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!!

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.

1920's Themed Wedding At Crown Point Courthouse

May 25, 2015 Steve Vansak

The bride and groom as gangsters on the run at their 1920's themed wedding.

Matt and Kelly's 1920's themed wedding was vintage Crown Point meets modern Crown Point. It was classy and elegant, sassy succinct and never overtly serious. It was a dance party in every way.

I met the groom at the old covered bridge at the Lake County Fairgrounds to prepare him for his first look with the bride. Hid Dad was our helper and encouraged some hat juggling while we waited for Kelly to arrive.

The groom awaits his bride for their first look.

We were all stunned when Kelly arrived as none of us had seen her dress. It was simply beautiful on her. Her entire look incorporated the vintage theme, but yet had modern appeal to it as well. No one would be more impressed than Matt as she slowly made her way through the darkened bridge to eventually unite with him.

First look for the bride and groom on the covered bridge t Lake County Fairgrounds.

The bride and groom took a playful dance as they saw each other for the first time on their wedding day. It was the first of many dances together.

A playful dance between bride and groom after their first look.

Bride and groom look at each other blue skies at the edge of the pier at Lake County Fairgrounds

We attempted to incorporate Crown Point into most of our shots around town and at Lake County Fairgrounds. I also wanted to leave the couple alone for awhile to simply interact and capture some candid moments.

Wedding photos around the downtown Crown Point Square.

Two young men dressed as 1920's era school boys handed out a vintage newspaper all about the couple and various Crown Point landmarks and history. The ceremony took place on the third floor courtroom and featured a jazz band playing as the bride danced her way down the aisle with her father.

Wedding ceremony inside the courtroom at the Old Crown Point Courthouse.

The bride and groom dance at their Crown Point wedding ceremony inside the 3rd floor courtroom.

The wedding reception also took place inside the Crown Point Courthouse in the adjacent banquet room. A sugar high was easy to come by with a candy buffet. The 1920's themed continued with old jazz mixed with some of the best contemporary rock, funk and oldies I have ever heard at a wedding. The bride and groom made some great choices in music as did 27 Entertainment, the DJ's for the night.

1920's themed wedding reception at the Crown Point Courthouse banquet room.

I hope you have enjoyed this sneak peek look at Matt and Kelly's vintage wedding in Crown Point. Many more images to come here as well as on the social media listed below. I'd love to hear about your unique wedding. Please fill out the Contact Form to inquire about availability on your day.

Northwest Indiana Wedding Photographer Year In Review 2013 Pt.1

December 30, 2013 Steve Vansak

Dramatic looking wedding photo taken at Centennial Park in Munster, Indiana.

This past year again took me all around Northwest Indiana, Michigan and Illinois for some outstanding weddings with some great people. I got to shoot at some new venues as well as many old haunts. As I always say, it never gets old because every client brings a different flavor to the mix no matter where I'm photographing.

This is going to be a long post with commentary and images. If you are short on time and would like a quick overview of my year photographing weddings, please view my Northwest Indiana Wedding Photographer Year in Review video. I will embed it into this post as well, but first let's go back to earlier this year for some winter and Spring weddings.

Overhead view of the historic Allure ballroom in Laporte, Indiana.

The year started at the spectacular Allure Ballroom in LaPorte with the winter wedding of Kevin and Rachel. The cold and snow kept us from doing much outside, but that doesn't inhibit anything when you are at a wonderful venue like this.

Bride and groom toast their glasses together during their reception at The Allure in Laporte.

A few weeks later, in typical Midwest fashion the temps had risen to the high 70's for Lisa and Aaron's Spring wedding. This was my first time shooting at Casa Maria Banquet Hall in Dyer and the ceremony at Free Spirit Church in Crown Point. We took advantage of the warm weather for some outdoor bride and groom photos.

Silhouette of the bride and groom about to kiss on a warm Spring night with the sun setting in the background.

A bride and groom portrait just outside Casa Maria Banquet Hall in Dyer, Indiana.

I still find June to be the busiest month for weddings. It's the kick off for summer weddings and Krystyne and Todd got it going in high fashion. It was an emotional day, especially when the bride read the card from her soon to be husband at her parent's home in Thornton, Illinois.

The bride reads a card from her groom on the morning of her wedding.

The bride wipes away tears in an emotional moment on the morning of her wedding.

Todd and Krystyne were married at The Parish of St. Joseph in Homewood, Illinois with friends and family surrounding them with congratulatory bubbles. We then walked to a nearby park for romantic images of the newlyweds.

the bride and groom exit the Parish of St. Joseph amidst bubbles.

A candid moment between a newly married couple sitting on a park bench in Thornton, Illinois.

A romantic embrace between bride and groom after their summer wedding ceremony.

Pure fun is how I would characterize Kelly and Mike's June wedding at White Hawk Country Club in Crown Point, Indiana. I accidentally broke a few rules by getting these girls onto the course in their heels, but hopefully the golf police will forgive me!!

The bridesmaids have a little fun with golf clubs on the course at White Hawk Country Club.

First dance at a wedding reception at White Hawk in Crown Point.

Weddings are very much a family affair and Evan and Stephanie's June wedding was exactly that. From the wonderful ceremony at Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Church in Valparaiso to the reception at Aberdeen Manor, family was at the forefront. I still remember those wonderful reception speeches.

Wedding ceremony at St. Elizabeth in Valparaiso.

Father and daughter dance at Aberdeen Manor Ballroom.

The bride and groom did a peek-a-boo shot in which they held hands for the camera, but waited to see each other until she walked down the aisle.

The bride and groom pose for a wedding photo on each side of a door before their ceremony.

The groomsmen walk across an Indiana farm field.

Jeff and Kendelle had guests with longest travel time for their wedding day - family who flew in from Australia!! A downpour interrupted their first look but that gave us a wonderful moment of her Dad walking her across the puddles on the Centennial Park bridge. Oh, and some awesome dancing for me to capture as well.

First look of the bride and groom on a rain soaked bridge in Centennial Park.

The bride celebrates as her new husband cuts their wedding cake.

Father and daughter boogie down on the dance floor at the Centennial Park clubhouse.

Another June wedding saw another first look on a bridge. This time we have Justin and Stephanie seeing each other for the first time at the rustic landmark at Lake County Fairgrounds in Crown Point.

The bride and groom reveal at the Lake county Fairgrounds in Crown Point.

The outdoor ceremony at the Halls of St. George was a celebration with many laughs as friends and family packed the lawn in front of the gazebo. One of my favorite captured moments of the year was when grandpa joined the bride on the dance floor later that evening.

The bride raises her bouquet as she walks back down the aisle after getting married.

Bride kisses grandpa on the dance floor of her wedding reception captured in a candid wedding photo.

Danielle and Mike were married as part of the Lake County Courthouse "Get Hitched" program in which they get use of the historic and retro styled government courtroom and the ballroom their for the reception. It was a grand party in the building known as the Grand Old Lady.

Get Hitched promotional poster for the Lake County Courthouse.

A couple is pronounced man and wife at the Lake County Courthouse in Crown Point.

The July wedding of Amanda and Josh featured a railroad theme as he is a worker for the railroad. After their outdoor ceremony at Halls of St. George, we went to downtown Griffith for bridal party shots on the old rail cars on Main Street.

Bride and groom kiss atop an old railroad car on Main Street in Griffith, Indiana.

The bride and her bridesmaids pose for wedding photo on the porch of her home in Cedar Lake.

Rays of sun shine upon the bride in front of the gazebo before her outdoor summer wedding ceremony.

Eunjin and Matt's ceremony at Trinity Lutheran Church in Crown Point was my first ever Korean-American wedding. The bride's parents and family flew in from Korea for an international flavor. The bride looked like a princess for her wedding portrait in her tiara.

Korean bride wearing a tiara poses in her wedding dress on a beautiful summer day.

Wedding ceremony at Trinity Lutheran Church in Crown Point, Indiana.

Whew, we are only at the half way point of wedding season 2013. Hopefully you are still with me and will come back tomorrow for Part 2. Below is my rocking video that sets highlights of wedding photos taken in Northwest Indiana, Illinois and Michigan this past year. Feel free to share it your social network of choice. Enjoy, see you back here tomorrow!!

Highlights of 2013 wedding photos from Northwest Indiana wedding photographer Steve Vansak of Region Weddings.