Valentine Wedding In Downtown Crown Point

February 15, 2016 Steve Vansak

Bride and groom kiss at the Old Crown Point Courthouse on Valentine's Day weekend.

Marissa and Dennis were married on Valentine's Day weekend in Crown Point, Indiana. The day was filled with red and white and hearts galore. We started out at the bride's parent's home with everyone in great spirits. Even Dad paid the girls a visit as they took over his man cave with hair products and make up. Second photographer Kerrie captured the guys at the ceremony site getting dressed while I captured the women at the house.

Bridal prep during Valentine's Day weekend.

Free Spirit Church is a few blocks from the downtown Crown Point Square. Friends and family filled the church as Reverend Doug calmed the bride and groom's nerves with laughter as he pronounced them man and wife.

After family photos in the church, we all bravely headed to the Square for outdoor photos. Let's just say, it was a wee bit cold!! Marissa and Dennis were great as was the entire wedding party. Their cheeks might have been a little rosy, but they looked good with the Old Courthouse as a backdrop.

Winter wedding photos in downtown Crown Point.

Our next stop was the warm confines of the banquet halls at Woodland Park in Portage, Indiana. The room was a Valentine red and had an endless candy buffet. A balloon sculptor was on hand for the kids and they clutched onto their new toys as they watched the bride and groom during their first dance.

Valentine wedding reception at Woodland Park in Portage, Indiana.

The bride and groom share it kiss during their wedding reception at Woodland Park.

I hope you have enjoyed this sneak peek look at Marissa and Dennis' Valentine wedding. Stay tuned here and on social media for more images.

Ten Tips For A Stress Free Wedding Day

February 8, 2016 Steve Vansak

Bridal portrait at The Restaurant at Fair Oaks Farms

I recently had a mother of the bride call me to ask a few questions and get some suggestions about her daughter's big day. I gave her some tips on making the morning go smoothly and hence an easier wedding day altogether. She was appreciative and yet surprised by a few of the tips. I thought I'd share a few these here to help you have a stress free wedding day.

Make sure you have enough make up artist and hair stylists for the amount of participants you have. If the company you hire is only one person for make up and one for hair, you may need to schedule longer prep time.
When it comes to trial preparation, a common mistake is the "bride should go last" way of thinking. The thinking is that the bride will "remain fresh." The bride should NOT go last and here is why. Typically something gets off track and bridal prep goes overtime. If the bride goes last, hair and make up are either rushed or we run late. I suggest you have hair / makeup done in the middle. This way, if things run a little late, we can at least get photos of you getting into your dress and even some solo bride photos while the other girls finish up. A little touch up can freshen you up and will keep you on schedule.
Have someone deliver the boutonnières to the guys. Typically all of the flowers get delivered to the bridal prep location leaving the guys getting their photos taken elsewhere without being fully decorated. Also, if you leave them on their own to pin themselves, you may be disappointed at the outcome. :)
I strongly encourage a First Look with the person you will be marrying. Having your photos done before the ceremony greatly reduces the stress in your day and frees you up to really enjoy the festivities. If you are a traditionalist and dead set against the idea, we will still get all of your photos in, but may have to schedule a bit more time in the day to do so. We can discuss it at your pre-wedding meeting.
Consider not having a receiving line after your ceremony. If you have a lot of time between the ceremony and reception and the venue has the time for your post ceremony family photos, then by all means greet your ceremony guests. However, if you have a late afternoon ceremony and have limited time before your introductions - fitting in family photos, wedding party photos and couples photos is going to be tough. We work quick, but why rush and stress yourselves and your family out.
Be sure you tell the family members that you want in photos to stay close by after the ceremony. Start telling them right now and again next month. And again the month after that and the week of the wedding, at rehearsal dinner, at the wedding.... you get the idea. People tend to wander off. I want you to enjoy your reception and have fun. I don't want you to have to be doing family pictures when you could be dancing. :)
A growing trend is guests placing cell phones and tablets and themselves into the main aisle during the ceremony. They are excited and mean no harm, but this could impede your photographs. Consider an "unplugged wedding ceremony" by asking your officiant to ask that guests not do this. Check out the linked article for some examples.
Be in the moment during your ceremony and first dances. Don't be shy and look down. Your photos and video will reflect this.
Don't get too caught up in perfection. A smudge on your dress isn't going to ruin your photos. If a blemish on your face appears the night before the wedding, I will make sure it doesn't exist in the finished photos.
Take some time to eat and drink water throughout the day. Take a breath and realize that you can't please everyone. Family and friends have your best interest at heart, but ultimately it's your day.

Those are ten tips for a stress free wedding day. However, I feel like I'm on a roll, so here are some bonus tips:

If you tan (especially a spray tan), do so a good 5 days beforehand. Tanning the night before or that morning can often result in orange skin in the photos.
I mentioned it above, but I will stress it again - enjoy yourself!! As your photographer, I want you to look back on some outstanding images, but I don't want that to be in expense of you missing out on the fun of your big day. I will work quickly and efficiently to make sure you have the time to enjoy your party.
Pinterest is wonderful for cataloging ideas and even for getting a feel for the styles you like in photos, decor, mood and more. Keep in mind though that some images you find will not translate to your day and imitating exact poses, down to hand placement, etc. can be a little bit "posey" and stiff sometimes. Let's make sure we keep the essence of the two of you intact. Let's get inspiration, but create our own magic at the same time.

In March I'm going to be featuring interviews with several local wedding professionals - from make up artists to DJ's and more. Be sure to subscribe here so you don't miss that. I'm sure they are going to be chock full of tips and inspiration. I have more of a photographer's perspective on things so it's always good take in others thoughts and work together as one, for you.

I hope these all made sense and are helpful. Let me know if you have any questions or would like to inquire about the availability of your date. You can do so via the Contact Form here.

Winter Wedding At Meyer's Castle

January 18, 2016 Steve Vansak

Bride and groom in the Meyer's Castle lounge.

The first winter wedding of 2016 was a wonderful affair at Meyer's Castle in Dyer, Indiana with Mandeep and Lisa. It was an Indian-American wedding that even featured two wedding dresses!! The day started out in the bridal suite in the northern quarter of the castle. Lisa was there with her maid of honor and her daughter, the flower girl. The groom checked in via cell phone and the mother of the bride laughed it up with the flower girl.

Getting ready inside the bridal suite at Meyer's Castle.

Lisa braved the cold as we went outside to take her bridal portraits. I promised to moved quick and get her back inside where it was warm. However, we had to take a few images around the sprawling grounds of the fabled castle. It was a must!! :)

The bride takes a walk around the grounds of Meyer's Castle on her wedding day.

The bride shows off her dress on the patio terrace of Meyer's Castle.

As evening approached guests began arriving for the ceremony inside the East Canopy of the castle. The sun that shined brightly onto the storied building soon faded and it was time for Mandeep and Lisa to say "I do".

An indoor wedding ceremony at Meyer's Castle.

The newly married couple exit the wedding ceremony at Meyer's Castle.

It was now fully dark out and the cocktail hour was under way. I escorted the happy couple around the darkened grounds for some night time wedding photos as well as portraits in the lounge area, including the fabled fireplace.

Wedding photos in and around Meyer's Castle in Dyer, Indiana.

The bride and groom lounge near the fireplace inside Meyer's Castle.

The reception saw a mix of American and Indian dance music and families from each side were grinning from ear to ear. At this point, Lisa changed into her Indian wedding dress and wowed the crowd as she made her way onto the dance floor.

Reception photos of an Indian-American wedding.

I hope you have enjoyed this sneak peek look at this winter wedding at Meyer's Castle. For more images and stories, stay tuned and subscribe to this page and visit the social media channels below. Wedding Season 2016 has officially begun!!

First dance for the bride and groom at Meyer's Castle in Dyer, Indiana.

NWI Bridal Expo Winner 2016

January 18, 2016 Steve Vansak

Wow!! We had over 700 brides at the Northwest Indiana Bridal Expo in Valparaiso, Indiana yesterday!!! Thanks to everyone who stopped by my booth to view my work and chat. I was overwhelmed by the great response. When I do these shows I usually pick one winner of my booth raffle. This year the prize is my most popular engagement package - The Chicago Sessions.

For those of you who were not picked, keep reading to the end as I have something special for you as well. For now, let's unveil our winner.

Our randomly picked winner is Stephanie Galey. Congratulations Stephanie!! Please followup with me to receive your certificate for a complimentary Chicago Engagement Session.

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 and go over the session
Use the certificate for the Chicago Session by December 31st, 2016.

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 to discuss your wedding photography and to see if your date is open.

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.