October Wedding At The Pavilion At Sandy Pines

October 5, 2020 Steve Vansak

Bride and groom take a walk in the woods near Sandy Pines.

Amanda and Ben had a crisp October day for their outdoor wedding at Sandy Pines in Demotte. The golf course wedding venue was the perfect spot for the groom, an avid golfer. While he and the guys were out on the course, I was inside with the girls as they got ready for the big day.

I was greeted by Make Up by Krissy V. and Under the Veil as the stylists as well as the bride and her singing bridesmaids.

Bridal details at Sandy Pines bridal suite.

The bridal suite building is perfect for bridal prep as well as an upstairs area for groom prep. The kitchen is always well stocked and the gigantic Subway subs are always a fun prop for me.

Groom prep at The Pavilion at Sandy Pines.

We had two first looks in a row - first up was Dad on the porch of the bridal suite and then with the groom.

First look with Dad at Sandy Pines bridal house.

First look with the bride and groom for their October wedding.

We then ventured out onto the golf course as well as the wooded areas surrounding it for photos of the bride and groom. From candid moments to dips on the green to showing off the bride’s dress from Something Blue.

We then returned to the bridal suite for wedding party group pictures.

Candid wedding photos at Sandy Pines Golf Course.

Spying through the brush on the bride and groom.

Chilling on the pier overlooking the golf course.

The wedding party was waiting for us when we arrived back and after these set of pictures it was time for family photos. Guests then began arriving for the ceremony.

Bridesmaids and groomsmen at Sandy Pines.

An outdoor wedding ceremony at The Pavilion at Sandy Pines.

Exchanging vows at Sandy Pines golf course.

The ceremony was “unplugged” which kept the congregation focused and involved and not on their cell phones. After Amanda and Ben were pronounced man and wife, we went onto the course for a few golden hour pictures as the sun set. Then it was straight into cocktail hour, dinner and then the dancing began.

A stroll onto the golf course as the sun began to set.

Reception details at The Pavilion at Sandy Pines in Demotte, Indiana.

Open air wedding reception at Sandy Pines Pavilion.

A night dance under the stars during a wedding at Sandy Pines.

To inquire about wedding photography for your big day, please do fill out the Contact Form here on the website. To see more from Amanda and Ben’s wedding at The Pavilion at Sandy Pines in Demotte, Indiana please follow the social media channels below. This is merely a sneak peek with much more to come.

Summer Wedding At Ravisloe Country Club

August 31, 2020 Steve Vansak

The bride’s veil flies as the groom kisses her at Ravisloe Golf Course.

See, when you first meet and take a ride on a golf cart and then crash and get admitted to the hospital together - you have your wedding at a golf course! That’s how it goes…. for Jessica and Matt.

Ravisloe Country Club has a very scenic golf course, ballroom and a lovely courtyard for outdoor wedding ceremonies.

We started our day in their bridal suite with Make Up by Krissy V. and Maddie Rasp on hair, Flower Cottage on florals. While Jessica sat diligently in her various chairs, I captured details shots along with fun with champagne corks and other fun.

Details on wedding day at Ravisloe Weddings.

Bride and bridesmaids get ready for the big day.

The rain of the dress gets tended to in the bridal suite.

I have to say that wedding season 2020 has shown some incredible wedding dresses. Jessica’s very elegant dress came courtesy of Something Blue Bridal Boutique. I decided to take her to the equally elegant Ravisloe ballroom to show it off.

The bride shows off her elegant wedding dress in the ballroom at Ravisloe Country Club.

Bridal portraits at Ravisloe Country Club.

While in the ballroom we snuck in a fist look with Dad and photographer Bridget covered the guys getting ready. I then took the girls out onto the golf course for their photos.

Groom and groomsmen get ready for the big day.

Groomsmen and bridesmaids photos on the golf course at Ravisloe in Homewood, Illinois.

The outdoor ceremony took place in the fantastic courtyard and of course featured the bride being brought in via golf cart and then exiting the same way with her new husband.

Summer outdoor wedding ceremony at Ravisloe Country Club.

Outside courtyard wedding ceremony at Ravisloe Country Club.

Getting married outside at Chicagoland wedding venue Ravisloe Country Club.

After the ceremony we completed family photos and then went around the property, including the golf course for wedding photos in the afternoon sun.

The bride and groom kiss as the afternoon sun engulfs them.

Wedding party photos at Ravisloe Country Club.

Wedding photos on the golf course at Ravisloe in Homewood, Illinois.

Underneath the veil on the Ravisloe golf course with sun and flare.

Jessica and Matt had their wedding reception at Signature Banquets in Lowell, Indiana where the dancing started even before Precision Sound cranked up the music. You may have noticed the groom’s cast in some of the pictures and I presume this is why some power tools ended up for cutting the cake from Beck’s Crown Bakery.

Luckily, no injuries to report on or off the dance floor despite a golf cart being nearby!!

Reception details at Signature Banquets.

Summer wedding reception with cake, dancing and miter saws.

If you enjoyed this sneak peek look at Jessica and Matt’s summer wedding at Chicagoland wedding venue Ravisloe Country Club, do follow the social media sites below for more images from this and other weddings.

To inquire about your big day, please fill out the Contact Form right here.

Wedding Venue Spotlight - Briar Ridge Country Club

February 19, 2020 Steve Vansak

Romantic wedding photo on the rolling hills of Briar Ridge Golf Course.

One of the things I love about Briar Ridge Country Club as a wedding venue is that the entire wedding can be shot in this one beautiful spot. The newly remodeled bridal suite has a nice modern vibe to it and overlooks the golf course and is right down the hall where the reception ballroom is. This gives me the opportunity to break away and capture all the decor as it gets set up throughout the day.

Are your bridesmaids getting “hangry” for some breakfast during prep time? No problem, the restaurant is mere steps away! :)

To see a wedding from bridal prep to reception, check out this summer wedding at Briar Ridge Country Club right here.

A boho bride tosses her dress on the golf course at Briar Ridge Country Club.

We all love sunshine but it can be difficult and harsh for photos sometimes. When I’m doing wedding photos at Briar Ridge Country Club, I either use the sun there as a beautiful backlight or tuck my couples away underneath the many trees on the golf course.

If possible, we should definitely sneak out for some sunset images as golden hour as it is quite nice on the golf course with the sun setting over the western trees.

Two newlyweds come together in the shade of a tall tree at Briar Ridge golf course.

Eskimo kiss in a vintage tone at Briar Ridge Country Club.

I’ve photographed wedding ceremonies on the back deck as well as my preferred spot east of the ballroom. I like this area because it is more shaded and less chance of harsh sun upon the wedding party and guests. The ballroom is available should the weather not cooperate for an outdoor wedding ceremony.

To view more of this outdoor wedding ceremony, follow the link to this summer wedding with Patty and Stephen.

An outdoor wedding ceremony at Briar Ridge Country Club.

Under the veil at Briar Ridge Country Club.

The reception ballroom overlooks the golf course and has access to a back deck where guests can get some fresh air. The chandeliers in the rooms give an air of elegance for dinner and dancing.

First dance inside the ballroom at Briar Ridge Country Club.

I hope you found this wedding venue spotlight of Briar Ridge Country Club (located in the Dyer / Schererville area) helpful for your wedding planning. When you are ready to see more of my work for your own wedding photography, please do fill out the Contact Form right here. To see another wedding I’ve shot at Briar Ridge, head over to view this Spring wedding with Sheri and Ryan right here. Happy planning!!

Wedding photo during a gorgeous summer day at Briar Ridge golf course in Schererville, Indiana.

Weddings In Indiana, Chicago and Michigan - The 2019 Year In Review

December 30, 2019 Steve Vansak

Bride in Converse All Star shoes in front of a red door in Chicago.

It was another action packed year of wedding photography in Northwest Indiana, Chicago and southwest Michigan. There are a TON of images from February weddings all the way through November so let’s get started.

I had two winter weddings in 2019 with Sarah + Robert and Erin + Mason. Yep, we had some snow and even the Village People showed up to rock the reception.

Black and white winter wedding photo in the snow.

Early Spring saw torrential rain almost every single weekend. Like the postal service though, we deliver in ice, rain, sleet or snow. For Beth + Chad we had that all in one day!! Cherise + Thomas had some sunshine for their big day at Sand Creek Country Club and for a bridal portrait session in Chicago we had to dodge some puddles for sure.

Rain and wind and fog surround the bride and groom in a wedding photo at Sand Creek Country Club.

Bridal portraits on the streets of Chicago.

The wet Spring continued for Breana + Kevin’s Chicago wedding and Sarah + Billy’s hometown wedding in Crown Point, Indiana. Both had wonderful church ceremonies.

Bride and groom walk back down the aisle after their wedding ceremony at St. Andrew’s Catholic Church.

May weddings in Chicago and Crown Point, Indiana.

The month of May was very busy with Northwest Indiana weddings of Tessa + Luis as well as Dan + Tea.

Vintage bridal portraits in Northwest Indiana.

June saw Gabby + Matt at Briar Ridge Country Club and Becky + Chuck along with the summer weddings of Rachel + Brandon at County Line Orchard and back to the Crown Point Courthouse with Robyn and Stacey.

First dance at Briar Ridge Country Club.

June wedding photos at Briar Ridge Country Club and Centennial Park.

Weddings in late June in Crown Point and County Line Orchard.

July saw me at the height of summer and back at County Line Orchard for an outdoor wedding with Emily + Tyler and Whiting Lakefront Park for the beach wedding of Maureen + Carlos.

July summer weddings at County Line Orchard and Whiting Lakefront Park.

Newlyweds kiss between two Golden Delicious sign in the apple orchards.

July also saw me heading east to Heston Hill wedding venue for Maggie + Eric and staying close to home for Cynthia + Zachary at Avalon Manor wedding venue.

Summer weddings at Heston Hills and Avalon Manor.

Bride and groom share a moment at Heston Hills wedding venue in Laporte, Indiana.

August began with a themed wedding from Isela + Thomas and Jackie + Kevin for the first time a bride has ever arrived via boat at Lighthouse Restaurant in Cedar Lake, Indiana.

Early August weddings in Northwest Indiana.

Wedding photo with a sunset over the lake.

Mid to late August saw the 4 day Indian wedding of Molly + Ahsan in Chicago and the church wedding of Brie + Ryan at St. Michael’s Parish and reception at Sand Creek golf course.

Mid to late August weddings in Chicago and Northwest Indiana.

A candid moment underneath the willow tree at Sand Creek Country Club.

Early September saw the first of two weddings at Four Corners Winery with Holly + Ethan and then it was onto The Allure in Laporte, Indiana with Mary + Jeff.

Wedding photos at Four Corners Winery and The Allure.

Photo at the rustic wedding venue Four Corners Winery in Valparaiso, Indiana.

I’d always wanted to photograph at the Naperville Riverwalk in Illinois for a wedding and did just that with Vilda + Brandon and weddings at Aberdeen Manor are some of the most elegant and the nuptials of Kristen and Zach did not disappoint.

September weddings in Naperville, Illinois Riverwalk and Aberdeen Manor.

Wedding photo on the staircase at Renaissance Hotel in Schaumburg, Illinois.

Candid wedding moment at a lake in Aberdeen neighborhood in Valparaiso, Indiana.

A photo at night in front of the chapel at Aberdeen Manor.

September is still the most popular month for weddings and I was back at Avalon Manor for Violet + Jeremiah and an epic wedding with Jordan + Matt at Centennial Park where it snowed on the dance floor.

Late September weddings in Northwest Indiana.

It snows on the dance floor at the Centennial Park clubhouse for a wedding reception.

October is football season and we celebrated that with Francesca + Zane at Wicker Park and also wine tasting season at Four Corners Winery with Ammie + Matt.

Reema + Corey donned two wedding dresses and two suits at their Meyer’s Castle wedding in Dyer, Indiana and Mary + Ben braved the rain at the Center for Visual and Performing Arts in Munster, Indiana for their late Fall weddings.

Late Fall weddings in Northwest Indiana.

Rain falls at night in this wedding photo at Center for Visual and Performing Arts.

I certainly can’t forget about Annie + Michael at Aberdeen Manor as well as the 2019 wedding season finale of Kim + Dustin at Fair Oaks Farmhouse.

Late November weddings in Northwest Indiana.

I’m looking forward to next year’s weddings in Northwest Indiana, Chicago and Michigan. To inquire about wedding photography for your big day, please do fill out the Contact Form on this website and set up a meeting so I can show you more of my work. Happy New Year to all!!