How We Did Disney on the Cheap

It’s no secret around here that we are huge Disney fans! Since we’ve got married in August of 2015, my husband (Nick) and I have been to Disney four times (at the time this blog post comes out!), and multiple times before then with Nick’s family. It’s also no secret that a trip to Disney can be dang expensive, but through our love for Disney and our frugal nature, we’ve accumulated some tips and tricks throughout the years that allow us to visit Disney for a fraction of the cost (but really, many of these tips can be applied and help you save money on any vacation). This past visit, we wanted to see how cheap we really could go – so, below are all of the tips and tricks we used to keep our trip cheap!

 I’d also like to add that this blog post is not sponsored by any of the companies listed below. We just genuinely believe that they have an excellent product and experience to offer!

1.     We opted to stay off-campus at an Airbnb.

While we absolutely LOVE staying on campus and being close to all things Disney, for this trip, our goal was to keep things cheap, so we found a nice little Airbnb about 10 minutes from the Disney parks for $60 a night. It was totally a steal! Rooms at Disney typically begin at $120+ per night (depending on where you stay), but most cost a few hundred per night. Staying off campus is a great way to save a little (or a lot!) extra money!

Another great option for larger groups who want to stay together is FlipKey. Similar to Airbnb, FlipKey allows users to find and book vacation rentals at a reasonable price, especially if you’re splitting the rental amongst other couples, family members, or friends! We rented a FlipKey property for a trip to Orlando in February of 2018 and were so impressed with the customer service, cleanliness, ample space, and beautiful property! I would highly recommend checking it out.

2.     We used a credit card (wisely!) to earn free airfare.

We’re big Dave Ramsey fans around here, but the one point of contention we have with him? Credit cards. It’s easy to let spending get out of control with a credit card in tow, but if you’re the type of person who pays off a credit card on a monthly basis without accruing interest, this suggestion might be beneficial to you.

We signed up for a Capital One Venture card and ran everything we could through it, and by doing so, earned enough points to purchase tickets to Orlando at absolutely no additional cost to us!

3.     Instead of renting a car, we used Uber.

Nick is a vacation planning guru, but when he told me it would be cheaper for us to use Uber for the five days we were in Orlando (opposed to renting a car), I was a bit skeptical. But it turns out he was right!

To rent a car in Orlando, we would’ve paid a minimum of $180 for five days. With two park days, we would’ve had to pay $25 a day for parking ($50 total), not to mention parking for our day in Disney Springs (ranging from $13 to $24 – we’ll stick with $13 for the sake of this math!), not to mention tolls and gas, which we’ll estimate at around $50, modestly. Altogether, the cost of renting a car would’ve been about $293. During our time in Disney, we spent only $189.22 total on Uber, saving us a grand total of $103.78. For us, it was totally worth it!

4.     We utilized Disney’s free transportation via Disney’s busses and monorail system.

Did you know that Disney has a free bus system that, while mainly used by resort guests, is free for park visitors to use, too? Since we opted to use Uber instead of renting a car, we needed all the help finding free transportation that we could get! So, our plan was simple: get onto Disney property, and use the busses to get to places like: Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and Disney Springs. We saved money by first Ubering to the nearest Disney resort with free transportation available (which, for us, happened to be Disney’s Boardwalk), then from there, we utilized their busses to get to our final destination. It took a little extra time and planning, but in the long run, it definitely saved us a chunk of change!

5.     We brought our own store-bought snacks and drinks in the parks.

Have you ever tried to eat or drink on Disney property? A cup of coffee costs nearly FOUR DOLLARS, and a hot dog costs around NINE. Full disclosure: we did eat in the parks more than I would’ve liked, but we did majorly cut down the cost by bringing our own snacks and drinks with us to eat for breakfast, lunch, and in between meals. We even brought our own coffee to our Airbnb with to-go cups so we could take our coffee with us in the morning!

6.     We visited the parks and bought tickets on “non-peak” days.

Did you know that Disney instituted a new system of buying tickets with a rising and falling price point? Essentially, this means that it’s more or less expensive to visit the parks at certain times of the year when Disney is busier, or less busy. Disney actually makes it quite easy for you, with a full calendar for the entire year listed on their website with a specific price point for each individual day.

We purchased our tickets for non-peak days (i.e., the week before Christmas instead of the week of Christmas) to help out a little bit with the cost. If you’re planning a Disney vacation, I would highly recommend looking on their calendar to choose a non-peak time of year, to take advantage of lower ticket prices!

Shortly after Nick and I got married, we decided that instead of giving gifts to each other, we wanted to have experiences with each other. One of the biggest decisions that’s helped make Disney possible for us? Forgoing Christmas, anniversary, and birthday gifts, and putting that money towards our Disney trip instead. That may or may not be a feasible option for you (and your family!), but for us, our memories and experiences together have far outweighed any physical gift we could’ve bought each other. Those memories together – they’re priceless. I hope with these tips you are able to go make some memories of your own together with those you love most!

Stop Staring at Your Neighbor's Lights

One of my favorite Christmas traditions is driving around with my husband, looking at Christmas lights around our area. One year, we found a house that was completely decked out - music playing, lights flashing EVERYWHERE - all over the house, all over their massive yard. We slowly crept by and could barely peel our eyes away! We look over to the house next door, where there was a dog standing, looking at the house - unflinching. He couldn't peel his eyes away either! We sat there for another five minutes or so as he slowly started inching towards the house, almost entranced 😂 Fast forward to about a week later, we were driving home from dinner with my mother-in-law and decided to take a detour to show her this crazy house. As we were driving by, we saw the SAME DOG starting intently at the lights - totally frozen by the epicness before him! Finally, his owner came out and pretty much had to drag him inside the house. It was the craziest thing!! What makes this story even crazier is that there was only one other house on that whole street that had Christmas lights up. It’s like everyone had decided that what their neighbor was doing was more than enough for the entire neighborhood!

It got me thinking of how often I’ve found myself staring at someone else’s “epicness,” distracted by someone else’s perceived success or awesomeness, totally neglecting the unique call that’s been placed on my life... wondering if it’s even worth trying at all. I can’t even begin to tell you how many hours I’ve wasted stalking through Instagram accounts, Facebook profiles, and blog posts, believing the lie: “If only I could be like them. Then I’d be successful.” I spent so much time looking at their “lit up house” that I forgot to put up my own lights.

I think it’s safe to say that we've all gone through seasons of distraction, just like that dog, too. We can't peel our eyes off of what someone else is doing, and we become so entranced by their lives that we forget to live our own. We forget that our version of success might not look anything like that person’s… because we are literally a different person! We have different skills, different abilities, different goals and desires for our lives. When we take a closer look and think about what we would have to do (or give up) to get the life that that person has… we might not even want it.

The question I found myself pondering through all of this is this: what's keeping me distracted from living MY life and the call that’s been put on it? And what have I been afraid to do simply because I see someone else doing it “better” or “bigger?” If you’ve ever felt that way, my heart goes out to you, friend. Because it STINKS - big time.

“We have been prepared for what we are called to”

But the beauty within the unknown is this: in Christ, there’s hope. There’s promise. There’s the reassurance that we have been prepared for what we have been called to. “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” - Ephesians 2:10

What if the point wasn’t to do something bigger or better, but just to do it because we have been called and equipped? So, stop staring at your neighbor’s lights. Even better… go put up your own.

6 Things to Consider When Choosing a Wedding Venue

Choosing a wedding venue is typically the first thing you’ll do after getting engaged – which totally makes sense! Venues tend to book up super fast (especially in the spring, summer, and fall here in Pittsburgh), so most couples feel the pressure to make sure they lock one in for the season they want quickly!

 But before you commit to a venue, a word to the wise: be careful not to book too fast, without getting the most important pieces of information from your list of potential venues. There are six specific things that I often see overlooked when couples book their venues that are important to remember before signing on the dotted line!

1.     Rain Plan

If it rains on your wedding day (God forbid!), are you happy with the rain plan your venue provides? Do they have a rain plan? Will it cost extra? Where will the ceremony be moved to, if you were planning on an outdoor space to say your vows? And are you okay with that option? Are there any locations you could use for photos if there’s a downpour on your day? (Overhangs, indoor spaces, etc.) It’s important to have an idea of the rain plan before you book so you can make sure you’re okay with it, in the case of inclement weather!

2.     Event Location Proximity

Are all of your wedding day events (getting ready, ceremony, pictures, reception) taking place in the same location, or will you be driving between locations for different parts of your wedding day? From personal experience, one of the BEST decisions we made in regards to our wedding day was the decision to have everything happen in one central location – which meant no traveling between different locations. This reduced stress, was cost effective (we didn’t have to pay for additional transportation, or pay our photographer for a 20-40 minute drive), and saved a ton of time!

3.     Mandatory Vendor List

Does your wedding venue allow you to choose your own vendors, or does it require you to pick from a pre-made list? Many wedding venues have working relationships with vendors local to their area, and if they love working with them, they’ll add them to a list of preferred vendors. While many venues will allow you to bring in other venues and only offer the list as a guide, some venues will require you to choose from those specific vendors. Which is great – unless you have another company in mind for that specific vendor category. Be sure to ask so you aren’t caught off guard after already signing a contract!

4.     Amount of Shade

This might seem like an odd one to throw in, but it’s one of the first things I look for when I’m checking out a venue as a wedding photographer! Why? Many times, portraits of the bridal party and bride and groom will take place at times of the day that aren’t typically known to be the best for photos (a few hours before sunset is typically the best time, while mid day and mid afternoon can be the brightest/most unflattering time for portraits!). Having a plethora of shade to work with for mid-day portraits ensures that your photos will be evenly lit and flattering!

5.     Guest Travel

Where is your wedding venue located in proximity to where most of your guests will be coming from? Or, if the majority of your guests are coming in from out of town, is your venue within close proximity to hotels in the area? Some wedding venues are far out in the middle of nowhere, which means lots of extra driving. If you have a lot of guests coming in from out of town, consider choosing a venue within close(r) proximity to a hotel to accommodate them!

6.     Set up & Clean Up Timeframe

If you are decorating parts of your ceremony/reception, when are you allowed to come in and start decorating? And likewise, if you are required to clean up the decorations from your own venue, how much time will you be given to do so? My husband and I opted to get married on a Friday so that we had the entire day before to set up! The couple whose wedding was held at the same venue the next day only had that very day to set up their décor. For us – we didn’t want to have to deal with that on our wedding day. We just wanted to relax and be present with friends, family, and each other!

Thanks for reading through, and happy planning! 💛

The Pros and Cons of Having a First Look

The topic of a “first look” is often highly debated among brides and wedding professionals alike. If you’re unfamiliar with what a “first look” is, essentially, it is where the bride and groom plan a time before the ceremony to see each other – just the two of them.

 But before we move on, a quick disclaimer: the very last thing I ever want to do when talking about a first look is make someone feel bad for choosing to opt for a more traditional route of the groom seeing the bride for the first time while walking down the aisle. Heck, my husband and I opted to not have a first look, because we both decided that we wanted to keep that aspect of our day a bit more traditional! But with that being said, I do want to share some pros and cons of a first look to help those who might be on the fence!

PROS:

You’ll have more time together.

This is a HUGE one, and one I wish I would’ve considered going into my own wedding day! On your wedding day, you’ll come down the aisle, get married, jump straight into portraits, then jump straight into the reception – there’s barely any time to have a relaxed moment together. But with a first look, you’ll get the majority of your photos done before the ceremony, and will therefore have much more time to enjoy just being together (plus, you’ll get to attend cocktail hour – which leads me to my next point!).

You’ll get to spend more time with your guests.

If the majority of your photos take place before the ceremony, you’ll most likely be able to attend the majority of (or part of!) your cocktail hour! This is a great way to make sure you get to talk with the majority of your guests and enjoy the party you worked so hard to plan!

You’ll feel less rushed.

Have you ever been to a wedding where there was a 3-5 hour time gap between the ceremony and reception? Me too. I remember being antsy, hungry, and ready for the party to start by the time bridal party made it to the reception. Doing a first look means being able to do the majority of your photos before the ceremony, which cuts down time between the ceremony and reception for your guests.

You’ll be less nervous.

I’m naturally more of an introvert, so being in front of a crowd of people gives me a little bit of anxiety. If you’re like me, consider doing a first look. You’ll get to experience that moment together – just the two of you (plus your photographer, hopefully from afar ;) ) – without anyone else around. There’s no pressure to react a certain way, no onlookers, just a private moment between the two of you.

You’ll have more time for portraits!

Sometimes on a wedding day, things run behind. The ceremony goes a little over, the receiving line is unaccounted for in the official timeline, or the transportation to the reception takes a bit longer than expected – which all cut into photo time. Having your photos taken before the ceremony means that you can plan a bigger time chunk without having to worry about everything running behind and arriving late to your reception or making guests wait for you!

*As a side note, if you’re getting married in the winter months, the sun will set a bit earlier in the day. Make sure you pay attention to when your photo time will take place in relation to when the sun sets so you aren’t taking photos in the dark!

CONS:

Your fiancé will see you before the ceremony, so the “down the aisle” moment will be a little different.

It’s true, that moment down the aisle you’ve always been dreaming of may feel a bit different since you will have already seen each other.

You’ll have to start getting ready earlier in the day.

With a first look, you’ll need to be “photo ready” earlier, which means you’ll have to start getting ready earlier. It can be helpful to ask your photographer when he/she thinks the first look should happen, based on what time the ceremony is set to begin. Then, you’ll be able to ask your hair and makeup artists how much time hair and makeup will take, and when you will need to start getting ready.

Lighting during the first look isn’t always ideal.

The best time of day for photos is a few hours after sunrise, or a few hours before sunset. The biggest thing I get hung up on with a first look is the light! Most first looks happen in the middle of the day, when the light is harsh, so sometimes it’s tough to find a good spot with flattering light – especially for photos with large groups of people (like a bridal party!).

 First looks have both their pros and cons, but when it comes down to it, all that really matters is what you want your wedding day to look like. If you want a first look, do it. If you don’t want a first look, don’t do it. But whatever you do, make sure you weigh your options so you can make an educated decision either way!

Happy planning!

Bridal Detail Checklist

Let’s just say it like it is: there is SO MUCH TO REMEMBER when you are a bride. Keeping track of vendors, decor, family members, bridesmaids, groomsmen - the day of a wedding can feel like a complete blur!

One of my biggest goals as a wedding photographer is to help my brides and to take things off their plate that have the potential to be stressors. When I arrive onsite on a wedding day to a bridal getting ready suite, there are so many different things going on! Makeup, hair, lunch, steaming the bridesmaid dresses, writing speeches and vows - not to mention taking the time to actually enjoy yourself! The one thing that I don’t want any of my brides to have to do is stop everything just to look for her details for me to photograph!

A great way to not have to worry about gathering all of your items frantically when there are a million other things going on?! Have all of your items set aside in advance. The day before the wedding (or even the morning of!), put all of the details you’d like to have photographed in a bag or box, with your dress hanging nearby. That way, you won’t have to worry about stopping the world to look for your earrings mid-makeup!

And now you might be wondering - what exactly should I be setting aside to have photographed? Well, I’m glad you asked! Below is a comprehensive list of all of the items I recommend my brides set aside for me to photograph! (Note: you don’t have to set aside all of these items - I know not every bride will have every single one. This is meant to be inspiration for you!).

And if you’re more of a “hard copy” type of person (like me! ☺️), or if you simply want a PDF to put in your wedding binder or store on your desktop, I’ve created a PDF version of this list for you to download for free at the bottom of this post! Happy planning! 💛

• Wedding Dress

• Dress hanger

• Dress belt (if there is one)

• Veil (if there is one)

• Bouquet

• Shoes

• Invitation suite (bonus points for including envelopes!)

• Save the date

• Garter(s)

• Wedding rings

• Ring box

• Engagement ring

• Perfume

• Purse

• Headpiece

• Jewelry (necklace, bracelet, earrings)

• Something old, new, borrowed, and blue

• Gift from the groom

• Vow book(s)

GET YOUR FREE PDF CHECKLIST!

Want a free, comprehensive PDF Bridal Checklist to add to your wedding binder? Fill out the short form below to download yours as my gift to you!

Amanda & Chris: McConnell's Mill Winter Engagement Photos

You’ve gotta love Pittsburgh, where temperatures can go from 4 degrees to 40 degrees in less than 12 hours! We rescheduled Amanda and Chris’s engagement session twice due to the freezing temps, which ended up being a great choice with the “real feel” and wind temps dipping below zero both times ❄️And in turn, we were rewarded with an almost 40 DEGREE winter afternoon for their winter afternoon session at McConnell’s Mill! And let me tell you - these two totally rocked it!!

ABOUT AMANDA & CHRIS

Amanda and Chris met over the phone, when Chris was working as a tech support rep. Chris quickly became Amanda’s go-to teach support guy, and as they say - the rest is history! But that first call was a pretty significant one, because when I asked these two when they knew each other was ‘the one,’ Chris said: “The first support phone call I had with her. I never wanted to stop talking to her.” Cue the happy tears!

I have a lot of questions I love to ask couples, but one of my favorites is: “What do you admire most about your significant other?” And because Chris and Amanda’s answers to this question are just so sweet (and so telling of how much they love each other!), I just have to share!

Chris: “Her ability to always make me smile or laugh. She managed to do it on our very first phone call, every call after that, and even every day since."

Amanda: “His determination to teach himself anything he puts his mind to. It’s quite wonderful to watch him figure something out that he’s never done before and then successful (with some trial and error) accomplish what he set out to do. It makes me want to learn from him everyday.”

THE SESSION

One of my very favorite things about Amanda and Chris’s entire session is how much they laughed together! They literally laughed through the entire session - which, I know, sounds so simple. But it made my job so easy! It’s always so fun to see two people who are truly and genuinely best friends loving their time together!

We started off their session at the main park section of McConnell’s Mill, and did a little bit of perilous hiking throughout the snow-covered trails, then headed over to one of my favorite sections of McConnell’s Mill - Cleland Rock! It’s about a 12 minute drive from the main Mill section - but SO worth the drive, especially when it’s covered in snow 😍

Without further ado - I am so excited to share some of my favorite images from Amanda and Chris’s engagement session! 💛

What You Should Know About Wedding Photographers

At one of my weddings this past summer, a father of the bride came up to me and told me he had read my college thesis.

Gasp.

He found it online while he was researching me, and while he was trying to figure out how wedding photographers worked and why wedding photography costs so much.

As the father of the bride was explaining all of this to me, I literally started to sweat. I had no idea where this was going. For my honors thesis project, I wrote a business plan for, you guessed it, Jenna Hidinger Photography. I’ll be honest – I haven’t used it much since. If there’s anything I’ve learned about business while running a business, it’s that nothing stays the same for very long, and that you have to be constantly adapting to changing clients, markets, products, and services. But while he was talking, I kept thinking I wrote that paper almost four years ago, so much has changed since then – I hope he doesn’t hold anything I wrote against me!

But then he said something that astounded me, that I rarely ever hear: “Now I understand what all goes into wedding photography and why it costs so much. I used to think a photographer would just show up the day of, take some photos, and leave. But after reading your thesis, I feel like I understand and really appreciate what you do. You do so much. Thank you for all you’ve done for my daughter.”

Cue the gasp again. Those were most certainly not the words I expected to hear, but they brought so much joy to my heart! As his words echoed through my mind throughout the remainder of his daughter’s wedding day, alternative thoughts from other photographers kept echoing through my head: People should inherently know the value of what you do as a wedding photographer. You should never have to explain yourself or your pricing. People should know.

But if you’re not a wedding photographer, if you’re not friends with a wedding photographer, if you’re not married to a wedding photographer, if you don’t have a wedding photographer in your family… how are you supposed to know? How is anyone supposed to know unless we, the wedding photographers, tell them?

So today, I would love to share a few things you might not know about wedding photographers. There might be some pieces that have to do with money, and some that don’t. But my goal today isn’t to guilt you into paying more for your wedding photos - it’s to show you everything that goes into what we do outside of just showing up and taking photos. Because if no one has ever told you… how are you supposed to know?

1. We love when you ask for our advice and help!

   From a photography perspective and a planning-a-wedding perspective, few things give me more joy than being able to help a bride out, whether it’s by providing vendor recommendations, giving a second opinion on decorations, or helping create the perfect timeline. Most couples have never planned a wedding, so they aren’t always sure, for instance, how much time to allot for family formals, bride & groom photos, or bridal party portraits. Always double check with your photographer to see if they have a specific amount of time they recommend!

   I’ve created an 80 page magazine brimming full with tips, tricks, and advice all relating to engagement photos, wedding photos, timelines, first looks, rain, details, destination weddings, and the like. All brides who book with me receive this as my gift to them!

2. There is a LOT more to photographing a wedding than showing up the day of!

   Emails, phone calls, timeline creation, location scouting, questionnaires, invoicing, contracts, album designing, product ordering, blogging, packaging & mailing – just to name a few! On top of the routine items in each wedding’s workflow, we’re also doing things like improving our education, bookkeeping, collecting and paying sales tax, creating educational resources for clients.

3. We have a love/hate relationship with Pinterest (more on that here).

   Pinterest has given all brides everywhere access to more ideas than EVER before in every style, variety, and color scheme imaginable. Sometimes, it’s so easy to get caught up in the “Pinterest-perfect” photo opportunities, that you forget to let your day unfold in a way that’s true to you. Don’t miss out on true and authentic moments while trying to recreate someone else’s!

4. Editing thousands of photos can take a long time.

   Sorting through 4,000 to 5,000 wedding photos, then editing ~1,000 can be a big job. Know that most wedding photographers want to finish editing your wedding photos as fast as you want to see them! But they also want to make sure that your once-in-a-lifetime day is edited to perfection – and perfection can take a little bit of time!

5. Knowing of any family drama ahead of time is a HUGE help!

   It’s oh-so helpful to know any sensitive family situations so we don’t have two people who aren’t so fond of each other nice and close in a family portrait! The last thing we want is to make anyone feel uncomfortable on our account due to ignorance.

6. The price you pay for your package is not what we get to keep in our bank accounts.

   If you want to make a buttload of money for working one day, wedding photography is not for you. Being a wedding photographer means lots of expensive equipment (which is expensive to upkeep!), backups for that expensive equipment in case something stops working mid-wedding day, liability insurance, equipment insurance, sales tax, editing software, computers, income tax, paying for continued education, hard drives to store our client’s photos, paying out of pocket for health insurance (or paying for an expensive plan not through an employer), not to mention every day expenses that don’t even have to do with the business (rent, cars, groceries). Don’t get me wrong – I love photography and it has been worth every single penny invested! But to be a full time, professional wedding photographer, major cost is involved.

7. Besides actually taking pictures, keeping the wedding day on time is one of our biggest jobs.

   This is especially true if there is no planner! It’s easy for family members and friends to get swept up in the emotion of the day (for good reason!), and lose track of the timeline. Keeping the timeline on track ensures that we’ll be able to deliver the quality (and quantity) of images you would expect from us!

8. We want to know what you like about our work.

   It’s helpful to know what a couple is attracted to in our work. Is it the light? The colors? The posing? The bridal detail styling? Reception lighting? Another special technique? Knowing in advance will help us pay special attention to what’s most important to you!

9. We love recommending people who know, love, and work well with.

   On a wedding day, the vendors you hire will have to work together to help make your vision come to life, and if those vendors work well together, it’s going to make your wedding that much more epic! We have some vendors who we absolutely love to work who have a similar goal to us: to love on our couples and make their day as amazing as possible! If you would like to see a list of our favorite recommended vendors, including videographers, DJ’s, florists, hair artists, makeup artists, calligraphy specialists, invitation designers, caterers, photobooths and more, feel free to use the contact tab above to reach out! (Or, I linked to a few of my favorites above!)

10. We love when you trust our expertise and opinions!

    Decisions we make can sometimes seem counterintuitive as to what could make for an epic photo or location, or how much time we allot for photos on a wedding day. The great thing about hiring a professional wedding photographer with experience? You shouldn’t have to worry about those decisions. We’ve acquired experience and education to be able to approach and photograph your wedding day in the best possible way. We love when you trust us to do our job!

The truth is, we never really know what goes into any profession that isn’t our own. We don’t know the time or money spent, or the work that goes into something behind the scenes. But we can listen. We can learn. We can ask questions – heck, we can even read theses! Most importantly: we can give each other grace.

3 Ways to Support Local Businesses Without Spending a Dime

Nearly 4 in 10 Americans has a side hustle (source), which means that about half of everyone you know is working on growing a service or product that can support them in addition to their current job – not to mention the immense amount of Americans who are self-employed, or working for small businesses! But with so many small business owners and side-hustlers, it can sometimes feel overwhelming to support them all from a financial standpoint. But did you know that there are ways you can support side-hustlers and local businesses without spending a dime?

 Below are three ways you can start supporting local businesses – without spending a dime – today!  

1.  Like and share their social media content.

This may be the easiest way to support a local business owner, considering that 77% of Americans are on some form of social media (source). Sharing a small business owner’s content helps them get in front of a different audience than they might normally be able to reach on their own!

2.  Refer them to your friends and family! (If you like them! ;) )

Most small business owners offer a product or service that can solve a problem. Need the best haircut of your life? Let me tell you about the salon I love! Looking for someone to groom your dog? I know the best groomer out there! We naturally talk about and share what we love, and if you know someone who you love who owns a small business, don’t be afraid to talk about them to those who they might be able to help!

3.  Leave positive online reviews.

The very first thing I do when I am recommended a new product or service is head straight to Google to find some reviews! If I’m looking at two similar products, and one has some mixed reviews? I’m a bit more hesitant. But if there’s a similar product with loads of amazingly awesome, 5 star reviews?  You’ve got my attention, and you better believe I’ll be buying from them! Even if you’ve never used a business’s product or service, if you have a personal relationship with the business owner and can speak into things like their character, work ethic, or integrity, that is a HUGE piece of the pie for potential buyers to consider and is (dare I say) just as valuable as an excellent, quality product or service!

Use these three ideas to show a little love to the local business owners in your life - I know they’ll love ya for it!

What to Wear for a Winter Photo Session

Dressing for a winter photo session can be tricky! You want to stay warm, but you want to look good. Really, the key to dressing for a winter photo session is to be flexible. If you happen to be a native to the Pittsburgh area (or to any colder weather area!), you know how unpredictable winter can be. Here in Pittsburgh, it could be 50 degrees one day, and 20 the next – and trust me, when it’s below freezing, you do not want to be getting your photo taken with just a shirt and a pair of pants on. You’re going to need a bit more to make sure you don’t freeze to death!

Below are a few of my top tips for dressing for your winter photo session! 

1. UTILIZE LOTS OF VISIBLE LAYERS

Now is the time to pull out your strongest layering game! Lucky for you, not only will wearing layers in your photos keep you warm, but they look so good and add a lot of visual interest to a photograph! Try layering a collared shirt with a sweater, or a nice sweatshirt with a jacket, or a sweater dress with a blanket scarf. Below are a few of my favorite ways clients have utilized layering for colder season sessions in the past!

A thick sweater with a collared shirt and long boots are sure to keep you warm when you’re outside in the cold for an extended period of time!

A blanket scarf and a jacket not only look adorable, but have you ever worn a blanket scarf?! They are SO WARM!

100% yes to Carly’s adorable cute jacket! She layered a neutral shirt underneath with a statement necklace, pulling the whole look together seamlessly, and keeping her warm!

A scarf and a long sweater, layered over a long sleeve shirt ✅

I love this upscale winter look! Full disclosure: this was actually an elopement, not an engagement session, but their outfits here provide such a great template for dressing for cold weather! Jason wore a nice jacket over his suit, keeping him extra warm during their six degree elopement, and Brittany wore a cute jacket and patterned scarf with warm leggings, boots, and a puffy skirt!

Another example of a great winter coat!

Sweaters, jeans, and boots!

A more casual coat centric, layered outfit.

A puffer jacket is always a great piece to layer for the cold!

I am obsessed with this green coat!

A suit is a great choice for adding a little extra warmth!

This might be one of my favorite layered looks! Grant wore a nice sweatshirt style shirt underneath his jean jacket, and it kept him (semi) warm and looked great on camera!

2. INCORPORATE HIDDEN LAYERS… AND HOTTIES

Hidden layers can be powerful when it comes to having your photo taken in the winter. The key? Be careful where you put those extra layers. Putting on extra socks? GREAT idea! Layer those babies up, because they won’t change your body visually in front of the camera. However, try not to go too bulky. For example, if you are planning on wearing a winter coat with some layers underneath for your session, try to choose a coat that accentuates your waist with a belt or seaming. This will accentuate the smallest part of your waist and give your body shape in front of the camera!

Oh, and shove hotties (hand warmers) wherever the heck they will go! In your shoes, in your pockets - if you’re wearing a skirt with leggings underneath, tape them to your legs! This is all about survival, people!

3. USE WEATHER APPROPRIATE ACCESSORIES

Pull out your winter hats, scarves, boots, mittens, and socks, or use your photo session as the perfect excuse to buy a cute new coat and/or boots! If you’re having your photos taken during winter, it’s completely appropriate to dress like it’s winter! Some of my favorite outfits from winter photo sessions are those that embrace the winter garb and use accessories to their advantage - like the ones below!

All and all, just remember: if you don’t feel comfortable in front of the camera, chances are, you will look uncomfortable. And if you’re investing in photos… it’s worth it to try to stay comfortable, and in the cold, stay warm!

In need of a little more winter outfit inspiration? I created a Pinterest Board with some of my favorite winter outfits for seniors, couples, and families - click the link below to check it out!

Kim + Darren: Historic Harmony Maternity Photos

What a sweet season these two have entered as they prepare for the birth of their first child! I’ve taken photos of Darren and Kim twice before (check out their engagement photos here and their Myrtle Beach photos here!), and they are always so much fun! As you’ll discover in the previous blog posts, my husband and I have known Darren and Kim for quite a few years!

The morning of their session, all of Pittsburgh was preparing for the blizzard of the century (i.e., the blizzard that turned out to mostly be rain and a few inches of snow that stuck! 😂). While we may not have gotten any snow, and while it was pretty darn cold, Kim and Darren were such great troopers. They even chose one of my favorite locations for their photos - Historic Harmony! 😍

Kim and Darren, we are so excited to see you two become parents and to meet this baby that God has blessed you with!