One of my most popular posts every year is my Best Wedding Venues In Northwest Indiana article. It is never meant to be comprehensive as I photograph weddings in a LOT of different locations in Indiana, Michigan and Illinois. However, at the end of every wedding season I like to look back at the year and write about a couple of venues I photographed at in that year. I also don't list any venues I recently featured or have shot at in past years. If you'd like to read last year's article, follow the link below:
Best Wedding Venues In Northwest Indiana 2014 Edition
Let's get started. In no particular order....
Trinity Banquet Hall
Trinity Banquet Hall is part of St. Patrick's Parish in Chesterton, Indiana. I photographed two weddings there this year. It's a great spot for an outdoor wedding as well as reception. The gazebo area where the outdoor weddings occur is a hidden garden that can't be seen from the main road. It's surrounded by beautiful landscaping and is very private. The reception hall is a few steps away and has an outdoor balcony overlooking the garden.
A dance at twilight for the bride and groom at Trinity Banquet Hall.
Weddings At Trinity Banquet Hall in Chesterton, Indiana.
Old Crown Point Courthouse
Three minutes away from my office is the Old Crown Point courthouse, a terrific and popular location for Northwest Indiana weddings. The downtown Crown Point Square provides a lot of photo opportunities and the staircases and marble floor inside make for some very elegant wedding images. Ceremonies take place in the old court room. This past Spring, one of my clients held a 1920's themed wedding there.
Bride and groom dance on the marble floor inside the old Crown Point Courthouse.
A 1920's Themed bride and groom at the Old Crown Point Courthouse.
Weddings at the Grand Old Lady - Courthouse in Crown Point, Indiana.
County Line Orchard
For a rustic wedding, many couples turn to County Line Orchard in Hobart, Indiana. An old tractor escorts guests to the apple orchard area where refreshments are served. This past year saw string players entertaining guests as the bride came down the aisle. The inside has plenty of room for dancing and displaying all of that rustic wedding decor. I love to shoot down onto the floor from the balcony there. Oh, and the bridal suite is a spectacular area for wedding photos as well.
Rustic weddings at County Line Orchard in Hobart, Indiana.
The bride and groom take a stroll on the grounds at County Line Orchard.
Centennial Park
I shoot at this Munster, Indiana wedding venue quite often, but with such a vast area to shoot I always end up with unique images from each wedding. While the outdoor weddings are often on the open terrace of the clubhouse, we have access to the entire grounds which consists of a large lake, two bridges, two gardens, curved walkways and a golfing area. The hard wood floors give it a very classy look for your reception as well.
Clear blue skies at Centennial Park in Munster, Indiana.
Wedding ceremonies at Centennial Park in Munster, Indiana.
Gamba's Ristorante
Gambas is a great spot for a medium to small size wedding reception. Their three course meals are spectacular and the ballroom just oozes class and elegance. There is an outdoor courtyard for cocktail hour and some night dancing shots for the bride groom too.
Wedding reception at Gamba's Ristorante in Merrillville, Indiana.
The Allure
Going in the complete opposite direction, The Allure in Laporte, Indiana is the perfect location for a large wedding. The venerable ballroom has it all - indoor ceremony area, large bridal suite, a wedding party lounge area and of course - a truly spectacular dance floor.
The bride overlooks the spectacular ballroom of The Allure in Laporte, Indiana.
Weddings at The Allure ballroom.
Villa Cesare
A first class banquet hall in Schererville, Indiana - Villa Cesare holds a 20 year tradition of weddings. I've shot there many times in the past, but 2015 was my first visit there in a couple of years. The foyer is as elegant as it ever was and the entire facility has a lushness to it.
First dance at Villa Cesare in Schererville, Indiana.
A Fall wedding reception at Villa Cesare.
Sand Creek Country Club
For an elegant outdoor wedding ceremony, Sand Creek in Chesterton fits the bill. Even if you were to move your ceremony indoors, the venue is so lovely that it would not be a downgrade to do so. I've shot many indoor as well as outdoor wedding photos at this posh venue.
The bride and groom on the golf course at Sand Creek Country Club.
Wedding photos from Sand Creek Country Club.
I hope you have enjoyed this 2015 look at The Best Wedding Venues in Northwest Indiana. There are many venues that I shot at this past year that I could not fit into this post or I also recently wrote about them. So here are a few more links to check out:
The Farmhouse Restaurant At Fair Oaks Farms - another terrific rustic venue.
The Pavilion At Sandy Pines - a terrific outdoor venue on a golf course.
Duneland Falls - a beautiful banquet hall in Portage, Indiana.
Avalon Manor - the cherished hall of many wedding located in Merrillville, Indiana.
Happy wedding planning!!