As the sun sets on the 2023 wedding season, I’m looking back at all the weddings I photographed (and filmed) this past year. I’ve visited many venues in Northwest Indiana, Illinois, and Michigan, some very familiar and some brand new to me.
Read moreThe 2022 Year In Review
The Year 2022 saw me shooting weddings all over the Midwest. While I’m primarily known as a Northwest Indiana wedding photographer, I do photograph weddings in southwest Michigan, downtown Chicago and various Illinois locations.
I do travel for weddings as a destination wedding photographer as well. Simply contact me here to chat about your destination wedding.
Read more2021 Year In Review - Midwest Wedding Photography
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.
The 2018 Year In Review for Northwest Indiana and Chicago Weddings
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.
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 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.
Outdoor weddings at Friendship Garden and Briar Ridge Country Club.
Boho bride from above during bridal prep for her big day.
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!!
