Thinking of having a small, affordable wedding and looking to elope at the Allegheny County Courthouse? What could be better than a Christmas time elopement in a beautiful city like Pittsburgh full of magical holiday events and pop ups? Make it even more magical with a couple that’s only seen snow once, are huge Pittsburgh sports fans, and have the best weekend ever planned for their holiday wedding vacay!

With me being a photographer and my husband being a pastor, the courthouse is always a favorite for both of us for low-stress but still beautiful wedding ceremonies and photos. The Christmas decor at the grand staircase makes it even more special! This sweet couple flew in from Texas for their Pittsburgh nuptials, and I’m thrilled to have worked with them to help their day so easy and memorable.

Preparing for your ELOPEMENT

Applying for a license is a pretty easy and straightforward process on the Courthouse’s website. They will schedule a zoom call with you to go over specifics. The morning of the wedding the bride and groom picked up their bouquet at a local florist, picked up their marriage license, and walked right next door to the courthouse grand staircase to make it official! To prepare for photos and officiating with us, we do a zoom call too to meet you and discuss photo location options and to talk about any personal touches you want in your ceremony message and vows.

There’s never a ton of people around so your ceremony will still feel private. After the sweet and meaningful ceremony we did some photos in the beautiful courthouse, outside in the courtyard, then at some elegant and very Pittsburgh-y locations to really capture the magic of the city!

With traditional wedding costs on the rise, its becoming more and more popular to elope and have a more casual party with friends and family at another time. The Allegheny County Courthouse definitely makes it easy and elegant, not to mention finding a photographer/officiant team to help tie it all together!

The Barn at Madison is a unique wedding venue just a short 45 minute drive from Pittsburgh PA, offering a memorable and beautiful setting for smaller weddings. Lovingly restored from near ruins, this barn-turned-restaurant-turned-venue will definitely be something your guests remember!

If you’re looking for a unique venue that’s a little bit rustic, can accommodate overnight guests (aka bridal party), has an outdoor ceremony spot, and has excellent staff, this is your venue! I’ve had the pleasure of working at the Barn at Madison several times now and the weddings are always very smooth running, even in the case of rainy weather like the wedding below! Luckily we were still able to have the ceremony outdoors under a black pergola on the lawn at the back of the venue. Even though this “barn” is located right in a suburban area, it feels secluded with the ample tree cover and landscaping on the property.

It’s important to have great staff and vendors who will communicate and work with each other in case the timing of things need to change, like it did for Kelsey and Mike. We had planned on taking family photos and bridal portraits after the ceremony, but the rain made an appearance and we had to push the plan back a bit. Because the Barn at Madison has a separate space for cocktail hour (downstairs) and dinner (upstairs), guests could easily mingle indoors for cocktail hour, joined by the bride and groom.

Because this venue was once a restaurant and owned by an antique-loving family, there are many unique treasures in every corner, and the architecture makes for very unique wedding photos as well. Couples should keep in mind, though, that the downstairs ceilings are very low and the upstairs dining room can be tight with many tables - this venue definitely works best with a guest list closer to 100!

The Roost in Mahaffey is a newer outdoor wedding venue just a short 1.5 hour drive from State College and 2 hours from Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. The Roost is an excellent venue choice for your wedding if you’re looking for a location that’s easy for family from either side of Pennsylvania to travel to, not to mention that it’s absolutely gorgeous and very thoughtfully designed.

Each year the owners of the Roost seem to make improvements to the venue, the most recent being a major upgrade to the ceremony location! Guests can now enjoy easier access to and from the ceremony spot with the addition of new cement work in the seating area. Also new this year are the addition of white benches for guests to sit - both a functional and aesthetic upgrade for your ceremony!

Justine and Tyler said “I do” here at the Roost in May of 2024, enjoying these new upgrades to the ceremony spot as seen in the photos below. As always, the Roost offers two beautiful rooms for your bridal party to get ready in, a covered patio for cocktail hour or a rain plan for your ceremony, and the show-stopping reception area that can accommodate huge weddings or small weddings without looking like an empty warehouse.

Some of the greatest wedding venues are the ones that can accommodate bad weather and pivot while still looking beautiful in every corner of the property. For Justine and Tyler’s wedding, the thunder was rolling during the vows and we raced against the clock to finish the family photos - happily there is a roof over a very large pavilion for the ceremony so we were covered both literally and figuratively. Even doing photos under the covered patio off of the main building turned out beautifully as the rain started to drizzle down.

While the remoteness of the venue can make lodging for your guests a little tricky (the closest major hotel is a 45 minute drive in Indiana, PA), the stunning views more than make up for the travel.

Looking to be efficient with your wedding photography budget and weighing if 6 hours of photography coverage is enough? In this post I’ll walk you through a 6 hour wedding day timeline and outline things that must be considered in order to have everything on your wedding day captured in 6 hours without feeling rushed!

Example 6 Hour Wedding Timeline Template

Venue: SanaView Farms

3:00 - photographer arrives and captures detail photos
3:30 - bride gets dressed / bridal portraits

3:50 - first look with family
4:00 - groom gets dressed / groom portraits
4:30 - ceremony
4:45 - family photos/ cocktail hour
5:15 - bridal party photos
5:30 - bride and groom photos
6:00 - grand entrance
First dance
Parent dances
Cake cutting
Toasts
6:30 - dinner
7:15 - dancing
8:45 - sunset photos
9:00 - photographer departs / sparkler photo

This timeline was from a mid-July wedding that I photographed by myself - yes, it can be done! There are obviously some trade-offs and concessions that have to be made in order to have everything work. Things like having a small bridal party and not minding about having minimal prep photos were definitely helpful. I tell couples that when they are planning their coverage, we can either pair it down by taking time off of the beginning prep shots or the end dancing photos. Luckily this couple was happy to work with just a few of the important prep shots to save time for the fun at the end of the day!

It’s also very helpful having a smaller bridal for that small window for prep shots. Hair and makeup must be done ad gone by the time the photographer arrives and everyone ready to jump into their wedding outfits!

Perhaps the three most crucial elements, however, for having a 6 hour timeline are the following:

All - inclusive venue

If you’re doing shorter photography coverage, an all-inclusive venue, meaning a place where you can have both the ceremony and reception, is a MUST. Not only does travel time take up valuable time, but getting everyone packed up and out the door takes much more time than you think, which invites lots of opportunities to run late or have to hold things up because you’re waiting on one person in the wedding party to arrive. If you want to include prep shots in your 6 hours as well, having EVERYONE in the bridal party getting ready at the venue is also a must. If you’re shopping for a venue, it’s is a BIG selling point if they can accommodate both sides of the wedding party, the ceremony, and the reception all in the same walkable location.

Later ceremony time

Venues that shut down at 9pm because of residential noise ordinances will often push couples to have ceremonies that start at 2 or 3pm in order to still have a 4 hour reception, but if you’re looking for the most complete photography coverage that will include prep photos, you have to push your ceremony later to 4 or even 5pm. This gives the photographer enough time to get in the prep and detail shots before the wedding, and also have coverage extend past dinner into dancing!

consider the season for outdoor portraits

If you are having your ceremony outdoors or want your photos outdoors, you have to consider the season and when the sun goes down. The example timeline above was from a wedding in mid-July when the days were at their longest and the sun was up until past 8:30pm. If you’re having a fall wedding and the sun sets around 7, you’ll have to accept doing a first-look to get your outdoor portraits done before the ceremony (and thus lose dancing coverage).

If you’re considering a 6 hour wedding photography timeline for your big day, it is definitely achievable by following the septs outlined above. This wedding described in the post was easily one of the most relaxed, enjoyable weddings of my career, and not because of any plan we created, but because the couple CHOSE to be relaxed, trusting, and fully present for their friends and family.

Johnstown’s newest wedding venue, the Willow, is everything were all hoping for in a luxury wedding venue that feels rural yet upscale. With the ability to accommodate a huge number of guests (up to 350 wedding guests to be exact!) its the large-scale venue Johnstown needed. Even though it is located right by the Johnstown airport, there was minimal noise or interruptions, and the beautiful wide-open landscape gives the venue that “barn venue” feel without being too rustic.

Tana started her day in the upstairs bridal suite, which has plenty of seating, vanity mirrors, changing rooms, a kitchenette, and a beautiful nook for those essential “getting ready” shots. What photographers love most about the Willow is it’s openness and natural light. From the loft you’re even able to see the entire reception space, which makes for some very creative perspectives for photos!

The ceremony is held just right outside the main building either under it’s covered porch or in the adjacent lawn with the beautiful fields and open sky as the backdrop. For this particular wedding we did photos off-site with the bridal party, there are pockets of shade and greenery that can accommodate a large bridal party.

With a beautiful built in bar and plenty of room for dozens of tables, cookie displays, the main reception area is staggering with its enormous ceilings and wide-open floor plan. To fully maximize it’s beauty I would highly recommend using a decorator, as Little Details by Reese did an incredible job transforming the expansive space into a dazzling and cozy experience for guests.

At sunset, The Willow’s gorgeous clean white exterior comes alive reflecting the vibrant golden hour colors - these were my favorite shots of the day!

If you’re looking to throw a massive party at a venue that’s upscale and gorgeous but at the same time very serene and peaceful, The Willow is for you!

Thanks to this amazing vendor team for creating the perfect day for the Leech’s!

Photographer: Jill Gearhart Photography

Videography: Isaac Born Videography

Makeup: Beauty by Joette

Hair: Shades Hair Salon

Suits: Doris Smith

Florals, Signage, Cookie Table decor and Set-Up: Little Details by Reese

Coordinator: Morgan at The Willow

Catering: Flair of Country

Live Music: The Evergreens

DJ and photobooth: DJ Dancin’ Dan

Maddy and Mitch had such a beautiful day full of memorable moments and all of their favorite people and friends! This particular wedding, too, shows that you CAN in fact get married at the location that’s important to you and find time to travel on your wedding day to the reception venue of your dreams. The 9 hour timeline ensured that there was enough time to get all of the things on the wishlist, including prep shots, a “first touch”, a full Catholic mass, 45 minutes of travel, family photos, portraits, detail shots, large group shots, table shots, sunset photos, dancing photos, and a sparkler exit!

wedding timeline with travel

If you are wanting to create your best day ever around a bit of travel, the best way to approach it is with a convo with your photographer and adding on some extra time to the photo package JUST for the travel portion. A typical wedding timeline needs about 2 hours before the ceremony to get prep shots, and 2 hours after the ceremony for family photos, bridal party portraits, bride and groom portraits, a quick restroom break, and bustling the dress before grand introductions. Having time APART from all of that for travel ensures the smoothest possible day and adequate time to fit in everything photo-wise.

Many other things can affect the timeline as well including having a second photographer, doing a first look where you and your fiance see each other and get photos before the ceremony, the time of year for sunset and sparkler photos, and so much more. This is why an experienced photographer is invaluable - we’ve seen it all and can shift the pieces to make YOUR timeline exactly what you want it to be!

I started the day at Maddy’s beautiful house when hair and makeup were finishing up and snapped some sweet moments with the bridesmaids in their matching robes, then headed over to the church to see Mitch arrive in his beautifully restored classic car! After a sweet “first touch” in the stairwell to help calm some nerves, the beautiful Catholic mass started, complete with the most well-timed thunder and rain that was nice enough to finish before we had to leave!

I love doing family photos in beautiful churches, and St. Barbara’s was as stunning of a backdrop as anything else! After the family photos we got more beautiful shots with the bride and groom and the classic car, even recreating a photo from their grandparents’ wedding day!

Once we all arrive at the gorgeous Lingrow I got some lightening-fast detail shots as guests arrived for cocktail hour downstairs. Soon the bridal party was ready to go and we did a few fun group photos, individual photos, and beautiful bride and groom portraits that showcased the best features and view of the gorgeous venue.

Guests were dazzled by a dance completely choreographed by the bride, and we were able to get a massive group photo of all 175+ guests packing the dance floor to kick off the party! Even though the day was hot and humid, Maddy and Mitch were so incredibly sweet and kind enough to go back outside at sunset to get one last epic shot with a cotton-candy sky and, of course, the car!

We wrapped up the full day with a beautiful sparkler exit and some more expert twirls to cap off Mitch and Maddy’s happily ever after!

Thank you to these wonderful vendors who truly were a force on this very full day!

Venue: Lingrow Farm

Coordinator: Leah Frey

DJ: Royal Heir DJ

Cake: The BRIDE!!!

Florals: Bride and mom!

HMUA: Sanctus Spa and Salon

As you prepare to graduate from IUP, capturing this special moment with professional photos is a wonderful way to commemorate your achievement. After you receive your cap and gown, consider scheduling a photo session at iconic locations on campus. The Oak Grove with its stunning backdrop of trees, the picturesque Sutton Hall porch, and the historic IUP arch all serve as perfect settings for your graduation photos. You may also want to take photos at any other building on campus that holds significance for you, creating timeless memories of your time at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. These photos will not only showcase your academic milestone but also preserve the emotional connection you have with the campus as you move forward into the next chapter of your life.

college grad photos with friends

In this special time of your life, I understand the value of capturing moments with friends, which is why I offer the option to bring a few companions along to your photo session. Your 1 hour time slot can be evenly divided among friends, allowing everyone to have their share of the spotlight. Clients can view all the photos taken during the session and handpick their 15 favorites. Should they wish to share the 15 final images with their friends, they have the flexibility to do so. Additionally, clients have the opportunity to add more photos at a nominal fee of $25 per additional file.

When preparing for a college graduation photo shoot, it is essential to bring along key items that symbolize your academic journey and achievements. Be sure to pack your decorated cap and gown, which are central pieces for the occasion. Additionally, consider bringing balloons, glitter, champagne, honors cords, instruments, books, or any other props that reflect your personality, interests, or successes during your college years. These items can add a personalized touch to your photos and make them more meaningful. Moreover, feel free to invite your family, pets, significant others, and friends to join the photo session, as their presence can make the experience even more special and memorable. Capture this important milestone surrounded by the people and items that matter most to you.

Mellon Park in Pittsburgh, PA, is a favored location for engagement photos due to its picturesque setting that’s a perfect blend of architecture and nature. The park boasts a stunning stone fountain that provides a timeless backdrop for romantic photos. In the spring and summer, colorful flowering trees and landscapes add a touch of natural beauty to the surroundings, creating a dreamy atmosphere for capturing special moments. The park's wrought iron fence features add a touch of elegance and charm to photographs. Additionally, Mellon Park offers the convenience of ample parking, making it a practical choice for couples and photographers seeking a seamless photoshoot experience.

When searching for a photo location in the city that exudes a natural and timeless vibe rather than an urban feel, consider exploring botanical gardens or parks like Mellon Park that are tucked away from the bustling city centers. These serene pockets of greenery provide a tranquil backdrop with their lush foliage, blooming flowers, and winding pathways, offering a peaceful escape from the city's concrete jungle. Mellon has all the hidden gems like quiet courtyards, a charming cobblestone street, and architectural structures that can add a touch of timeless elegance to your photos, creating a perfect blend of nature and history in an urban setting.

At Jill Gearhart Photography, we believe that unexpected moments can lead to some of the most memorable experiences. Picture this: you arrive at your outdoor photoshoot full of excitement, only for the skies to open up with a sudden downpour. Instead of letting the rain dampen our spirits, we choose to embrace the moment. Laughter fills the air as we dance in the rain, capturing candid shots that reflect the joy of spontaneity. The droplets add a magical touch to the images, creating a unique and unforgettable story. Despite the weather's twist, we ensure that your photoshoot is not only successful but also a fun and exhilarating adventure.

The Home Farm Barn is a great choice for a wedding venue if you’re looking for a barn venue that’s not too rustic and has beautiful spots for portraits. Every inch of the barn is beautiful and elevated, from its modern neutral color scheme to its beautiful glass gallery room on the bottom floor.

Nick and Rachel started their wedding day at the Home Farm Barn by getting ready in the downstairs Tack Room, a small room that can accommodate bridesmaids getting their hair and makeup done or that can function as a holding place for groomsmen until ceremony time. With its countertops, natural light, and full mirrors, it has everything you need for your finishing touches.

wedding venues with rain plans

This particular wedding had their ceremony inside of the bottom level of the barn, known as the glass gallery. This is a great option if rain is in the forecast for your wedding day since it is still beautiful and spacious enough for all of your guests to sit comfortably. Cocktail hour can easily be held in the reminder of the bottom floor of the barn since the dining is upstairs and the glass gallery’s sliding doors separate it into its own room. The industrial kitchen on this bottom floor also make it easy for caterers to keep food hot and cake cool.

With the option to add on the Just Hitched bar trailer that can be parked INSIDE the bottom floor for your cocktail hour, there is all the convenience and none of the down time having to flip spaces from one part of the day to the next.

barn wedding venues with outdoor ceremony

The outdoor patio just off of the glass gallery is a fantastic choice for your ceremony if the weather is cooperating, and also makes a beautiful, clean, neutral spot for group photos overlooking the property’s beautiful willow trees. Guests can also enjoy the tire swing and space for lawn games.

The main barn upstairs is accessed by a beautiful wide timber staircase, making for dramatic grand entrances that are photographer friendly and don’t require your bridal party to awkwardly wait outside of a set of closed barn doors like at other barn venues. The dance floor will also be tastefully decorated with twinkle lights and large hanging hoops that can hold greenery or other decor.

wedding venues with transportation

At the end of the night, Home Farm Barn’s trolley service will make sure that your guests get back to their hotel (there are 2 great hotel options less than 10 minutes from the venue) and also make for lovely photo ops. The venue does require that guests ride the trolley to maximize the efficiency of parking at the venue.

This couple featured below wanted to end the night with a sparkler send off, and again the beautiful exterior of the barn provides a great backdrop and the outside lighting helps make the photo even more successful.

The Roost Event Center in Mahaffey is a beautiful new timber frame wedding venue with plenty of space for hosting your ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception for your wedding. The owners really thought of everything when building this amazing venue, and after seeing a LOT of wedding venues over the past 12 years, this one immediately became a favorite.

The grounds are very crowd-friendly, with paved parking areas, multiple bathrooms, paved walkways and ramps, and lots of space inside their multi-level reception area to seat everyone comfortably and still have a large dance floor. There is even an option to host your ceremony indoors in their adjoining room in case of inclement weather without having to move any tables or chairs, and this room easily holds even the largest buffet set-up and expansive cookie table without having to sacrifice dance floor space or dance time with tearing buffet tables down after dinner. Simply put, there is ROOM for EVERYTHING and that means less stress for EVERYONE involved!

We started Mike and Alicia’s gorgeous wedding day in the beautifully decorated bridal party suites, one for the women and one for the men, situated right next to each other with locked keypad entry so no accidental “peeks!” The suites each had plenty of bathrooms and mirrors in addition to lounging spaces to accommodate all the demands of getting ready for wedding day.

The ceremony was held under the beautiful and expansive pavilion, featuring more of the same beautiful timber framing and stamped decorative concrete. The view of the countryside is breathtaking, creating a perfect backdrop for the most important moments of the day.

Guests enjoyed cocktail hour in the large covered patio complete with plenty of covered seating and a beautiful and expansive outdoor bar while we explored the grounds for photos with the family and bridal party. There’s plenty of variety in places for beautiful photos, including a hayfield, forest of ferns, and the beautiful stone steps in front of the venue itself.

I can’t say enough about how much fun I had with this joy-filled, kind, generous, AMAZING couple. They truly embodied the radiance and happiness that translate into emotion-filled photos and even more spectacular memories. I first met the bride when she was a bridesmaid in another wedding I photographed in 2020, and since then we’ve been able to create some more sweet memories when she and her fiancé flew me out to Washington state to create some epic engagement photos in the Hoh Rainforest.

The entire wedding they they both could not stop crying and smiling - I could just tell by reading their faces that they were thinking “Oh my god, we are finally married!” Just to reiterate how cute these two are, enjoy the story of the proposal in Alicia’s words:

“I told Mike when we started dating that I didn't care how he proposed, just as long as he did it. I said that he could even propose with a Ring Pop and I would be happy, but it had to be the blue or red one. When the proposal got closer, he started hiding ring pops around our home and in my belongings for me to find. On the day that he proposed, that morning, he gave me a blue one. I didn't piece together the colors/flavor hint until after he told me it was intentional. My sister had asked me to take pictures of her and her fiance since they had gotten engaged earlier in the year, so we went to Acorn Street in Boston. When we got there, she was asking for help with poses for she and her fiance to do, but was having a difficult time with the direction and said "Here, just show me what you want and we will recreate it." Little did I know that it was her way of taking my camera to set up a pose for Mike to propose with!”

We ended the night with a huge group-hug-turned-sing-along of Country Roads, a private last dance between the happy couple, and an epic cold-sparks send off (again, another BRILLIANT move by this venue for offering that as an add-on!) I hope you enjoy the highlights of the amazing day below, and another huge thank you to the wonderful vendors who made it all possible:

• Photographer: Jill Gearhart Photography

• Venue: The Roost Event Center

• Hair + Make Up: Bloom Beauty Parlor

• Bridesmaids Dresses: Azazie

• Tuxes or Suits: Men's Wearhouse

• Rings: Kay's & Jacqueline's Fine Jewelry

• Catering: DiMaio's

• DJ: Royal Heir Dj Services

• Videographer: Rippeto Wedding Films

• Coordinator : Tiffany and Design