Amy + Mike: Phipp's Conservatory Engagement

Everyone knows a couple who seem to be made for each other in every way. The chemistry is undeniable. Their love is contagious - Amy and Mike are one of those couples! I met up with these two at Phipp's Conservatory, where I heard all about Amy and Mike's love for Olive Garden breadsticks, Bravo, Rita's, and minions (ummmm, does it get much better than that?!)! We spent time walking around Phipp's and Schenley Park and caught some beautiful light during golden hour.

While we were walking, we came across a little cafe with tables and chairs - which I knew immediately we had to use, because one of Mike and Amy's favorite things to do together is to go out to eat (no wonder we connected so well! ;) ). I love finding ways to make slight nods to a couple's hobbies, loves, and interests! Without further ado, enjoy a few of my favorite images from Amy and Mike's Pittsburgh summer engagement session!

Meet Baby Violet: Emsworth Family Photographer

I had the privilege of visiting Miss Violet and her family just a few short weeks ago to document a little day in her life! This sweet little lady was born prematurely and with a few complications, but now she's over a month old and capturing everyone's hearts with her sweet smile and personality!

For Violet's session, we used a little inspiration from baby Emerson's newborn session (see it here!). We used quite a few different set ups in Violet's family's home, including the most beautiful little porch with the most beautiful windows. Caroline, Violet's mom, even had some different flowers and props set up and ready to go so we could easily jump from one spot to the next. I loved spending the day with this sweet family, and I hope you enjoy some of my favorite photos from their in-home session!

Abby & Ollie: The Inn at Stonecliffe (Mackinac Island) Wedding Photos

I think I went a little crazy with the number of photos I included from this wedding in this blog post, but I won't apologize! This wedding was so near and dear to my heart in so many ways. For one, I remember when Abby and Ollie started dating (we all attended the same middle school AND high school!) quite a number of years ago. Their personalities, ambitions, and values seemed to fit together seamlessly right from the start.

Then, a little over two years ago, I photographed their proposal AND engagement session (see it here!), and shortly thereafter, Abby asked if I would travel with them to Mackinac Island, Michigan to photograph the day they had waited years for. To say I was honored would be an understatement! Photographing someone's wedding is a huge honor, but being asked to travel nine hours to an island in Northern Michigan to photograph for my first destination wedding was a whole 'nother story!

So, two years after their engagement session, we traveled by car, ferry, and horse drawn carriage (no cars are allowed on the island!) to the beautifully quaint Inn at Stonecliffe on Mackinac Island - set two miles back into the island, away from the hustle and bustle of the main town. After spending the first few hours repeating over and over "I can't believe we're here!" to my husband, who joined me for the trip, we settled in for our first night in the mansion.

The next day (the day before the wedding), we photographed a day-before session (see it here!) on the coast of Mackinac because - why not?! When in Mackinac, you take all of the photos you can!

And finally it arrived - the wedding day. We began the day by photographing Abby's bridal details, moved on to a first look, then portraits around the Stonecliffe property, and then finally, the ceremony, which took place slightly overlooking the Mackinac bridge (which, fun fact, is 5 miles long). At the reception, Abby and Ollie incorporated some Mackinac favorites into their details - Mackinac Island is known for its fudge (they have nearly 15 fudge shops there!), so guests were treated to a box of fudge as a favor! Later that evening, we pulled the bride & groom out and stole a tandem bike (bikes are the main form of transportation on the island) to incorporate into their portraits. And then the evening ended with the most picturesque sunset!

This is a special one, and I think you'll be able to see why in the photos below. The love and joy these two have for each other radiated throughout their entire day, and I'm sure will continue to radiate throughout their married years together. Thank you for giving us the honor of photographing this day for you, Abby and Ollie! We love you guys!

Vendors:

Ceremony/Reception: The Inn at Stonecliffe

Hair/Makeup: Vintage Glam on Market

Florist: Weber's Floral & Gifts

Videographer: Scultped Films

Mackinac Island Wedding Photographer: Jenna Hidinger Photography

Lessons I Learned From Photographing My First Wedding

I used to look at wedding photographers and think they had the best, easiest job in the world. They show up, take some photos of some stuff that’s happening, go home, and send the files to their clients ba-da-bing, ba-da-boom – job done, with a couple hundred (or thousand) dollars in the bank!

Then, I photographed my first wedding.

I had no idea what the going rate was for wedding photography, so I charged a few hundred dollars, and when my first couple signed and sent in their contract, I felt great! “Easy money,” I thought to myself. “Now I can just focus on being creative!” I wish that was the only thing I had to think about.

In the few months leading up to my first wedding, I quickly realized that there were so many things I wasn’t prepared for. Did I have the right gear? How was I going to light a dark reception space? How was I going to know what was happening throughout the day and where to be? Was I going to have time to pee?!

I quickly started to realize that I was in way over my head – so I started doing everything I possibly could to prepare myself! I rented gear, contacted the bride for additional information about the day, told myself that I didn’t need to drink water on the wedding day (I’m pretty sure I was dehydrated that day). A few problems arose in my panicked state:

• I rented some “nice” gear, but I had no idea how to use it
• I rented a camera that took CF cards instead of SD cards and found myself having to purchase enough memory to hold a wedding from Best Buy the day before the wedding (I didn’t even know CF cards existed before that!)
• From everything that I had purchased and rented, I found that I actually lost a significant amount of money trying to be prepared

So, for anyone out there who might be interested in getting into wedding photography – I am SO excited for you!! Photographing weddings is so much fun – sometimes stressful – but being able to love on and encourage people through one of the best days of their lives (while photographing emotion and beautiful details) makes my job SO worth it! Here are a few lessons I learned from photographing my first wedding – take from this list what you feel will help YOU!

1.  Know your gear inside and out.

One of the worst things for me about that first wedding was how little I knew about my gear. I was used to shooting on one camera, but switched over to another more intricate camera for the wedding day without having much time to practice with it. What was the result? Me, fumbling around with my gear for the entire day instead of focusing on loving and serving my couple.

2.  Know how much it’s actually going to cost to photograph the wedding.

What are your expenses? Is there an extra piece of gear you need to purchase or rent in order to complete the job? Will you need to pay someone else to second shoot with you, or an assistant to help carry your bags? Will you be taking any toll roads to get to the venue?

3.  Clarify the terms of the agreement beforehand.

A few questions to ask yourself might be: How many hours of coverage will your couple be receiving? How many digital files (or print products) can they expect to receive as a result? Will you be editing the files? How will you be sending the files to your clients?

4.  Get all of the information you need beforehand so you don’t have to bother the bride the day of the wedding.

When you know what’s going on the day of the wedding, you can create a game plan to make sure you have enough time to get all of the important and requested photos. Being prepared is KEY!

5.  Drink some water and eat some food throughout the day – seriously!

This one might be just me, but at that first wedding – I didn’t eat or drink anything all day. In fact, my second shooter (who’s now my husband) literally had to force the camera out of my hand and hide it from me so I would sit down and eat something (because really, no guests want photos taken of them while they’re eating). It’s okay (and necessary) to take a little break when you’ve been shooting for 8 to 10 hours!

And above all – enjoy it, and go with the flow! Know that your job is so important, not only because you’re capturing what moments will be remembered for years and generations to come – you’re also capturing how they will be remembered. And that, my friends, is what makes this job such a special & unique one.

Andddddd in the spirit of transparency, I wanted to share a few images from the first wedding I ever photographed as the primary photographer four years ago (complete with my old crazy watermark and everything!)! I have to give a HUGE shout out to my first couple who trusted me to photograph their day - I can't thank you two enough for trusting me to photograph your day, especially when i was just starting out! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

Abby & Ollie: Mackinac Island Engagement Photos

I am so excited because today I'm sharing a little peek Abby and Ollie's wedding weekend on Mackinac Island in Michigan! I loved having the opportunity to photograph these two the day before their wedding on the shores of Mackinac. We traveled from The Inn at Stonecliffe (about two miles back into the island) by horse and buggy (this island is the coolest!!) to find the perfect spot along the coast. And on top of that - the midday light even cooperated so it wasn't too, too bright! I'm so excited to share more from their beautiful wedding weekend, but for now - here's a little peek into their day-before session!

The Peters Family: Pittsburgh Family Photography

I don't take many newborn sessions, which made this one all the sweeter and more special! Brooklyn was just over one week new when I visited her family to document one of her first few days in the world - and what an honor it was! Congratulations on your sweet new baby girl, Peters family!

Why I Can't Define Myself as a Photographer

When you first meet someone, what's one of the first questions you ask them? You might ask for their name, and then possibly what they do for a living. I recently started reading a book called "The i-Factor" by Van Moody, and it's completely changed the way I think about my identity.

I've found that so often we forget that we are more than the sum of our parts. I might define myself as a photographer, but I'm not defined by what I do. I'm learning that if I tie what I do too closely to who I am, I lose myself. And if what I do for a living ever changes - I'm in for a MAJOR life crisis. 

“I’m not defined by what I do. If I tie what I do too closely to who I am, I lose myself.”

I'm learning that I'm not just "Jenna the photographer." I'm Jenna - an encourager, someone who looks for the best in people, and someone who cares deeply about helping others feel loved. Those things won't change, and they can be carried with me into whatever I do.

Now - don't get the wrong idea here, I have absolutely NO intentions of quitting photography. In fact - just the opposite. I recently left my part-time job to pursue this crazy dream full time! But in that decision came fear - fear of losing part of who I was because I was giving up something I love almost as much as photography. But really - knowing who I am and defining myself apart from what I do is one of the first steps towards having the confidence to succeed!

I share this in hope to encourage anyone else who's chasing a dream out there, however big or small, and however far along in the process you are. Whatever you chase, be careful to define yourself by your "who" - then your "what" will fall into place.

Rachel + Paul: Lingrow Farms Wedding Photography

If you follow along with the blog, you might remember Rachel and Paul from their summer engagement photos at Grove City College (if you haven't seen them, check them out here!). Their wedding day was indescribably beautiful, full of love and gorgeous details, and SO focused on their lifelong commitment of marriage. Their laid back attitudes and true love for their friends, family, and each other, radiated throughout their day and truly made us feel like part of the family!

Rachel and Paul's entire wedding day took place at Lingrow Farms in Leechburg, PA on a day that could've been a complete rain out! However - right as the ceremony began, the skies parted and the rain clouds disappeared into a perfect day! And just wait til you see Rachel's dress - it's from the Disney Princess line from Alfred Angelo. (A Disney fan's dream come true!!)

One of my favorite parts of Rachel and Paul's entire day were the toasts. The maid of honor, best man, and father of the bride wrote such heartfelt, funny, sincere words that made me love these two even more, and gave even more of a glimpse into their sincere love for one another. You might even see the best man (the bride's brother) standing on the head table in some of the shots below!

Rachel and Paul - it was a blessing to take these photos for you! Thank you for treating us not just as wedding vendors, but as friends! We love you both and pray all the best for your marriage as you begin your lives together as husband and wife!

Pittsburgh Wedding Vendors: 

Ceremony & Reception Venue: Lingrow Farm

Bride's Dress: Alfred Angelo Bridal  

Catering: Twisted Thistle

Cake: Oakmont Bakery 

Flowers: The Johnston House

Hair: The Salon at Saxonburg

Bridesmaid Dresses: AZAZIE  

Bride's Shoes: Badgley Mischka

Videographer: Robert Stanik

Pittsburgh Wedding Photographer: Jenna Hidinger Photography

To Bring or to not Bring Your Camera?

Did you know that there is such a thing as a "photo-taking impairment effect?" I recently read some research by Linda Henkle, a psychology professor at Fairfield University, suggesting that taking photos of something can actually impair you from remembering said event - which, as a wedding photographer, really surprised me.

But then, at my next wedding, I paid attention to guests and family members at the wedding and recognized so many people who were essentially living through their camera phones - recording a toast, but watching it through their phone. Ready to take a photo of the first kiss, and watching it through their phone instead of being present and active in the moment they were in. Ever since then, watching a mother of the bride, bridesmaid, grandfather, friend, or whoever else watching a wedding day unfold through their phone has made me rethink the importance of my job. I realized then that as a wedding photographer, I get to help other people actually LIVE in the moment, and STILL get to remember it later - which is such a beautiful way to serve people!

“Are you more concerned with taking photos, or are you spending your time making memories and being present in whatever you’re doing?”

And of course, this applies to more than just wedding photography. Parents - having photos of your kids is so important, but being there for them and engaged in whatever they're doing, encouraging them along the way, is even MORE important. Kids will remember how present you were... or how distracted you were by your phone.

The same goes for anyone, really - on vacation, are you more concerned with taking photos to remember the trip, or are you spending the majority of your time actually making memories and being present in whatever you're doing?

I recently found myself photographing a beeeeeautiful destination wedding on Mackinac Island in Michigan, and while I was SO excited to take photos of my beautiful couple in such a stunning location, I found myself hesitant to bring my camera with me on my off-day. Typically, if I'm in a new place for the first time, I LOVE to document what I see so I can remember and share it. But my husband said an off -the-cuff comment as we were getting ready to head into town that made me rethink my packing list for the day: "I just want to be present with you today." WHOA. Right then and there, I was reminded of all of the moments I've missed because I was too busy hiding behind my camera. So, hesitantly, I pulled my camera out of my bag and left it sitting on a chair in our hotel room. And let me tell you - that day spent fully present with my husband was one of the BEST gifts I could've given to our marriage. We laughed, we walked, and we soaked in that time together, being fully present with each other and with our surroundings.

I'm no expert (I mean, I'm still a photographer to my core!), but I want to challenge you to do the same.

If you're a guest, friend, bridesmaid, groomsman, or family member at a wedding, my suggestion is to allow yourself to enjoy it - fully - without a phone in hand. Wherever you go, even if you bring your camera or your phone or whatever you use to document our life, be sure to take the time to actually live those moments. Be a part of those memories. Laugh, cry, shout, clap, and take the time to take it all in ❤️

Kathryn + Chase: Allegheny County Courthouse Wedding

Kathryn and Chase's Allegheny Courthouse wedding in Pittsburgh, PA was EPIC! (I tried to come up with a more eloquent word, but really, epic just describes the day as a whole!). Kathryn and Chase kicked off their day by getting ready at the Renaissance Hotel Pittsburgh with their wedding party and family members. Kathryn's bridal suite was a DREAM, and so many of the details and accessories found in her room matched her bridal accessories, which made for so many interesting and unique detail photos (one of my favorite parts of the day!). Not to mention, the couple's grandmother handmade all of the bouquets, boutonnières, and flower arrangements seen in all of the photos below. Talk about a great connection!

Kathryn and Chase then had a first look in front of the hotel right next to the Roberto Clemente Bridge. From there, we traveled over to the Allegheny Commons Courthouse (Kathryn works in law, which made the venue a perfect choice) where these two had their ceremony and open-sky reception (one of the first wedding receptions ever at the courthouse!). One of my favorite parts of Kathryn and Chase's entire wedding day was how they incorporated their sweet pup and best friend, Cola, throughout the day! Cola had a pink bow collar purchased to match the blush and neutral color scheme, walked in with Chase at the ceremony (and sat quietly throughout the entire service - which completely blew my mind, because my dog would've done the complete opposite!), and even had a BIRTHDAY CAKE that sat right alongside the couple's wedding cake! Seriously one of the most adorable things, ever.

The couple's favors included beverages from Chase's family's company and guests were treated to a snack from the Franktuary Hot Dog Truck while leaving. I am so excited to share the images from Kathryn and Chase's beautiful day (as you might be able to tell from this incredibly lengthy blog post!!). Congratulations on your marriage, Kathryn and Chase!

[A huge thanks to my incredible second shooter for this wedding, Sara Dinwiddie of Sara Lynn Photography!]

Vendors:

Bride's Dress: Maggie Sottero from Exquisite Bride

Bride's Shoes: Tahari

Bridesmaid Dresses: Bill Levkoff

Hair: Metamorphosis

Makeup: Erin Zaborowski

Suits: Tommy Hilfiger

Getting Ready: Renaissance Hotel Pittsburgh

DJ: DJ Colt

Flowers: Springdale Florist

Caterer: Big Burrito

Cake/Dresses: Bella Christie and Lil Z's Sweet Boutique

Food Truck: Franktuary Hot Dog Truck

Photographer: Jenna Hidinger Photography

Second Shooting/Assisting: Sara Lynn Photography (Sara Dinwiddie)