Ashley & Nick: Robin Hill Park Wedding Photos

This was a wedding many years in the making! Ashley & Nick met through their mutual friend Matt (who was also their officiant on their wedding day).

Here's the short story: Nick was a childhood friend of Matt's, and Matt had just met Ashley at Robert Morris. He thought they would be a good match (Matt-ch? ) and introduced them... and the rest is history!

Ashley and I met at Robert Morris University - she was in the photography program (and is an incredible photographer!) and I was trying to sneak a photography minor into my schedule, so we had some overlapping classes together! I was so honored when she asked me to photograph her wedding day!

Their wedding day was probably the most perfect fall day you could imagine. The weather was just right, the sun was shining... and the venue was gorgeous! Robin Hill Park is such a beautiful gem. I can't believe I hadn't been there before!

Ashley & Nick, a huge congratulations to you both on your wedding day! Thank you so much for letting us be a apart of it!

Becca & Nate: Cranberry Doubletree & Heinz Chapel Wedding

Becca & Nate tied the knot in a beautiful Heinz Memorial Chapel ceremony this past weekend, with a super fun reception at the Doubletree by Hilton Cranberry Township!

Becca & Nate opted for a quick first look outside of the chapel prior to their ceremony... which was so incredibly sweet! It gave them a moment just to take in the day before everything got underway!

After their ceremony, we spent some time taking photos around Heinz Chapel. It is always a treat to get to take some photos of the couple inside such a beautiful space after the ceremony!

And then, it started raining. It was raining just light enough for us to make our way over to the Mellon Institute, and then shortly after that, it started pouring!

After photos, we made our way back to the Doubletree for a beautiful reception! Becca & Nate had huge marquee letters in front of their head table, a packed dance floor, and a fresh cannoli bar (I had never seen that before - so cool!). All in all it was a beautiful, fun, and meaningful day - one we are so thankful to have been a part of!

Becca & Nate, a huge congratulations to you on your wedding day and on your marriage!

Vendors: Heinz Chapel, The Double Tree Hilton at Pittsburgh Cranberry, Just Hitched Films, Posies by Patti, Ellwood City, Lincoln Bakery, DJ Andrew Smith, Paige Finnin (makeup), Erica Leffakis/Cohen (hair), Sorelle Bridal (bride's dress & bridesmaid dresses), Patti’s Pasticceria Bakery (cannolis)

Atalya & Chase: Black Tie Wintergarden at PPG Place Wedding Day

This was an incredible day for an incredible couple! Atalya & Chase are one of the kindest, most sincere couples - and their friends and family are just as lovely! This was truly such a joyful day to be a part of from start to finish - a true Pittsburgh wedding day!

Atalya and her bridesmaids began their day at the Pittsburgh Fairmont. This was my first time taking photos here… and I have to say, it was such a beautiful location! You can see so much of downtown from the floor to ceiling windows… including PPG Place, Atalya & Chase’s reception venue!

Chase & his groomsmen got ready at his apartment. Each groomsman was gifted a custom jersey with his last name on the back… such a fun gift!

The ceremony took place at Heinz Chapel, quite possibly one of the most iconic churches in all of Pittsburgh. After family portraits, we were able to sneak in a few photos of Atalya & Chase in some different spots around the interior of the church. And I say “sneak” because Heinz Chapel hosts TONS of weddings, so they run a very tight ship when it comes to timelines… so extra photos in addition to family portraits on the altar are not always possible. But thankfully, we were running a bit ahead of schedule, and there weren’t any other weddings on the books for the rest of the day (love a Friday wedding! 🙌).

One of my favorite moments of this wedding day was when Atalya, Chase, and their bridal party stopped at the place where they had their first date - Lefty's in the Strip District! It was so worth the pit-stop, and such a beautiful way to commemorate the beginning of their relationship to bring things full circle! Their whole bridal party took a shot to celebrate, and off we all went to the reception!

The reception took place at the iconic Wintergarden at PPG Place in the heart of downtown. This was my first wedding here, and I absolutely LOVE this space! There is much natural light. It’s modern, clean, classic, and everything you would want in a wedding venue. And as a bonus… it is walking distance from the Fairmont, where many of their guests were staying!

The reception was full of heartfelt toasts, a huge cookie table, and a killer band (Go Go Gadjet) that kept guests dancing all night and put on an incredible performance!

Atalya and Chase, it was truly such a pleasure to be a part of your day. Congratulations on your marriage!

This beautiful day was made possible by an incredible team of vendors. I have to give a huge shout out to Vanessa from Alyssa Thomas Event Planning & Design, who coordinated the wedding day and kept every detail in place. She was absolutely incredible!

Vendors: Alyssa Thomas, Event Planning & Design, Community Flower Shop, Bridal Beginning Pittsburgh, Go Go Gadjet, Jeremy Scott films, Beacon Lane Wedding Invitations, Antonette Medved Makeup Co, Emma Hathworth (hair), Oakmont Bakery, Wintergarden at PPG Place, Pittsburgh Fairmont, Lefty's

Deidre & Paul: Summer Irons Mill Farmstead Wedding

Deidre & Paul’s wedding was a BLAST to photograph at one of the most beautiful venues - Irons Mill Farmstead! It's been quite a few years since I've photographed a wedding here, and I was so excited to be back!

Deidre & Paul’s wedding day featured a lavender color palette with lots of greenery - but the most important piece there for them was the people they invited to share the day with them! We took the majority of their portraits prior to the ceremony so they would have time to mingle during cocktail hour and chat with their guests - something that was so important to them!

We couldn't have asked for a more fun day with these two, and with their friends & family - thank you Deidre and Paul for letting us be a part of it!

Vendors: Irons Mill Farmstead, Butterfly Wish Bouquets, Pastries A La Carte, DianaRua Media (DJ), Sin Pretty Beauty Salon, The Exquisite Bride (bride's dress), Medure's Catering

Lindsey & Brody: Butler Private Estate Wedding Photos

What a wedding day! Lindsey & Brody tied the knot in a beautiful garden & floral themed wedding day on Brody's grandfather's property this past weekend, where his parents were also married 26 years ago.

Lindsey & Brody met in middle school and have been together for many years - so this day has been a long time in the making! There were so many beautiful details incorporated into their day, including:

• Lindsey’s veil, with the couple's initials and wedding date embroidered onto it

• Lindsey's grandmother's ring, which served as inspiration for her own engagement ring (and served as her something old, borrowed, and blue!)

• The florals, which included flowers from both Lindsey & Brody's birth months

Aside from all of the special details, this day had a few twists and turns. Honestly, this may have been one of the most eventful weddings I’ve ever photographed! And of course, the couple took all of these in stride. There were storms, power outages, and a fallen cake table (just to name a few - you won’t want to miss the photos we got of that! ;) ), but what really impressed me about Lindsey & Brody is how they kept their focus on water mattered most in the midst of it all.

Because this was such a beautiful and eventful wedding… this blog post is HUGE! There were so many photos that tell the story of the day that I just couldn’t bear to leave out. So get your scrolling finger ready for a workout!

It was truly a privilege to be a part of this wedding day! Thank you Lindsey & Brody for having us!

Vendors: EHWeddingspgh (Coordinator), All About Reclaimed (Florist), Beyond Imagination Films (Video), Soundwaves Entertainment Group (DJ), Prima Capelli Salon (Hair), Sorelle Bridal Salon (Bride's dress), Zazzle (Invitation), Medure's Catering, Ambassador Tent Rentals (various rented pieces), Almost Like Home Restrooms, Walktail Mobile Bar, Chance Kelosky (Officiant)

Lindsey's grandmother's ring above (her something borrowed, old, and blue) inspired the design of her own engagement ring! I love this shot of them side by side.

Lindsey's parents and Brody's parents after the ceremony ❤️

Brody's grandfather built this lake and dock (not pictured that he also build: a log cabin!) for him and his cousins when they were younger as a gift. I love that we were able to get photos of him and Lindsey here!

This was the beautiful cocktail hour space inside the barn, next to the reception tent. It felt so homey!

One angle of the cake encounter...

The bride & groom took this so well! Lindsey isn't a huge fan of cake so it wasn't a huge deal to them!

They DID cut the cake, but in case you're wondering... no, they did not feed it to each other! They used ice cream instead!

Another fun detail about this wedding day: the groom and his friends had a fantasy football league, and the loser of it had to sit at a table across the field during the wedding reception. 😆

And it was a pretty big field.

You wouldn't be able to tell from our photos (since our lights light up the reception tent!) but a few times, the generator for the power went out and there was almost complete darkness for lengths of time!

Chelsea & Anthony's Wedding at The Gathering Place at Darlington Lake

Meet Chelsea & Anthony!

Like a true good Pittsburgh love story, Chelsea & Anthony met while working at Kennywood (you may remember their engagement session from last year that took place AT Kennywood - click here to see it!). A few weeks ago, they tied the knot at a favorite wedding venue of mine... The Gathering Place at Darlington Lake!

I'm not sure if the particular weekend of their wedding marked "peak" fall foliage here in Western Pennsylvania, but it sure felt like it The foliage was beyond beautiful and vibrant for their gorgeous wedding day set along Darlington lake. And though the forecast loomed with the threat of rain, instead, we experienced a lovely crisp fall day with some glimmers of sunshine!

One of my favorite details about this wedding day - Chelsea wore the exact same shoes that her mother wore on her wedding day! I have never seen that before and thought it was the sweetest touch!

Chelsea also had many special touches included for her late grandmother, who passed away just a few weeks before her wedding. She had a special sign and bouquet made for her, and there was a special dance with her extended family during the reception to honor her. It was truly beautiful.

Chelsea & Anthony, it was a blessing to be a part of your day. Thank you so much for having us there!

And a huge shout out to Taylor Ramsey for photographing this wedding with me (some of whose photos you'll see sprinkled throughout this set!).

Vendors: Joyful Events by Jade, Loyalty Entertainment, Patti's Pasticceria Inc., JL Makeup Studio and Beauty Boutique, The White Orchid, A Simple Vow

Kelsey & Nick: The Grayson House Fall Wedding Photos

Introducing Mr. & Mrs. Sheppard!

Kelsey & Nick were a blast to photograph at the most picturesque venue, The Grayson House! Their fall wedding day was full of warm fall tones and vibrant florals (fall wedding color palettes are always my favorite, and this one was no exception!).

We started off the day with coverage of the bride and groom getting ready separately, both at designated cottages on the Grayson House’s property. After both Kelsey & Nick had finished getting ready, they had a first look overlooking the Uniontown fall scenery, and read their personal vows to each other at that time. We took some portraits of the two of them, them with their bridal party, and them with their family, and even though it had been raining earlier, the rain stopped for us just long enough to get all of those portraits outdoors… and that was such a blessing!

The ceremony took place inside the Grayson House reception area due to the rain, with cocktail hour to follow. We got to end the night with an epic photo out in the rain (kudos to our bride & groom for braving the elements!)

Kelsey & Nick, it was such a joy to be a part of your wedding day! A HUGE congratulations to you both on your marriage!

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

Becca & Adam: Bay 41 (Lawrenceville) Wedding Photos

Becca & Adam present: "Wedding Village."

When I first talked with Becca & Adam about the vision for their wedding day, they shared with me a desire to foster an intentional community focused space for their wedding day. Everything would be within close walking distance for guests, and the hope was for guests to bump into each other as they explored Lawrenceville and to make many connections along the way. The goal was to intentionally cultivate community among their guest list that spanned 7 countries and 14 (or 15?) states - hence the term, "wedding village."

In addition, Becca & Adam chose Lawrenceville specifically for its walkability and Pittsburgh-esque charm of industrial meets nature (which was certainly reflected in their decor choices as well!). Their Ketubah signing ceremony (a Jewish marriage covenant, outlining the responsibilities of the husband and wife), wedding ceremony, and reception all took place at Bay 41 under the beautiful, blue, Pittsburgh sky.

Adam is a big fan of public transportation, so including some photos near a train track was a priority, too!

I love how intentional this couple was to cultivate a wedding day true to what is most important to them. It was a joy to get to photograph them on their wedding day!

Vendors: Bay 41, Hello Productions, Bistro To Go Café & Catering, Jim Ludwig's Blumengarten Florist, DJ Bill Barra, Your Best Day Beauty by Monica and Ashley

Cara & Johnny: Twelve Oaks Mansion Wedding Photos

Congratulations to Cara & Johnny on their wedding day! It was full of the best things - the sweetest love, the cutest DOH (dog of honor, Lilah), and lots of pink! (Not to mention delicious food and the kindest people... and lots of subtle nods to Cara's absolute favorite, Taylor Swift!).

Twelve Oaks Mansion has quickly become one of my favorite venues - I photographed one other wedding here prior to Cara & Johnny’s day, and I was so glad to be back! It is a lovely, modern space that overlooks Mars with lots of beautiful indoor space with natural light!

Cara & Johnny’s wedding ceremony took place in the ballroom, which was flipped during cocktail hour for the reception - while we took some photos outside! It was definitely a hot and humid day, but we were all thankful that it had stopped raining just in time for photos… so we pushed through the heat & humidity for some beautiful photos on the Twelve Oaks property! It was so worth it!

What a dream! And a huge shout out to the incredible vendor team who worked so hard on this event:

Twelve Oaks Mansion, Wanderlust Weddings and Events, LLC (Planner), See Jane Blush - Pittsburgh Makeup Artist, Caviar & Curls (Hair), Bethel Bakery, Just Hitched Wedding Films, Blumengarten (Florist), Joel Lindsey Entertainment, The Dress Bridal Boutique (Bride's dress), APD - Angela Pro Design (Invitation suite), Common Plea Catering, Lux Photobooth, E.F. Lighting, LLC