Spring Wedding At Sand Creek Country Club

May 6, 2019 Steve Vansak

A romantic walk on the golf course at Sand Creek Country Club

Actual, honest to God, Spring weather decided to descend upon us for Cherise and Thomas’ wedding at Sand Creek Country Club. The sun was blazing outside as Cherise got ready in the bridal suite with a surprise visit from Dad who got to see her in her Something Blue Bridal wedding dress just before ceremony time.

Bridal prep at a Spring wedding at Sand Creek Country Club.

With grace and humor. the couple’s best man officiated the nuptials. It was a joyous ceremony capped by a celebration walk from the wedding party.

Spring wedding ceremony inside the Lake Room at Sand Creek Country Club.

Members of the wedding party start the celebration early.

After indoor wedding photos we stepped out to the clock garden for wedding party group pictures and then we went out onto the course for a romantic stroll.

A romantic stroll on the Sand Creek golf course as the sun shines brightly.

Wedding party group photos in the clock garden at Sand Creek Country Club.

Wedding photos on the golf course at Sand Creek.

Bride and groom at Sand Creek Golf Course.

The bride and groom nuzzle noses for their Spring wedding photos.

The ballroom was decorated with yellow sunflowers for this Spring wedding and a shot glass was waiting for all of the guests. The dance floor had so many joyous faces.

Spring decorations at a wedding reception at Sand Creek Country Club.

A wedding celebration inside the Sand Creek ballroom.

I hope you have enjoyed this sneak peek look at Cherise and Thomas’ Spring wedding. Be sure to fill out the Contact Form to inquire about your big day and follow the social media links below for more image updates.

Spring Wedding At St. Paul Catholic Church

April 29, 2019 Steve Vansak

Bride and groom on the altar at St. Paul Catholic Church in Valparaiso, Indiana.

Beth and Chad eloped on April 2nd to Maui, HI but had their church ceremony and celebration with family and friends in Valparaiso, Indiana. If there is one thing I can say about this couple it is they (and me) are like the postman - we deliver through rain, sleet and snow. More on that later!!

The day started out at the couple’s home where we captured bridal prep along with a few portraits. It was snowing when I arrived on this last Saturday in April. It was great to see Carrie from Sta-Glam who provided on site make up.

Bridal prep at the bride and groom’s home.

The bride stands alone in her bedroom in her wedding dress.

The ceremony took place at Saint Paul Catholic Church where we also did family photos along with wedding party and the bride and groom inside church.

Wedding ceremony at Saint Paul Catholic Church.

Bride and groom kiss on the altar at Saint Paul Catholic Church in Valparaiso, Indiana.

Looking at my weather app for the rest of the day’s forecast pretty much said “are you kidding me, stay inside”. But as I said, Beth and Chad are pretty resilient as am I. We were supposed to go directly to an after party with pictures later but we decided to stop by Ogden Garden along the way. It was raining but this seemed to be our best (and warmest) chance for some outdoor photos. They have a gazebo on the grounds and we made our way underneath that. You can see the rain if you look closely.

Bride and groom have a laugh in the rain at Ogden Garden.

Kissing underneath the gazebo at Ogden Garden.

Bride and groom share a laugh underneath the gazebo during their Spring wedding in late April.

The weather doesn’t look too bad in these photos right now, but keep scrolling…

Our next stop was back at the newlywed’s home for an after party and then we headed to the reception venue Sand Creek Country Club. When we arrived at Sand Creek the temperatures had dropped to 35 degrees. I noticed some crazy looking fog rolling in off the lake there and out we went. I’m really glad we did. The fog was quite mystical…

Bride and groom kiss as rain and sleet falls upon them and fog rises over the lake.

A tender moment in the rain with the bride and groom.

Wedding party pictures along with our smiling bride.

Unveiled Weddings and Events had the room looking fantastic as Sand Creek Country Club hosted the dinner reception with Precision Sound filling the room with music.

A post wedding party at home and a dinner reception at Sand Creek Country Club.

This is merely a sneak peek look at Beth and Chad’s Spring wedding at Saint Paul Catholic Church with many more photos to come. Stay tuned to the Region Weddings Instagram feed. Please do fill out the Contact Form to inquire about your wedding day photography.

Wedding Venue Spotlight - The Old Crown Point Courthouse

March 25, 2019 Steve Vansak

Bridesmaids walk along the cobble stone entrance of the Old Crown Point Courthouse.

As a wedding photographer who services Chicago, southwest Michigan as well as Northwest Indiana I see a lot of different wedding venues. Usually a few times a year though I travel a mere 5 minutes to the Old Crown Point Courthouse for everything from Bridal Portrait Sessions to engagement sessions and of course weddings. Today’s post is all about Crown Point weddings, specifically the Old Crown Point Courthouse and Maki Ballroom.

Bride and groom portrait on the third floor balcony of the Old Crown Point Courthouse.

Bride at the top of the staircase at the old Crown Point Courthouse.

An historic building that was erected in 1878 is going to give a photographer many different opportunities to stretch their creative muscles. The third floor is home to the old city court and is where the ceremonies take place. Just outside in the hall is the vintage floor with it’s balcony as well as wonderful window light with darkened staircase.

I’ve had many couples “go retro” with a vintage styled wedding. Kelly and Matt went all out with a 1920’s theme complete with paperboys, vintage wedding dress and more. Other clients simply let the Romanesque stylings of the landmark property provide the sole backdrop.

A 1920’s themed wedding at the Old Crown Point Courthouse.

Wedding ceremony at the Grand Old Lady, aka the downtown Crown Point Courthouse.

The outside area of downtown Crown Point (especially now with all of the aesthetic improvements taking place), is popular for wedding photos no matter where the ceremony. Often when I shoot at nearby St. Mary’s Church we will walk down to the Crown Point Square for pictures.

Bride and groom outside the Hall of Justice in downtown Crown Point, Indiana.

Wedding photos in downtown Crown Point, Indiana.

Bride and groom kiss in front of the Grand Old Lady in downtown Crown Point.

Bride and groom dance within the elegant first floor of the Old Crown Point Courthouse.

By booking the Maki Ballroom you will have access to the basement area of the historic building with it’s unique brick and jail cell backdrops. The beautiful chandeliers adorning the ballroom look great in first dance pictures.

Wedding receptions at Maki Ballroom in downtown Crown Point, Indiana.

Whether or not your wedding is taking place at the Old Crown Point Courthouse or not, please do fill out the Contact Form here to inquire about wedding photography for your big day. I hope you have enjoyed this look at various weddings in and around downtown Crown Point.

Winter Engagement Photos At Gabis Arboretum

March 11, 2019 Steve Vansak

A romantic stroll through the woods of Gabis Arboretum.

Noel and Kennith bundles up in their winter clothes for a chilly, but fun engagement session at Gabis Arboretum in Valparaiso, Indiana. I had them taking romantic strolls though the woods as well as cuddling up on the edge of the frozen lake.

Romantic engagement photos taken in winter.

While I certainly do “staged” photos, I also try to make those appear natural. I also tend to have my clients take a break during the session and sit down and talk for bit. This makes for some nice candid moments to capture.

Candid moments during a winter engagement session in Northwest Indiana.

Noel said she really wanted a wide shot showing off nature (and her and Kennith too) and we most certainly did some of those as well as focusing on her ring.

A winter engagement session at Gabis Arboretum.

A young couple in love during their winter engagement photo session.

To schedule your own engagement session or to inquire about photography for your wedding, please fill out the Contact Form right here. To see more engagement pictures as well as wedding images in Northwest Indiana and Chicago, please visit the Region Weddings Instagram page right here.