Morgan is one of the sweetest seniors I've had the privilege to photograph, and as a more personal touch, she lives with her family in the neighborhood I grew up in! We absolutely loved hanging out with her and her mom for her Historic Harmony senior session - congratulations on your last year of school, Morgan! You are the sweetest!
One of my goals for this year was to collect as many behind the scenes photos as possible throughout 2017 to share and I am SO excited because we have some real gems here! You'll see quite a few faces - lots of Nick, my husband, who second shoots about half of my weddings with me every year, along with Sara, Ashley, Alisha, and Nikki, who have been so helpful in second shooting and assisting with sessions in the 2017 season! I have to give a HUGE shout out to these sweet people (along with Kim, who isn't pictured but also helped me out a few times!) for their support of this business. It wouldn't be possible without you six and all of your help! I love you all. Without further ado, here are my favorite behind the scenes photos from the 2017 season!
This wedding is a killer venue combination - St. Bernard's Church in Mt. Lebanon paired with Phipp's Conservatory & Botanical Garden made for the most beautiful match for this true Pittsburgh wedding! As did Ashley and Rob, of course, who make such a sweet pair! Ashley and Rob actually found me through Ashley's mom, Elaine, who I used to serve weddings with at the Pittsburgh Marriott North in Cranberry Township! For someone to trust me with their child's wedding photos is a HUGE honor, and one I don't take likely, so first I have to thank my sweet friend Elaine for the opportunity to document this incredible wedding day, and to Ashley and Rob for trusting me with their photos!
Ashley and Rob had a sweet, emotional first look, which allowed them to see each other and talk before the ceremony (first looks are always one of my favorite parts of a wedding day!). After a beautiful ceremony at St. Bernard's we headed right over to Phipp's Conservatory to catch the last of the evening light before cocktail hour and a reception with a classic Pittsburgh cookie table! Congratulations on your wedding and on your marriage, Ashley and Rob! Here's to many more years of happiness!
Vendors:
Ceremony: St. Bernard Catholic Church
Reception: Phipp's Conservatory & Botanical Gardens
Bride’s Dress: Maggie Sottero
Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka
Bridesmaid Dresses: Alfred Sung
Hair: Salon Vivace
Makeup: Salon Vivace
Tuxes: Jos. A. Bank
Band/DJ: 2nd II None
Flowers: Mt. Lebanon Floral Shop
Caterer: Sodexo Catering – Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
Cake/Desserts: Bella Christie and Lil Z's Sweet Boutique
Photographer: Jenna Hidinger Photography
Honeymoon: Italy & Germany
Oh my goodness, how I love these three! You might recognize Brianna and Brandon from their new home session!
I can't believe this is my very last Hartwood Acres session of the year! We had an absolutely gorgeous November day for Megan's senior photos - it didn't feel like November at all...
If you are a fan of Christmas time, Historic Harmony is THE place to be! Bakeries, gift shops, local food stores, restaurants, and cafes line the street of this little old German town - and during Christmas, it's even more magical! I was so excited when Carly and Nick opted for a "Christmas" engagement session in Historic Harmony and Lake Forest Gardens (a local tree farm!). What a perfect combination!! I am so excited to share these images and have so much love for this sweet couple!!!
These two epically celebrated their wedding by tying the knot in New York City surrounded by their closest friends and family, then came back to Pittsburgh to celebrate with extended family and even more friends! I was so honored to document part two of their wedding celebration in Pittsburgh at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in McCandless.
There were so many heartfelt details included in their wedding reception! My absolute FAVORITE thing about their reception was Victoria's surprise for her groom, Anthony. Anthony's friend from the Air Force was unable to make it to their NYC wedding, and as far as Anthony knew, unable to make it to their Pittsburgh Reception. But Victoria surprised Anthony by organizing a surprise homecoming - and his reaction was just the best!! It was a complete surprise - there was barely a dry eye in the room!
And of course, there's hardly a wedding that includes a dog in bridal portraits that I don't love!! Stella, Victoria's dog of nine years, made a guest appearance for photos, and she was just the sweetest thing.
Victoria and Anthony, it was an honor to photograph this reception for you! Thank you both for the incredible honor of capturing part two in your wedding story!
Vendors:
Reception Venue: Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church
Pittsburgh Wedding Photographer: Jenna Hidinger Photography
I have to give Morgan MAJOR props. The morning of her session, it was just about 16 degrees outside. To be honest, if it was me, I probably wouldn't have been able to be out in the cold that long, but Morgan was such a trooper!! Not only did she rock her chilly session, but she did so with a smile the entire time! Lucky for us, the restrooms at Hartwood were toasty during her session - so we took a couple of close up headshot style photos in there while Morgan was warming up - haha!! That is definitely one of my all-time favorite senior photo memories! (Also, the last photo in this blog post is from our bathroom break! ;) ) Thank you so much for being such a trooper, Morgan! You are a champ - congratulations on your last year of school!
Where to begin with these two?! I am beyond thankful for the time I was able to spend with Becca and Frank on their wedding day in October! They had one of the most BEAUTIFUL fall days of the entire year, and without a doubt, the bright sun matched their joyful love to a T!
Becca started out the day getting ready at her parents house in Cranberry Township, with Frank and the groomsmen getting ready at a nearby hotel. After, they both headed over to St. Ferdinand's Catholic Church for a ceremony, then we stopped at the Cranberry Township park for some photos with killer light, then headed over to the Camelot Banquet Hall in Warrendale for a reception full of dancing! I love the fact that everything took place within Cranberry Township - I know the area super well because those were my stomping grounds growing up (and let's be real, now too!).
One of my favorite parts of Becca and Frank's wedding day was during the ceremony. The priest mentioned that Becca and Frank's NFL football teams, the Saints and the Lions, were playing each other the very next day, which I thought was too amazing to be a coincidence! I always view those "coincidences" as little confirmations that what's happening is most certainly supposed to be.
Becca and Frank, thank you for allowing us to be a part of your wedding day! It was truly an honor to take these images for you!
Vendors:
Bride’s Dress: Casablanca bought from Mary’s Bridal in Beaver Falls
Bride’s Shoes: Elegant Park (from Amazon)
Bridesmaid Dresses: Bill Levkoff and Christina Wu (maids of honor)
Custom Invitation Suite: Paper by JLee
Hair: Profiles Salon
Makeup: Rachel Dadey (bridesmaid and amazing makeup artist!)
Tuxes: Top Hat Tuxedo in Fox Chapel
Ceremony Venue: St. Ferdinand's Catholic Church
Reception Venue: Camelot Banquet Hall
Band/DJ: Kevin Burkholder from First Class Entertainment
Flowers: All Occasion Silk Creations
Caterer: The Camelot Banquet Hall
Cake/Desserts: Lincoln Bakery
Honeymoon: Disney World
Photographer: Jenna Hidinger Photography
Second Shooter: Ashley McLaughlin Photography
Sharon was a champ at her senior session in the cold! This girl brought her A-game (and the most beautifully colored outfits) to her session just a few weeks ago! We were even able to catch some gorgeous golden light right near the end of her session. This girl was an absolute blast to work with, and I'm so excited to share some of my favorites from her session with you today!
