Sarah & Brian: Shady Elms Farm Wedding Photos

A beautiful Shady Elms Farm wedding day for Sarah & Brian!

Actually, this was a one year wedding anniversary celebration on their actual one year wedding anniversary! Sarah & Brian tied the knot in a civil ceremony exactly one prior to their Shady Elms Farm celebration. This year was their celebration with friends & family!

There were SO many meaningful details incorporated into this celebration - Sarah wore the same shoes this year she wore at her civil ceremony, and Brian wore the same suspenders and bowtie. They read their personal vows aloud this year in front of their friends & family, and a close friend officiated their ceremony. Sarah & Brian are huge WWE fans and had an epic entrance into their reception to reflect that, too, complete with choreography and belts!

It was also supposed to rain for almost the entirety of their wedding day… but when the day actually came, not a drop. That was a huge blessing! AND even though it was cloudy for the majority of their day, the sun peeked out right around golden hour, and we were able to get some beautiful photos in on Shady Elms Farm’s famous hillside.

At the end of the night, Sarah & Brian had a sparkler send off, complete with “cold sparkler” canons provided by 2ND II None Productions. They made for an epic final photo of the night!

And of course, we are always so thankful to be back at the beautiful Shady Elms Farm, one of our favorite wedding venues of all time! They are truly just so talented and gifted at making sure their wedding days run so smoothly (and they make sure we are taken care of in the process, too - which means the world!).

And this may be a slightly longer blog post than usual, just because of the beauty of the venue and all of Sarah & Brian’s wonderfully meaningful details. So I hope you enjoy! ❤️

Congratulations again to Sarah & Brian on a beautiful one year anniversary celebration! So thankful that we got to be a part of it!

Vendors: Just Hitched Wedding Films, 2ND II NONE PRODUCTIONS (DJ & cold sparklers) , Baldwin Hair Loft (Falyn Platt), Sorelle Bridal Salon

Sarah & Brian: Shady Elms Farm Engagement Photos

Do I have some photos to share with you!

Imagine that you book one of the prettiest venues with the most gorgeous golden hour light, and they tell you that you can take your engagement photos on their property... not just your wedding photos

I am SO GLAD that Sarah & Brian took Shady Elms Farm up on their incredible offer, because it was so fun to take some photos around Shady Elms on a non-wedding day... my first time ever! And I am extra pumped that we had the most beautiful weather, considering that we almost had a rain out on our hands The photos still would've been beautiful.. but this golden hour light was to die for!

And even though these are technically engagement photos.. Sarah & Brian have been married for close to a year now! They tied the knot last year in an intimate ceremony, and this year (on their one year wedding anniversary!) they are going to party with their people!

These two are a ton of fun, and we had a blast taking their engagement photos around the farm... and with the cows More to come!

Sarah’s hair by: Baldwin Hair Loft

Cassie & Nick: Shady Elms Farm Wedding Day

I am so thankful to have been a part of this wedding day!

We had the pleasure of meeting Cassie & Nick at Cassie’s brother’s wedding a few years ago! From that moment, I knew these two were a good time… so when Cassie contacted me asking if I could photograph her and Nick’s wedding day, I was absolutely stoked! I was even more excited to hear that they had chosen one of my all time favorite wedding venues - Shady Elms Farm - to be the location for their beautiful day! I didn’t think it could get any better until we met their friends & family on their wedding day. They were so kind, so fun, and so encouraging to photograph… all of them! And to top it all off, we had the most gorgeous golden hour to end their day with a bang.

Cassie & Nick, thank you for the huge, incredible honor of being a part of your wedding day!

Vendors: Shady Elms Farm, Just Hitched Wedding Films, Cheri Parise of Profiles Styling Salon (Hair by mother of Bride), A Simple Vow (Officiant), Sorelle Bridal Salon, AZAZIE, The Grazing Goat (Catering), Chad Parise (Wedding Invitation designed by brother of the Bride)

Stephanie & Bill: Vibrant Fall Shady Elms Farm Wedding

Where to even begin with this wedding day?! Stephanie & Bill tied the knot on one of the most beautiful, fall November days at Shady Elms Farm in Hickory, PA - one of my all time favorite wedding venues! I couldn’t have imagined photographing my last wedding of 2020 for any other couple, and at any other venue. It was truly a magical day!

Though Stephanie & Bill warned me beforehand that they weren’t too keen on having their photos taken, I found them to be literally one of the easiest couples I’ve ever had the pleasure of photographing! They are obviously SO comfortable with each other, and (I think ;) ) it shows so much in their photos! We felt like we were instant friends with these two! ❤️

Stephanie & Bill, it was TRULY an honor to photograph your day. Congratulations on your wedding day, and on your marriage!

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Vendors: Shady Elms Farm, DJ Crush, Jordan Sasson (Hair Artist), Toula’s Bridal (Bride’s Dress), Birdy Grey (Bridesmaid Dresses), Maddie Kozik (Invitation Designer), PW Catering

Communicating Style & Aesthetic to Your Wedding Photographer

When I first started photographing weddings, a seasoned wedding photographer told me: “All weddings are literally the same. The only thing that changes are the people – but besides that, everything is the same from weekend to weekend.”

While the wedding day might have a similar set up or timeline with getting ready photos, followed by a first look or ceremony, followed by portraits, then a reception, after photographing 100+ weddings, I would argue that so many things change from weekend to weekend, making each wedding completely unique. The general, skeletal framework may remain – but things are always changing.

For one, the couple changes, which changes the vibe of the day itself. I might have a quiet, romantic, love-to-be-close-to-each-other couple one weekend, then an outgoing, silly, fun, crazy couple the next – which, consequently, changes the way I photograph them, always keeping me on my toes! Likewise, I might have a laid back wedding on a farm one weekend, and an upscale, black tie wedding the next.

You might be wondering, “but why does this matter?”

Because the aesthetic of each wedding is so different – from the couple themselves, to the venue, to the theme, to the styling and décor – I’ve found that weddings can start to feel the same when I’m unaware of what makes each wedding unique.

Now, there are a few things I do in advance to get the general vibe of a wedding day. For example:

• I always try and chat with the couple before they book to talk about their pending style and aesthetic (but I do know that a lot can change from when you start wedding planning to when the wedding actually happens!)

• Which is why I send a follow up questionnaire a few months before the wedding day to get some of the more solid details, like the colors, theme, and other specific details.

• I also check out the venues and photo locations beforehand. Most venues each have a personality all their own! A wedding that takes place on a farm in a barn has a much different feel than one that takes place in a historical hotel in downtown Pittsburgh.

When I know in advance what makes a wedding unique, I can plan. (And boy do I love planning! No, that’s not sarcasm! ;) ). From the portraits, to the details, to everything in between, knowing the vision, aesthetic, and style behind a wedding helps me come prepared from the get go. Your photographer can gather a lot of things from who you are and from the locations you choose, but there are some things that can only be communicated by you: like the theme, style, and aesthetic. And communicating these things in advance to your photographer can actually give you better images!

Let me share a few of my favorite examples:

FALL WEDDING AT SHADY ELMS FARM

This wedding is by far one of my favorite examples of communicating style and aesthetic beforehand, and how it can have a profound impact on your wedding day!

When Lyndsay (the bride) first started the conversation with me about her wedding day, she had a true vision: bright, colorful, laid back, classy barn elegance. She painted a vision of colorful florals and eclectic details, which made it easy for me to make style based decisions on their wedding day.

PORTRAITS

While we had a few portrait locations planned for Lyndsay and Justin’s wedding day, and all of them were nature focused. But before this shot - none of them had a ton of bright, bold color, like she had talked about during our numerous emails, phone calls, and final planning meeting. When I showed up the day of the wedding, I knew that to create cohesion between the bridal details, reception details, and portraits, it would be helpful to include some portraits with bright color! The scene in the photo above stood out to me as THE perfect spot to bridge the style gap in their day, and to make some of their portraits cohesive with the bright, bold style of their details!

BRIDAL DETAILS

And - speaking of details - knowing the vision and style of the wedding before I showed up on their wedding day helped me make styling choices cohesive with the vision of the wedding. For example, you’ll notice that the invitation below is very simple (and gorgeous - designed by the bride!). I knew when I saw it that I wanted to bring something bright and colorful into the frame in order to really make the shot “pop” and match the style of the wedding. Lucky for me, Shady Elms Farm does all of the floral arrangements for their weddings, so I was able to simply ask them for a few extra flowers to frame the invitation with. I also chose a bright yellow ring box to compliment the vibrant color palette, creating a photo of the invitation that complimented the style of the rest of the wedding day!

Knowing that Lyndsay was planning on having lots of eclectic details at the wedding also gave me the understanding that I could fill my background a bit more with different textures and details. Also, when I think of a farm, I think of overgrowth, flowers, plants, etc., a vibe which I feel was matched through the way the details were photographed!

EARLY FALL WEDDING IN DOWNTOWN PITTSBURGH

Now, we’ll contrast the farm wedding above with a classy black tie city wedding below! Next up: Janelle and Josh’s Embassy Suites Downtown Pittsburgh wedding!

I had a clear understanding of Janelle and Josh’s wedding from the emails we exchanged and the questionnaires they filled out - when I saw their wedding venue, I saw it to be the perfect match of everything she had described to me: a classy, modern, black tie city wedding. And knowing some of the more specific style details in advance helped me make location choices for both the portraits and for the details that were consistent with the overall feel of the wedding!

PORTRAITS

We’ll start with the portraits! Choosing locations for Janelle and Josh’s wedding was quite easy, knowing that 1) they were having a classy affair, and 2) they wanted to showcase the city. So when it came to their portraits, you’ll notice in the slideshow below portraits that showcase the city (on the street, with buildings in the background, in the iconic Pittsburgh Strawberry Way), and, since their wedding was so perfectly colored to match their reception venue, photos in the venue that provide that classy, upscale feel!

BRIDAL DETAILS

Sometimes I struggle with finding the perfect spot to photograph bridal details, because I want the backgrounds (including colors) of each detail shot to compliment the photos from the rest of the wedding. With Janelle and Josh’s wedding… I knew as soon as I walked into the hotel that their details had to be shot in the lobby! And lucky for me, since I had enough information style and aesthetic wise to know what they were looking for in advance, I was able to choose specific locations in the lobby I would use for their details photos beforehand. Which was so helpful the day of the wedding! I was able to work faster on the details because I had already formulated a plan!

In addition to knowing that elements in the lobby of the hotel would make excellent backdrops for their details, I was able to bring a few extra elements with me on the wedding day to use for styling, because I had an idea of what would compliment the details. For example, in the invitation suite photo below, the only elements that were from the bride were the shoes, the invitation suite, and the purse. The lace, gold box, leaves, and small flowers were items I brought with me to enhance the set up!

WHY STYLE & AESTHETIC MATTERS TO YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER

In summary, when a photographer knows the style and aesthetic of a wedding beforehand, they can…

• Help recommend portrait locations that fit the style of the overall wedding, helping to create a cohesive gallery from the wedding day that tells the story of the day through each section of the day.

• Be prepared to photograph bridal details by either choosing a location in advance, or bringing styling elements to help further compliment and tell the story of those details, and of the wedding as a whole.

• Focus more on the couple, bridal party, and family members. At least, for me this is true! When I know more in advance, I prepare more in advance, which frees up some of my brain space to focus on the people immediately around me - rather than on trying to find the perfect spot to photograph the invitation suite!

WHAT TO COMMUNICATE

If you’re a bride reading this, you might be wondering: what would be helpful to communicate to my photographer about my style and aesthetic beforehand? Below are a few pieces of information that are personally helpful for me to know before going into a wedding day!

• What the invitation suite looks like. Even better if you can send me one beforehand!

• Your wedding colors.

• What your dress looks like. The bride’s dress tends to set the tone and style for the wedding as a whole!

• What type and color of florals you’ll be using in your bouquets and boutonnieres.

MORAL OF THE STORY

So, the more of the story: don’t forget to communicate your style and aesthetic to your wedding photographer! In fact, make it a priority! For any couples who book their wedding with me, I send out a questionnaire a few months before the wedding with a few questions about style to get a better idea of the aesthetic beforehand so I can come prepared. That, along with checking out the reception and ceremony venue beforehand, give me a better understanding into each couple’s day, and the best way I can go about approaching the day and preparing beforehand.

But to any of my couples who might be reading this: never hesitate to over communicate on style and aesthetic to me! As someone who’s invested in your day, I love to be prepared for each and every wedding I photograph to the very best of my ability.

Favorite Epic Night Photos

Epic night photos aren’t always a possibility with every wedding, due to variables like location and timeline, but when epic night shots ARE able to happen at a wedding?! They are MAGIC. And because I love them so, I wanted to share a few of my favorite “epic night shots” with you today!

If you are interested a night photo like one of these below at your wedding, here are a few quick tips:

• Make sure your photography coverage lasts past sunset. These photos are possible after the sun goes down, when it gets dark!

• Make sure both you and your new-spouse are okay with leaving your reception for a few minutes. It’s always helpful for both parties to talk about leaving the reception for a few minutes beforehand, so there are no surprises!

• Make sure either you or your photographer lets your DJ know that you’ll be leaving for a few minutes. The very first time I ever set up an “epic night shot” I completely forgot to tell the DJ, and everyone panicked because the DJ announced the garter and bouquet toss, and no one knew where the couple had went! It’s safe to say that I ALWAYS talk with the DJ now before pulling a couple away for a night photo!

And without further ado… below are a few examples of some of my all time favorite night shots! 💛

Also, be sure to check out a detailed article on Night Photography by Pixpa, covering basics of night photography, camera equipment for night time photos, various techniques and tips of night photography in detail.

Above: at Shady Elms Farm in Hickory, PA

Above: at the Pennsylvanian in downtown Pittsburgh, PA

On Mount Washington in Pittsburgh, PA

In Ridgeway, PA

At Mellon Square in Pittsburgh, PA

At Succop Nature Park in front of the mansion in Butler, PA

At the Pennsylvanian in Pittsburgh, PA

Out front of the Morning Glory Inn in Pittsburgh, PA

This one is technically more of a sunset photo, but I wanted to include it anyways! On Mackinac Island in Michigan

At Shady Elms Farm in Hickory, PA

In Pittsburgh, PA

At the Pennsylvanian in Pittsburgh, PA

In Pittsburgh, PA

In the Cathedral of Learning on the University of Pittsburgh’s campus in Pittsburgh, PA

Out front of the Morning Glory Inn in Pittsburgh, PA

Shady Elms Farm: Favorite Pittsburgh Wedding Venues

I’m excited to introduce you to another one of my favorite Pittsburgh wedding venues: Shady Elms Farm! This eclectic, whimsical farm is full of drop-dead gorgeous details and sweeping Western Pennsylvania views that leave this little photographer's heart oh-so-happy! 

In these venue highlights, I want to share some of my favorite attributes of each venue when it comes specifically to photos – mainly, why I love shooting there, how picturesque the venue is from a photographer’s point of view, and how rain could affect your wedding photos at each venue. My hope is to help viewers see the potential of each wedding venue I highlight specifically from a photography perspective so you can ensure that your photos will be gorgeous!

Picturesque:

Like I mentioned in the intro, if you're looking for a picturesque spot to have your wedding - this is it. Shady Elms Farm not only has a beautiful farmhouse and barns that can be incorporated into your photos, but also has fields, lines of trees, a pond (if you're brave, a canoe!), and sweeping mountain views. Really, what more could you need?! I feel like you have to see the photos to believe it!

In addition to being all-around beautiful, sunset is extra magical up on the hill above the farm. It's definitely worth sneaking away from your reception for a few minutes for some epic golden hour photos!

Rain Plan:

Though I've never photographed a rainy day wedding at Shady Elms, there are lots of spots that could be used in the case of rain! There is a deck on the front of the farmhouse, as well as a covered pavillion in the back! In past years, the inside of farmhouse has also been open for use in the case of inclement weather and is adorable inside!

Other Mentionables:

Aside from being stunning from pretty much every angle, Shady Elms Farm also has the kindest, most pleasant people you would hope to work with on your wedding day. Who doesn't want to work with amazing people on their wedding day?!

Shady Elms Farm also does ALL of the florals for the weddings they host - which totally blows my mind, because they are some of the most beautiful bouquets I've ever seen!

If you are a bride who is looking into Shady Elms Farm as a potential wedding venue, I would love to chat with you more! Feel free to email me directly at jhidingerphotography@gmail.com with any questions you might have!