Amy + Anthony: Indiana Wedding Photographer

I’ve been to Indiana, PA twice - once before for a wedding, and the second time was to photograph these two for their engagement photos! And it was completely and totally worth the trip! 💛 Amy and Anthony met while attending IUP (see more from Amy’s recount of their story below!) and got engaged on a trip to Florida last fall! One of my favorite little details I learned about these two is that Anthony took Amy (on their first date) to the same restaurant that Anthony’s dad took Anthony’s mom to on their first date 😭 Talk about special!

Besides their love for coffee and cars, these two love traveling and being adventurous together! One of their more adventurous dates included zip-lining over the ocean and swimming with dolphins. They’ve also backpacked around Switzerland, where they “scootered” down the alps! Even in the midst of all of their adventuring, I couldn’t help but get the sense that these two truly love and care not only for each other, but for the people around them. They are two incredibly kind and down-to-earth people who I feel so privileged to know!

Amy and Anthony, thank you for the incredible honor of taking these photos for you! I cannot WAIT for your wedding!! 💛

How they met:

“IUP hosts a mandatory pre-departure meeting for all students studying abroad. We both studied abroad in Spring 2014 -myself in Spain and Anthony in England. Due to an error (or some may call it fate) in the seating chart, my assigned seat was at the England table, right next to Anthony. We talked the whole meeting and then left and went our separate ways, without talking or communicating in any way again. Then on my first night back in Indiana in August 2014, I was out catching up with a friend and Anthony walked into the restaurant. It turns out that the friend I was out with was a mutual friend of both mine and Anthony's, so Anthony sat down with us for awhile. We hit it off again, but this time we weren't studying abroad, so we've been almost inseparable ever since.”

Kate P: Hartwood Acres Senior Photos

I had a blast hanging out with Kate and her dad for her Hartwood Acres senior session! Every fall, I inevitably become obsessed with the clothing color palettes and soft, earthy hues - and, of course, there was no difference with Kate’s session! So excited for this sweet lady’s bright feature. Congratulations on your senior year, Kate! You are going to do incredible things! 💛

Leah + Greg: McConnell's Mill Engagement Photos

Let me paint you a picture: I show up to a the parking lot at McConnell’s Mill, and I see a car parked in the corner of the parking lot (mind you, I’m 20 minutes early to the session!). I see Leah and Greg step out of their car, and, as we walk closer to each other, I notice a gift bag and a cookie tin in Leah’s arms. And friends, this was no ordinary cookie tin - it was a cookie tin decorated to look like a llama - my favorite animal! Cue the tears. No - I’m not kidding. I literally teared up. Are you ever having one of those weeks, and then, out of nowhere, someone surprises you with some sort of kindness that you never EVER expected? That’s exactly what happened!

Inside that llama cookie tin were heaping piles of the most delicious chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever eaten in my LIFE. You might be thinking, oh, she’s exaggerating for the affect! Let me reassure you that I most certainly am not. I literally ate two during the shoot! 😍

But really, the tin, cookies, and llama water bottle (😭) are just the beginning with these two! I felt like I had known these two for years by the end of their engagement session. The kindness in their hearts was so evident, and really, I couldn’t be more excited to be working with these two to document their wedding day! (Also - Leah’s a Disney fanatic, so we get along just fine! 😉)

Leah and Greg, I am so thankful to know you two, and so thankful you chose me to capture this beautiful time in your lives! Thank you for the incredible honor! 💛

Cassidy + Dylan: Moraine State Park Engagement Photos

I met Cassidy and Dylan for their engagement session on the MOST beautiful fall afternoon! For their session, they chose a combination of two of my favorite locations - McConnell’s Mill and Moraine State Park! McConnell’s Mill ended up being the perfect location, especially with Dylan’s background of growing up around farms! And the lake at Moraine State Park was another subtly perfect location choice, because these two love to fish together!

Cassidy and Dylan, I am so thankful to have been able to get to know you both a little better and take these images for you! 💛 I cannot wait for the wedding!!!

Becca + Dino: Highland Park Engagement Photos

Oh my, am I excited to share this engagement session and this INCREDIBLE couple with you!! I met Becca and Dino on the most beautiful morning at Highland Park in Pittsburgh for their engagement photos on a gorgeous Saturday in September! But my love for these two began long before their epic engagement session.

When I originally met with Becca and Dino, I learned of Becca’s family’s HUGE love for Disney. And if you’ve been following along on the blog for an extended period of time - you’ll know that Disney is one of my favorite places EVER (and one of my bucket list items is to photograph a wedding there!) While Becca and Dino aren’t tying the knot in Disney, we sure had an amazing time talking about all of our favorite spots there!

I was especially excited for this engagement session, because it was in a location I hadn’t even been to before! Highland Park wasn’t on mine or Becca’s radar until she was rerouted past the park right around sunrise on her way to work. And I’m so thankful she was, because this might be one of my new favorite spots!!

Becca and Dino, you two are AMAZING and I cannot wait to be a part of your wedding day! Thank you for being such troopers so early in the morning! 💛

Kayla + Donny: Downtown Pittsburgh Engagement Photos

I met Kayla and Donny on a cool, cloudy, Pittsburgh morning at the end of September for their engagement session. These two - originally from Pittsburgh - were in for the weekend from their now-home in FLORIDA, where they live oh-so close to one of my favorite places in the world (Disney!). We had a great time chatting about how they’ll head over to a Disney park on a weeknight after work, just to walk around, and I tried my best not to be too jealous 😉 As much as these two love their home in Florida, it’s easy to tell that Pittsburgh is where their hearts come alive, which is where they will be officially tying the knot next year!

Kayla and Donny, you two are incredible humans and I am so thankful we were able to get to know each other better! 💛 Cannot WAIT for your wedding next year!!!

Reva + Alex: McConnell's Mill Engagement

Reva and Alex traveled all the way from Philadelphia for their engagement session and will be tying the knot at Succop Nature Park next year! These two met online, and one of their first initial conversations was about how he could juggle and she could do cartwheels (two things that impressed me because I totally can’t do them! ). And now for a little more background:

How did he pop the question?!

It was the weekend of my 30th birthday and we already had plans to go out to dinner with my friends. Alex wouldn't tell me where we were going and kept telling me to stop asking questions (I like to know the plans at all times). The two of us went to get a drink by Jefferson's campus first, then we walked onto campus when Alex pointed out this large lantern/monument thing that we had walked by many times. He wanted to go over and look at it, and little did I know he had a photographer planted there. He got down on one knee and promptly started laughing! Once he found his words, he asked me to marry him. We have beautiful pictures in front of that lantern (and also in the spot nearby where we had our first kiss) to look back on now!

What do you admire about your significant other?

Reva: Alex is always educating himself and open to talking with others, which allows him to have very informed opinions on things rather than jumping to conclusions.

Alex: I admire how strong and dependable Reva is. She has always been there for me, and so many other people in her life, through thick and thin.

And now, without further ado, here are a few of my favorites from their session!

Megan + Richard: Hartwood Acres Engagement Photos

These two amaze me, and I am SO thankful I was able to spend a Saturday evening getting to know them at Hartwood Acres while taking their engagement photos! But why the amazement, you might ask? Megan and Richard are planning a wedding while being on TWO different CONTINENTS!

Richard is from Wales, and Megan is from Pittsburgh. They met in an online chat room for the Paramore Fan Club years ago, and even though they’re technically already married, they are planning a big ceremony and celebration to celebrate with their friends and family here in the states! Richard is still in the process of becoming a U.S. citizen, so they’ve had to do much of their planning long distance, which gives me the utmost respect for them. Wedding planning is hard enough when you’re living in the same city, but living with an ocean between you?! Seriously!

They got engaged at Highclere Castle in the UK (which is where Downton Abby was filmed for any super fans out there!), which is why they settled on Hartwood Acres Mansion for their session - as a little nod to where Richard proposed!

I also had the pleasure of meeting their adorable pups, who we incorporated into a few of their engagement photos! Megan’s maid of honor was the real MVP of the shoot who watched the dogs between their turn in front of the camera (thanks, Megan! ☺️)

So excited to be a part of your wedding day, Megan & Richard! 💛

Katie + Shane: McConnell's Mill Engagement Photos

Katie and Shane - what can I say about these two?! Oh my, did we have so much fun adventuring through McConnell’s Mill with them - they felt like old friends almost instantly! Katie and I discovered that we share a mutual love of fall and dislike for summer clothing (sweaters are sooo much better!) and I also learned that Katie is allergic to pumpkin! I know it’s not relevant to their photos - but I have never in my life met anyone who is allergic to pumpkin! And yes, that does mean pumpkin spice lattes are out of the question 😔

Shane and Katie met at Westminster College in the fall of 2010 and were friends for quite a few years before their first date in 2016. Instead of going out for a fancy dinner (like you might expect on a first date), these two went to the movies, and after, went to Eat’n Park for coffee and breakfast (that’s my kind of first date!!). In January of 2018, Shane proposed to Katie in New York on the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art - and the rest is history! They love Starbucks runs, a good trip to Home Goods and TJ Maxx (same) and eating at some of their favorite local restaurants! And truly, I couldn’t be more excited to hang out with them again on their wedding day! We love you guys!!!!

Check out a few (or… more than a few!) of my favorite images from their session below!

Annie + Joe: North Shore Engagement Photos

It is absolutely unbelievable to me that I’m blogging this session today!! I have known these two for quite a while - but I’ve known Joe for especially a long time! Joe is my cousin, and finally popped the question to his long time girlfriend, Annie - and they are getting married next YEAR!! What an incredible honor it was to take these photos for you two, Annie and Joe! I am so thankful for you both!