there were so many fun moments to capture. Pure joy on everyone's faces...

Wedding reception fun at Trinity Hall in Chesterton, Indiana.

The groom lifts the bride into the air at Trinity Hall in Chesterton, Indiana.

So many more images to come from Maria and Seth's Catholic wedding ceremony at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church and the reception at Trinity Hall in Chesterton, Indiana. Stay tuned here and on social media sites below.

I leave you with the bride and groom dancing in the picturesque garden and gazebo of Trinity Hall just before the reception started...

The bride gets dipped in the garden area at Trinity Hall.

Wedding At Gamba's Ristorante In Merrillville, Indiana

September 21, 2015 Steve Vansak

First dance for the bride and groom at Gamba's Ristorante.

It came as no surprise to me that Allen and Nicole were introduced to friends and family at their reception at Gamba's Ristorante to the sounds of the Chicago Blackhawks Win Song!! A year ago I photographed their engagement session in Chicago that featured the happy couple in Hawks jerseys. What a fun introduction it was!!

Their day started out at Chesterton United Methodist Church where emotions got teary eyed as Nicole and her bridesmaids got ready for her big day.

The bride and her bridesmaids get ready at Chesterton United Methodist Church.

The emotions spilled over to the groom as well as Nicole's Dad as he escorted her to the front of the church. It was a terrific ceremony with laughter, tears and... bubbles!!

Wedding ceremony at Chesterton United Methodist Church.

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We did family and wedding party photos in the church and then it was off to Coffee Creek Park where there wasn't a cloud in the sky. We captured the couple and wedding party with the picturesque fountain in the background and then found a quiet bench for our newly married couple to have a romantic moment.

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

The dance floor was packed all night at Gamba's Ristorante. I had to go overhead to capture faces while second photographer Lauren captured the cake and the delightful champagne glasses engraved with the couple's names and wedding date.

Wedding reception at Gamba's Ristorante in Merrillville, Indiana.

I hope you have enjoyed this sneak peek look at Allen and Nicole's wedding. Please follow Region Weddings on social media for more images!!

Wedding At Christ Lutheran Church In Valparaiso

July 24, 2015 Steve Vansak

Bride and groom kiss at the altar of Christ Lutheran Church.

At times, Stephanie and Brett's wedding ceremony at Christ Lutheran Church in Valparaiso felt like a family reunion. The pews were packed and kids who were moving about from one family member to the other. They were all well behaved and it was sweet to see. Pastor Tim was very welcoming and had a great sense of humor thought the nuptials.

Our day started out at the groom's parent's home where Stephanie and her bridesmaids were getting ready. I had fun interacting with them and capturing all of the laughs. The bride was as calm as could be. Toni Dockery and Maria Blanco provided hair and make up.

The bride and bridesmaids and family get ready for the big day.

It appears as though 2015 is the year for red haired brides!! I told Stephanie to "glam it up" with her new sunglasses that are no doubt being put to use on their honeymoon as I type this.

A pretty red haired bride on her big day.

Our second photographer Kerrie captured the guy's getting ready and I took a few of Brett on the spectacular altar area at the church.

The groom stands tall at the altar of Christ Lutheran Church.

Soon it was ceremony time and all eyes were upon Stephanie as she walked down the aisle. We captured the ceremony from all angles with an emphasis on family interaction.

A wedding ceremony at Christ Lutheran Church.

After family photos inside of the church, we took off to Ogden Garden in Valparaiso. At this point we had already heard tornado warning talk and when we got there a sprinkle of rain occurred. We had to hustle to get photographs in and as soon as we finished a major storm rolled in. I'm happy to report that we all survived the typhoon. :)

Wedding photos at Ogden Garden in Valparaiso, IN.

The reception took place at Ambassador Banquets in Hobart, Indiana. They have a very long dance floor that was perfect for wedding party introductions. Stephanie and Brett started the honeymoon early with those sunglasses!!

The newly married couple enter Ambassador Hall in Hobart, Indiana.

The reception featured 27 Entertainment with DJ services and live music. One of the biggest hits of the night was the incredible cupcake table by Laura Hecht. I stalked the long dance floor from end to end capturing the fun faces and crazy moments that were unfolding.

The first dances were in the center of the banquet room with our spotlight following the bride and groom along with their parents.

I hope you have enjoyed this sneak peek look at Stephanie and Brett's summer wedding. Stay tuned here and on social media for more images to follow.