Wedding at Saint Andrew the Apostle Parish

November 13, 2013 Steve Vansak

Wedding ceremony at Saint Andrew the Apostle Parish in Calumet City, Illinois.

Most weddings are all about families. Sure, the spotlight is on the bride and groom - first dance, first kiss, reception toasts, etc. However, it's the little moments that occur throughout the wedding day that glue it all together.

I could tell right at the start that Eric and Maria had tight knit families that cared deeply about them. Our day started at Maria's parent's house in Cedar Lake, Indiana with her sister rewriting the speech she would be giving later on that evening. I love to photograph these precious moments and put them in the album that is to come after the wedding.

The matron of honor's speech rest against the bride's wedding shoes.

The matron of honor writes her speech for her sister's wedding.

While taking detail shots, my assistant and I spotted something old, something new and something blue.

I could tell that Maria was a little bit shy with a camera on her while she was having her make up done. Nonetheless, she handled it all with good humor.

A bride has lip gloss applied while getting ready for her wedding.

The bride is all smiles on the morning of her wedding.

In the shot below, Maria's sister and bridesmaid get her veil secure because the mean photographer guy (that's me) has decided to take them outside on this windy and chilly day for some group shots!!

the bridesmaids help secure the bride's veil before her wedding ceremony in Calumet City, Illinois.

The bride is surrounded by her friends on the porch of her parent's home in Cedar Lake on the morning of her wedding.

When you are the junior bridesmaid and your simply waiting for the bride to be ready, might as well curl up on the sofa with your shoe for awhile. I mean, it's going to be a long day, right?!!

The flower girl curls up on the sofa on the morning of her big sister's wedding.

Maria braved the cold to show off her dress underneath the blue sky and puffy clouds. Soon we were off to Saint Andrew the Apostle Parish for Eric and his family photos along with the groomsmen.

A beautiful bride shows off her dress underneath the blue skies on the morning of her wedding.

The groomsmen take a walk in the autumn leaves outside Saint Andrew's Church.

Saint Andrew the Apostle Parish is simply an amazing building. I can't wait to show off the images I was able to take during this Catholic wedding ceremony.

The congregation gathers for a catholic wedding ceremony at Saint Andrew's Church in Calumet City.

The bride and groom exchange rings on the altar of St. Andrew.

The bride and groom pray during their wedding at Saint Andrew's Church.

We took family pictures inside the church after the ceremony and a few outside as I left the couple alone to simply soak in the fact that they were now united together.

The bride and groom have a tender moment alone outside the steps of St. Andrew Church. — The bride and groom have a tender moment alone outside the steps of St. Andrew Church.

The reception took place at The Dream Palace in Lynwood, Illinois and once again the family atmosphere was everywhere in the celebration. Stephanie, the matron of honor finally got to deliver her speech and children celebrated by crowd surfing the dance floor while guests laughed it up during the cocktail hour.

A child crowd surfs at a wedding reception at The Dream Palace in Lynwood, Illinois.

The matron of honor delivers her speech at her sister's wedding reception at Dream Palace.

Guests laugh it up during cocktail hour at their friend's wedding reception at the Dream Palace banquet hall in Lynwood.

A delicious dinner (with steaming hot bread rolls!!) was served along with cupcakes for dessert as well as a smores bar.

A mountain of cup cakes are served at a Fall wedding reception at Dream Palace.

Can you guess what 1970's dance song these guys are boogieing down to?

The dance floor is packed while the 1970's disco song YMCA plays loudly.

I hope you have enjoyed this sneak peek at Eric and Maria's wedding at Saint Andrew the Apostle. Stay tuned for more photo updates here and on the Region Weddings Facebook Page.

The bride and groom take their first dance during their wedding reception at The Dream Palace in Lynwood, Illinois.

Winner of Bridal Show Prize at Big Dream Showcase

November 13, 2013 Steve Vansak

I want to thank everyone for dropping by my booth at the bridal show at Radisson at Star Plaza last night. Special thanks to Wedding Essentials for putting on the show. My assistant Kris and I really enjoyed meeting all of you. I hope you enjoyed all of the images we showed and will explore the site further and learn about my wedding photography. If you are still in search of a wedding photographer, please fill out the Contact Form so we can set up a meeting where I can answer all of your questions and show you my work in a quiet atmosphere without the large crowds of the show.

A winner has been picked for the $100 Gift Certificate. This is good toward any package. Please see the Rates Page for engagement and wedding packages. If you already have your wedding photographer, please visit my sister site SBV Photography for studio and other on location packages.

I know bridal shows can be overwhelming, so to remind you of which photographer I am, here is one of my favorite images from the 2013 wedding season...

A dramatic sky overlooks Centennial Park as the bride and groom embrace underneath the shade of a nearby tree.

Now that I've jogged your memory, on to our winner...

Molly Robbins was randomly picked to receive a $100 Gift Certificate. Congratulations Molly!!

Here is how to claim your prize:

Respond to the email I will be sending you shortly or call 219-779-7137
Schedule a meeting where I will hand you over the certificate
Use the certificate of $100 by May 31st, 2014 - good toward engagement photography, studio or wedding

If you are not a winner of the gift certificate and you hire me as your wedding photographer, please mention that you were at this show. I will add a complimentary 11x14 Professional Print to your package as a thank you. Fill out the Contact Form to schedule your meeting.

I want all potential clients to have awesome wedding photos. If I have your date booked, I'd be glad to send you to another highy qualified wedding photographer. You deserve great images!! See you soon.

Northwest Indiana Bridal Show at Radisson in Merrillville

November 3, 2013 Steve Vansak

I will be showcasing my wedding photography along with 40 other wedding vendors at The Big Dream Showcase at Radisson hotel on Tuesday, November 12th. If you are still in the planning stages for your big day, come and see me and fill out an entry form to win a $100 gift certificate. There will also be 40 other prize giveaways during the night.

I strongly encourage you to visit my booth and set up a meeting to discuss the photography for your wedding. If you are anxious to see if your date is still available, please fill out the Contact Form and I will reply back promptly. For current clients, be sure to stop by anyway and we can chat for a bit and I can introduce you to some of the trusted vendors who are at the show.

Here are all of the details:

Location: Star Plaza
Date: November 12th, 2013
Time: 6:00pm - 8:30pm
Free Admission

You can register to receive tickets online, although winners must be present to collect one of the 40 prizes.

The wedding cake sits alone on the dance floor of the elaborately decorated Aberdeen Manor ballroom.

Fall Engagement Photos at Lemon Lake

October 25, 2013 Steve Vansak

Couple is perched in a tree at Lemon Lake Park in Crown Point, Indiana for their fall engagement photos.

When I discussed engagement photos with Rachel and Dustin, I encouraged them to pick a location that would best portray who they are. As people who enjoy the outdoors and nature, they chose Lemon Lake Park in Crown Point. We took these images on a windy October day hoping for Autumn colors and boy, did we ever get them. When I arrived at the spacious Lake County park, I immediately noticed the deep orange leaves on a nearby tree.

A man smiles toward his fiancé for their Fall engagement photo with a tree with bright orange leaves in the background.

We broke out the fishing poles for a few shots and Rachel joked that it would be funny if they actually caught a fish during the shoot. No fish took the bait, perhaps next time.

A couple fishes on the edge of Lemon Lake.

A couple relaxes on a lake pier with their fishing poles in the foreground.

Nothing beats a lazy afternoon in the park....

A couple kisses all alone on the pier of Lemon Lake in the Fall.

I'm one of those photographers whose a bit of an instigator so I encouarged this leaf fight while staying out of harms way. I'm not sure who won here although I think Dustin got the brunt of it...

An engaged couple has fun throwing leaves at each other during their engagement photo session at Lemon Lake County Park.

A couple playfully rolls around in a pile of leaves during a romantic walk in the park.

I love taking these fun photos of couples, but I also enjoy the romantic images too...

A romantic engagement photo of a couple laying on a blanket at Lemon Lake Park with Fall leaves all around them.

Lemon Lake Park is so vast and we were able to get many different types of scenes ranging from the open sky to a kissing spree deep in the heart of the woods.

A couple embraces between trees and underneath the open sky for an Autumn engagement photo.

A couple in loves kisses romantically while walking in the woods.

We ended our day at the playground where we caught Rachel off guard when the swing decided to take a sudden dip!!

A couple plays on a swing set at the playground of a local park.

For me, it was an incredibly fun session and I think it was for Rachel and Dustin as well . These are just a few of the many images taken at Lemon Lake Park. Stay tuned here and the Region Weddings Facebook Page for more images.