July Wedding At County Line Orchard

July 8, 2019 Steve Vansak

Bride and groom take a joyful walk in the fields at County Line Orchard.

When I arrived at Jay Marie Salon for bridal prep photos and heard all the laughter, I knew were were in for a fun day for Emily and Tyler’s July wedding at County Line Orchard. These two grew up in the same neighborhood. They actually lived across the street from each other. It’s a great story!!

While I captured all of the laughter of the bridesmaids, second photographer Kerrie got to witness the guys’ front yard golf practice!! Emily’s dress is from Marie Gabrielle Couture and the bridesmaids dresses from HCTD. Flowers are from the always impeccable Sugarfield Flowers.

Bride and her bridesmaids get ready for the big day.

The newlyweds before the ceremony at their outdoor summer wedding.

Groom and his groomsmen prep for wedding day.

Bridesmaid and groomsmen photos at County Line Orchard.

The bride leans against a rustic fence on the grounds at County Line Orchard.

Just remember, be nice to your photographer or they might give you a double chin!! ;)

The bridesmaids goof off for the camera.

A lighted chandelier towers over the bride inside the grain silo at County Line Orchard.

The bride and her girls sassing it up at a July wedding.

The outdoor summer wedding ceremony took place underneath the big oak tree at County Line Orchard. The lemonade stand was up and running as Emily and her Dad arrived via the tractor limousine.

Outdoor, summer wedding at County Line Orchard in July.

Friends and family watch an outdoor wedding ceremony underneath the big oak tree at County Line Orchard.

After family pictures at the ceremony area, I took Emily and Tyler all around the grounds of County Line Orchard for pictures and then we met up with the wedding party at the front of the big red barn. Then it was introductions, dinner and party music courtesy of 27 Entertainment.

Bride and groom chill against the wooden fence at their rustic wedding venue.

Summer wedding photos at County Line Orchard.

A romantic kiss underneath a giant oak tree.

Having fun with the wedding party and all of the farming equipment at County Line Orchard.

A wedding party group photo in front of the big red barn.

I asked Emily and Tyler what kind of apple they wanted and Golden Delicious was the answer!!

The bride and groom choose golden delicious apples at County Line Orchard.

Wedding receptions at County Line Orchard usually have the wedding party entering from the outside and it’s impossible to tell what they might have cooked up for introductions. I think our winner may have been the human wheelbarrow with flowers in his mouth.

The room was adorned in literary decorations and the signature CLO donuts were part of the treats. 27 Entertainment definitely blew the roof off of the big red barn as friends and family descended upon the newlyweds while chanting Sweet Caroline.

A July wedding reception at County Line Orchard.

The big barn is decorated in a literary theme for a wedding reception.

Party time at County Line Orchard during a summer wedding reception.

If you have enjoyed this sneak peek look at Emily and Tyler’s July wedding at County Line Orchard, please follow the Region Weddings IG account to see more. Also, fill out the Contact Form here to set up a meeting to discuss your very own wedding photography.

June Barn Wedding At County Line Orchard

July 1, 2019 Steve Vansak

Bride and groom walk the apple orchards during their summer wedding.

Rachel and Brandon had a wonderful, but hot and toasty June wedding at County Line Orchard. The fans were going full blast inside the grain silo bridal suite as Krissy V. tended to make up with Cheri from Top Knot doing hair. Flowers With Jazz did the floral and Amplified Events provided the soundtrack.

Bridal prep inside the grain silo at County Line Orchard.

I love to take bride portraits inside the grain silo at County Line Orchard. The texture of the wood mixed with that lighting was the perfect spot for photos of Rachel’s flowing wedding dress.

Bride in her flowing wedding dress inside the bridal suite at County Line Orchard.

View of the back of the bride’s dress at County Line Orchard bridal suite.

As I was doing portraits of the bride, second photographer Kerrie was capturing the guys getting ready. Soon it was time for our “peekaboo” shot outside the gran silo.

Bride and groom wave outside the grain silo at County Line Orchard.

At this point with County Line Orchard such a large venue, we were able to do the groomsmen photos and bridesmaid photos at the same time. Then it was time for the outdoor ceremony at the big oak tree behind the apple orchards.

Bride and her bridesmaids by the big barn.

Bridesmaids and groomsmen in front of the CLO barn doors.

The outdoor, rustic wedding saw the tractors carrying guests to the ceremony site as well as the bride and her Dad as the last arrivals. The flower girl took a spill but was soon rescued by her mom. I love the look of disappointment on her face as she sits on the ground!

Rustic outdoor wedding at County Line Orchard.

Outdoor wedding ceremony at the big oak tree.

Wedding ceremony underneath the big oak tree at County Line Orchard.

After the ceremony we took family photos and wedding party group pictures and then I took the newlyweds all around the CLO grounds. Then it was introductions and time to hit the dance floor.

Wedding party group photos underneath the big oak tree.

Bride and groom photos on the grounds of County Line Orchard in Hobart, Indiana.

The bride and groom share a kiss between two trees at County Line Orchard.

Rustic wedding photos at County Line Orchard.

The reception had rousing introductions as well as the bride doing a cake smash onto the groom. The bouquet toss was done from way up in the balcony and I took the newlyweds outside for a night time portrait near the north barn.

Wedding reception fun at County Line Orchard.

Wedding decorations at in pink and black.

Night portrait of the bride and groom at County Line Orchard barn wedding venue.

I hope you have enjoyed this sneak peek look at Rachel and Brandon’s June barn wedding at County Line Orchard. Stay tuned to the Region Weddings IG feed listed below for more images. To inquire about your own wedding photography, please fill out the Contact Form right here.

The 2018 Year In Review for Northwest Indiana and Chicago Weddings

December 31, 2018 Steve Vansak

Bride and groom steal a kiss on a hilltop at Briar Ridge Golf Course.

I’m typing this blog post on December 31, 2018 on what is supposed to be a slow day in the world of a wedding photographer. It’s not!! With several client meetings today and the final wedding of the year just this past weekend, one of my busiest years in Northwest Indiana and Chicago wedding photography is ending as it began with a very active schedule. No complaints here, but get ready because I have LOTS of images and wedding stories for the year down below. Let’s get to it…

Late winter 2018 weddings in Valparaiso, Indiana and Grant Park, Illinois.

After a busy December the previous year, I photographed Nicole and Luke’s wonderful church wedding in early March in Beecher, Illinois and followed shortly by Ashley and Adam at Aberdeen Manor.

Wedding Ceremony At Faith United Reform Church

In early Spring I found myself at Briar Ridge Country Club quite a few times starting off with Rachel and Matt with Sheri and Ryan the following Saturday. Both couples had some blazing sun for their golf course weddings.

Two Spring weddings at Briar Ridge Country Club in Dyer, Indiana.

The previous Fall I had done Ashley and Michael’s engagement session and they had such a wonderful chemistry together that I was eagerly anticipating their outdoor wedding at the spectacular Sandy Pines Pavilion with it’s beautiful bridal suite and perfectly landscaped scenery. It was a wonderful Sunday wedding.

I was also back for another golf course wedding with a touch of Disney with Abby and Sean at Sand Creek Country Club.

Bride and groom hold hands on the lake pier at Sandy Pines Golf Course.

Weddings at two golf courses - Sandy Pines and Sand Creek.

In mid May it was the first of two weddings at County Line Orchard with Jaime and Tom. The groom’s family came all the way from England for this exquisite barn wedding.

The bride and groom exit the County Line Orchard south barn after their ceremony.

Spring wedding photos at County Line Orchard.

Late in May saw me heading to Chicago for Veronica and Adrian’s church wedding and then it was time for another trip to Valparaiso University and The Chapel of the Resurrection where Lauren and Edward declared victory.

May weddings in Chicago and Northwest Indiana.

The groom rings the victory bell at Valparaiso University.

Bride and groom at the bottom of the spiral staircase at Valparaiso University.

The groom and his guys at Valparaiso University.

Also in late May, I made it back to the beach for Nicole and Chad’s Memorial Day weekend wedding at Marquette Park Pavilion. Then it was back to Briar Ridge Country Club for Patty and Stephen’s outdoor nuptials.

Late Spring weddings at Marquette Park Pavilion and Briar Ridge Country Club.

June saw another golf course wedding reception with Jennifer and Carl and a stop by Meyer’s Castle two weekends in a row for Valerie and Anthony and then Mallory and Ryan.

June weddings at Briar Ridge and Meyer’s Castle.

The bride is soaked by sunlight at Meyer’s Castle during a summer wedding.

June wedding at Meyer’s Castle in Dyer, Indiana.

Summer rolled on with another County Line Orchard wedding where Ashley and Zach had their un-plugged wedding ceremony.

Bride and groom smooch in the farm fields behind County Line Orchard.

Gang of bridesmaids stalk the open fields of County Line Orchard.

July saw another Chicago wedding with Lauren and Mark at The Signature Room on the 95th floor of the John Hancock Building and Katie and Patrick’s church wedding at St. Michael’s Parish in Schererville, Indiana with reception at The Munster Center for the Performing Arts.

July weddings in Chicago and Schererville, Indiana.

The groom kisses the bride at the edge of the Centennial Park Lake.

The summer weddings rolled on with Kim and Tim at St. Maria Goretti Church as well as Patti and David and their wonderful backyard wedding in Crown Point.

Summer weddings in Northwest Indiana during August of 2018.

Summer is the height of baseball season of course, so super fans Kaitlyn and Ryan took to the field after their wedding at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Griffith, Indiana. I also shot at the brand new Allure on the Lake for Katie and Arnie’s wedding reception.

August weddings at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, St. Paul’s Catholic Church and Allure on The Lake.

Labor Day weekend brought an end to summer but the beginning of busy season with Josie and Victor’s bohemian outdoor wedding at Friendship Garden in Michigan City with a stop at The Market for the reception. It also saw another stop at Briar Ridge Country Club with Molly and Chris.

Kissing bridge at Friendship Garden in Michigan City, Indiana.

Outdoor weddings at Friendship Garden and Briar Ridge Country Club.

Boho bride from above during bridal prep for her big day.

A couple in love gazes romantically at each other.

It was my first “wedding selfie” shot at Tracey and Chris’ outdoor wedding at Peck Farm Park in Geneva, Illinois. The grain silo is just massive and I was so glad to take some images showcasing the bride and groom next to it. Early September also saw a stop at Centennial Park for an outdoor wedding with Julie and Jason.

September weddings in Illinois and Indiana.

The grain silo at Peck Farm Park towers over the bride and groom.

As September drifted into October, we saw the absolutely fun wedding of Emma and Kyle at Croation Center and then it was Nikki and Johnny’s wedding with a church ceremony at St. Michael’s Church in Schererville, Indiana and a rocking reception at St. Elijah Banquet Center in Merrillville.

The bride and groom sport a take no prisoners look for their wedding photo.

Bridal portrait at Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago.

October also saw Captain America and SpiderWoman (Jess and Josh) get married at Lighthouse Restaurant as well as Erika and Mitch with a Great Gatsby themed wedding at The Allure in Laporte, Indiana.

Captain America marries SpiderWoman at Lighthouse Restaurant in Cedar Lake.

A wedding picture during a hailstorm in Laporte, Indiana.

The bride and groom get mischievous at The Allure.

Karen and Jason had their hometown wedding in Crown point with a St. Mary’s Church ceremony with stops at the fairgrounds and a reception at the old Lake County Courthouse Maki Ballroom.

More October weddings at The Allure and in downtown Crown Point.

Late October and November Fall weddings saw me back at Sand Creek Country Club for Marz and Tom’s big day as well as Krueger Memorial Hall in Michigan City for Ashley and Terry’s beautiful Fall wedding with Autumn leaves everywhere.

Fall weddings at Sand Creek Country Club and Krueger Memorial Hall.

Leaves fall upon the bride and groom for their Autumn wedding.

As winter finally arrived, The Uptown Center got all lit up for Kristen and Patrick’s wedding and last, but certainly not least the grand finale, last wedding of 2018 was Sarah and Nick’s snow filled day at Sand Creek Country Club.

Winter weddings at Uptown Center and Sand Creek Country Club.

Whew, thanks for making it all the way though this long review of weddings in Northwest Indiana and Chicago in 2018. Please contact me here on the website to set up a meeting to discuss the photography for your wedding day. I service Northwest Indiana, Chicago and southern Michigan but I’m also available for travel. 2018 brought me to a few new venues as well as old favorites. I’m looking forward to seeing where you take me next year and beyond. A special Thank You to Kerrie, Bridget, Schylar, Michelle, Lauren, Doug and Jaime for their help in Wedding Season 2018. Happy New Year!!

Wedding At Peck Farm Park

September 14, 2018 Steve Vansak

Bride and groom beneath the grain silo at Peck Farm Park.

Tracey and Chris had a true “family style” barn wedding at Peck Farm Park in Geneva, Illinois. Close family and friends gathered in a half circle for the outdoor ceremony and then it was time for an all day, open air reception. Let’s start at the beginning of the day with bridal prep at The Herrington Inn and Spa.

Bridal prep at The Herrington Inn and Spa.

Wedding day fun for the bride and her crew.

While I spent the morning in and out of the bathtub with Tracey’s bride tribe, photographer Grant was with Chris and the guys as they learned the art of tying ties.

Tracey got into her dress at the Peck Farm Park farmhouse and we utilized the classic front porch of the building for some portraits of the bride.

A vintage tone for the bride on the front porch of Peck Farm Park farmhouse.

The beautiful bride on her wedding day in Geneva, Illinois.

Black and white portrait of the bride inside the farmhouse.

The wedding party was also a family affair with Tracey and Chris’ children taking on bridesmaid and groomsmen duties.

The bridesmaids take a stroll at Peck Farm Park.

The groomsmen all dressed and ready to go.

The ceremony area is just beneath the grain silo with a half circle of seating. The view of farmland was especially picturesque on Tracey and Chris’ perfectly overcast day. Some emotional moments occurred as the couple read their vows and the nuptials were capped off with a “ceremony selfie” at the very end.

Outdoor wedding ceremony at Peck Farm Park.

Wedding ceremony beneath the grain silo at Peck Farm Park.

Exchanging wedding vows at Peck Farm Park in Geneva, IL.

One of the attractions at Peck Farm Park is the famous butterfly house. We did some bride and groom portraits along with a flirtatious butterfly and then it was outside with the Illinois heartland as our backdrop.

Bride and groom photos inside the butterfly house at Peck Farm Park.

Bride and groom embrace in the Illinois fields.

Farmland wedding photos in Geneva, Illinois.

For the reception (which essentially started the minute the ceremony was over) there was an enclosed barn that housed desserts and another open air barn where the bar and dancing was. Roaming servers came around and served food to guests throughout both areas. The party favors of inscribed blankets were perfect for this slightly chilly night.

Wedding reception decor at Peck Farm Park.

Wedding reception fun at Peck Farm Park in Geneva, Illinois.

I took the bride and groom out for a night portrait as the sky turned deep blue just after sunset. It was a beautiful day and a lovely barn wedding with Tracey and Chris in Geneva, Illinois at Peck Farm Park. To inquire about wedding photography for your big day, be sure to fill out the Contact form here. Stay tuned to the social media channels below for more images from this wedding and others.