Rebecca + Dave: Oakmont Riverside Landing Wedding Photographer

Becca and Dave have been together for years, and finally tied the knot at the beginning of August! You might remember their engagement session from last fall (link here) at Northmoreland Park. Their love for each other made my job insanely easy!

We started off the day at Becca's childhood home in Lower Burrell, where Becca and Dave exchanged letters written to each other. From there, we traveled to St. Margaret Mary Church, and then onto Riverside Landings Banquet Hall to celebrate! We were even able to sneak these two out during the reception for an epic night smoke shot! Congratulations to you both on your new adventure, Becca and Dave!

Ceremony Venue: St. Margaret Mary Church

Reception Venue: Riverside Landings Banquet Hall

Bride’s Dress: David’s Bridal Designed by Oleg Cassini

Bride’s Shoes: Loly in The Sky, Purchased from Modcloth

Bridesmaid Dresses: David’s Bridal

Hair: Elyse Kramer (Friend of bride but not related ironically)

Makeup: Elyse Kramer

Tuxes: Men’s Warehouse

Band/DJ: Kelli Burns Entertainment: DJ Jonny Hartwell

Flowers: Leechburg Floral

Caterer: Phaturos A1 Catering

Cake/Desserts: Studecakers Cupcakes

Honeymoon: Waldorf Astoria in Park City Utah

Pittsburgh Wedding Photographer: Jenna Hidinger Photography

Baby E: Maternity Photography at Dundee Farm in Sewickley

We loved hanging out with this beautiful mother-to-be, her husband, and their sweet pup at Dundee Farm - one of my favorite hidden gems of a location! Baby E is a princess already with her beautiful crown, and is so loved.

Jessi S: Hartwood Acres Mansion Senior Photographer

Jessi is such a sweetheart! We took her senior photos literally days before she had her last first day of high school - ever - at one of my favorite places - Hartwood Acres Mansion! Congratulations on your senior year, Jessi!

Gail + Jake: North Park Engagement Photographer

What a sweet love these two have! We met up with Gail and Jake for their engagement session a few weeks ago at North Park. They were willing to sit in weeds, climb fences, and lay on the ground just to get some awesome photos (you guys are troopers!!). Though, we did end the session with a cup of raspberry twist ice cream, which hopefully made up for all of the crazy locations ;)

Fun random fact about these two: Jake grows sunflowers in his yard for Gail, hence the sunflower used in a few of the photos below. They also plan on having sunflowers at their wedding! I love those sweet little details. Congratulations again to an incredibly sweet couple!

Alyssa H: Babcock Stables Senior Photographer

I've said it before and I'll say it again - I LOVE when seniors get creative with their portrait location! Alyssa barrel races with her horse, Slammer, who lives at Babcock Stables in Gibsonia. She's been horse back riding for almost her entire life (and grew up in Texas), so it was only fitting to have her session at a barn. We loved hanging out with Alyssa and Slammer on this gorgeous summer evening - check out a few of our favorites below! Congratulations on all of your hard work, Alyssa!

Katie + Todd: Point State Park Engagement Photographer

We had so much fun during this session! No session that starts with ice cream could ever not be fun. We made our way from a little ice cream shop over to Point State Park, with a couple of stops in between. Near the end of the session, Kate & Todd even popped a bottle of champagne to celebrate (the reaction photo is priceless!). Also - it's definitely worth mentioning that Kate's ring is killer (see photo below)! It looks like something out of "The Great Gatsby" - so classy! Congratulations on your engagement, Kate & Todd! We wish all of the best for you two!

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!