Military Wedding at Wicker Park

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Today we have another sneak peek.  These are images from Nichole and Nathan's military wedding.  The couple met as fellow soldiers and will be moving soon to Hawaii where the groom will be based.  Let's start with the above image taken in front of the gazebo in Wicker Park where the outdoor ceremony took place last Friday along with the reception.

The day started at Salon Platinum in Schererville for some fun getting ready shots of the bride, her bridesmaids and family...

The bride's sister tended to maid of honor duties along with lot's of hugs...

I couldn't have asked for a nicer bumch of folks who welcomed me into their home for some close up shots of the bride's dress.  Northwest Indiana had the threat of rain all day, but no one panicked and we had a great day of wedding photography.

Our groom and soldier Nathan poses in front of the outdoor ceremony site at Wicker Park.  He was a most gracious gentleman and my photography assistant remarked how well he and his groomsmen treated her throughout the day.

Soon it was time for Nichole to walk down the aisle arm and arm with her Dad toward friends and family and of course, her groom the soldier...

The wind was volatile at this time and Nichole's veil got whipped around quite a bit.  The bride and groom were very laid back and just enjoyed their own ceremony.  I hung on tight to my cameras and we are going to have some terrific wedding photos with dramatic skies and fun moments.

The reception also took place at Wicker Park Banquet hall with the bride and groom dancing their first dance in front of an illuminated American flag...

I look forward to showing this wonderful couple all of their wedding photos.  To see more from Nichole and Nathan's outdoor military wedding, please subscribe to this blog and also visit the SBV Photography Facebook page for more updates.  Much more to come!!

Weddings at Centennial Park in Munster, Indiana

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I had a meeting with a 2013 bride last night and she was telling me about her plans for wedding photos at Centennial Park in Munster, Indiana and the reception at the banquet facility located on the grounds.  It occured to me just how popular a wedding venue this picturesque area has become in such a short time.

For a photographer it can be quite challenging on a sunny day with not much shaded area, but the gorgeous water fountains and bridges and flower gardens make it worth the effort.

There are many shelters that can be rented for outdoor weddings and I've used these areas for formal photographs as well.  Here is one behind the stage of the amphitheater on the north side of the park...

I'm still waiting to actually get a bride and groom onto the actual golf course that also sits on the property (will it be you?), but for now I'll settle for the wedding party piling onto the golf carts...

Centennial Park has also been a popular destination for engagement photos too.  Last Fall we took Stacey and Steve around the garden area for a stroll.

We were able to get many unique photos in a short amount of time just by walking the park.

The banquet room has a great wood floor for dancing.  I also liked that guests could look out at the lake through the huge patio windows and step through the doors for some fresh air as well.

Whether you are casually strolling the park for your wedding photos or jumping for joy, you will definitely come away with some beautiful scenery in your images - great for gallery wraps on your wall.  Of course, the focus is always on you, the bride and groom, but these big and wide landscape photos certainly look good in a two page spread in your wedding album.  Two thumbs up for the eco-friendly Centennial Park.

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Wedding Ceremony in Grant Park at Cancer Survivors Garden

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Brittany and Shaun had a wonderful wedding ceremony surrounded by friends and family at the Cancer survivors Garden inside of Grant Park in Chicago.  It was a VERY sunny day that took the Fall chill out of the October air.  I will detail our entire day in chicago in subsequent posts, but today we will concentrate on the ceremony in a serene are of the city with the skyscrapers hovering over.  Click on the image above for a Windy City style collage of their wedding day.

I rode along with the girls in the limousine so I could catch the arrival of the bride and her entourage...

It was a bit of a walk to get to the Cancer Survivors Garden within Grant Park where the outdoor ceremony would be held.  My assistant and I are excellent at walking in reverse, so we were able to capture the long entrance into the park.  :)

You can see the cars traveling on Lake Shore Drive along with the museum campuses in the background as the bride enters with her father for a walk down the aisle as Shaun eagerly awaits....

It was a beautiful scene as Brittany and Shaun did a traditional pouring of sand with the Chicago skyscapers towering over them...

As they awaited to be pronounced man and wife, the happy couple exchanged rings as captured here in this close up photo...

The parents of the bride held hands tightly as their daughter became Mrs. Shaun Moran.

With the sun beating down upon them, friends and family looking on, Brittany and Shaun became man and wife in this quiet garden nestled within the Windy City.....

One of my favorite ceremony photos is this one of Brittany jumping for joy with a little help from her new husband just after being married...

The guests were armed with bubbles as the couple kissed during the recessional...

We immediately began taking family formals at the ceremony site in Grant Park.  We would soon be off via bus to tour the city and take many more shots with the bride and groom and the wedding party...

After family was photographed, I quickly took the couple off to a wooded area for this sun drenched kissing shot...

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The newly married couple take a stroll toward the "party bus" where their friends awaited...

Brittany says goodbye for now to family as she gets ready to take a tour around Chicago...

Our next posts will feature shots like the one below of the newlyweds in various spots around Chicago like Millennium Park and Osaka Garden.  Subscribe here to the Journal for an update.

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Brittany and Shaun's Windy City Wedding Sneak Peek

It appears as though Brittany our bride and her girls had a wedding movie marathon the night before her wedding to Shaun in Chicago.  I found this evidence upon arriving at her Getting Ready session in Schererville, Indiana.

I spent most of the morning taking candids of the girls getting their hair and make up done.  Just before the limo was to wisk us off to Grant Park for the ceremony, I photographed Brittany looking beautiful by the light of the hotel window in her wedding dress.

The ride to chicago was a fun one with me taking shots the entire way...

The girls were either very relaxed or just bracing themselves for sudden stops in Chicago traffic....

Soon we arrived at Grant Park and it was time for the bride to enter with her Father.  With cars weaving their way down Lake Shore Drive in the background, Brittany and her Dad made their way through the tent to the other side where Shaun awaited.

The bright Autumn sun shone down upon the bride and groom as they exchanged rings...

The first kiss was a joyous one with the newlyweds becoming one with friends and family looking on.

Pure happiness as Shaun give his bride a lift as she laughs - a great moment!!

We immediately started family photos at the ceremony site in Grant Park and eventually made our way through Millennium Park for some couple's shots...

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Having the Chicago skyline as a backdrop was a goal of the couple as they planned their windy city wedding.

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The wedding party eventually ended up back in Indiana for the reception at Villa Cesare.

These set of images are merely a sneak peek with many more to come from our whirlwind trip around the city of Chicago.  Subscribe here to the Journal or the Facebook Page to get an update when all of Brittany and Shaun's images are available for viewing.