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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.

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.

June wedding at 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 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.

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.

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

A couple in love gazes romantically at each other.

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.

October weddings in Northwest Indiana.

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

Chicago bride on North Avenue Beach.

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!!

View fullsize Look at those grins! My Tuesday afternoon newlyweds after their #microwedding  @meyerscastle
View fullsize Together Stronger, Together Better, Together As One. Thanks @chicagotheatre , it’s as though you knew we were coming!
View fullsize A 1950’s themed wedding at Hall of Justice.
In Barn Weddings, Beach Weddings, Bridal Portrait Sessions, Chicago Weddings, Christmas Weddings, Church Wedding, Creative Wedding Images, Fall Weddings, Golf Course Weddings, June Weddings, Modern Wedding Photography, Northwest Indiana Wedding, Outdoor Weddings, Reception Hall Weddings, Spring Wedding, Summer Wedding, Unique Wedding Photos, Winter Wedding Tags Year In Review

Intimate Wedding At Sand Creek

November 6, 2018 Steve Vansak

Newlyweds share a kiss on the bridge at Sand Creek Country Club.

Marz and Tom had an intimate family oriented wedding at Sand Creek Country Club. The day began with the bride being pampered by friends for her big day before getting a little help from Mom while putting on her dress.

Bride and the beautiful greenery of Sand Creek Golf Course.

The indoor ceremony saw the couple bookended by some gorgeous floral pieces on pedestals with friends and family members by their side. After some post first kiss goofing off, it was family photo time and then onto the course with the bride and groom.

Bride and groom exchange vows at Sand Creek Country Club.

Fall color surrounds the Sand Creek golf course for bride and groom portraits.

Wedding portraits at Sand Creek Country Club.

Under the veil kiss at Sand Creek Country Club in Chesterton, Indiana.

Autumn walk for the bride and groom at Sand Creek Country Club.

The afternoon reception saw the bride and groom cut their cake and mingle and chat with friends and family. Dad gave sage advice and other close friends grabbed the mic for well wishes.

I hope you have enjoyed this sneak peek look at Marz and Tom’s intimate wedding at Sand Creek Country Club in Chesterton, Indiana. Many more images to come from this wedding and others over on the Region Wedding Instagram feed listed below. Please fill out the Contact Form to inquire about wedding photography for your big day right here.

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In Golf Course Weddings, Fall Weddings Tags Fall wedding, Sand Creek Country Club, intimate wedding

September Wedding At Briar Ridge Country Club

September 10, 2018 Steve Vansak

Kiss on the golf course under a beautiful blue sky.

Molly and Chris were married at Briar Ridge Country Club overlooking the expansive golf course scenery. We started our day with bridal prep with the crew from Jay Marie Salon in the bridal suite and second photographer Bridget covering the guys as they tested out their silver flasks.

Prep in the bridal suite of Briar Ridge Country Club.

The bridesmaids tend to the bride at Briar Ridge.

A vintage look for the bride inside the suite at Briar Ridge Country Club.

Groomsmen wedding day prep.

Molly did a first look with her Dad inside the venue then we went outside where her and Chris had a very fun reveal with the bridesmaids on hand to cheer them on.

First look for the bride and groom on Briar Ridge golf course.

Portrait on the golf course for the bride and groom.

The groomsmen went for the high five while the girls hit the low five for some fun wedding party group shots. The bride quad all formed a circle for a goofy group picture and there may have been some tickling of the bride. Even mom gave her daughter a big high five!!

Up high and down low for the wedding party group photo.

Fun bridesmaid pictures at Briar Ridge golf course.

Bridesmaids and groomsmen at Briar Ridge.

I then took Molly and Chris around the golf course for some beautiful scenery. When we arrived back to the clubhouse, we took all of their family group shots. Then it was ceremony time. This enabled them to enjoy their own cocktail hour and leisurely mingle with guests.

A romantic walk up a sun drenched hill for the bride and groom.

Bride and groom photos on the golf course at Briar Ridge Country Club.

Golden sun streams through the trees for a romantic wedding picture at Briar Ridge.

The ceremony took place on the back deck of the ballroom with a wonderful view of the picturesque golf course. A big thumbs up from Dad as he walked Molly down the aisle.

Outdoor wedding on the patio at Briar Ridge Country Club.

The ballroom looked beautiful with blue and white drapery. There was a lot of napkin waving at introductions and cake cutting. The dance floor was packed all night.

Wedding reception decor at Briar Ridge in Dyer, Indiana.

Party on the dance floor at Briar Ridge.

Fun moment on the dance floor for the bride and groom.

This is merely a sneak peek look at Molly and Chris’ golf course wedding at Briar Ridge Country Club in Dyer, Indiana. Please stay tuned to the Region Weddings Instagram feed listed below to view more images from this wedding and others. As always, contact me here to discuss your wedding and engagement photography.

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In Golf Course Weddings Tags Briar Ridge Country Club, golf course wedding, outdoor wedding

10 Years Of Wedding Photography

August 6, 2018 Steve Vansak

Modern bride portrait in a vintage tone.

In 2007 I began my portrait photography business that still exists today. I photographed my friends, their kids, their events and more. Late that year I received a phone call from a father of the bride who saw one of my portraits hanging at a local car repair shop. He wanted me to photograph his daughter's wedding based upon these images. I promptly said no. 

Weddings are too important and frankly too difficult a task for newbies with only a year of experience in portraits. I told him this again and again and it was all true. He recognized my voice. It turns out I had worked for him in the past and based upon these images in the store and the fact that I "always showed up on time and worked hard" he was going to hire me, case closed. He would not take no for an answer. Oh, and his daughter liked the portraits too. I had 10 months to prepare and in August 2008 I shot my first wedding.  It took a number of years, but it soon became my full time job and this is what I do today. Oh, and Teresa and Jimmy (my first clients) are doing well and I ran into them a few years ago here in Crown Point. You can see them at the 47 second mark of the video below.

If I write anymore, this could become my LONGEST POST EVER, so I'll just simply say that I love the job and I'm very much looking forward to all of the upcoming weddings here in 2018, my Anniversary Year and the 2019 weddings already on the calendar and beyond. To all of my clients - THANK YOU SO MUCH!!

Now, and if I start posting images from the past 10 years into this article, your computer may very well blow up.  So..... how about we press play on the video slideshow below for a condensed version of the past 10 years of weddings in Northwest Indiana, Chicago and Southwest Michigan.  Enjoy!!

A collection of images from 10 years of wedding photography in Northwest Indiana, Chicago and southwest Michigan from Steve Vansak, lead photographer at Region Weddings.

As always, to inquire about wedding photography for your big day, simply fill out the Contact Form.  I can't wait to hear from you.

Did you know I started this blog in 2010? Yep, keep clicking on older post and eventually you will get there. The Region Weddings Instagram feed is another place to see my latest work and once in awhile I post some throwback images.

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In Chicago Weddings, Church Wedding, Fall Weddings, Golf Course Weddings, June Weddings, Modern Wedding Photography
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