Summer Wedding at Avalon Manor

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Here is a sneak peek at Chris and Candy's summer wedding.  Before arriving for the evening ceremony at Avalon Manor, my assistant and I accompanied the happy couple on a day long photo shoot around Northwest Indiana.

We started with a first look in Ravelli Park of the lakefront in Hobart, Indiana.  The groom was waiting with us for the bride to arrive.  The temperature was perfect, as was the bride's dress.

If you have ever driven down Rt. 51 in Hobart, you have undoubtedly noticed the beautiful white chapel of Grace Lutheran Church.  Although Chris and Candy's ceremony would take place later in the evening at Avalon Manor, this visit to the Chapel of Love was on our destination list for wedding pictures.

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As a guitar player myself, I can appreciate the guitar picks engraved with the couple's names and wedding date.  These were assembled into the groom's corsage with the blue and purple bouquet in the background.

Here is an image of our bride Candy posing in front of the large, majestic mirror at the Avalon Manor bridal party room just before she was to walk down the aisle.  

The pastor of the ceremony was obviously a close friend with many memories of the bride and groom.  He added a great combination of passionate seriousness and affectionate humor.

A touching moment occured as the bride and groom gave out roses to all the special women in their lives...

I tucked muself inside the circle dance for this photo of the bride and her guests celebrating a fantastic day.  A special thanks to all dancers for not accidentally kicking me in the head as I lay on the dance floor!!  :)

This is just a sneak peek of the many more images to come from Chris and Candy's Summer Wedding at Avalon Manor.  Please subscribe here for more updates or like the SBV Photography page on Facebook to see more.

June Wedding in Northwest Indiana and Lansing, Illinois

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Michele and Nick's June wedding took place in Northwest Indiana and nearby Lansing, Illinois.  Let's go through their day starting with the girls getting ready at Vanis Hair Salon in Schererville, Indiana.

When I arrived the couple's cute daughter and flower girl, Elizabeth was all smiles while having her hair done. Of course, after she got a look at the big scary photographer - not so much!!  After a while though, she warmed up to me and I became just another familiar person at the wonderful event.  Later in the day we were doing group photos and had no problem getting her mug for the camera.  Great job Elizabeth!!

Vanis Hair Salon had some great lighting in their make up room.  In this photo our model bride Michele awaits her her make up artist.  Vanis is decorated with many wonderful pictures of models and hair styles.  It's a very modern and comfortable place for bridal parties to go for styling on the wedding day - very impressive.

More baby snuggling, more candid fun!!

Our next stop for Michele and Nick's wonderful June wedding was the Holiday Inn, also in Schererville.  It was here that mom awaited and we took this portrait of the two together just before leaving for the ceremony.

We stepped outside the hotel for a bridesmaid and flower girls photo.  They looked resplendant in their purple dresses.

Just before stepping into the limousine, we took this quick shot of bride Michele and her bridesmaids with an antique treatment.  I like the contrasts of the modern bride and her girls done in an old time look.

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St. Ann's Church in Lansing has a great wood architecture which led me to take a lot of wide shots.  I think these will make great two page spreads in the couple's wedding album.

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Here, our flower girl Elizabeth has learned to find the photographer!!  I was kind of parched myself, but no bottle for me!!  :)

Nick and Michele light the unity candles as friends and family look on...

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The above image is one of my favorite shots of this June wedding ceremony as I was able to capture the entire bridal party's faces all at once.

The bride and groom show off their happy smiles as they are pronounced man and wife...

Centennial Park in Munster was the scene for some fun photos such as this Kung-Fu jumping shot of the groom and groomsmen...

Our groom Nick get's to show some leg along with the bridesmaids!!

Check back to view Nick and Michele's reception photos as I am currently preparing an entire post on Chetnik's Memorial Hall in Schererville.

Special thanks to Nick and Michele for having me as the photographer for their June wedding!!

An Intimate, Family Wedding - Stephanie and Jordan

I never thought I'd say the words "cornhole toss" along with bride and groom, but there is a first for everything.  The above shot is from an outdoor reception in Villa Park, Illinois.  You may have seen the sneak peek a few weeks back.  Stephanie and Jordan are online gamers and this is how they met.  A very unique courtship has led to their very fun, intimate family wedding.  Family members from the Great West and the West Coast attended the nuptials as well as friends from the Illinois area.

This intimate family wedding had Stephanie getting ready at the church she would marry Jordan - Griffith Lutheran on Broad St.

Here is a close up of Stephanie's beautiful dress...

One thing I noticed about this couple was the "let's do this" attitude.  They were not nervous up on the altar at all.  I thought it was great that the priest mentioned their unique meeting as online gamers.

Although my eyes are usually on the bride and groom and ceremony up on the altar, a longer proceeding with a mass often gives me time to capture candids like these two cute kids...

Then, from the little girl giving her friend a quick kiss we turn to the bride and groom and their first kiss as man and wife.  Congratulations!!

Right after the ceremony we had the couple pose for some formals at the altar along with their best man and maid of honor....

We then trekked out to Villa Park, Illinois to a beautiful park tailor made for wedding pictures.  This sun kissed summer embrace is one of the couple's favorites...

My pick for favorite couple's picture is what I call the "leaning kiss"....

Strolling around the park, we came across the fountain of love.  Don't worry, I tested this ledge out before putting our bride and groom up on the pedestal...

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Here is the one I believe the bride and groom coveted the most.  Gotta love the little nose nudge kiss!!

After our formal session, it was all candids at their outdoor reception.  Hey, if a cute kid jumps in a tree, better grab the camera...

I'd now like to introduce my youngest assistant...

A big thank you to Stephanie's mom Sue for giving me a heads up on the day's festivities and the changes that happened throughout the day.  She was a big help in coordinating and making my job easier and thus enabling me to capture the day effectively.  I hope she enjoyed the champagne on ice...

When Stephanie and Jordan revealed their love of the Chicago Bears, along with wedding veil and bouquet - my zoom lens was smiling about as broad as I was.  I sense a winning season around the corner.

Sneak Peek: Stephanie & Jordan at Griffith Lutheran Church

Stephanie and Jordan were married at Griffith Lutheran Church, but there wedding was anything but local. Friends and family were in from California, the happy couple is from Villa Park, Illinois and we did couple's shots in a beautiful park in Elmhurst!!

When I arrived for the Getting Ready session Stephanie was very calm and went about her doing her hair and make up and wedding dress like any other day.  I simply was a fly on the wall.  Her mom showed me around and we were off to do a wedding!!  :)

I was able to coax Stephanie into a classic bride in mirror type of shot.  She was looking spectacular at this point.  I wanted to make sure I caught the swoftness of her veil.  We were very close to ceremony time...

I had not met Jordan before this day, but I could tell they were the perfect match.  As they recited their vows to the priest at Griffith Lutheran, they did so with confidence and humor.  I would see a lot more of that humor as they day went on.  I really had fun photographing their wedding.  

Speaking of fun, if the flower girl kisses her friend during the ceremony, you can bet I'm going to capture it!!

And speaking of kisses, let's not forget the bride and groom's first kiss in this close up shot at the altar... 

I captured yet another smooch as the just married couple were leaving the church.  Family and friends were applauding and taking pictures...

We immidiately began taking family group shots inside the church.  Some were up close while other such as this one were captured as I stood in the balcony...

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When we got to Villa Park, Illinois we went searching for a park.  Jordan and one of his groomsmen found a gorgeous spot via their iPad and away we went.  I put the bride and groom up on a pedestal amidst the red flowers and greenery and let them do their thing...

I wanted a soft, almost silhouette photo and we found a hidden away spot with the sun drenching down upon it.  The happy couple naturally put their heads together and we came up with this photo.

The reception was a family affair at the couple's home in Villa Park.  Eventually they changed into their Chicago Bears jersey sweats with Stephanie retaining her veil.  Fun stuff...

There are many, many more images from every segment ofStephanie and Jordan's wedding day coming soon.  Stay tuned here on the Merrillville Wedding Photographer Journal and the Facebook page as well.