Wedding At Holy Spirit Catholic Church In Crown Point, Indiana

April 4, 2016 Steve Vansak

The bride and groom walk down the aisle of Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Crown Point, Indiana

I would not be exaggerating if I were to say that Dustin and Melissa had an EPIC wedding at Holy Spirit Catholic Church. During the ceremony classic movie themes played and you could imagine the orchestra in the room. Everything about the day was done in a big and glorious way. Let me take you through hair and make up, a "shaving of the groom", complete with medieval tools and outdoor formals that experienced three seasons within 30 minutes time. Oh, and there was a pig and bread dance at the reception as well. I will never forget the emotional first look, one of my favorites that I have photographed. Let's go...

The bridesmaids prepare for the day at His and Hers Salon in Hebron, Indiana.

The morning began with me at His and Hers Salon with Melissa and her bridesmaids while second photographer Kerrie was with the groomsmen at their breakfast at George's Restaurant in Lowell. We all peered out the window at the snowflakes falling in April. Our weather apps told us "flurries ending soon". :)

Mother and bride on the morning of the big day.

As hair and make up was winding down, Kerrie and I flip flopped and I went to photograph the traditional Macedonian "shaving of the groom". This particular shaving had a bit of a twist though. It was more of a trimming and the instruments kept getting larger and larger...

The groom undergoes the traditional Macedonian "shaving of the groom" ritual.

Groomsmen and the father of the groom drink a shot after the shaving of the groom.

Soon we were back at the church where the wedding party got dressed. Our wonderful first look / reveal would be coming up soon.

The mother of the groom secures the boutonniere.

After some coaching from me and a brief false start, our first look was underway. I could see the nervous excitement start to build for the groom as his beautiful bride walked down the aisle toward him.

First look for the bride and groom at Holy Spirit Catholic Church.

Emotion overcomes the bride and groom during their reveal.

Melissa looked stunning in her wedding dress. We took this time to photograph her and Dustin together and alone in the glorious architecture of their church.

The bride shows off her dress at Holy Spirit Catholic Church.

The bride gazes out while holding her bouquet of spring flowers.

The ceremony saw the mothers of Dustin and Melissa as featured singers. The newlyweds are movie buffs and theme songs from films played throughout. Even the flower girl approved with a big thumbs up!!

Wedding ceremony at Holy Spirit Catholic Church.

Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Crown Point, Indiana.

We did family wedding photos at the church along with the wedding party at the altar. Then it was off to the downtown Crown Point Square.

The weather had been like a faucet all day long - snow, sleet, rain, you name it. We made a game time decision to stay with our plan of outdoor photos in downtown Crown Point. The joke in Northwest Indiana is that if you don't like the weather, wait 5 minutes and it will change. Well, that could not have been more true as we visited the Old Courthouse. In the end though, we had a lot of fun...

The bridesmaids muscle their way into the groomsmen coats in exchange for flowers.

Fun wedding photos at the downtown Crown Point Square.

The bride's veil flies in the wind as the newlyweds take a stroll in downtown Crown Point.

So where is this ever changing Northwest Indiana weather that I speak of? Here you go...

A sudden snow blizzard engulfs the bride and groom during their wedding photos.

The wedding reception took place at Signature Banquets in Lowell, Indiana. The non stop party featured popcorn and a movie soundtrack picked by the couple. We also saw a few more Macedonian wedding traditions such as the pig dance and bread dance.

Wedding reception fun at Signature Banquets in Lowell, Indiana.

The mother of the groom and father of the bride dance with their children.

First dance for the bride and groom at Signature Banquets in Lowell, Indiana.

I hope you have enjoyed this sneak peek look at Dustin and Melissa's epic wedding at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Crown Point, Indiana. Stay tuned to the social media sites below for more images.

Chicago Wedding At St. Josaphat Roman Catholic Church

October 29, 2015 Steve Vansak

Wedding ceremony at St. Josaphat Roman Catholic Church

Jennifer and Nathan were married at the spectacular St. Josaphat Roman Catholic Church in Chicago. This Fall wedding had it all - beautiful colors of Autumn, great architecture in the church and all around Chicago, celebrity sightings, and fun, fun fun...

The day started in Northwest Indiana with preparations for the trip to the windy city. We photographed the details and then it was time to hit the highway. Nathan had a gift ready for Jennifer to open before she left as friends and family looked on.

Bridal prep at the home of the bride's parents.

St. Josaphat Roman Catholic Church was built in 1902 in the Lincoln Park area of Chicago. I definitely wanted to show off the architecture of the storied church during photographs of the bride and groom as well as during the ceremony itself.

Bride and groom at St. Josaphat Church in Chicago.

There was plenty of emotion during the ceremony from Jennifer's happy tears to Nathan's exhilarating fist pump during the first kiss.

Wedding ceremony photos from St. Josaphat Church in Chicago.

The bride and groom pray at Saint Josaphat Roman Catholic Church.

After family photos inside the church, we trekked around Chicago to Lincoln Park Zoo area as well as Adler Planeterium for wedding party photos. My goal was to showcase the bride and groom of course, but to also show off the wonderful Fall color as well as the city itself.

Fall colors in the background as the bride and groom kiss near Lincoln Park.

Jennifer and Nathan were great when I requested that they do crazy things such as climb up a stone wall so I can shoot the incredible sky, get a Chicago building AND some fall color into one shot!!

The bride and groom kiss at their Fall wedding in Chicago.

We took a PARTY bus back to Indiana for the reception at Cloister In The Woods. The room was decked out for Fall with an orange and amber hue as fun times ensued with hilarious toasts and a full dance floor.

Wedding reception at Cloister In The Woods in Munster, indiana.

First dance for the bride and groom at Cloister In The Woods reception venue.

I hope you have enjoyed this sneak peek look at Jennifer and Nathan's Fall wedding. Stay tuned to social media below for more updates!!

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...