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Booking season is under way for most professional wedding photographers. Here in Northwest Indiana, about 60% of my weddings get booked in the previous year with the still open dates filling up in the winter months of January and February.
The following tips on how to hire a wedding photographer come from over 10 years of interacting with the many, many couples who have hired me to photograph their big day.
Read moreI love listening to Podcasts and as a wedding photographer I gravitate toward camera gear shows. I also have a backlog of episodes to get to about music and current events. January is the slow season for weddings here in the Midwest so I’m definitely in a podcast listening mood as I hibernate.
This month is also known for its wedding planning as many couples get engaged during the preceding holidays.
I’ve found 5 wedding planning podcasts that may be very helpful to you no matter what stage of planning you are in. A few of them are downright entertaining as well. Save time and get wedding planning ideas during your commute to and from work!
You can listen to them on various different platforms. Copy the show names into your favorite podcast app or follow the links for more options. My podcast app of choice is the fantastic Overcast.
Of course, as your wedding photographer I will help guide you through the day at our pre-wedding meeting where I provide you with online forms such as family group shot list and more.
In the meantime, happy podcasts listening and happy planning!! As always, you can Contact me here.
Welcome to my 2021 Year in Review! What a year it has been for wedding photography in Northwest Indiana, southwest Michigan and the Chicago area.
Above is a short video slideshow to give you an overview of the entire year in pictures. Turn up the volume and enjoy.
Of course, scrolling through this blog / journal you will find the stories of the weddings days (with lots of images) of many of my clients dating all the way back to 2010. This post will concentrate on the images from 2021 (also check out Sarah + Brents’s Short Film embedded at the end) with a few comments from me.
As always, inquire on my Contact Form about openings for your big day for photography as well as Short Films.
Happy New Year!
I had one lone wedding in March at Blue Chip Casino in Michigan City, Indiana and then the season kicked off in earnest in late May. After that, WEDDINGS DID NOT STOP! In late June I recall 5 weddings in one 10 day period. This wedding season saw many weekday weddings.
Some of the early Spring wedding venues as seen above were Sand Creek Country Club, The Grand CP and Journeyman Distillery.
Wedding photo in the garden at Centennial Park.
June turned out to be the busiest month of the year for Midwest weddings in 2021. The Fall season usually takes that crown but this year was more traditional.
The beginning of Summer saw weddings in Monee, Illinois as well as Meyer’s Castle, Tying the Knot wedding venue in Michigan, Whiting Lakefront Park and The Lighthouse Lodge in Monticello, Indiana.
The bride’s veil flies in the air as she kisses her groom at a summer wedding in Northwest Indiana.
As summer rolled on, I photographed such diverse Northwest Indiana wedding venues such as County Line Orchard, The Pavilion at Sandy Pines as well as church weddings in downtown Chicago.
Yes, you are seeing an actual rainbow in the image above! After a rain delay of an outdoor ceremony at Sandy Pines in Demotte, Indiana a rainbow appeared in the sky. I can honestly that was a wedding first for me and no photoshop was involved.
Weddings at County Line Orchard and Marquette Park Pavilion.
A Harry Potter themed wedding took place this year at The Grand CP in Crown Point, Indiana along with receptions at Maggiano’s, a Chicago wedding venue in River North area as well as a beautiful outdoor wedding at Gabis Arboretum in Valparaiso, Indiana.
Early Fall saw me back at Gabis Arboretum for another outdoor wedding at the scenic Northwest Indiana wedding venue as well as the venerable Avalon Manor.
Bride and groom in a candid moment at County Line Orchard in Hobart, Indiana.
Fall is always busy for weddings in Northwest Indiana and throughout the Midwest. This year I had many church weddings in the Autumn with photos at locations such at the Lake County Fairgrounds and Centennial Park.
The Fall wedding season also saw me return to Blue Chip Casino in Michigan City along with photos at the gorgeous Friendship Botanic Gardens.
Silver Lake Country Club and Georgio’s Banquets in Orland Park, Illinois were two of my Illinois wedding venue destinations this year.
Midwest wedding photos taken in the Fall season.
The end of October into early November gave us some intense Fall color at a Briar Ridge Country Club as well as a return to County Line Orchard along with church nuptials.
Early winter weddings often mean it gets dark early. For an early December wedding at Four Season’s Clubhouse we ventured outside for blue hour in this winter wedding photo below.
Winter weddings at The Grand CP and Center For The Visual and Performing Arts.
Wedding Season 2021 ended with a December wedding at Center For Visual and Performing Arts in Munster, Indiana in mid December and a Christmas Eve wedding in Wilmington, Illinois.
Bride and bridesmaids on the staircase during a December wedding at Center For Visual and Performing Arts.
It was a glorious year for weddings in 2021!!
As a bonus for making it this far down in my Year in Review post, press play below on the Short Film video that Sarah and Brent added to the wedding package of their winter wedding.
In case you didn’t know that there was an option to add video to your wedding photography package, more info can be found at this link.
Newly married couple at Friendship Botanical Garden in Michigan City, Indiana.
Elopements are perfect for couples who do not want to plan a big event with hundreds of guests. Sometimes it’s done with just the couple alone or with a few friends and family. These are the perfect packages for your Zoom wedding as well.
What happens though when you want the same gorgeous photographs that your friends with weddings with large guest lists have?
This is where my new Elopement Wedding Photography Packages come in. They come in two flavors - with or without an album. I am the photographer for these elopements so the same quality you see in my portfolio is what you will receive. They are four hours in length and can be used how you wish - Ceremony + Portraits but also some bridal prep photos can be done or even a cocktail hour with hors d'oeuvres mini reception. Extra hours are available.
Bride and groom portraits on Lake Michigan.
Here are a list of general locations locally that are great for elopements as well as some specific areas in the Northwest Indiana, Chicago and southwest Michigan:
beach weddings
botanic garden weddings
courthouse weddings
backyard weddings
Friendship Botanical Garden in Michigan City is a great spot for an elopement ceremony and beautiful portraits as well. There are also areas to go undercover in the event of rain.
Cancer Survivors Garden in downtown Chicago is an excellent spot for a city elopement
Gabis Arboretum is a beautiful nature preserve for photos and can also provide a pavilion
Beaches along Lake Michigan from Whiting Lakefront Park to areas in New Buffalo, Michigan
There are many creative options for Elopement Wedding Photography and these new package options are super simple and flexible.
Destination Elopements are available in Custom Packages. Inquire via the Contact Form if we are heading to the Arizona desert or a beach in San Diego or beyond.
Fill out the Contact Form and inquire about availability of your date.
I will then send you a link to schedule a meeting via Skype, phone or in person.
Pay the retainer right here to secure the date.
I will be in touch a few weeks before to go over our locations and timeline.
Pay the balance via an online invoice.
The Elopement Photography Packages are listed below.
Full wedding day coverage can be found on the Rates Page right here.
4 hours of wedding photography by Steve Vansak
Digital images via download (hi-resolution, includes printing rights)
Online photo gallery and ordering
Secure the date with a signed contract and a retainer payment of $500.
Take 10% off when paid in full at the time of booking.
4 hours of wedding photography by Steve Vansak
Digital images via download (hi-resolution, includes printing rights)
Online photo gallery and ordering
The Elopement Album (12”x12”, 20 pages)
Secure the date with a signed contract and a retainer payment of $500.
Take 10% off when paid in full at the time of booking.
Add an extra hour or hours to your Elopement Package.
NOTE: This extra hour of photography can only be purchased as an add-on to a wedding or elopement package.
