Wedding At St. James the Less Catholic Church in Highland, Indiana

May 2, 2017 Steve Vansak

Wedding ceremony at St. James the Less Catholic Church

The Post Office have a motto, something like "neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom". Well, that could easily apply to our bride and groom Amanda and Mike who took it to the rain on their Spring wedding day. You will see them brave the elements later in this post with their awesome pink and black umbrella. They rocked it.

Our day started with bridal prep at Amanda's parent's house with a lovely gift from daughter to mom on display. Family love was everywhere in the house as I photographed Amanda's wedding day accessories in her childhood bedroom.

Bride in the window of her parent's home.

Just before she walked down the aisle I visited Amanda in one of the classrooms at the church. I cajoled her into writing all of the bridesmaids names in hearts and we took a quick picture.

Fun bridesmaids photo with hearts on a chalkboard.

The ceremony was at St. James the Less Catholic Church in Highland and had many emotional moments and culminated with celebratory bubbles.

Catholic wedding ceremony at St. James in Highland, Indiana.

I loved the expression of the newlyweds after the ceremony when I photographed them in front of the stained glass windows. After family pictures, we photographed the wedding party as well as the couple all around the church and then it was off to Centennial Park for a romantic walk in the rain.

Beautiful bride on the altar at St. James the Less Catholic Church.

Not only is rain good luck on wedding day, but it also provided nice saturated colors for wedding photos!!

Bride and groom underneath a pink and black umbrella.

Bride and groom take a romantic walk in the rain at Centennial Park.

The groom leans against the wall of the amphitheater at Centennial Park.

The bridesmaids didn't seem to mind when I suggested they wear the groomsmen's jackets for some outside shots as the temperatures dropped.

Fun wedding party photos at Centennial Park.

The reception at The Patrician in Schererville was a lot of fun with lot's of nice decor and a room full of laughter. After dinner it was time for the first dances and then the 27 Entertainment crew cranked up the jams.

Father daughter and Mother daughter dances at The Patrician.

First dance for the bride and groom at their Spring wedding at The Patrician.

The couple married the longest clocked in at 54 years!!

This has been a sneak peek look at Amanda and Mike's Spring wedding at Saint James the Less Catholic Church in Highland, Indiana. Many more images to come, so stay tuned!! As always, inquire about your big day via the Contact Form. Happy Spring!!

Spring Wedding At Holy Name Catholic Church In Cedar Lake

April 24, 2017 Steve Vansak

Bride and groom kiss amongst bubbles at Holy Name Catholic Church in Cedar Lake, Indiana.

Samantha and Alex had a gorgeous Spring day for their wedding at Holy Name Catholic Church in Cedar Lake, Indiana. Sam and the girls got ready in the bridal suite of the church where she had a first look with all of the bridesmaids just after her mom helped her into her dress.

Bridal prep in the Holy Name bridal suite.

Mother of the bride helps her daughter on wedding day.

Friends and family gathered inside the spacious church as Sam came down the aisle with her Dad. Alex was there waiting for her. It was an afternoon of great joy as kids young and old laughed and cried.

Wedding ceremony at Holy Name Catholic Church In Cedar Lake

Holy Name Catholic Church wedding ceremony.

I'm a big fan of the "bubble exit" and Sam and Alex were all smiles as they walked out into the bright sunshine surrounded by multi colored soap.

A bubble exit for the bride and groom at Holy Name Catholic Church in Cedar Lake.

The bride and groom walk through bubbles as they exit church at their Spring wedding.

We hopped back in the church for family photos and then we grouped the entire wedding party together. A few images of Sam and Alex inside the church and then we were off to Lourdes Friary / Monastery.

Wedding party at Holy Name Catholic Church.

The bride on the altar of Holy Name Catholic Church in Cedar Lake, Indiana.

Bride and groom walk in the center aisle of church.

Our first stop for wedding photos was Lourdes Friary in Cedar Lake, Indiana. It's also known as The Monastery. We took images all around the structures there and some fun wedding party shots up on the great hill.

Bride and groom at Lourdes Friary in Cedar Lake.

Bride and groom at the steps of Monastery.

Wedding party group photos in Cedar Lake, Indiana.

Our next stop is the scenic old barn at Buckley Homestead in Lowell, Indiana. We took images all around the rustic barn and it's towering grain silo.

The bride and groom take a stroll at the Buckley Homestead barn in Lowell, Indiana.

Wedding photos on the farm of Buckley Homestead in Lowell, Indiana.

Our final stop of the day was Casa Maria in Dyer for the grand finale celebration with dinner, candy buffet and even a congo line.

First dances at Casa Maria Banquet Hall.

Bouquet toss and all around fun times during a wedding reception at Casa Maria in Dyer, Indiana.

I hope you have enjoyed this sneak peek look at Samantha and Alex's Spring wedding at Holy Name Catholic Church in Cedar lake, Indiana. As always, be sure to fill out the Contact Form to inquire about availability for your big day.

Spring Engagement Session At Ogden Garden In Valparaiso, Indiana

April 19, 2017 Steve Vansak

A young couple snuggles at Ogden Garden during their engagement session.

I recently strolled around Ogden Garden in Valparaiso with Christina and Melvin for their Spring engagement session. Flowers are just beginning to bloom there and we had a lovely time creating images all around the park.

Springtime engagement photos at Ogden Garden.

I was a bit obsessed with the bed of flowers located in the center of the park to the point where I actually had the couple stand in them. I swear none of these flowers were injured during this series of photos!! :)

Engagement photo in a bed of flowers in Valparaiso, Indiana.

Christina and Melvin probably thought I was crazy, but as we walked the park, I kept looking back. I kept seeing the incredible glow of the sun peeking though the trees and I wanted to illuminate them with these golden rays.

A golden sun illuminates a couple during their engagement photos at Ogden Garden.

With Christina and Mel's wonderful chemistry and the gorgeous scenery, it wasn't too difficult to come away with some natural photographs to showcase their love.

Fish swim in the pond at Ogden Garden during an engagement photo session.

A kiss along the pathway at Ogden Garden park in Valparaiso, Indiana.

Melvin decided to put Christina airborne for some romantic photos in the grass and even carried her for a few while I turned day into night as the sun began to set.

A man lifts his fiance' into the air for a romantic engagement photo.

Some fun and romantic engagement photos at Ogden Park.

The iconic photo at Ogden Garden is the front walkway that leads to the famed gazebo where so many couples have gotten married.

A couple kisses in front of the gazebo pathway at Ogden Garden.

I hope you have enjoyed this sneak peek look at Christina and Melvin's Spring engagement session at Ogden Garden in Valparaiso, Indiana. Temperatures are warming and flowers are beginning to bloom, so be sure to schedule your engagement session or inquire about your wedding date via the Contact Form soon.

A portrait of a young couple for their engagement session at Ogden Garden park.

Bridal Portraits At The Historic Barker Mansion

April 17, 2017 Steve Vansak

Beautiful bride in the lounging room at Barker Mansion in Michigan City.

I recently photographed our lovely bride Alex inside the historic Barker Mansion in Michigan City. The venerable structure serves as a monument of industry, charity, and turn-of-the-century life in Michigan City. It is also a wonderful venue for modern day weddings of elegance as well as bridal showers. Let's take a tour of bridal portraits throughout the building.

Our morning started off with Alex's elegant wedding dress hanging in the bridal suite on the second floor of the mansion. The dress came courtesy of Paris House of Bridal located on Franklin Street in Michigan City, Indiana. If you are in search of the perfect dress, do visit them in the thriving Uptown Arts District of Michigan City. Their customer service is excellent and Alex had nothing but high praise for the staff there.

Our lovely bride applies lipstick in the bridal suite at Barker Mansion.

The spacious bridal suite at Barker Mansion in Michigan City, Indiana.

The elegant dress from Paris House of Bridal hangs in the bridal suite.

You are going to see quite a few vintage toned images here as parts of the mansion lends itself so well to a sepia toned, old film look. At times, Alex very much became a 1920's era starlet as we roamed from room to room.

Barefoot and laughing inside the bridal suite at Barker Mansion.

Of course, some of the images begged to be in glorious color - such as the incredible lounging room with it's vibrant reds and unique ceiling. I loved the stained glass hallway as well as showing off the dress train on the red carpet of the stairway.

Elegant wedding photo at historic Barker Mansion in Michigan City, Indiana.

Gorgeous bride in front of stained glass at Barker Mansion.

Showing off the dress on the red carpeted staircase.

The spacious master bedroom was another great photo opportunity. The incredible old wood and artifacts and mementos of an era gone by were perfect for bridal portraits.

A collage of bridal portraits at historic Barker Mansion.

While I definitely wanted to show off the historic residence, I also wanted to showcase the beauty and elegance of Alex herself in some close up images.

Pretty bridal portraits in Michigan City, Indiana.

The "piano room" as I call it was another perfect opportunity for the vintage treatment of these photos.

Bride at the piano in a vintage, sepia toned photograph.

I hope you have enjoyed this photographic tour of bridal portraits at Barker Mansion in Michigan City. We took many more pictures that I don't have the space to share here, so be sure to follow Region Weddings on Instagram to view more and fill out the Contact Form to inquire about your big day. Also, be sure to visit Barker Mansion and take a tour of the three floors of incredible history as well as the outdoor courtyard where the ceremonies are held.