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.

The 2017 Northwest Indiana Wedding Photography Year In Review

December 26, 2017 Steve Vansak

Bride applies lipstick at Barker Mansion in Michigan City, Indiana.

Welcome once again to the Region Weddings Year In Review for wedding photography in Northwest Indiana, Chicago and southern Michigan. Settle in as it was another full year of weddings and this my longest article of the year with lots of images. To see a video slideshow of this post, check out The 2017 Year In Review video.

The 2017 wedding season saw me photograph for the first time at the historic Barker Mansion in Michigan City. My goal with this series of bridal portraits was to showcase the vintage history of the iconic building with a very modern bride. This resulted in some glorious color right next to sepia tones.

Bride on red staircase at Barker Mansion in Michigan City, IN.

There were quite a few winter wedding this year starting with Annie and Paul at Fair Oaks Farmhouse and then Lynne and Dale with a church ceremony at a stop at One Trick Pony brewery. Samantha and Dale were married at Saint Maria Goretti Church with a very chilly stop by Centennial Park.

As winter gave way to Spring (very begrudgingly), Sam and Alex and Amanda and Mike were on board for a pair of church weddings along with stops at Buckley Homestead.

Spring wedding photos in Northwest Indiana.

Bride and groom strike a magazine style pose at Centennial Park.

Late summer and early Spring saw Emily and Zach with an outdoor ceremony at Villa Cesare and Amanda and Josh at St. Michael's Church.

High fives, neon love, sisters / bridesmaids and church wedding ceremonies.

Summer weddings saw the flowers of Northwest Indiana in full bloom at Hans and Karla's outdoor ceremony at The Inn At Aberdeen with lakeside photos for Jill and Johnny.

July wedding photos in Northwest Indiana.

Bride and groom kiss in front of the old Crown Point Courthouse.

Ashlee and Ryan took a tour of downtown Crown Point for their wedding photos while Samantha and Tyler stayed in Valparaiso for their Aberdeen Chapel ceremony with pictures at Taltree Arboretum and a reception at The Market.

August weddings in Crown Point and Valparaiso.

Post ceremony kiss at The Chapel at Aberdeen Manor.

The groom spins his bride near the cornfields of Indiana.

Late summer say another new venue, Meadow Springs Manor with Karlie and Corey and a spectacular day at The Pavilion At Sandy Pines with Bethany and Keenin and their classic Mustang.

Late summer weddings at Meadow Springs Manor and Sandy Pines.

Bride and groom ride away in a classic Mustang.

September and October were definitely the busiest for weddings as well as engagement sessions. This part of the season saw Christina and Melvin at the incredible Uptown Center and Emily and Todd who were married at the final event at the bride's (soon to be torn down) childhood church next to her parent's home.

Bride on stage at The Uptown Center in Michigan City.

Bride and groom kiss in front an old chapel in Hebron, Indiana.

Romantic wedding photo in downtown Michigan City.

I photographed two Serbian weddings in 2017 with Jessica and Marinko at St. Simeon Church in Chicago and Tanja and Kevin at St. George in Schererville. The circle dances never stopped on either day.

Serbian weddings in Chicago and Schererville, Indiana.

The sun sets as the bride and groom gaze at each other beneath the tall trees in the forest.

As Fall kicked in, I photographed two weddings on opposite ends of the region both in style and geography - Katie and Mike at Lighthouse Restaurant with it's nautical vibe and The Allure in South Bend with Morganne and Chris.

Fall weddings at Lighthouse Restaurant and The Allure.

Bride and groom on the pier at Lighthouse Restaurant.

Bride and groom on a leaf filled bridge near Coffee Creek in Chesterton, Indiana.

The Autumn weddings also saw stops at Sand Creek Country Club with Jessica and Mitchell and The Spa in Porter, Indiana with Julia and Evan. Both weddings featured a deluge of leaves and Fall color.

Autumn leaves at wedding venues Sand Creek Country Club and The Spa.

The bride and groom share a kiss surrounded by Fall color at The Inn At Aberdeen.

November saw a pair of church weddings with Gina and Marcus at The Chapel At Avalon Manor and Emily and Jeff at Holy Name Catholic Church and reception at The Center For Performing Arts. Both had an abundance of unique Fall colors.

Bride in mirror before walking down the aisle.

I certainly can't forget Jeremiah and Kevin with their big Christmas wedding at The Uptown Center or Whinchester and Whinchester (aka Jennifer and David) - my first ever bride and groom with the same last name.

Christmas red and a bride and groom in blue.

Thank you so much for a terrific 2017 in weddings!! I have one more on December 30th so be sure to stay tuned here for the final wedding of 2017. To inquire about your big day, as always please complete the Contact Form. I hope you have a terrific New Year and let's hope for a 2018 filled with love.

Bride inside the "red room" at Barker Mansion.

Bridal Portraits At The Historic Barker Mansion

April 17, 2017 Steve Vansak

Beautiful bride in the lounging room at Barker Mansion in Michigan City.

I recently photographed our lovely bride Alex inside the historic Barker Mansion in Michigan City. The venerable structure serves as a monument of industry, charity, and turn-of-the-century life in Michigan City. It is also a wonderful venue for modern day weddings of elegance as well as bridal showers. Let's take a tour of bridal portraits throughout the building.

Our morning started off with Alex's elegant wedding dress hanging in the bridal suite on the second floor of the mansion. The dress came courtesy of Paris House of Bridal located on Franklin Street in Michigan City, Indiana. If you are in search of the perfect dress, do visit them in the thriving Uptown Arts District of Michigan City. Their customer service is excellent and Alex had nothing but high praise for the staff there.

Our lovely bride applies lipstick in the bridal suite at Barker Mansion.

The spacious bridal suite at Barker Mansion in Michigan City, Indiana.

The elegant dress from Paris House of Bridal hangs in the bridal suite.

You are going to see quite a few vintage toned images here as parts of the mansion lends itself so well to a sepia toned, old film look. At times, Alex very much became a 1920's era starlet as we roamed from room to room.

Barefoot and laughing inside the bridal suite at Barker Mansion.

Of course, some of the images begged to be in glorious color - such as the incredible lounging room with it's vibrant reds and unique ceiling. I loved the stained glass hallway as well as showing off the dress train on the red carpet of the stairway.

Elegant wedding photo at historic Barker Mansion in Michigan City, Indiana.

Gorgeous bride in front of stained glass at Barker Mansion.

Showing off the dress on the red carpeted staircase.

The spacious master bedroom was another great photo opportunity. The incredible old wood and artifacts and mementos of an era gone by were perfect for bridal portraits.

A collage of bridal portraits at historic Barker Mansion.

While I definitely wanted to show off the historic residence, I also wanted to showcase the beauty and elegance of Alex herself in some close up images.

Pretty bridal portraits in Michigan City, Indiana.

The "piano room" as I call it was another perfect opportunity for the vintage treatment of these photos.

Bride at the piano in a vintage, sepia toned photograph.

I hope you have enjoyed this photographic tour of bridal portraits at Barker Mansion in Michigan City. We took many more pictures that I don't have the space to share here, so be sure to follow Region Weddings on Instagram to view more and fill out the Contact Form to inquire about your big day. Also, be sure to visit Barker Mansion and take a tour of the three floors of incredible history as well as the outdoor courtyard where the ceremonies are held.

The lobby of the historic Barker Mansion in Michigan City, Indiana.

Top Wedding Venues In Northwest Indiana

March 26, 2017 Steve Vansak

Bride and groom in silhouette at White Hawk Country Club.

Before we get going on the Top Wedding Venues In Northwest Indiana, let me define what that is for me. As a professional wedding photographer in Northwest Indiana, I do this article at the beginning of every year and I showcase venues that I have shot at in the previous year. Here is what you won't see listed and why:

No churches - I love photographing inside churches, but these are more personal and not really "venues".
No homes or backyard weddings, etc. - I love these intimate locations, but again - not a venue.
No "photo locations" are listed such as local parks, lakes, etc.

NOTE: If your favorite venue is not listed, it probably means I just didn't shoot there in the past year. With as many weddings as I photograph, chances are I've been there at some point and will be there again. When you schedule a meeting, just ask.

What I have included is many reception halls, barns, golf courses and where appropriate - the area surrounding them where we took pictures. Settle in and feel free to bookmark this page as this is going to be a long one with tons of images. In no particular order...

White Hawk Country Club

A beautiful golf course venue in Crown Point surrounded by beautiful homes. The big draw is the lovely outdoor wedding area along with a spacious bridal suite, reception room with an outdoor deck and of course picturesque scenery for photos.

Bride and groom strolling along the golf course at White Hawk Country Club.

Black and white photo of bride and groom kissing on a hill at White Hawk Country Club.

The Pavilion At Sandy Pines

Speaking of spacious bridal suites, Sandy Pines in Demotte, Indiana has one that is simply phenomenal. You will want to live there!! Full kitchen, hair and make up stations, a man cave and much more. Oh, and a grand outdoor ceremony area and open air reception room.

Wedding photos at The Pavilion At Sandy Pines in Demotte, Indiana.

Wedding reception photos at Sandy Pines in Demotte, Indiana.

Wicker Park Social Center

I visited Wicker Park Social Center three times last year, so I know how popular this Munster, Indiana wedding venue is. There is a huge gazebo next to a lake for outdoor ceremonies as well as a wooded area for pictures and of course the magnificent ballroom with a deck.

Newlyweds take a walk through Wicker Park in Munster, Indiana.

Wedding photos from Wicker Park Social Center in Munster, Indiana.

County Line Orchard

Barn weddings are quite popular and I photographed several of them last year. County Line Orchard in Hobart, Indiana is known for their rustic reception venue as well as their outdoor weddings in the apple orchards out back. You also have the option to have an indoor wedding in their red barn loft.

Bride opens the doors on the balcony of the bridal suite at County Line Orchard in Hobart, Indiana.

Aberdeen Manor

Aberdeen Manor in Valparaiso, Indiana is a spectacularly decorated reception venue (ask about the floating cake option) that also offers outdoor ceremonies as well as a chapel where you can bring your own officiant.

Lighthouse Restaurant

This wonderful restaurant in Cedar Lake, Indiana has a great upstairs reception room that overlooks the lake as well as outdoor ceremony locations and plenty of photo opportunities via the large pier and the sandy shoreline. There is also a bridal suite.

Wedding photos from Lighthouse Restaurant in Cedar Lake, Indiana.

Sunset on the pier at Lighthouse Restaurant in Cedar Lake, Indiana.

Signature Banquet Hall

Signature Banquets is a fairly new hall in Lowell, Indiana that is gaining in popularity. The rooms are always super clean and the dinner biscuits are delicious (trust me - I've had a few). I've photographed an indoor ceremony here as well as a number of receptions now. Two thumbs up for sure!

Wedding photos from Signature Banquets in Lowell, Indiana.

Briar Ridge Country Club

This luxurious golf course venue is located in Dyer, Indiana. I've done receptions there in the past and the ballroom is exquisite. This past year I photographed an outdoor wedding there with a cocktail hour in the ballroom. The golf course is beautiful and a great backdrop for photos.

Bride and groom under a tree at Briar Ridge Country Club in Dyer, Indiana.

Center For The Performing Arts

The Center For The Performing Arts is located in Munster and features art exhibits, concerts and more. I've shot a number of weddings there over the years and got to go back in 2016 where I covered getting ready in the bridal suite and the super fun reception with a live band.

Bridal suite at The Center for Performing Arts in Munster, Indiana.

Wedding photos from The Center For The Performing Arts.

The Patrician

I've run out of fingers and hands to count how many times I've shot weddings at The Patrician in Schererville, Indiana. They do a terrific job and can handle many events in the large ballrooms as well as outdoor ceremonies.

Wedding photos at The Patrician in Schererville, Indiana.

Centennial Park

I don't think a year has passed since I've been shooting weddings where I haven't photographed at Centennial Park in Munster via either a ceremony or reception or just plain stopping by for photos with my wedding party. I love the wood floors there as well as the outdoor terrace and of course, huge grounds in which to explore - gardens, lakes, bridges and more. Be on the look out for Pokemon Go players!! :)

The bride and groom are illuminated by sun on the bridge at Centennial Park in Munster, Indiana.

In my 2016 Year In Review post you can see the many other locations my wedding photography clients took me to last year - churches, old barns, local parks, the beach, Chicago and more. Too much for one article, so follow that link and also scroll through this blog.

What other Top Wedding Venues In Northwest Indiana did I photograph at this year? We made stops at The Allure, Cloister in the Woods, Sand Creek Country Club, Meyers Castle, Trinity Hall, Villa Cesare and Avalon Manor. See the images below and happy planning!!