Elaina + Chris: Mayernik Center Wedding Photographer

What is more summery than a gorgeous, outdoor wedding in July?! Elaina and Chris tied the knot mid-July surrounded by their closest friends and family, with many different states and countries represented on their guest list! While getting to know them throughout the pre-wedding photo prep and the wedding day itself, it was easy to see why so many friends had joined them to celebrate. Their love really is something special, as well as the genuine way in which they care for those around them!

Thanks for having us as a part of your day, Elaina and Chris - we wish you two all of the best in your new adventure together!

Vendors:

Bride’s Dress: Alfred Angelo

Bride’s Shoes: American Living

Hair: Bridal Art by Marissa Julin

Makeup: Bridal Art by Marissa Julin

Band/DJ: Flipside DJs

Flowers: Dragonfly Florist

Caterer: Monteverde's Catering

Cake/Desserts: Spinola’s Bake Shop

Videographer: Ballantyne Media

Honeymoon: Punta Cana, Dominican Republic 

Photographer: Jenna Hidinger Photography

Second Photographer: Sara Dinwiddie

Nikki H: Mellon Park & Phipp's Conservatory Senior Photos

How is this for real?

Nikki, my little sister & youngest sibling, is a senior graduating as a part of the class of 2017. For years, Nikki has been my go-to test model, easily bribed by a quick Sheetz run for a milkshake and french fries. But this time, there was no bribing needed (actually, I got paid in ice cream, an offer only available to siblings and immediate family members ;) ). I took her to a few of my favorite prettiest spots and as expected, all of the years of using her as my test model paid off. She was a total pro and super natural in front of my camera! I'm so excited for you, Nikki, and proud of how much you continue to grow!

One Thing More Important Than Your Wedding Day (And Why I Love Weddings)

Every girl dreams of her wedding day. Disney movies, romantic comedies, and Nicholas Sparks novels set expectations in our minds for what a path to marriage (and even what a wedding day) should look like. But you know what’s so much more important than a wedding day? A marriage.

I used to love weddings. Well, I still love weddings. But now, as someone who’s married, I love weddings for a different reason. I used to love weddings for superficial reasons – for the details, the flowers, the centerpieces, the wedding dress, the venue, and even for the photo locations (don’t get me wrong, I still love all of those things, too!).

But now, when I start talking with a bride about her wedding day, instead of immediately asking for the details – I ask about the couple. I want to know the story that led to that monumental moment where the two will make a commitment to trust, love, respect, and honor each other for all the days of their lives. I want to hear what they love to do together, how they met, what he loves most about her, and so on. I want to celebrate them, because, let’s face it – getting to that point can be difficult. Choosing to love someone can be challenging sometimes – because really, after you get married, you realize that loving your spouse is a choice.

I’ve only been married for close to a year now, and don’t get me wrong – I absolutely LOVE my crazy extroverted redheaded husband – he’s my best friend and the love of my life! But sometimes, loving him day-to-day isn’t easy, especially when I let my own selfish desires overshadow what’s best for us as a couple again and again. I would’ve never been able to realize this if we hadn’t had so many wonderful married people pouring into and investing in our relationship. “We all need someone who inspires us to do better than we know how.” (Anonymous). And how much more important is it to have people in your life who can lead you in the right direction in a relationship that (should, God-willing) span the entirety of your life!

So really, when it comes down to it, my love for weddings is a bi-product of my love (and passion) for marriage. There’s so much more to a wedding day than the wedding itself. Whatever I can do to uplift, encourage, and serve people on the journey towards marriage is EXACTLY what I want to be doing. Because marriage rocks.

Three Steps to a Fun and Stress Free Wedding Day from a Cranberry Wedding Photographer

There’s no doubt that your wedding day is one of the best days of your life (I can personally attest!). I remember hearing a lot of couples tell me this while I was planning my own wedding – and don’t get me wrong, while I loved crafting and planning the details of the day I married my best friend, I often felt flustered by the amount of time I was putting into making the wedding of my dreams, which lived in my head, a reality. I constantly worried that I would be running around like a maniac on the day of my wedding, ordering people around and trying to keep family, friends, and vendors on track. But boy, was I wrong. The day of my wedding, I felt relaxed and at ease, knowing that I had done everything I could’ve beforehand to help those involved know what was happening the day of (and more importantly, that it was all in God’s hands!). In lieu of this, here are my top three tips for having a fun and stress free wedding day:

1.     Be prepared.

Remember in high school (or college) when one of your classmates showed up to a big presentation without anything planned? Of course, they didn’t have to necessarily say they hadn’t prepared anything, but it was easy to tell from their body language, slow speech, and general lack of enthusiasm. The same is true for your wedding day. Showing up unprepared, i.e., without a pre-thought-out timeline, can make any wedding day more stressful. When friends, family members, and vendors don’t know where they’re supposed to be or what they’re supposed to be doing (except for a general ceremony/reception start/end time), things can get chaotic. Flowers arrive at the wrong location, limo drivers take the entire bridal party to the wrong church, the bride is late, and family members wander off before the photographer can snap family formals (yes, all of these have happened at weddings I’ve photographed!). It’s important to make sure everyone is on the same page (and timeline) for the day of the wedding so that the bride doesn’t have to be in charge, since all of the information is only in her head. Share the timeline love with those around you so they can help keep track of time and know what’s happening during the day, too!

2.     Leave a LOT of buffer time.

There’s a big difference between regular time and wedding time (something one of my favorite photographers, Mary Marantz, often says). Something will run behind on a wedding day. Someone will forget something, lose something, take longer to do something than expected and then the whole day falls behind schedule. It could be something as simple as bridesmaid forgetting her dress at the getting ready location to something as crazy as the limo driver taking the bridal party to the wrong church (I know I said this one before – I just can’t believe it actually happened!). There are a lot of events that happen during a wedding day that sometimes aren’t factored into the timeline, including bustling the dress, having a post-ceremony receiving line, and setting up the bridal party and family members for the grand entrance. In addition, did you know that limos and party buses have to drive a certain number of miles below the speed limit? Many large moving vehicles that carry people are restricted to certain routes, leaving them unable to travel on busy and bustling roadways, which can result in delays and slower travel times. So what’s the quick fix? Schedule a 5 or 10 minute buffer between every event happening at your wedding. Leave time for Great Aunt Sally to pull you aside for a picture, or for the cousins who you haven’t seen in years to give you hugs. Those are the moments that should happen on a wedding day, and it’s a shame to miss out on them because of a cramped timeline.

3.     Let other people help you.

 It’s no secret that wedding planning is not for the faint of heart. From keeping track of deposits to crafting the perfect centerpieces, there are so many details that go into a single wedding day – which is why you absolutely cannot try to plan alone. I made this mistake early on in the wedding planning process. Even though my husband, bridal party, and parents were more than willing to help me with contacting vendors, organizing lists, and creating a timelines, I often felt the need to take the reigns in order to “release them” of responsibility. I felt guilty for asking for their help, since I knew they were all busy as it was. But here’s the thing: they wanted to help, and who was I to deny them? Who was I to tell them what they could or couldn’t fit into their schedules? We make time for the things we love and for the things we want to do. Don’t be silly like me - if you have an army of people willing to help you, let them help you. Because if the roles were reversed, I’m sure you would do the same exact thing for them. And if no one has offered to help, don’t be afraid to ask. Many people are just waiting for an opportunity!

In addition to letting those close to you help you, don’t forget to let your vendors help you! Many vendors have years of experience and have seen what does and doesn’t work on a wedding day. Never hesitate to reach out to your DJ, photographer, florist, makeup artist, or caterer with a question. Take it from me – they want to help. As a photographer, I LOVE when brides ask me to help them make the perfect timeline, because usually it means they really truly care about taking the time to create awesome photos on their wedding day, which REALLY gets me pumped up! I’m sure the same is true for all of the other vendors, too. Many of us got into weddings because we love what we do, and we want to help you get the most out of whatever product or service we’re offering.

Have a tip of your own for navigating towards a stress-free wedding day? Leave it in the comments section below, I’d love to hear! And happy wedding planning!

Lindsay + Jimmy: Mayernik Center (Pittsburgh) Wedding Photographer

There are so many things that have made this wedding near and dear to my heart. When we (Nick [my husband] and I) met with these two to discuss their wedding day timeline a few weeks before their wedding, we could tell just how excited they really were not just for the wedding day - but for their marriage to begin! It always warms my heart to see couples who are focused on what truly matters and what lasts. While the flowers, details, and cake are only their for a day, your significant other is with you forever. The commitment that's being made is so much more important than the perfect timeline or even the most gorgeous dress, and while Lindsay and Jimmy's wedding was gorgeous, what really excited us about photographing their wedding were their love for each other and for their Savior!

We started off the day with Lindsay at the couple's brand NEW house! They hadn't officially moved in yet (which means no furniture), so we were able to use the gorgeous light in their soon-to-be living room for lots of the getting ready shots - score! Along with a heartfelt ceremony at Crossroads United Methodist Church, the couple celebrated at the Mayernik Center at the Avonworth Community Park. Between the ceremony and reception, we stopped over at Robert Morris University's Massey Gardens (taking photos in any kind of garden is my favorite!) to commemorate the place where they first met and fell in love. Ah, those sweet, small details made all of the difference in a wedding day story! And now - I'll let the photos speak the details of this story themselves. We love you guys and are so excited to see where God leads you in your marriage!

Ceremony: Crossroads United Methodist Church (Main Campus)

Reception: Mayernik Center in Avonworth Park

Photo Location: Massey Gardens at Robert Morris University

DJ: Lethal DJ Services

Catering: Monteverde Catering

Cupcakes: Fabulous Homemade Cookies (especially the oreo truffles ;) )

Videographer: Nick Sasala of Jenna Hidinger Photography, assistance by Alisha Sasala

Photographer: Jenna Sasala of Jenna Hidinger Photography

Second Photographer: Sara Dinwiddie of Sara Lynn Photography

Sara + Kevin: Pittsburgh Proposal Photographer

I think there's a rule that when one of your best friends gets engaged, your allowed to overshare. Especially if you're the one who photographed the proposal!

Anyways, one of my best friends got engaged to her best friend nearly a WEEK ago! My, how time flies quickly. I remember the night Kevin messaged me a couple of months ago to tell me he wanted to propose to Sara - I started screaming and jumping up and down (true story), while Nick tried to calm me down to ask what was going on. I'll never forget it.. and neither will our neighbors! ;) 

Kevin proposed on the day of their two year anniversary. He took Sara through a replica of their first date - dinner at Bocktown and then for a walk around a mountainous area behind the Robinson shops. Little did Sara know, Kevin had gathered some of their closest friends and family, who were hiding around a corner, ready to surprise her after he popped the question! Sara, being a photographer herself (it's always such an honor to take photographs for a photographer!), was gracious enough to let me take a couple of minutes to get some portraits of them with the beautiful surrounding scenery, and then we were all off to Industry Public House for some out-of-this-world appetizers and a full out celebration. It was beautiful, and I couldn't be happier for these two as they start planning the rest of their lives together! Below are some of my favorite moments from the evening! We love you both!

Also - Sara is an amazing fashion photographer! Check out some of her work here.

Creating Memories: A Look at Walt Disney from a Cranberry Photographer

"That's the real trouble with the world, too many people grow up." - Walt Disney

For those of you who don't know me very well, I'm a huge Disney fan - not just of the cartoon movies, the theme parks (check out the photo to the right of my husband and I on one of our favorite Disney rides on our honeymoon this past August!), or the magic (though all of that is great too) - but of the man himself, Walt Disney. I admire his optimism, willingness to be flexible and think of the impossible in the midst of uncertainty, along with his desire to improve the lives of his family, his friends, and his world. In Walt's day, theme parks were dirty, unsafe, and not very entertaining for parents carting their children from one ride to the next. One day while he was sitting on a bench inside one of those filthy amusement parks, he began dreaming of a place where children and parents alike could enjoy a day of fun together in a clean, safe environment. A super amusement park, if you will - something that had never been done before in his time. Sure enough, his vision quickly caught fire with the opening of his first theme park, "Walt Disney Land" in California, and later with "Walt Disney World" in Florida.

We believe that family photos can, and should be fun. 

Gone are the days of dressing your family in white polos and khakis, driving to the nearest studio and holding awkward positions under studio lights, while your kids fidget and cry for it to be over. Family photos are an experience, and much like Disney with his theme parks, we want to create a safe place where your family can create memories. After all, we're not just in the business of capturing memories - we're in the business of creating them. Whether it's tickling your kids while they squirm in your arms, going for a walk, blowing bubbles or splashing around in a fountain - we're in pursuit of fun. And I'm sure that those we've photographed will agree - the unposed, unexpected, not-so-perfect photos that are full of emotion and life are just as, if not more precious than the perfectly posed ones. 

Brandon L: North Shore Pittsburgh Senior Photographer

Brandon, a 2016 Seneca Valley graduate and true Pittsburgher, had his senior session around the North Shore. We walked around outside of PNC Park and snapped some shots with some of his baseball gear. Congratulations on graduating, Brandon!

Garland Family: Cranberry Township Family Photographer

I was honored to spend a beautiful Saturday morning with this adorable family at Cranberry Township Community Park a few weeks back. These fun family photos included a bubble machine, matching mother-daughter flower crowns, and lots of laughs! Here are a couple of my favorites from their session!

Alaina + Alan: Phipp's Conservatory & Botanical Gardens Wedding Photographer

Alaina & Alan's secret garden inspired wedding took place at the perfect venue for a garden themed wedding - Phipp's Conservatory & Botanical Gardens in Oakland, PA. These glamorous garden nuptials began with a little bit of rain (let's be honest - a bit of a torrential downpour!) but the skies parted and the sun came out (literally) as Alaina & Alan had their first kiss as husband and wife. We couldn't have asked for a more beautiful couple, bridal party, & family to spend the day with! 

Vendors:

Ceremony & Reception Venue: Phipp's Conservatory

Officiant: Reverend Thomas Bellhy of New Hope Church

Guest Accommodations: Hampton Inn University/Medical Center

Bridal Party Getting Ready Venue: Hilton Garden Inn University Place

Florist: Sisty Wasler

DJ: Brooks Roy of ProStream Productions

Cake: Bethel Bakery

Gown: Bridal Beginnings

Makeup/Hair: Bari Medgaus, GQ Stylist

Photography: Jenna Hidinger Photography