Fall Wedding at Centennial Park in Munster, Indiana

September 23, 2013 Steve Vansak

The bride and groom are illuminated by Fall colors and a dramatic sky at Centennial Park in Munster, Indiana.

Put together some Fall colors and cool temperatures + two great families with a little bit of football rivalry courtesy of the Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers and you have the wedding of Steve and Ashley at Centennial Park in Munster, Indiana.

The bridesmaids hold up Chicago Bears football jerseys at a wedding in Centennial Park.

Groomsmen pose in football jerseys for a wedding photograph.

The day started out at the Aunt of the bride's home in Highland for a fun getting ready session with a lot of laughs and an occasionally anxious bride who was very excited by the perfect temperatures for her Fall outdoor wedding.

The bride tends to last minute details on the phone while her bridesmaids have fun as they get their hair done on wedding day.

The lacings of a stunning white wedding dress.

Back at the Centennial Park clubhouse, the mom and sister of the bride worked feverishly on getting everything just right for Ashley's dress just before we stepped outside for photos.

Mom and sister lace up the bride's wedding dress.

In the meantime, the groomsmen got a little bit of football practice in before their quarterback had to rehearse his vows.

The groom instructs his groomsmen in a football huddle.

The great thing about the vastness of Centennial Park is that it wasn't too difficult to keep the bride and groom separate and get a whole lot of pictures in before they saw each other at the ceremony.

Here is our lovely bride in front of the fountains at the Centennial Park lake and hugging her mom out on the terrace.

A lovely bride hold her bouquet of flowers in front of the picturesque water fountains at Centennial Park.

A bride and her mother on the outdoor terrace at Centennial Park.

The outdoor Fall ceremony had a flurry of activity before the bride walked down the aisle under her Dad's arm. Even the ring bearers had to take a little break before their big moment in front of friends and family.

Ring bearers take a break on a bench at an outdoor Fall wedding ceremony.

Mom helps her daughter, the flower girl with some last minute touch ups of her lipstick.

Ashley was simply beaming with joy as she walked down the aisle with her Father and Steve was filled with emotion as she approached.

A bride is overcome with joy as she walks down the aisle with her father at an outdoor autumn wedding ceremony.

An emotional groom begins to tear up as the bride's Father give her away.

Centennial Park is simply an amazing wedding venue in Northwest Indiana for an outdoor wedding, especially during the Fall.

Friends and family look on as the arch is decorated in Fall colors at an outdoor wedding at Centennial Park.

Family of the bride and groom were filled with pride as they watched the proceedings and listened to the exchange of vows.

Family of the groom watch as their son and brother gets married in a Fall wedding ceremony.

Family of the bride watch as their daughter gets married in a Fall wedding ceremony.

The traidtional sand ceremony symbolizing a couple coming together as one.

I had an amazing time wandering around the park and capturing candid moments of the newly married couple enjoying their first times togetherFall as man and wife.

A wonderful candid moment between the newly married bride and groom as they talk and laugh on a bench in a Northwest Indiana park.

For the first time ever, the father of the bride was actually booed during his speech. Mmmmm..... I wonder why?!!!

The father of the bride wears a Green Bay Packers cheesehead hat while toasting the ride and groom at their wedding reception.

The room was aglow in Fall colors during the first dance...

Centennial Park clubhouse is aglow in Fall colors during the first dance at a wedding reception during the Autumn months.

I hope you have enjoyed this sneak peek look at Ashley and Steve's Fall wedding at Centennial Park in Munster, indiana. For more football scores and wedding photo updates, please give the Region Weddings Facebook Page a like. Much more to come.

Wedding Ceremony at the Halls of St. George

December 20, 2012 Steve Vansak

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The goal is to always come out with some unique wedding photos at every couple's event, so when Abra and Dan told me they'd like to pay homage to the How I Met Your Mother television show, I was all for it. The above image is one of a couple of those images. You will see another below.

For now let me take you through some highlights of their wedding day, from Getting Ready at Riah Salon to the wedding ceremony and reception at the Halls of St. George.

Abra and her bridesmaids had a lot of laughs with me acting as paparazzi. Riah is a wonderful salon and day spa in St. John and a great atmosphere for getting ready on wedding day.

It was looking to be a windy and rainy day and not what we were looking for in an outdoor Fall wedding, but Abra had a great attitude and knew the Halls of St. George could do the ceremony inside and that I could deliver her some great images from the day. Perhaps me telling her I had super powers over the weather helped as well (just kidding - I wish I did). :)

Then again, an Hermosa cocktail will often calm the nerves as well...

When my assistant and I arrived at the Halls of St. George in Schererville, we came across all kinds of fun wedding decor that Abra and her mom had on display.

While the girls got into their dresses, I took the groom and his groomsmen outside to capture some of the Fall colors...

At this point, the wind had really kicked in and it was obvious that we were going to have an inside ceremony and no outdoor Autumn pictures of the girls. No problem, after the traditional shot of mom lacing up the dress, we took advantage of the lovely curtain in the ballroom, uplighted with red accent lights.

The family did a fantastic job making this sign for the junior groomsmen. It looks professionally done!!! Either way, what a cute kid and a wonderful moment for the entire family. I hope he will show this one off at his own wedding years from now. I'd be honored for that to happen.

The late afternoon ceremony was a standing room only affair with a large number of family and friends witnessing a touching exchange of vows between this fun couple.

Abra had a gorgeous dress with incredible detail. This one deserves to be large...

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The pouring of the sand, a wedding tradition...

We immediately started family and wedding party portraits after the ceremony ended. We had some rain coming down so we stayed inside where I had my portable studio lights ready.

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At this point, the pressure was off and we got some great, natural smiles from the newlyweds...

Abra and Dan's wedding party were a fun bunch and when they were introduced at the reception, a funny mugging for the camera took place from each couple, including the bride and groom...

The fun continued with the cutting of the cake.

Their first dance saw the Schererville banquet hall lit up with flash bulbs as the couple soulfully danced...

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We were able to sneak outside for a few more shots, including another How I Met Your Mother tribute with the Fall colored yellow umbrella.

I'm currently designing Abra and Dan's wedding album for them and busy meeting with 2013 wedding clients. I've had to turn away a few inquiries already due to already being booked. Please fill out the contact form today and schedule a meeting so I can hear all about your big day. It's looking like another busy year coming up and open dates evaporate fast.

Have a great holiday!!

Autumn Wedding at the Halls of St. George

October 19, 2012 Steve Vansak

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Abra and Dan's Fall wedding took place entirely at the Halls of St. George in Schererville, Indiana. It was a day of rain and wind, but spirits could not be dampened as the bride and groom stepped outside for the above photograph. This yellow umbrella sheilded the happy couple from the elements and we still got our Autumn look.

The day began at Riah Salon in St. John, Indiana where the bridemaids rolled in with custom made Starbucks drinks to signify their status for Abra's big day.

Abra and her bridesmaids educated me on reality TV shows while the crew at Riah Salon readied their hair and makeup. Oh, and some Hermosa may or may not have been served during this time!!

When we arrived back at the Halls of St. George, rain stopped for a few minutes and we took the groomsmen outside for some Fall foliage shots. We got some good contrast with the dapper men in their black tuxedos against the Autumn leaves.

Meanwhile, the women were inside with last minute details. Abra got a look at her dress just before ceremony time in the bridal suite of the banquet hall.

We sequestered the groom inside the bathroom (sorry Dan) and went into the ballroom for some formal wedding photos. At this point the wind had really kicked in so we stayed inside for the rest of the afternoon and evening.

The ceremony was moved inside with a large group of family and friends witnessing the first kiss of Abra and Dan as husband and wife.

After the ceremony we took family photos as well as some fun wedding party shots such as this one of the bridesmaids blowing kisses toward the groom.

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The reception introductions were capped off by the bride being dipped as family and friends mugged it up for the crowd and my camera. It was going to be a fun night!!

The DJ shined a bright red light over the guests to show off Abra's wedding colors as the bride and groom danced their first dance together. I don't think they ever stopped grinning.

I hope you have enjoyed this sneak peek of Abra and Dan's Autumn wedding at The Halls of St. George in Schererville, Indiana. To keep updated and to see more images, subscribe here to the Journal and give us a "like" on the SBV Photography Facebook page. More to come!!

Fall Wedding at Avalon Manor

October 14, 2012 Steve Vansak

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Jessica and David's Fall wedding at Avalon Manor could not have been more fun or diverse. We ended up taking so many different styles of shots, from the seductive tone of the bride engulfing the groom in her glamorus veil to the lighthearted goofing off of the bridesmaids as they modeled the groomsmen's jackets.

The day started at the Razor's Edge Hair Salon where I soon discovered these girls were going to be a fun bunch. This getting ready photo session was part female bonding and part dance party at times. Everyone escaped injury from the 100mph champagne cork that kicked off the celebration. Note to self: next time I'm asked to uncork a bottle - point away from all wedding participants!!

We just so happened to have a shiny curtain at the salon that was the perfect backdrop for a pinup style photograph of the girls sipping from their decorated water cups. Once again, Jessica and her girls showed what a fun group they are.

Jessica looked like a Hollywood starlet as she had her make up applied....

I took a detour to Deep River Park where I met up with the guys for some Fall pictures in the wooded park. They chatted away on a bench overlooking the river for this vintage style photo.

Soon we were back at Avalon Manor for more getting ready photographs like the wedding dress next to the lovely pink dresses of the bridesmaids. Jessica had the cutest props such as these personalized hangers for each girl.

The ceremony took place in one of the ballrooms with friends and family looking on. Here, the bride makes her grand entrance with the greatest of smiles.

After some very hearfelt wedding vows, it was pronounced that David could kiss the bride as pink petals lined the runner for them to exit.

Family photo's got fun as the happy couple posed in the distance as relatives held up an empty picture frame...

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Thanks to Alex and crew from 27 Entertainment for providing the atmosphere during the first dance at the Merrillville banquet hall. I wanted to get a silhouette and another image of the bride and groom lit from the front as well. The smoke filled wash of blue and purple light made for a great background.

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I hope you have enjoyed this sneak peek at at Jessica and David's Fall wedding at Avalon Manor in Merrillville. To keep updated and to see more images, subscribe here to the Journal and give us a "like" on the SBV Photography Facebook page. More to come!!