June Wedding Celebration Featuring First Kisses

June 1, 2013 Steve Vansak

The year 2013 has seen me shoot a few Winter and Spring weddings already, but now that June is upon us, things are really heating up. Next week sees a double header wedding weekend with Todd and Krystyne on Friday at the Parish of St. Joseph in Homewood, Illinois and Mike and Kelly at White Hawk Country Club in Crown Point.

To celebrate I thought I'd post a few first kisses wedding photos to get us all excited...

First kiss at an outdoor ceremony in the Cancer Survivor's Garden inside Grant Park in Chicago

Shaun and Brittany had a gloriously sunny day for their Chicago wedding in Grant Park. You can tell by the warm tone of the photograph just how sunny it was that day. I love this photograph, but the one I'm nuts about is this next one where our groom spontaneously lifts his bride into the air. I'm always poised and ready for the first kiss, but also keenly aware that sometimes the best moments occur right after...

The newly married couple celebrates after becoming man and wife at an outdoor wedding in downtown Chicago.

Another similar candid moment occurred at Gary and Brandi's outdoor wedding at Deep River Park in Hobart, Indiana. I love the spontaneous burst of laughter and joy in the the bride's face as well as the way she tenderly holds her new husband face with her hand. A very loving moment...

The bride erupts with laughter and joy during her outdoor wedding ceremony at Deep River Park in Hobart, Indiana.

I've photographed a lot of Catholic ceremonies inside churches so I've learned anticipate the first kiss. It doesn't always occur at the end of the ceremony in many cases. Here is an image of Brandon and Jackie at St. Michael's Church in Schererville, Indiana.

First kiss at a wedding ceremony St. Michael's Catholic Church in Schererville, Indiana.

The next image in our series of first kiss photographs usually can't happen at churches, but I was able to pull it off during an indoor wedding ceremony at Avalon Manor with David and Jessica. I loved catching family and friends in the background as the bride and groom did their traditional first kiss.

First kiss at an indoor wedding ceremony at Avalon Manor in Hobart, Indiana.

I don't really coach my clients on how to kiss, but I will give this bit of advice to the grooms - don't be shy!! Don't just give her a quick peck, I swear her dad won't lecture you afterward!! :)

I'm looking forward to all my June weddings. If you are a planning a 2014 wedding, please contact me via the online form now. June and September dates tend to fill up a year in advance. I've already got June weddings for 2014 booked and I'm having consultations for another this coming week as well as a September couple. If your day isn't available, I'd be glad to refer you to a qualified professional.

Happy planning!!

First kiss at an outdoor ceremony at the International Friendship Garden in Portage, Indiana.

Military Weddings

May 25, 2013 Steve Vansak

Memorial Day is a day of remembering the men and women who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. It's also a time to thank those who are currently serving. I would like to do my small part by showing a couple of military weddings I've covered and telling you a little bit about the couple.

A military bride and groom are reunited for their wedding day at Wicker Park in Highland, Indiana.

Nichole was living in Colorado at the time she called me for a wedding consultation. She told me how she had met Nathan while they both served together in the armed forces. They were already married, but wanted to have a traditional ceremony and reception with friends and family looking on. Griffith, Indiana was her hometown and she had decided on Wicker Park Social Center as the location for her outdoor military wedding.

I met Nathan for the first time when he arrived back from overseas for their August wedding. We chatted for a few minutes just before I took this portrait of him in full decoration.

Wedding portrait of the groom in full military outfit taken in the gazebo area of Wicker Park in Highland.

Tim and Terra are an incredibly sweet young couple from Michigan whose wedding ceremony I photographed in the New Buffalo area. One of my favorite images is this one of her father giving her away in full military regalia during the ceremony at the quaint Michigan chapel. A wonderful moment...

Father of the bride gives his daughter away with a kiss at a military wedding ceremony in New Buffalo, Michigan.

I hope you have a terrific Memorial Day weekend!! Be sure to kick off the summer right with friends, family, barbecues and fond remembrances of military personnel past and present.

Happy Mother's Day - Wedding Style

May 12, 2013 Steve Vansak

Today's Northwest Indiana wedding photographer Journal is going to be simple and sweet. I just want to wish everyone a Happy Mother's Day and urge you all to go out and give her a great big hug today!!

A mom and bride to be give her baby boy a hug before she walks down the aisle at her wedding ceremony in New Buffalo, Michigan.

And if she gets emotional during your mother and son dance, it's because she has raised you to grow up to be the person you are today. She might not be able to pick you up and hold you anymore like the bride above, but she doesn't love you any less.

A mom gets emotional during her mother son dance at the Centennial Park clubhouse in Munster, Indiana.

So, give mom a call or visit if you can. Give her hug and tell her how much you love her.

The flower girl gives her mom, the bride, a hug just before her wedding at The Allure in LaPorte, Indiana.

Star Wars Themed Wedding

May 6, 2013 Steve Vansak

Star Wars themed galaxy wedding  collage. — Star Wars themed galaxy wedding collage.

In a galaxy far, far away.....

Okay, so it wasn't quite that far. However, Aaron and Lisa's Star Wars themed wedding at the Free Spirit Church in Crown Point, Indiana was as much fun as any celebration at Chalmun's Cantina from Episode 4 of the epic Sci-Fi movie series.

I decided to have a little fun and create the above Star Wars galaxy collage with a few choice images from their May the 4th wedding.

The fun filled day began at the couple's home in Schererville, Indiana where Lisa and her bridesmaids got ready for the wedding. She was all smiles as friends hugged her and wished her well.

Smiling bride gets ready for her big day with friends and family.

Lisa's wedding dress had a pink tone and a wonderfully fluffy princess gown skirt. We decided to show that off with an artistic, almost studio like photo on the top of her bed.

Bride poses on the top of her bed for an artistic wedding photo at her home in Schererville, Indiana.

For a Star Wars themed wedding, I can't get away with not showing off Lisa's "May The Force Be With You" garter as she slipped it onto her leg. This was going to be a surprise touch for the groom for when he took it off at the reception later that night.

Star Wars decorated blue wedding garter with 'May the Force Be With You' inscribed upon it.

Before taking off for the ceremony at Free Spirit Church, we stepped outside into the Schererville nieghborhood for some bridesmaids as well as bridal pictures. Here's a full length image of her pretty dress taken at a nearby park. We had to leave her veil off for these as the wind was really fierce at the time.

Bride poses in her pink hued princess wedding dress in a park in Schererville, Indiana.

The wedding ceremony was tender, lighthearted and emotional all at once. The groom Aaron was joyous as can be as he placed the ring upon Lisa's finger. The small chapel in Crown Point was filled with family looking on. Their two young sons were ring bearers.

The groom places the ring upon his bride at a wedding ceremony at Free Spirit Church.

Smiling bride during her Spring wedding at Free Spirit Church in Crown Point, Indiana.

Now, you know there is no way you can have an article about a Star Wars themed wedding without having a few light sabers in the mix!!

Star Wars themed wedding photo with family showing off their light sabers.

The wedding reception took place at Casa Maria in Dyer, Indiana with a mix of dancing, photo booth, portraits and of course - good food!! The families of the bride and groom treated us wonderfully and I can't wait to show off more family wedding photos at a later time.

Grandparents with their grandson the ring bearer at a wedding reception at Casa Maria in Dyer, Indiana.

Star Wars wedding decorations on display at Casa Maria Banquet Hall in Dyer, Indiana.

The single women were more than ready to catch the bouquet as the bride joyously tossed it toward the dance floor...

The bride joyously tosses her bouquet at Casa Maria banquet hall.

This is only a sneak peek of Aaron and Lisa's Star Wars themed wedding. Stay tuned here and the Facebook Page for more updates and images. For now, I'll leave you with a sunset silhouette photo of the bride and groom toward the end of their joyous wedding day....