Favorite Podcasts from 2018

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Favorite Podcasts from 2018

Plain and simple: I’m a firm believer that ALL of the content we put into our brains have BIG affects on us, and we get to decide whether that content is going to be life-giving or life-sucking. Today, I want to share a few of my favorite positive and encouraging (but also challenging!) podcasts!

 All of these podcasts are hosted by women, and many of these podcasts are business related, but all of them have a greater purpose of encouraging and challenging listeners to dream bigger, walk in community, and to not let fear hold them back from the lives they are called to live. I hope you enjoy these as much as I do!

1.     Business Boutique (Christy Wright)

I only discovered Christy Wright’s Business Boutique podcast a few months ago, and it’s safe to say that I am OBSESSED! If you have ever heard of financial guru Dave Ramsey, Christy Wright is actually what they call a “Ramsey personality” who tours the country speaking at his events! Besides working for the Ramsey company, Christy is also a writer, mom, podcaster, with a passion for equipping women to make money doing what they love. And basically – that’s what the podcast is all about! Christy dives into all things business, including the how-to’s, the fears, the emotions, all with engaging content that I truly believe has the power to change lives. Christy speaks from her personal experience and also hosts other amazing women and men who can speak directly into specific topics, ranging from things like growing a side hustle, to creating the perfect business idea, to building business relationships, to digital marketing. A few of my favorite episodes include: “Shake off your shame,” (which is my favorite podcast episode of ALL TIME!), “Is it fear, or wisdom?” and “Learning from your competition.” Christy only releases episodes about every two weeks, but her episodes are of the highest quality and are jam packed with SO much incredible information!

2.     Girls Night (Stephanie Mae Wilson)

Stephanie Mae Wilson invites her audience seasonally (kind of like a tv show with a specific amount of episodes!) to listen in on a conversation with one of her girlfriends, unpacking some of the most challenging, rewarding, and interesting things about being female! Girls Night topics range from comparison, to insecurity, to depression, to marriage, to business, mentorship, self care, hospitality, relationships, and more! And really – it feels like you’re just listening to a real, authentic conversation between two of your gal-pals! A few of my favorite episodes include “How to protect your heart from social media comparison,” “Rest & Self Care – how to actually do it!” and “Depression & Insecurity: how to remember that you matter.”

3.     Goal Digger (Jenna Kutcher)

Jenna Kutcher is a content creation MACHINE, and is known for her authenticity and ability to break down the complex into easy bits and pieces for others to understand and learn from. She is a wedding photographer turned educator, social media guru, online marketer, and podcaster (just to name a few) who talks from her personal experience, as well as interviews other powerhouse women on all kinds of topics related to business, ranging from topics like “How to Pay Yourself as an Entrepreneur” to “How to Ditch Self Doubt” to more nitty gritty business and social media talk. This woman is not only SO talented, but so entertaining to listen to and is perfect for those who are pursuing their business and personal goals! Some of my favorite episodes from this podcast include: “Passive Income 101: how you can make money while you rest,” “Creating unforgettable client experiences,” and “10 Ways to Create Content Calendar.” Jenna currently puts out episodes twice a week, on Mondays and Wednesdays. Click here to listen in!

4.     Going Scared (Jessica Honegger)

Something I LOVED right away about this podcast is the vision behind it: Jessica seeks out men and women who are doing BIG, unique, crazy (and to be frank, sometimes scary!) things and unpacks their story, challenging her listeners to go do the thing that they’re scared to do! Some of my favorite podcasts include: “What story are you telling yourself? With Mary Marantz,” (one of my favorite photographers!) “Being Kind over being right: Bob Goff gets real,” (one of my favorite authors!) and “Embracing Simplicity and the courage to say ‘no’ with Emily Ley.”

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Chiara + Patrick: The Grand Hall at the Priory Wedding Photos

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Chiara + Patrick: The Grand Hall at the Priory Wedding Photos

A Christmas-time wedding with a couple who loves Disney: does it get any better?! For those of you who might not know, my husband and I are HUGE Disney fans, and even moreso fans of Disney’s Boardwalk Resort - which is where we spent our honeymoon in August of 2015. When I found out that Patrick had proposed to Chiara AT Disney’s Boardwalk Resort - I think I almost fell out of my chair. I think we were destined to work together! And to top it off - I found out that Nick and I were going to be in Orlando at the same time as Chiara and Patrick - literally right after their wedding. And we almost stayed at the same resort as them! (The Boardwalk!) Talk about a small world!

We joined in on Chiara and Patrick’s wedding day at Chiara’s parents’ house, where Chiara and her bridesmaids were getting their hair and makeup done. The house was full of Christmas trees - each decorated with a different theme - and even though it was a dreary day, there was an endless supply of beautiful backdrops right within Chiara’s parents’ home!

Their ceremony took place at Saints John & Paul Catholic Church in Wexford, with their reception at the Grand Hall at the Priory on the North Side of Pittsburgh, which was decorated to Christmas perfection. Trees, lights, wreaths, and candles dotted the reception space, creating a warm, inviting atmosphere for guests - which also doubled as beautiful backdrops for Chiara and Patrick’s portraits! Santa Clause even made a surprise appearance near the end of dinner to say congratulations and dance with the bride!

Chiara and Patrick, thank you for the huge, incredible honor of being a part of your wedding day! You were a joy to work with, and we are so thankful to know you both!

Vendors:

Reception: The Grand Hall at the Priory

Ceremony: Saints John & Paul Catholic Church

Makeup: See Jane Blush

Hair: Static Styling Salon

Florist: Blossoms by Jillian

Bride’s Dress: The Exquisite Bride, Stella York

Bridesmaid Dresses: Azazie

DJ & Violinist: Steve Vance Entertainment

Cake: Priory Fine Pastries

Videographer: Kesneck Videography

Photographer: Jenna Hidinger Photography

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Best of Weddings 2018: Bride & Groom Portraits

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Best of Weddings 2018: Bride & Groom Portraits

Making my “best of weddings: bride & groom portraits” yearly blog post always brings out my sentimental side! I only take a limited number of weddings each year to ensure that I’m able to give the best quality to each of my couples, and this year was filled with some of the most amazing people! I laughed, cried, and even danced with so many of these couples throughout their day, and there were so many weddings this year I was sad to leave because I didn’t want our time together to come to a close!

To all of my brides and grooms: thank you. It’s so hard to convey in words how honored I was to be a part of your days! I hope your photos serve as momentos of how blessed you are by your love and by the loved ones that surround you! 💛

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Best of Weddings 2018: Bridal Party

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Best of Weddings 2018: Bridal Party

I’m not sure what it was, but this year there were some absolutely AMAZING bridal parties - bridesmaids and groomsmen who went above and beyond, who came alongside their friends in love, and who even checked in on and encouraged us throughout wedding days! To all of the bridesmaids, groomsmen, and bridal parties who we photographed this year: thank you for making our jobs so much fun! We are so thankful for each one of you! 💛

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Best of Weddings 2018: Bridal Details

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Best of Weddings 2018: Bridal Details

Now comes one of my favorite blog posts of the year - bridal details! Photographing bridal details is one of my favorite parts of the wedding day, because it lets me sort of “warm up” creatively, and is a great way to tie albums (and blog posts! 😉) together to create a cohesive style throughout the story of any wedding day!

I love how every wedding is so different, too, and how the style a bride works so hard to create can be captured and enhanced through her wedding details! If you’re a bride (or bridesmaid, mother of the bride, or mother of the groom!) looking for ways to “up” your bridal detail game, check out this blog post!

But for now, check out some of my favorite bridal details of this year!

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Favorite Disney Restaurants

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Favorite Disney Restaurants

Ahhhhh, Disney. The most magical place on earth! At the time this blog will go live, my husband and I will be on our seventh trip to Disney together, and you can be sure we’re already planning on going back soon! As much as we love the parks, resorts, and shopping areas, one of our favorite parts about Disney is the food!

One of the most frequently asked questions we get when people find out our unrelenting love for Disney is: where are your favorite places to eat? Eating in Disney can sometimes be hit or miss, and it’s never fun to “waste” a meal on a not-so-great dining experience!

So in honor of our trip, today, I’m sharing our four favorite restaurants on Disney property, why we love them, and what you can expect pricing and experience-wise when eating there!

1. Trattoria al Forno

Photo source: Easy WDW

Photo source: Easy WDW

Whether you dine for Brunch, lunch, or dinner, expect your food and service to be outstanding! Nestled on the corner of Disney’s Boardwalk, Trattoria al Forno serves Italian cuisine and features an open kitchen design. Here, you’ll discover the diversity of Italian food, with well-known favorites and authentic dishes.

We first tried this restaurant on our honeymoon, and every time we’ve visited Disney since, we’ve always made plans to eat here! Everything we’ve eaten there for both breakfast and lunch has been outstanding. We especially love their artisan pizzas!

Location: Disney’s Boardwalk

Cuisine: Italian

Price: Moderate

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

2. California Grill

Photo Source: Orlando Sentinel

Photo Source: Orlando Sentinel

If you’re looking for a location at Disney to celebrate a special occasion, look no further than Disney’s California Grill! Located at the top of Disney’s Contemporary Resort, the California Grill overlooks Magic Kingdom, giving guests a unique view of a Disney classic. This restaurant features a wide variety of cuisine from around the world, with American Seafood, and Sushi staples. Included any reservation is the exclusive opportunity to watch Magic Kingdom’s fireworks and light show from the rooftop!

We’ve only dined at Disney’s California Grill once, on our honeymoon, and we had an amazing experience! When we arrived (early) for our reservation, we were seated in a cocktail area and brought drinks and ordered some hoerderves. We were seated (early!) at our table, and experienced one of the best meals we’ve ever had. We both opted for a mango chicken dish, which was cooked to perfection! It was a little small portion-wise, but it left us room for a complimentary crème Brule, which they kindly gave us as a celebration of our honeymoon!

Location: Disney’s Contemporary Resort

Cuisine: American, Seafood, Sushi, and other rotating global cuisine

Price: High

Meals: Brunch, Dinner

3. Nine Dragons Restaurant

Photo Source: Meal Trip

Photo Source: Meal Trip

The Nine Dragons Restaurant is a large restaurant located in the heart of Epcot, China that features Pan-Chinese cuisine in an authentically decorated space! You can expect traditional favorites, along with new dishes and flavor combinations.

This restaurant had some of the best Chinese food I’ve ever had, and I know for SURE that it was THE best Chinese food Nick has ever had! He literally checks their online menu every few weeks to make sure they have his favorite dish: “Typhoon Shelter Shrimp.”

Location: Epcot China

Cuisine: Pan-Chinese

Price: Moderate

Meals: Lunch, Dinner


4. Whispering Canyon Café

Photo Source: Mission Food

Photo Source: Mission Food

Don’t let the name fool you: there’s anything but whispering happening here! This family friendly restaurant is located inside Disney’s Fort Wilderness Lodge Resort and has all sorts of antics going on! Yelling, hollering, running, and ketchup corralling are just a few of the noteworthy items you might expect here.

This is my favorite restaurant when it comes to experience! It’s super casual, so fun, and the food is delicious too!

Location: Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort

Cuisine: American & Barbeque

Price: Moderate

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

 

Have you been to Disney? What restaurants would you recommend? Leave a comment below!

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Best of Family Photos 2018

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Best of Family Photos 2018

I think I want to make it my goal to photograph more families in 2019, because looking back through my family sessions from this year made me realize how precious these memories are! To the families I’ve had the pleasure of photographing: taking the time to invest in memories and moments of your family is never ever a waste. I am so thankful to have been the one to document these precious and fleeting moments for you! 💛

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Best of Senior Photos 2018

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Best of Senior Photos 2018

Senior sessions are always one of my FAVORITE parts of my entire year! With all of my seniors, I have two goals: to capture them authentically, and for them to feel comfortable and confident in front of the camera. I love seeing seniors who might not feel comfortable in front of the camera initially walk away feeling encouraged and loved - and like they are totally capable of doing whatever they set their hearts and minds to!

I had so many sessions at lots of beautiful locations this year, but when I went back through my records, I could hardly believe that just about 50% of all of my senior sessions this year happened at Hartwood Acres Mansion. And for good reason! It is such a beautiful location with so many different spots that lend themselves to amazing backdrops!

My seniors had their sessions through freezing temps (in the single digits!!), rain, snow, thunderstorms, humidity - and all of them handled their shoots like pros. To all of my seniors: I am so incredibly grateful for you! You are going to do amazing things - I hope you believe it! 💛

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Chrissy & Chris: Cozy Pittsburgh In Home Couples Session

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Chrissy & Chris: Cozy Pittsburgh In Home Couples Session

I had the pleasure of photographing Chrissy and Chris’s wedding day nearly three years ago (to see their wedding, click here!), and I was so excited when they recently invited me to their new home for a couples session! I had a great time hanging out with these two first time home buyers, along with their adopted dog, Edda! Chrissy and Chris - thank you for the pleasure of taking these photos for you and for showing me around your new home! 💛

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