Kathi & John: St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church Wedding Photos

Kathi & John’s wedding day was a BLAST! I photographed these two in the spring of 2022 for their engagement session (click here to see it!) and have been looking forward to working with them on their wedding day ever since.

Their wedding day took place in Monessen, PA - a town that I had never been to prior to! Apart from the getting ready portion of the day, their wedding festivities took place entirely on St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church’s property. Their ceremony took place in the sanctuary, with their reception taking place at the Hellenic Center, just a staircase below!

Kathi got ready with her bridesmaids at her and John’s home, while John got ready at his childhood home. Both houses were very close to the church, which made traveling on the day of for the couple and the bridal party so convenient!

Kathi & John have a beautiful backyard, which made for a great spot for photos of Kathi & her bridesmaids prior to leaving for the ceremony. There was even a gorgeous purple flowering bush that we used for Kathi’s bridal portraits… which turned out SO beautiful!

John’s parents also had a scenic backyard for photos of the groomsmen, with lots of greenery!

The ceremony was traditional Greek Orthodox - I’ve only photographed one Greek Orthodox ceremony before, so it was a treat to be able to photograph one again! I love the tradition and symbolism incorporated throughout the ceremony.

And thankfully, even thought it was supposed to rain for their entire wedding day - it only rained during the ceremony. That was a HUGE answer to prayer! We were able to take all of their bridal party & couple portraits outside, which we were not expecting… what a blessing!

After portraits came the reception - full of giant cookie tables, delicious food, and tons of Greek dancing! I’m not sure I’ve seen a bride & groom on the dance floor as much - ever! They had a ton of fun and we enjoyed every minute of getting to work with them. Congratulations on your wedding day, Kathi & John!!

Vendors: Just Hitched Wedding Films , Fragile Paradise Florist , Barton's Bake Shop, Galiffa Productions, Wanderlust Beauty Studio, The White Orchid, By George Catering

Cara & Johnny: Grove City College Engagement Photos

Leading up to the day of their session, we weren’t sure what the weather was going to look like for Cara & Johnny’s Grove City College engagement photos. It looked like a rain out until about 48 hours before - then all of a sudden, the forecast switched from rain to SNOW!

I was SO excited when Cara told me that they were willing (and excited!) to brave the snowy weather for their session. I always love the outcome of photos in the snow… but I know it’s not for everyone! And boy did it snow during their session. It literally snowed the ENTIRE 90 minutes we were together. But it definitely added a fun, unique element to their photos!

Cara & Johnny, it was such an honor to take these photos for you - and I couldn't be more excited for your wedding day!

Erin & Ben: Longue Vue Country Club Wedding Photos

You might remember Erin & Ben from their wintery engagement session earlier this year at The Frick! (Click here to check it out!). We went from one weather extreme (super cold!) for their engagement photos, to the other extreme (quite warm!) for their wedding day! But both days were just as delightful ❤️

Erin & Ben met through Ben's sister, who Erin was friends with before Erin & Ben ever started dating! On a beautiful summer weekend back in July, they said "I do" at Sacred Heart Church in Pittsburgh, then celebrated the night away at the beautiful Longue Vue Country Club. This day was a lovely dream from start to finish!

Congratulations on your wedding day, Erin & Ben!

Vendors: Longue Vue Country Club, Sacred Heart Catholic Church, AmbiDream Productions LLC, Jim Ludwig's Blumengarten Florist, Moio's Italian Bakery, mobileMIX ENTERTAINMENT, Beauty Justified by Justine Lynn, Sorelle Bridal Salon, Élysée Bridal

Erica & Rio: Mint & Plum Greystone Fields Wedding Photos

The last few months have had many twists, turns, and uncertainties leading up to Erica and Rio’s wedding day. Plans have changed once, twice, then again as new information and restrictions have surfaced for businesses in the wedding industry, and for couples planning a wedding amidst it all. But I can’t tell you how excited I am to be writing this post and sharing their photos with you today!

Erica and Rio’s wedding day ended up being one of the most beautiful days so far this summer! Though rain was initially in the forecast throughout the week leading up to their Saturday wedding, they were blessed with a sunny, somewhat cloudless day!

One of my favorite parts about Erica & Rio’s wedding were all of the personal, meaningful, sentimental details woven into each portion of the day. A chair with photos of Rio’s late mother at the ceremony, along with a blue cancer ribbon in Erica’s dress (used as her “something blue”) to honor his mother, and a meaningful “remembrance dance” at the reception all pulled on guests heart strings, and reminded the couple and their families throughout the day to remember those who were unable to be in attendance with love.

Being avid golfers, Erica & Rio also incorporated many golf themed details into their wedding day and reception decor! But I have to say, one of my favorite details came from a family vacation tradition. Before dinner on vacation, Erica’s family has always loved getting an ice cream as a special treat. What better way to incorporate this little tradition into their wedding day than to serve ice cream before dinner on their wedding day! This is just me talking personally… but I think every summer wedding should make that a tradition! ;)

All in all, Erica & Rio’s wedding day was so beautiful, so fun, and so meaningful. We cried, we laughed, and we truly felt like a part of the family. Congratulations on your marriage, Erica & Rio! We are so thankful for you, and so thankful to have been able to be a part of your wedding day!

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Vendors: Greystone Fields (Ceremony & Reception), Weischedel Florist (Florals), Bethel Bakery (Cake), Carlisle Bridal (Bride’s Dress), Men’s Warehouse (Men’s Attire), Porky’s (Caterer)

How I Got the Shot

I’m a sucker for anything labeled “behind the scenes.” It’s so much fun to see what goes into making things, and personally, I love hearing the thought process and intention that goes into a product or service!

Today, I’m excited to share the behind the scenes making of a few select photos. This post might be a bit more geared towards photographers with some of the technical detail - but regardless of if you’re a photographer or just someone who likes looking at photos, I hope you enjoy!

This shot was taken jus after sunset on the Roberto Clemente bridge in Pittsburgh! Camera left (allll the way on the sidewalk of the bridge), my assistant was holding a portable speedlight (without a modifier, like an umbrella or softbox) pointed towards my subject. To be honest, I wasn’t sure if this would work without a modifier, but I was pleasantly surprised with my results! I later figured out that because the speedlight was far enough away from my subject, the light appears a little bit softer. If my speedlight had been closer without a modifer, the light would’ve appeared harsher. I used a 70 to 200 mm lens for this shot, so I stood quite a distance away from my subject because of the longer focal length!

This was a favorite ring shot of mine from last year! It required a little extra planning, but it ended up being worth it! While my couple was changing into their second outfit (at their engagement session), I borrowed their ring to take a few shots. I noticed a bench near me with a slightly glossy/reflective surface, which is where the slight ring reflection came from. I placed a small, battery-powered portable string of lights behind the ring, which reflected nicely onto the bench! I used my Canon 100mm f/2.8 L macro lens at 2.8 to make sure I’d be able to get the creamiest bokeh possible! Click here to see/purchase the twinkle lights I use for less than $7 on Amazon Prime!

This photo was taken a few hours after sunset outside of the Morning Glory Inn on the South Side of Pittsburgh and is one of my favorite “night time” shots to date! I had been a little worried that this wedding was going to be a rain out - but it turned out that the rain came JUST at the right time, just for this photo!! To achieve this look, I placed a portable speedlight in a clear plastic bag (to protect it from the rain!) on a light stand behind my couple to light them from behind, and to “light up” some of the rain. To light them from the front, I used an off-camera speedlight with a small softbox (to soften the light on their faces) held by my second shooter camera left. I used a 50mm lens for this shot.

I knew when I took these two to the sunflower field that I wanted to REALLY make them look like they were lost in the sunflowers. To achieve the “look” of the sunflower close up in the left side of the frame, I used my Canon 70-200 f/2.8 (at 200mm) and used the high compression to my advantage, making the sunflower appear larger than life in the frame. (To learn more about lens compression, read this great article by SLR Lounge!).

This was one of my favorite invitation/bridal detail shots from all of 2019! While this may look like a simple set up, getting to the final product took a little bit of time. A good flatlay shot requires good light - and for me and my style, I like to have even, soft light across the bridal details I photograph. When I came into the bridal suite, there was a small room with couches in the back that had TONS of window light - I knew it would be the perfect spot for bridal details! Window light was coming stronger from camera left and the top of the image, so after I set up this shot, I added a silver reflector (click here to see/purchase the one I use!) camera right to soften some of the darker shadows cast by the invitation suite (which is a few inches elevated from the invitation tray by the back of a ring box). Believe it or not, the background (tan with blue dots) of this image is actually the couch that was in the getting ready space! I used a 50mm lens for this shot. I didn’t want to use too wide of a lens because I didn’t want any lens distortion, and I wanted to make sure you wouldn’t be able to see the edges of the couch here.

This may be one of my favorite senior photos from this past year! I love love LOVE clean, soft light, and on this particular day in the fall, we had the most beeeeautiful light for Lydia’s senior portraits! But there a few tricks that made this image really pop. Notice where the sun is - you can see it’s a little hazy in the background and hitting her hair, but it’s just out of the camera frame - which makes Lydia’s face clear (free of haze), with a nice pop! I used a higher compression lens (an 85mm) and a lower aperture (f/2) to achieve a dreamy-like look, with Lydia in focus and with the background completely knocked out. I also had my assistant holding a white reflector camera right, just out of the frame, which lit her eyes up a bit more and removed some shadows from her eye sockets!

HD + Jeff: Pittsburgh Grand Concourse Wedding Photos

I’m not sure HD and Jeff could’ve asked for a more perfect fall day for their Grand Concourse wedding. Not too cold, not too hot - beautiful and bright! Oh, and what a joy they were to celebrate with from beginning to end!

If you’ve never been to the Grand Concourse in Station Square (and you live in Pittsburgh), you simply must check it out! A few weeks before their wedding, I stopped by to have a look around the train station turned restaurant (and wedding space!) for the first time ever - and couldn’t help but stand in awe of such a spectacular, historic building! The Grand Concourse has been on my wedding photography bucket list for some time, so getting to finally photograph a wedding here was a dream come true!!

HD and Jeff opted for a first look before their wedding ceremony, which worked out perfectly and allowed us to have more than enough time for photos in daylight prior to their sunset 6:15PM ceremony! After their first look, we headed over to Point State Park (after stopping for a snack at Subway! 😉) for some bridal party and bride & groom portraits!

My (personal!) favorite part of their entire wedding day took place during their ceremony. Have you heard of a traditional unity candle ceremony, or a sand pouring ceremony? Well, a few weeks before the wedding, HD told me that in lieu of a candle or sand ceremony, they would be having a peanut butter and jelly sandwich unity ceremony. And it was literally the best thing EVER! The mother of the bride and mother of the groom had absolutely no idea, so when they came up to “unveil” the ingredients out of their coverings, their reactions were priceless! HD and Jeff even took a bite of the sandwich together to symbolize their unity. It was amazing! (And Mark DeNuzzio, their officiant, was the best person for such a fun unity ceremony!)

Besides the unity sandwich, HD and Jeff had other fun elements mixed in their day, including adorable signage featuring their pup, Zelda, and a cookie table for DOGS, where dog owners could take a treat home for their pet, as well as fresh made donuts, featuring the Grand Concourse’s famous donut maker!

All in all, their day was magical and so much fun from start to finish. HD and Jeff, it was such an incredible honor to be a part of your wedding day! Thank you so, so much for letting us celebrate with you and capture the story of your love!

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Vendors: The Grand Concourse, Bella Sposa Bridal (Bride’s dress), Bridal Beginning (Bridesmaid dresses), Philip Pelusi in the South Side (hair & makeup), Steven Vance Entertainment (Violinist, DJ), Cakes by Tammy, Only by Invite (Invitations), A Simple Vow (Mark A. DeNuzzio, Officiant), Alex’s East End Floral Shoppe, Lux Photobooth, Jenna Hidinger Photography (Pittsburgh Wedding Photographer)

Jenny + Max: Carnegie Museum of Natural History Wedding Photos

Jenny and Max met in college in Melbourne, Florida, and their first date was at the beach! Definitely not something you hear about every Pittsburgh wedding 😏 But the beginning of their story was absolutely perfect (and very in character), considering that both Jenny and Max are marine biologists! Max even popped the question on their fishing boat. Knowing all of these little details going into their wedding, I knew that they would have some great details to tie their love for the sea into their day - and they did not disappoint!!

Jenny and Max chose one of the most beautiful and iconic wedding venues in all of Pittsburgh - the Carnegie Museum of Natural History. With its iconic grand staircase (voted one of the best museum staircases in the world!) and gorgeous rooms modeled after wonders of the world (you’ll see what I mean once you start looking at the images!), one detail that rose above the rest and was so important to Jenny and Max was getting photos with the fish and dinosaur fossils - because it is a true representation of their relationship and mutual love for the ocean! While we did utilize other areas of the museum for photos, it was so exciting to be able to capture images that really reflected the two of them!

Along with photos with the fish and dinosaur bones, there were a number of other unique and personal details sprinkled throughout their day: the first detail I encountered on their wedding day was an olive branch that Jenny had brought all the way from a tree in their backyard in Florida, which I was able to incorporate into some of her bridal detail photos (there are also olive branches in her bouquet!). Another bridal detail of such sweet significance is the Pandora charm bracelet you’ll see in the images below - each of the three sisters (Jenny, her twin, and their older sister) all have the same charms that represent each of their weddings. Such a sweet and sentimental detail!

After getting ready at her childhood home, we hopped over to the Museum for the ceremony in the Museum’s Hall of Architecture, which, according to the Museum’s website, was created with 140 plaster casts from architectural masterpieces from the past, both in Europe and the United States. As a whole, the room was “inspired by one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus.” Talk about the perfect place for a wedding ceremony!

After the ceremony and photos around the museum, we headed over to the grand Carnegie Museum Music Hall Foyer for their reception. Its large, marble columns and scenic balcony overlooks make it the perfect spot for a dream reception! And here is where even more meaningful details came to life! Just to name a few: the groom’s cake, modeled to look like crabs in an ocean with Old Bay Seasoning; Old Bay Seasoning on the cookie table for guests to take home; the most adorable fish, mermaid, and sloth cookies; signature drinks, including the “Captain’s Tea” and “Mermaid Mule”; and to top it all off, Max and his mom danced during their mother-son dance in fishing boots!

The attention to detail and thought behind each piece of the wedding day completely blew my mind! What an incredible honor it was to be a part of this beautiful day. Congratulations on your marriage, Jenny and Max! There are officially two less fish in the sea 🐟🐠 (I couldn’t resist!). Enjoy a sampling of their images below!

Vendors:

Ceremony: Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Hall of Architecture

Reception: Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Music Hall Foyer

Bride’s Dress: The Exquisite Bride, Maggie Sottero Designs

Bridesmaid Dresses: Joanna August

Invitation Design: Nicky Armstrong

Menswear: Jack’s Tuxedo

Hair: EnV Hair Studios

Floral Design: Dan’s Florals

Cake: Carnegie Museum of Natural History

Groom’s Cake: Tasty Bakery

DJ: Andy Booth Productions

Videographer: Dorosh Documentaries

3 Ways to Get the Most out of Your Wedding Photography Investment

The definition of “investment,” according to Google, is a “thing that is worth buying because it may be profitable or useful in the future,” as well as “an act of devoting time, effort, or energy to a particular undertaking with the expectation of a worthwhile result.”

If there’s one thing in relation to your wedding day that you’ll spend money on that could be seen as an investment, per the definition above, I think wedding photography would be it! Wedding photos are one of the few things you’ll have left from your wedding day that will allow you to re-experience everything that happened on your wedding day - the emotions, the joy, the tears, and even the decor and details that you put so much thought and love into! And most importantly, your photos will let you experience the beginning of a new adventure with your now-spouse!

As a wedding photographer, if you’re one of my brides (or considering becoming one of my brides! 😉) one of the most important things to me is that you get the most out of your investment. But how, exactly, can you maximize your investment? I’m all about practical steps, so below, I’m sharing three practical ways to maximize your wedding photography investment and get the most ‘bang for your buck’ (one of my mom’s favorite sayings!) when it comes to your wedding photos!

1.     Have all of your wedding events in the same location… or at least within close proximity.

Having all of your wedding events in the same central location has some major benefits! Going from location to location takes time, which will eat into your wedding day photography coverage. For example, many brides book between 8 to 10 hours of “continuous” wedding day coverage, meaning that if your coverage begins at 12PM, it will end at 8PM, regardless of what events happen during that timeframe, whether ther e are events for your photographer to take photos of or not. If you book 8 hours of wedding day coverage, but are driving between different locations (getting ready location, ceremony location, photo location, and reception), and all are about 20 minutes from each other, that’s 60 minutes of wedding day coverage you’re paying for that your photographer is not taking photos during! However, if you book 8 hours of coverage and do not have to travel between locations, you’ll actually get the full worth of your 8 hour coverage investment!

2.     Ask your photographer how much time to leave for photos… then plan for that amount of time!

A full time wedding photographer will typically photograph anywhere from 20 to 40 weddings each year, dealing with and planning the logistics of each of those weddings. If you’re planning a wedding, you’re more than likely pretty brand-spanking-new to this, and you’ve probably never had to think about things like how long you should leave for things like family photos, bridal party portraits, and/or photos of you with your new spouse on your wedding day! Lucky for you, your photographer has ample amounts of experience in this area – so be sure to ask for their help when planning your timeline! As photographers, we want you to ask for our help, because we want to make sure we have enough time to take the dreamy wedding photos you’ve always wanted!

3.     Sneak out during your reception for some sunset photos or epic night shots!

Once the reception gets going, it can be fun to leave the party for a few minutes to get just a few more photos of you with your new spouse! I usually consider this not only “bonus” portrait time, but time for my couples to have a few minutes to themselves. And I’ve never had a couple tell me that they regretted leaving their reception for a few additional photos, whether it be an epic night photo or a few “golden hour” (or sunset) portraits! Many of these photos end up being my favorites (and my couples favorites!) from the entire day.

All of the photos in the slideshow below were taken during “bonus” portrait time!

Happy planning, friends!

Jenna

Amanda + Chris: Allegheny County Courthouse Elopement

Amanda and Chris’s elopement was technically my very first wedding of the 2019 season! And let me tell you - the more elopements I photograph, the more I completely fall in love with them! The intimacy and stress-freeness (is that a word? 😉) the couples I work with experience when eloping is like none other!

Their elopement took place on a Friday morning at the Allegheny County Courthouse, on the beautiful Grand Staircase. Integral Weddings officiated the grand occasion, and after their short (but sweet!) ceremony, we took a few photos with family, then spent the next hour and a half walking around Pittsburgh with the new Mr. & Mrs.!

Amanda and Chris, what an honor it was to work with you! It’s easy to see how much you love each other, and that you’re truly the best of friends. Congratulations on your marriage and on this new season of life! 💛

Also, I need to give a huge shoutout to Jill of Jill Gearhart Photography for helping me carry equipment, and for adding some additional photos to Amanda and Chris’s gallery (you’ll see a few photos of hers sprinkled in below!).

Kirsten + Travis: Elegant Burgundy & Navy Winter Wedding in Saxonburg, PA

A girl from South Africa and a boy from Saxonburg, Pennsylvania meet while at college at Penn State. At the time, neither of them know that what once started out as an acquaintance would grow into a life-long relationship built on love and most importantly, on Jesus.

After the chatting with Kirsten and Travis over Skype when they first inquired, I knew that they were exactly the type of couple who I love working with most: while, yes, they wanted everything to be beautiful, for the details to be meaningful, and for their friends and family to be a meaningful part of their celebration, their love and life-long commitment was the most important thing about their day. Even on their wedding day, they demonstrated their desire to love and serve each other by washing each other’s feet, like Jesus washed his disciples feet (if you’re wondering what the heck that means, click here).

It was an unusually warm January day here in Pittsburgh, which made outdoor portraits so much more pleasant! (Though everyone in attendance from South Africa will tell you it was still pretty darn cold - which it was!). We were able to take photos at the absolutely BEAUTIFUL Saxony Farms in Saxonburg (thanks to Travis’ sweetheart of a mom!), and we were blessed with the most beautiful light and sunset (again, crazy for January!)

The celebration continued at Cooper Hall (at the Saxonburg Museum) where firefly lights lit up the reception space. One of my favorite parts of their reception was the “open mic” toasts. Kirsten and Travis set aside about 30 minutes for anyone to give a little toast, and so many of their amazing friends and family did, from all over the world. And really, their stories of hospitality and kindness didn’t surprise me. Having spent just a few months communicating via email, phone, and Skype with these two, it’s easy to tell they have a supernatural love for those placed in their paths!

Kirsten and Travis, what an incredible honor it was to be a part of your day! I know your marriage is going to shine so brightly in this world.

And without further ado - here is the story of their day!

Vendors:

Ceremony: St. Luke's Lutheran Church (Saxonburg), Ceremony by Ps. Barry Keurulainen

Reception: Cooper Hall (Saxonburg Museum)

Invitations: Shutterfly

Bride’s Dress: Formalities by Tracina Fisher (Bridal Shop), Sophia Tolli gown, Mon Cheri (Designer)

Bridesmaid Dresses: Burgundy velvet dresses through Esty store, DesirCouture by Neringa

Makeup: Beauty by Joy

Hair: Hair by Wendy Vario

Menswear: Macy's

Cake Artist: Diane Lehnerd

Catering: LeFevre's Catering

Caller for Line Dancing: Brad Deibert

Chair Covers: Elegant Chair Design Covers

Lines & Tables: Classic Tents

Videography: Light Ridge Studio

Pittsburgh Wedding Photographer: Jenna Hidinger Photography

A special thanks to my second photographer, Taylor Dymond!