Catherine + Aaron: New Year's Eve Wedding Photographer

There's nothing quite like a New Year's Eve wedding, and Catherine and Aaron's date wasn't randomly chosen. These two met 6 years ago on New Year's Eve and tied the knot exactly six years later in the church where Catherine's late maternal grandma was baptized. Catherine wore her paternal grandma's rings for the ceremony as a sweet sentiment, and had plenty of meaningful (and beautiful) details planned throughout the wedding day! Photographing these two in Ridgeway, PA was a joy and I'm so excited for them as they begin their adventure as husband and wife! Congrats, Catherine and Aaron!

Becca + Frank: Cathedral of Learning Engagement Session

There's something about freezing winter temperatures that make a shoot feel all the cozier! Becca and Frank's Pittsburgh engagement session started off inside the Cathedral of Learning, then gradually moved outside to the Mellon Institute (where they dealt with the cold like champs!). These two were so natural in front of the camera - I could've photographed them all day! They talked, laughed, and just enjoyed each other (plus, Frank is awesome at what I like to call the "tackle hug," which you will see below :) ). I loved working with these two and couldn't be more excited to photograph their wedding in 2017!

Ana S: The Strip District Pittsburgh Senior Photos

Ana's senior session marks my coldest session EVER in my Pittsburgh senior photography career.

The morning of Ana's senior session, I woke up, immediately pulled out my phone, and looked at the temperature. One degree. That's right folks, one degree Fahrenheit! By the time we reached our location in the Strip District, the temperature had risen to a balmy 6 degrees. But man, were we ready! We started off Ana's session at 21st Street Coffee & Tea, then moved outdoors, taking periodic breaks to warm up. I have to be honest, I'm SUPER impressed with Ana. She never complained about the cold - not once - and still managed to look amazing in these photos! With all of the textures and backdrops available in the Strip, we were able to get some urban-city photos to commemorate Ana's love of the city, and specifically the Strip District, a part of Pittsburgh she's been visiting for all of her life! And of course, we ended the shoot at Pennsylvania Macaroni Co., a place I had never visited before Ana's session, but now love! Congratulations on your last year of school, Ana!

How Do I Clean My Engagement Ring at Home?

The morning after I got engaged, I remember going for a run and being distracted by my new glittering engagement ring. I also remember wondering how long the shine would last – and the answer, of course, was not very long! Within a few weeks, I noticed my ring wasn’t sparkling quite so brightly and needed a bit of a cleaning. If you’re a do-it-yourself person like me, you might be wondering if there is a way to clean your engagement ring at home. And lucky for you, there is! Here are the steps to safely cleaning your engagement ring on your own time:

1.     Fill a cup or bowl with warm water.

2.     Add a few drops of dish soap.

3.     Soak for 5 minutes.

4.     Scrub gently with an unused toothbrush.

5.     Rinse the ring in warm water.

6.     Use a soft cloth to wipe dry.

7.     Repeat every six or so weeks.

And voila – your ring is back to distracting you on your morning run! Have a tip for cleaning an engagement ring at home? Leave it in the comments below! 

2016 Best of Engagements: Pittsburgh Wedding Photographers

Engagement sessions are my favorite way to get to know my couples. This year, so many of my couples had such unique ideas for incorporating their personalities into their sessions! Check out some of my favorite engagement photos from this year below:

Best Wedding Desserts 2016: Pittsburgh Wedding Photographers

If you follow any number of wedding photographers, you might've noticed a trend: wedding photographers love to put out a "best of" blog post at the end of the year, highlighting favorite photos of amazing couples, beautiful venues, stunning florals and personal details.  I LOVE "best of" blog posts, especially from other photographers, and as I was creating my annual "best of wedding photography" blog post, I came to a realization: I was including a TON of photos of dessert (what does this say about me? ;) ). Cakes, cookies (Pittsburgh cookie table, anyone?), candy, smores, pies - you name it, I love to photograph it. So in addition to an annual "best of wedding photos" blog post, I decided to create a "best of desserts, 2016" post highlighting all of the best cakes, cookie tables, and unique desserts my awesome couples incorporated into their weddings this year! ENJOY.

2016 Best of Weddings: Wedding Photographers Pittsburgh

It's such an incredible honor to be a wedding photographer in the city of Pittsburgh. Every year, I'm humbled by the amazing couples who put their trust in me to photograph one of the best days of their lives - I don't think I'll ever get over how honored I am to be a part of so many beautiful days! To each and every couple who has given me the privilege of photographing them this year: thank you, from the bottom of my heart. Without you, none of these photos would be possible. Thank you for the opportunity to love on and encourage you as you start (and continue) your journey together as husband and wife! And now, without further ado - here are some of my very favorite images from 2016!

Janelle + Josh: Historic Harmony Engagement Photographer

There are few places near the Cranberry Township area more beautiful than Historic Harmony close to Christmas! It was a treat to take Janelle and Josh's engagement photos in this quaint little town. We started off their Historic Harmony engagement photo session at Wunderbar Coffee Shop, and gradually worked our way outside (it was freezing, but they braved the Pittsburgh cold like champs! Would it be a Pittsburgh engagement session without a little cold/rain/snow/clouds?!). We even caught a little bit of snow just as we were wrapping up (literally 20 seconds worth!). We love these two and cannot wait for their wedding!

Jenna Hidinger Photography is a Pittsburgh Wedding Photographer located north of Pittsburgh, and serving surrounding areas who has a passion for marriage and for using photography as a method to encourage those around her.

Part 4: Questions to Ask Your Wedding Photographer {Answered}

Have you ever wondered what happens to your images after your wedding day? Or whether it's important for a photographer to bring back up equipment to a wedding? What happens if your photographer gets deathly ill on your wedding day?!

If you've ever pondered or stressed over any of these questions, today's segment is for you! If you're joining us for the first time, we're in the middle of a series where I answer common (and not-so-common) questions from popular (and not-so-popular) online articles about the JHP wedding photography experience! If you've missed any of the previous weeks, be sure to check out Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 to stay up to speed!

6: Do you have your files online just in case of a fire? Do you have backup equipment?

[Question taken and answered from this article.] 

Yes and yes. All final images from every wedding, engagement shoot, senior shoot, and family shoot are loaded onto an online backup cloud. In addition, I have two matching external hard drives (one of which resides in a fire-proof box) of all final images, just for good measure!

Backup equipment is a must for photographing weddings! Currently, JHP has four camera bodies (but we only use two on a wedding day – that’s right, we have two extra bodies just for backup!), plus a large variety of lenses and off camera lighting, all of which have near identical backups. I firmly believe that an accident on your wedding day with a piece of our equipment should not (and will not) affect the quality of your images!

7: Will I get HIGH resolution images in my final gallery?

[Question taken and answered from this article.] 

Ah yes, this can be a deceiving one. I’ve heard horror stories of couples who book with a photographer, receive their images back, and then, when they try to print them, realize all of the images are no larger than 4 x 6 inches. That might be great for an album, but you definitely can’t make beautiful canvas prints from low-resolution photos! All of my wedding packages include high-resolution files for large format printing. Plus – I would never make you order your prints through me! You paid for the files, and you should have the ability to take them wherever you would like.

8: Do you have backup photographers who will shoot the wedding if you’re sick?

[Question taken and answered from this article.] 

YES! This is exactly why I always bring a second photographer along with me. If something happens during your wedding day, I want to be able to trust that someone excellent can seamlessly take the reigns, regardless of what current events are unfolding.

Very recently, I was forced to leave a wedding early because of extreme back pain from a chronic injury (I was taken straight from the wedding to the ER!). My second shooter stepped in for the last couple hours of the event, and because I had trained him in the way I shoot, he was able to photograph the rest of the event without a hitch. It's so important for a photographer to have a backup plan in case of an emergency!

Use the comments section below to ask your own question, or email me directly at jhidingerphotography@gmail.com to have your wedding questions answered!

Taylor + Gannon: The Pennsylvanian Wedding Photographer

One of the best parts about being a Pittsburgh wedding photographer is having the opportunity to work with couples like Taylor and Gannon and having the opportunity to photograph weddings at pittsburgh wedding venues like the Hotel Monaco and the Pennyslvanian. Taylor and Gannon's wedding was FULL of gorgeous details and pure joy!

Way back when, I actually attended elementary school with Taylor, and now, my husband works at the same church as her parents. So, as you might've guessed, it was a huge honor to be photographing her and Gannon's wedding day! We started off the day at one of my favorite pittsburgh wedding venues - the Hotel Monaco. Themed after Pittsburgh, the Hotel Monaco is packed full of bright, beautiful details, including lots of yellow (one of Pittsburgh's signature colors) and lots of bird-themed decor (inspiration was taken from the Pittsburgh Aviary, another great Pittsburgh wedding venue). After detail shots, we made our way up to the rooftop of the Hotel Monaco for group photos (with the family pup, Digsby, of course!), and for a prayer between the bride and groom.

Both the ceremony and reception were held at the Pennsylvanian, one of the most beautiful Pittsburgh wedding venues I've ever had the privilege to photograph! Every wedding photographer has a bucket list of venues they dream of photographing a wedding at, and the Pennsylvanian just so happened to be one of mine before Taylor and Gannon asked me to be their photographer. Its Beaux-Arts style of architectural decoration makes it the perfect fairytale venue! Everything from the interior ballroom to the rotunda screams elegance and class, and I'm so honored to have been a part of this day! Congratulations again, Taylor and Gannon - I pray you have many happy years together!

Vendors:

Bride’s Dress: Maggie Sottero

Bride’s Shoes: Bella Belle

Bridesmaid Dresses: Dessy After Six

Hair: Sara Reichenbach

Makeup: ModelBride - Lori Dunn (Gannon’s aunt)

Tuxes: Vera Wang

Band/DJ: Chris Beeler from Rockin’ Bob’s

Flowers: Pisarcik Greenhouse and Flower Farm

Caterer: Rania’s Catering

Cake/Desserts: Rania’s Catering (cookies by family members)

Videographer: Gonzalez Videography