Autumn Engagement Photos At Lemon Lake County Park

October 7, 2015 Steve Vansak

The first thing Stephanie and Brett did when they arrived at Lemon Lake County Park was show me their signs. Too funny. I take it they've been seeing each other for awhile!!

A young couple kisses beneath the greenery of Lemon Lake Park for their engagement session.

Lemon Lake County Park is the perfect location for Fall color and gives a general "woodsy and earthy" tone to photographs. Although I just recently met them, Stephanie and Brett seem to fit that bill as well - warm and down to earth. I had fun taking their engagement pictures and they seemed to have a few laughs too.

Engagement photos in the woods of Lemon Lake Park.

I could not let them leave without a shot in front of the sprawling lake with the Fall colors in the trees. It's become a standard whenever I come here to shoot, but it always has a slightly different look to it depending on the season and time of day. This day we had a bit of orange and red popping out amongst the green.

I hope you have enjoyed this sneak peek look at Stephanie and Brett's Autumn engagement session at Lemon Lake County Park. I'm looking forward to their wedding next October. In the meantime, I think I'm going to go grab me a slice of pumpkin pie

A recently engaged couple in front of Lemon Lake with Fall color in the trees.

Autumn Outdoor Wedding At Centennial Park

October 6, 2015 Steve Vansak

Rain falls upon the bride and groom at the Centennial Park fountain.

Katherine and Justin's outdoor Fall wedding at Centennial Park saw a touch of wind, a little bit of rain, and a slight drop in temperature mixed in with a whole lot of love!! Sounds like the perfect forecast for an Autumn wedding filled with the tremendous warmth of friends and family.

Our day started at The Color Room in Dyer, Indiana where the girls prepped for the day ahead. Speeches were planned, mimosas were served with plenty of nervous laughter during the bridesmaid's first look.

Wedding day prep at The Color Room in Dyer, Indiana.

First look at the bride for her bridesmaids.

Before the wedding we photographed the girls and guys separately and then it was time for our outdoor ceremony on the terrace overlooking the lake at Centennial Park in Munster.

I could see the hearts of parents and family getting tugged as Katherine and Justin were pronounced husband and wife. Family photos and then it was off around the park with the wedding party.

Fall wedding ceremony at Centennial Park.

Outdoor wedding ceremony on the terrace at Centennial Park in Munster, Indiana.

Katherine's bridesmaids were just terrific as they endured some cold winds as we walked around Centennial Park for photos. The rain held up enough for us to get couple's shots all around the park. Then it was time for dinner and huge dance party inside the clubhouse.

Wedding photos at Centennial Park in Munster, Indiana.

Fall wedding reception at the clubhouse in Centennial Park.

So many fun moments from the reception as the dance floor never emptied. The Fall decor was awesome and a perfect resting place for the couple's ring shot. Fun, fun, fun...

This is merely a sneak peek with many more images to come from Katherine and Justin's outdoor Autumn wedding at Centennial Park!!

Catholic Wedding Ceremony At Immaculate Heart Of Mary Church

September 29, 2015 Steve Vansak

The bride and groom stroll down the aisle at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church.

I sometimes refer to some of the weddings I shoot as an "epic wedding". Maria and Seth's Fall wedding truly was an EPIC wedding!! The 20 bridesmaids and groomsmen, Maria's beautifully long veil, the couple's wonderfully large families, the rocking dance floor at the reception are a few of the highlights that made it such a memorable day. Let's take a look...

When I walked in to photograph bridal prep at Maria's parents home I found a very welcoming, very happy and jovial group who were like worker bees on a mission. The laughter and the tears were flowing, but these girls were serious. They snuck in a few selfies and oggled some adorable babies, but when it was time to get Maria into her dress, they were all over it.

Mom and bride share a moment on wedding day.

I checked in with my second photographer who was with the groom and his guys. She said they were terrific and they were getting some fun shots. Soon it was time to trek off to Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Kingsford Heights, Indiana near LaPorte.

The quaint church is tucked away amid farmland. It was filled up with friends and family as you can see from this balcony shot. The altar provided some wonderful architechture as a backdrop to the grand ceremony. A little under two hours later and we were taking family photos and then off to Chesterton for the reception.

A view from the balcony at Immaculate Heart Of Mary Church.

Catholic wedding ceremony in Kingsford Heights, Indiana.

The church gave us a nice wooded area to shoot in where we had a bunch of fun capturing Maria and Seth and the entire wedding party.

Wedding party has fun after the ceremony.

With such a long and flowing veil, I had to get a shot of it floating in the air as the bride and groom kissed.

The veil floats on air as the bride and groom kiss.

We got back to the hall before guests arrived, but this group was already ready to dance. This was a good sign. While I sometimes had to fight my way through the crowded dance floor, it was perfect as there were so many fun moments to capture. Pure joy on everyone's faces...

Wedding reception fun at Trinity Hall in Chesterton, Indiana.

The groom lifts the bride into the air at Trinity Hall in Chesterton, Indiana.

So many more images to come from Maria and Seth's Catholic wedding ceremony at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church and the reception at Trinity Hall in Chesterton, Indiana. Stay tuned here and on social media sites below.

I leave you with the bride and groom dancing in the picturesque garden and gazebo of Trinity Hall just before the reception started...

The bride gets dipped in the garden area at Trinity Hall.

Downtown Chicago Engagement Photos

September 23, 2015 Steve Vansak

A couple embraces along the water of Lake Michigan in downtown Chicago.

We had perfect Fall temperatures for Lauren and Brandon's engagement session in downtown Chicago. The wind made the waters of Lake Michigan a bit choppy, but the way it splashed onto the shoreline made a perfect setting for some lakeside smooching.

We started the day with Lauren's mom sending her off at the South Shore train station. We then made our way through the Loop area for some city lifestyle photos.

Mom sees off her daughter for an engagement photos session in Chicago.

With the hustle and bustle of the city all around them, the happy couple was in their own world dwarfed by skyscrapers and the lit street lamps near State Street.

A couple in love kisses beneath the street lamps of State Street.

We took advantage of all the windy city has to offer, from the architecture to the beautiful landscaping and the iconic Chicago Theater sign.

I hope you have enjoyed this quick look at Lauren and Brandon's Chicago Session. Engagement photos in the city are great all year around. Even winter can make for some wonderful city shots, especially in black and white.