What Are Blue Hour Wedding Photos?

May 10, 2021 Steve Vansak

A romantic kiss during blue hour at a wedding at Centennial Park in Munster, Indiana.

The blue hour is the 30 to 40 minute period just after sunset and before sunrise. It can make for incredibly romantic and unique wedding photos.

I often take these blue hour wedding photos as portraits with the newlyweds as we sneak out of the reception for a few minutes. However, blue hour wedding photos can occur during a twilight outdoor ceremony or even the first dance of open air venues such as Four Corners Winery and The Pavilion at Sandy Pines. Take a look below.

Blue hour wedding ceremony and reception photos.

We are at the mercy of Mother Nature for these types of images though. If we get cloudy skies we simply aren’t going to get that blue in the sky. Also, facing West is helpful and while not necessary, I do like some other ambient light in the scene such as from the barn window in the images below as well as the leaning lighthouse off of the lake.

I have a special way of lighting these as well to make them look natural but yet bring out even more of the blue in the sky.

A blue hour wedding photo at County Line Orchard in Hobart, Indiana.

A blue hour wedding photo with light reflections at Lake Shafer in Monticello, Indiana.

Are you up for attempting some blue hour photos at your wedding? While I like to leave you alone during the reception to enjoy your wedding, if you want this look I’d be glad to pop outside for a few minutes to capture these for you provided location and weather cooperate.

Here are a few more images below at weddings as well as some portraits I’ve done at blue hour in Chicago.

As always, Contact Me Here to find out availability and to schedule a meeting.

Blue hour portraits taken in Chicago, Illinois.

The 2020 Year In Review - Weddings In Indiana and Illinois

December 29, 2020 Steve Vansak

A newly married couple hops into a classic car on their wedding day at Uptown Social wedding venue.

2020 has been one of the most challenging years the world has faced during my lifetime. The simple tasks of going to the grocery store or visiting your favorite coffee shop became quite the endeavor. Seeing the loss of life and illness due to the pandemic can really crush one’s spirit.

When you are young and in love with wedding plans and dreams of gathering with family and friends in celebration these new and uncharted circumstances can double the stress that is already involved. When you are a wedding and event photographer who makes one’s living documenting togetherness, I also felt just as helpless.

Some of my 2020 clients understandably moved their dates to 2021 and some stayed the course for 2020, but not without many second guesses. Those who moved forward did so knowing some major adjustments would have to take place. What’s the biggest wedding fashion trend of 2020? The face mask of course! Who would have thought?

As I take you through the year in this post, keep in mind the love is still there and the same with the camaraderie, the fun and hopefully the art as well. A big thanks to my 2020 wedding clients and their friends and families for sticking with the wedding photographer in a black mask whom you could not hear because he’s not used to speaking in a mask!! Ha - enjoy…

Bride and groom under the arch at Village Church in Dyer, Indiana.

Late Spring saw Amanda and Taylor’s wedding at Village Church in Dyer, Indiana with close friends and family only. They had a wonderful outdoor cake ceremony outside at Centennial Park for their reception and loved ones cheered them with bubbles.

Northwest Indiana wedding photos from Spring.

With Spring blurring into summer, it was also Samantha and Zach’s big day at The Patrician wedding venue. They also added the Wedding Short Film to their package as seen below.

Bride on the altar of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Crown Point.

Kaley and Adam had quite a bit to juggle for their June wedding with two ceremonies - inside at St. Mary’s in Crown Point with their parents only attending and to other friends and family in an outdoor setting in Valparaiso. Then it was off to Aberdeen Manor for the reception.

Indoor and outdoor wedding ceremonies in June in Northwest Indiana.

It’s always great to be back at County Line Orchard for a summer barn wedding. This time is was Hallie and Jordan with an emotional first look and rocking reception at the big red barn.

Summer barn wedding at County Line Orchard.

Bride and groom take a stroll along the fencing at County Line Orchard.

Before 2020 I had never heard of the term Micro Weddings but this past year saw a number of these elopement style, small wedding gatherings. Enough so that I now have wedding packages for these intimate weddings.

As seen below, Friendship Botanical Garden in Michigan City is a perfect spot for Micro Weddings along with full size wedding days.

Elopement style portraits at Friendship Botanical Garden.

August saw an outdoor ceremony in Warsaw, Indiana with Marissa and David along with a chapel elopement in Illinois with Elizabeth and David. The end of the month saw Jessica and Matt tie the knot at Ravisloe Country Club in Illinois.

Bride in the ballroom window at Ravisloe Country Club.

I always love weddings at Aberdeen Manor and Jasmine and Jacob’s ceremony was in the outside garden. We shot at the Aberdeen Inn as well as Family Express, because… why not?!!

A candid moment for the bride and groom with a water fountain in the background.

A late summer wedding at Aberdeen Manor.

September saw Taylor and Jesus have a beach wedding and reception at Lake Shafer in Monticello, Indiana.

Outdoor wedding at Lake Shafer in Monticello, Indiana.

Alyssa and Goran’s micro wedding at Barker Mansion was quite unique as it all took place at night. After the twilight ceremony we went inside the historic mansion for creative portraits.

Photos from a night time micro wedding at Barker Mansion in Michigan City.

Bride and groom kiss with a circle of light around them in the halls of Barker Mansion.

Colleen and Michael were up next with a church ceremony in Crown Point at St. Matthias Parish with a reception at Uptown Social.

September wedding at Uptown Social in Michigan City, Indiana.

Bride and groom beneath the stage at wedding venue Uptown Social.

It was great to be back at The Pavilion at Sandy Pines for Amanda and Ben’s outdoor, golf course wedding. What a beautiful Northwest Indiana wedding venue this is.

A romantic walk in the woods at Sandy Pines in Demotte.

Golf course wedding in Demotte at Sandy Pines.

There’s nothing like a Greek wedding to keep you on your toes and Maggie and Ben’s big day was a blast.

October continues to be busy with another micro wedding with Bianca and Austin in the Northeast portion of Indiana and the very next day a wedding in Davenport, Iowa with Allison and Nathan.

Greek wedding at St. George and The Patrician in Schererville, Indiana.

The bride and groom embrace in a field in Davenport, Iowa on their wedding day.

The end of October saw me back at Aberdeen Manor for an Autumn wedding with Stephanie and Tim with some gorgeous Fall color. Kinsey and Kevin and brought their fun the very next day for their Halloween wedding.

Fall color takes over for an October wedding at Aberdeen Manor.

October wedding at Aberdeen Manor and Ballroom.

Temperatures cooled in November, but things were hot at County Line Orchard for Sofia and Daniel’s big day.

The bride opens the doors of the grain silo at County Line Orchard.

Winter barn wedding at County Line Orchard.

December wedding in Crown Point, Indiana.

Tori and Steve finished out 2020 with a December wedding in downtown Crown Point with Christmas lights and a church ceremony at St. Mary’s Catholic Church.

So there you have it, the 2020 Year in Review of weddings in Northwest Indiana and Illinois. I hope you are doing well and staying safe as you read this. As always, please contact me via the Contact Form here to inquire about your big day. Happy New Year!

A night time kiss in downtown Michigan City.

Halloween Wedding

November 4, 2020 Steve Vansak

The groom and his bride during their October 31st wedding.

“I was working in the lab, late one night
When my eyes beheld an eerie sight
For my monster from his slab, began to rise
And suddenly to my surprise
He did the mash, he did the monster mash
The monster mash, it was a graveyard smash
He did the mash, it caught on in a flash
He did the mash, he did the monster mash”

— Bobby Pickett

“It will all work out in the end” is what Kinsey’s Dad said he had been telling her all year. “And look around, here we are” he said as he motioned to all gathered during the Halloween wedding reception at Andorra Banquets.

Having your wedding on Halloween complete with guests in costumes, means you are seeking something different and non-traditional for your big day but I’m sure a worldwide pandemic wasn’t on Kinsey and Kevin’s mind when they chose the date.

We were supposed to be in Illinois for the entire day but we ended up going to Indiana for the ceremony and reception. We did start in the Land of Lincoln for getting ready and first looks and then crossed the state line for portraits at Centennial Park and onto the venue.

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

Bridal decor a Halloween styled wedding.

Bridal portrait in window light on her wedding day.

We had two first looks in a row. First up was with Dad at his home and then it was bride and groom at their favorite hang out Teehans in Tinley Park, Illinois.

First look for the bride and groom outside Teehan’s Bar in Tinley Park, Illinois.

While this may have been a Halloween styled wedding on October 31st, I’d say “pizza and beer” was another theme of the day with pictures at Village Pizza as well as Teehan’s where the couple eats and drinks quite often.

We went into Teehan’s Bar so the happy couple could read cards to each other. Kevin played a few tunes on guitar as well.

Kevin and Kinsey did one last monstrous dip before we jetted off to Centennial Park in Munster, Indiana for pictures. Oh, and word has it a pizza was delivered to the wedding party for a mid-day snack!

Happy Halloween from the bride and groom.

The bride and groom before their ceremony.

A sun star looms over the lake at Centennial Park.

The bridesmaids practice social distancing.

The ceremony took place at Andorra Banquets and was immediately followed by cocktail hour into the reception where ghouls and goblins roamed the dance floor. The bride and groom also had their traditional cake, excuse me - pizza cutting..

Halloween wedding ceremony at Andorra Banquets in Schererville, Indiana.

This has merely been a sneak peek look at Kinsey and Kevin’s Halloween wedding with many more images to come. To inquire about your big day, Halloween or not - please fill out the Contact Form right here.

Weddings In Indiana, Chicago and Michigan - The 2019 Year In Review

December 30, 2019 Steve Vansak

Bride in Converse All Star shoes in front of a red door in Chicago.

It was another action packed year of wedding photography in Northwest Indiana, Chicago and southwest Michigan. There are a TON of images from February weddings all the way through November so let’s get started.

I had two winter weddings in 2019 with Sarah + Robert and Erin + Mason. Yep, we had some snow and even the Village People showed up to rock the reception.

Black and white winter wedding photo in the snow.

Early Spring saw torrential rain almost every single weekend. Like the postal service though, we deliver in ice, rain, sleet or snow. For Beth + Chad we had that all in one day!! Cherise + Thomas had some sunshine for their big day at Sand Creek Country Club and for a bridal portrait session in Chicago we had to dodge some puddles for sure.

Rain and wind and fog surround the bride and groom in a wedding photo at Sand Creek Country Club.

Bridal portraits on the streets of Chicago.

The wet Spring continued for Breana + Kevin’s Chicago wedding and Sarah + Billy’s hometown wedding in Crown Point, Indiana. Both had wonderful church ceremonies.

Bride and groom walk back down the aisle after their wedding ceremony at St. Andrew’s Catholic Church.

May weddings in Chicago and Crown Point, Indiana.

The month of May was very busy with Northwest Indiana weddings of Tessa + Luis as well as Dan + Tea.

Vintage bridal portraits in Northwest Indiana.

June saw Gabby + Matt at Briar Ridge Country Club and Becky + Chuck along with the summer weddings of Rachel + Brandon at County Line Orchard and back to the Crown Point Courthouse with Robyn and Stacey.

First dance at Briar Ridge Country Club.

June wedding photos at Briar Ridge Country Club and Centennial Park.

Weddings in late June in Crown Point and County Line Orchard.

July saw me at the height of summer and back at County Line Orchard for an outdoor wedding with Emily + Tyler and Whiting Lakefront Park for the beach wedding of Maureen + Carlos.

July summer weddings at County Line Orchard and Whiting Lakefront Park.

Newlyweds kiss between two Golden Delicious sign in the apple orchards.

July also saw me heading east to Heston Hill wedding venue for Maggie + Eric and staying close to home for Cynthia + Zachary at Avalon Manor wedding venue.

Summer weddings at Heston Hills and Avalon Manor.

Bride and groom share a moment at Heston Hills wedding venue in Laporte, Indiana.

August began with a themed wedding from Isela + Thomas and Jackie + Kevin for the first time a bride has ever arrived via boat at Lighthouse Restaurant in Cedar Lake, Indiana.

Early August weddings in Northwest Indiana.

Wedding photo with a sunset over the lake.

Mid to late August saw the 4 day Indian wedding of Molly + Ahsan in Chicago and the church wedding of Brie + Ryan at St. Michael’s Parish and reception at Sand Creek golf course.

Mid to late August weddings in Chicago and Northwest Indiana.

A candid moment underneath the willow tree at Sand Creek Country Club.

Early September saw the first of two weddings at Four Corners Winery with Holly + Ethan and then it was onto The Allure in Laporte, Indiana with Mary + Jeff.

Wedding photos at Four Corners Winery and The Allure.

Photo at the rustic wedding venue Four Corners Winery in Valparaiso, Indiana.

I’d always wanted to photograph at the Naperville Riverwalk in Illinois for a wedding and did just that with Vilda + Brandon and weddings at Aberdeen Manor are some of the most elegant and the nuptials of Kristen and Zach did not disappoint.

September weddings in Naperville, Illinois Riverwalk and Aberdeen Manor.

Wedding photo on the staircase at Renaissance Hotel in Schaumburg, Illinois.

Candid wedding moment at a lake in Aberdeen neighborhood in Valparaiso, Indiana.

A photo at night in front of the chapel at Aberdeen Manor.

September is still the most popular month for weddings and I was back at Avalon Manor for Violet + Jeremiah and an epic wedding with Jordan + Matt at Centennial Park where it snowed on the dance floor.

Late September weddings in Northwest Indiana.

It snows on the dance floor at the Centennial Park clubhouse for a wedding reception.

October is football season and we celebrated that with Francesca + Zane at Wicker Park and also wine tasting season at Four Corners Winery with Ammie + Matt.

Reema + Corey donned two wedding dresses and two suits at their Meyer’s Castle wedding in Dyer, Indiana and Mary + Ben braved the rain at the Center for Visual and Performing Arts in Munster, Indiana for their late Fall weddings.

Late Fall weddings in Northwest Indiana.

Rain falls at night in this wedding photo at Center for Visual and Performing Arts.

I certainly can’t forget about Annie + Michael at Aberdeen Manor as well as the 2019 wedding season finale of Kim + Dustin at Fair Oaks Farmhouse.

Late November weddings in Northwest Indiana.

I’m looking forward to next year’s weddings in Northwest Indiana, Chicago and Michigan. To inquire about wedding photography for your big day, please do fill out the Contact Form on this website and set up a meeting so I can show you more of my work. Happy New Year to all!!