Allison and Anthony are two of the kindest souls who are getting married next year!! 🎉 They met at work, their first date included dinner and fishing (bringing their fishing poles as a nod to that - love! 🎣), and they got engaged in Gettsyburg!
Allison & Anthony, I couldn't be more excited to photograph your beautiful wedding day! Thank you so much for the huge honor!!! 💛
FINALLY one of my favorite blog posts of the year is here! 🎉 We’re keeping it real for the third year in a row with the third installment of the behind the scenes blog post! (Click here for 2017, click here for 2018!) A HUGE thank you to every single person who helped behind the scenes, including my wonderful husband, Nick, and Taylor, Alisha, Ashley, Laura, Jill, Robin, and my Ma, Jean! (Some of who you won’t see in the photos below - next year, my goal is to make sure EVERYONE who helps me is in at least one photo!) This year would not have been possible without you. Each one of you is a gift to me AND my clients, and I can’t thank you enough for your time, love, and help!
Of course, these photos below are only a fraction of what really went on behind the scenes! So many other business things, like editing (SO MUCH EDITING), meetings, phone calls, problem solving, broken lenses, and more - and then, there’s the mental behind the scenes. As a photographer (and an Enneagram 3!), I tend to focus on how things look and appear to others. How my work looks, how my blog looks, how things appear to other people, and the like. Not that any of those things are bad… but, I would contend that how things feel is even more important than how they look.
And this year, things felt healthier in my business than they EVER have before. At the beginning of 2019, I wrote a blog post titled “How to Pursue a Healthier Work-Life Balance,” and while I’m far from perfect, I’m proud of how I’ve been able to stick to so many of the boundaries listed in that post. Every year, it gets a little, teeny bit easier to actually stick to those boundaries instead of overstepping them. And it allows other areas of my life to have room to flourish.
I am thankful to get to pursue a career I love, as well as a life I love. All glory to God for another year of beautiful life!
All I can say is WOW! Another wedding season is in the books, and boy was it an absolutely AMAZING one!!! This year, my first wedding of the year was the very first week of January, with a long break for a few months before starting back up in April and going through the end of October!
This was the first year I put a cap on the number of weddings I took, clocking in at a max of 21! Truthfully, with the 70 other portrait-style sessions I took this year, putting a cap on the number of weddings I took allowed me to really focus in on each one and give each couple my full attention and creativity on their big day!
Below, I’ve put together a loooong blog post of some of my favorite photos and moments from each of the weddings I photographed this year, starting with my last wedding, and ending with my first.
But first, to each and every couple (including their family and friends!) who gave me the honor of documenting their day: thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for trusting me with the immense honor and privilege of photographing your wedding day! It was my absolute privilege to come alongside you and serve you during your day. There is no shortage of amazingly talented photographers in the Pittsburgh area, and the fact that you put your trust in me blows my mind. Every one of you is an answer to prayer, and I praise God for our time together! Thank you, thank you, thank you! 💛
Without further ado, some of my favorite wedding moments from 2019. All glory to God for these moments and for these beautiful people and their life-long commitments to each other!
If you’re looking for more information about wedding packages or would like to inquire for a specific wedding date, visit my pricing page here, and my contact page here!
Let me let you in on a little secret: it rained Katie and Shane’s ENTIRE wedding day, but that did not stop us from getting some epic portraits!
Katie brought me this absolutely GORGEOUS tray to style with her details. I was in detail heaven!!!
Quite possibly the best natural light I’ve ever had in a getting ready space! I could shoot here every weekend!
This was their ceremony space 😍
Bright and colorful weddings are always some of my favorites! Alyssa and Ben had THE most beautiful details. Bouquet is by Shady Elms Farm!
They had the most beautiful, glowy light for portraits, too!
Possibly one of my favorite first looks to date! Nick and I cleared this ENTIRE balcony of tables and chairs after realizing that the spot we had originally planned for HD and Jeff’s first look was being used in a race where 2,000 people were going to run through 😂
HD’s sisters were here bridesmaids! 💕 They were just the sweetest!!!
We snagged this shot right before the ceremony. The light was just too perfect!
It was HOT in this room, but it was so worth it for Kayla and Donny’s portraits!
The sweetest father daughter first look, ever. I cried.
Thankful these two let us steal them away for some epic night shots!
We lucked out and the bridge was closed on Krista and Brent’s wedding day! 🎉
The most beautiful ceremony space in all of Pittsburgh. I’m convinced.
This shot is a MUST if you have a wedding at the Pennsylvanian! So thankful that these two made this a priority!
When a rug makes the perfect backdrop for the invitation suite 😍
The getting ready space at Shady Elms Farm is just too beautiful!
A fake first look with the best man!
Ohhhh these two were naturals! 😍
The Grand Estate at Hidden Acres has THE most picturesque staircase!
How absolutely perfect is this bridal party? And these colors?!
One of the most fun exits from any reception ever!
It rained and it poured for this wedding day - but epic photos were still made! 🎉 And these two had the best attitudes about it all!
Literally can’t get over this wedding. It was too beautiful!
White Barn coming in clutch with some clean backdrops!
I am so thankful that these two trusted me - they jumped in fields and walked all over the White Barn’s property to find the best light and locations! Cait and Brian, you two are champs!!
The couple who eats tacos together, stays together 💕
My second shooter took this shot and it’s one of my favorites from Val and Matt’s day! (Photo cred to my husband, Nick!)
Megan brought me this tray for her details and I almost cried tears of joy when I saw it!
Um HELLO! Megan you are stunning!
Loved getting to play with perspective here!
We adore these two! 💕
We had the best day ever with these two fellow Disney lovers! 😍
And they had a fun visitor at their reception!
Photos in the museum with the dinosaurs - a fun challenge!
Becca with the perfect veil hold!
The sweetest downtown courthouse elopement 💕
And last but not least, a January wedding with one of the most beautiful sunsets I’ve seen!
And some of the most beautiful details!
What an absolute joy it was to spend an afternoon with these two exploring Oakland! We had the most beautiful and uncharacteristically sunny (and somewhat warm!) Pittsburgh day for Mary Beth and Patrick’s engagement session!
Their first official date was in February of 2018, when they met to eat dinner and watch the Pens game together at restaurant in Sewickley. They ended up spending seven hours sitting at their table, just talking. I think that’s when you know you have something special! 💛
Fast forward to this past November - Patrick asked Mary Beth to marry him at one of their favorite restaurants in a private room that he had decorated with flowers and pictures of them throughout their time together! And of course, Mary Beth said yes!!
Also, fun fact: Mary Beth and I went to the same high school. She was just a year (or maybe two?!) younger than me, so it was a lot of fun to reconnect!
Mary Beth and Patrick, a HUGE congratulations to you two on your engagement. I am so honored to have been the one to take these photos for you and wish you two nothing but the best on your wedding day and in your marriage!
Engagement sessions are one of my favorite types of sessions EVER! It is so much fun to have people in love in front of my camera, and this year, there were some seriously amazing ones! 💛
To all of the couples who trusted me with their engagement photos: You are the BEST! I am so thankful to be the one you’ve trusted with these precious memories!
If you’re looking for more information about engagement portraits or would like to schedule a session, visit my pricing page here, and my contact page here!
This was my first time photographing a couple at Fellows Riverside Gardens and I totally fell in LOVE! Props to my couple for introducing me to this epic location!
Brielle and Stephen came dressed to kill! An engagement session is always a good time to kick up the style a notch!
Photographing my cousin and his fiance was definitely one of the biggest highlights of all of my engagement sessions this year! And getting to take photos in the sunflower fields at Soergel’s was just icing on the cake!
I mean, have you ever seen flower bushes so beautiful?!
I was wondering why all of the sunflowers were facing in one direction, and learned that they grow facing towards the rising sun. Fun fact!
Winter engagement sessions are always, ALWAYS my favorite. 💕 Specifically when there’s snow!
Technically this was an anniversary session, but we adore these two so I had to include them!
Ed and Meghan incorporated a car that’s been in Ed’s family for quite a few generations. It was so much fun!
This was one of my favorite locations of the entire year! Everything just came together seamlessly - the sky, the light, the couple.
Families are SO MUCH FUN to photograph! In the images below, you’ll see families of all shapes and sizes, as well as many who were just beginning to grow families at the time of their sessions! This year, I had the privilege of photographing more expecting couples than ever before, and I have to say… every year I’m loving maternity sessions more and more!
Thank you to each and every family who trusted me with photographing the people they love most this year! 💓
If you’re looking for more information about family or maternity portraits, or would like to schedule a session, visit my pricing page here, and my contact page here!
Out of all types of sessions I take, I take the most senior portrait sessions throughout the year - and there’s a reason for that! I absolutely love photographing seniors - I love how creative you can get with them in terms of posing, light, location, and personality - and they’re just so much fun!
2019 was a fun year for senior portraits. Per usual, I had a lot of sessions at Hartwood Acres Mansion (which I totally LOVE because it has so many great options!), but also had some sessions at a few new places, including the Heinz Hall Lobby & Gardens, the Lemieux Center, and at a few new places in the Strip District.
Over all, it was an absolutely amazing year, and I already can’t wait to start photographing seniors again for the class of 2021! Below are a few of my favorite images from my 2019 senior sessions. A HUGE thank you to each senior and family who trusted me with these once-in-a-lifetime memories. You all are the best! Enjoy!
If you’re looking for more information about senior portraits or would like to schedule a session, visit my pricing page here, and my contact page here!
We had some of the most beautiful, glowly light for Lydia's Hartwood Acres senior session - especially for November!
Taking Trey's senior portraits in the Heinz Hall Lobby was certainly a highlight!
We took some in their private garden too!
This was the cutest little sequence!
I love that Bella incorporated her love for Harry Potter into her session! If you’ve read the books/seen the movies, you’ll know what this is ;)
This was one of my new favorite spots from the entire year! I can’t wait to go back!
Sadly, I heard that they demolished this backdrop, which is a bummer! It was such a cool spot.
Shooting inside the Lemieux Center was so much fun!
Racquel really wanted some beautiful light in her photos - and thankfully, we got it!
Spring is one of my favorite times for senior photos - especially when the trees are blooming! 😍
And this, for sure, has to be one of my all time favorites!
I feel a little guilty that I’m just getting around to posting some photos from this year’s Christmas Mini Session event - but I am too excited about them to not share, even if it is a little late!
This year, for the first time ever, I hosted a Christmas Tree Farm mini session event at Lake Forest Gardens in Fombell, PA at the beginning of November - and I was completely overwhelmed by the turnout! NINE beautiful families came out to start the Christmas season off with some photos - and we had the absolute BEST time! A HUGE thank you goes out to all of the families who came and made this possible: thank you for trusting me with your precious memories! 💛 I couldn’t be more thankful for you!!!
And another huge shout out goes to my husband and my mom, who both spent the day with me - holding reflectors (and babies!) and helping check families in. I couldn’t have done it without you two!
If you are interested in being “in the know” for any future mini session events, feel free to leave your email in the box below!
How lucky am I to have not one, but TWO maternity photo sessions less than a week and a half apart - both in one of my favorite locations, Historic Harmony! Amy and Nathan were the second of the two maternity sessions, and I had so much fun walking around town with them and hearing all about their excitement and joy for their long awaited little one to join them and make their family of two, three!
Amy and Nathan, I pray blessings and wisdom over the start of this next season for you two as you become a family of three! Congratulations on your sweet little blessing of joy!
If there’s one thing that we can be certain about when it comes to weather in Pittsburgh, it’s that you really can never EVER know what to expect. The week of Katie and Shane’s wedding, the weather was all over the place! At some points, it wasn’t supposed to rain at all. At others, it was supposed to be a complete rain out. And while it did end up being quite rainy throughout their wedding day, that most definitely did not dampen any part of their day - including their amazing, upbeat attitudes throughout the entire thing!
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. They got engaged in January of 2018, and officially said “I do” near the end of October in 2019 at Laube Hall in Freeport, PA. Their ceremony space was cozy and beautifully decorated, with string lights spanning the entirety of the covered patio area. It was so dreamy, as were all of Katie’s thoughtfully curated bridal details. She even brought me a vintage tray/mirror that complimented all of her details just perfectly! 😍
Katie and Shane, thank you for the immense honor of documenting your wedding day! You two, your friends, and your family were so kind and made us feel like a part of the family. We are so thankful to know you both!! 💛
Vendors: Laube Hall, Leechburg Floral, Connor Hochbein (videographer), Oakmont Bakery, Brian Barberi (DJ), Allison Renock (makeup), Headlines by Jackie (hair), Bridal Beginning (bride’s dress by Justin Alexander; bridesmaid dresses by Watters), A Grand Affair Catering, EF Lighting, Steve Ehrlich String Quartet
