Christine and Matt had a perfect 8 hour wedding day that hit all of the major wedding events without doing a first look. Because they wanted to stick with tradition of seeing each other for the first time as Christine was walking down the aisle, they opted to skip the pre-ceremony portraits together. We met up and got creative with the timing of things to help make the day flow nicely with guests in mind.

bridal party portraits before the ceremony

In order to maximize the amount of time the bride and groom got the spend with their guests after the ceremony, we tried to do as many portraits pre-ceremony as possible. The bridal party was super helpful and accommodating and were ready to get ready a little earlier in order to do portraits before the ceremony. We were able to get group photos of the bride with her bridesmaids and the groom with his groomsmen, as well as individuals of each.

immediate family portraits before the ceremony

Another key element to maximizing time was having any formal portraits with immediate family done before the ceremony as well. Shots like the bride with her mom, dad, and siblings were all able to happen with help from the family and willingness for everyone to be there and be ready early. I’m always so grateful for people that are happy to be a part of a team, even if it’s more inconvenient for them.

prepping details early for wedding

Because the bride is such a planner and worked so hard to have everything done well in advance, it was easy to keep everything moving along in the morning, when things tend to go off track. All of the bridal and the groom details were together in a box waiting for me, which helped tremendously. The country club was also very accommodating, letting everyone in to decorate the day before.

The aesthetic of the day was luxury, but in a very easy, accessible way. The black and white color scheme was elegant and timeless, and easy to achieve a cohesive look. The beautiful white linens with black accents, tall gold centerpieces with white florals and greenery, and all white cake make by the bride’s amazing Pastry Chef sister gave the entire day a high-class feel.

sample 8 hour wedding timeline

1:00 - details / getting ready photos 
1:30 - Christine gets dressed
1:40 - first look with dad
1:45 - immediate family photos 
2:15 - bridesmaid photos
2:30 - groomsmen photos
2:45 - first “touch”/read private vows
3:15 - prep for ceremony
3:30 - ceremony
4:00 - family photos on patio or by main entrance
4:20 - couple portraits
5:00 - grand entrance
5:15- first dance
5:20 - father daughter dance
5:25 - toast
5:30 - dinner
8:30 - last dance / set up for sparklers
8:40 - sparkler exit

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Weddings at Lake Raystown Resort are a treat for both you and your guests as the closet public lake resort to Pittsburgh. At just a 2.5 hour drive from Pittsburgh, this is a great venue if you want to feel like you’re eloping to a destination that feels more like a vacation spot. Many people in the Western Pennsylvanian area vacation at Raystown and enjoy boating on the lake. Listed below are the amenities that Lake Raystown offers for wedding in it’s large ballroom, The River Birch Ballroom. The large, beautiful room features floor to ceiling windows and a beautiful lake-facing patio.

what’s included for a wedding at lake rays town resort?

• The River Birch ballroom can accommodate up to 230 guests

• 4 hour reception

• tables/chairs (including set up and tear down)

• white/ivory linens

• china and flatware

• soda and mixers for alcohol (you must provide alcohol)

• bartenders

What are the additional costs for a wedding at Lake Raystown Resort?

• Meal packages that include 3 options for 2 main dishes and 2 sides

• cookie plating

• cake cutting / serving

• Marina gazebo for ceremony

• chair and bench set up for ceremony

• rooms at the Lodge

Lingrow is one of the most upscale barn wedding venues near Pittsburgh and the dozen of included amenities including on-site lodging and ready-to-go table scape (tables, chairs, linens, china, chargers, flatware) make it a great all-inclusive option.

Couples can expect beautiful landscaping and architecture in every inch of the property, lending itself to some of the most stunning wedding photos possible. The pergola / gazebo by the pond is a beautiful backdrop for your ceremony, with plenty of outdoor seating in the “chapel” area for your guests.

Cocktail hour is usually held in the barn’s lower level and extends to the back porch and patio area, where guests can enjoy the one of two bars on each floor of the barn. There are also lots of options for your dinner and reception set ups, with indoor seating, seating on the upper deck, or dancing in either location as well. Large weddings usually host dinner hour inside the barn and then dancing on the back deck.

With great sunset views and the ability to have sparklers on the property, epic and unique photos in the evening are possible! Lingrow also offers plenty of add-on amenities like a horse-drawn carriage and the ability to stay in the farm house for the entire weekend making it a truly stress-free retreat for your biggest day ever!

Chestnut Ridge Golf Resort Weddings

Chestnut Ridge is one of the biggest, most upscale wedding venues outside of Pittsburgh. The ballroom can hold 350 guests, and the on-site amenities make it extremely convenient for you and your guests. The wedding featured below utilized the getting ready room downstairs, the on-site salon, a separate space for their ceremony, in-house catering, and a late-night pizza bar.

We started the day with the women getting ready in the downstairs conference room which had plenty of natural light for hair and makeup. Some of the members of the bridal party even got their hair done at the salon in the downstairs floor of the resort. The men got ready at the neighboring hotel, the Hampton Inn, which made for a very convenient option for guests as well since it is in the same complex as the resort.

The ceremony took place in an upstairs ballroom which neighbored the beautiful reception hall, separated by room dividers but still boasting the beautiful view of the mountains out of the window!

When it comes time for portraits, the resort is happy to lend you golf carts for your entire bridal party and will escort you around the course for all of your photos.

Chesnut Ridge is wonderful at setting up a seamless buffet experience in the room adjacent to your reception, and the food is always fantastic. They also have a wonderful and spacious display for cookies right in the main ballroom.

Guests always have a great time on the ample dance floor - there’s plenty of room to hold even the largest guests lists without having to tear down tables on the dance floor or fight your way through chairs to move around the room.

Hope you can find some inspiration for your Chest Ridge wedding!

If you would love to have a destination wedding but don’t want to skip the big guest list filled with friends and family, you should definitely consider a destination engagement shoot! Alicia and Mike are travel nurses contracted in Port Angeles, Washington, and when we talked about doing an engagement shoot that would be truly memorable, the plan we made to do their session at the Hoh Rainforest was just right from the beginning! Here I’ll answer some questions that we had when planning the session as well as show you some of my favorites from this epic engagement shoot!

Where to fly in to visit the hoh rainforest

Since the rainforest is pretty remote, you will need to prepare to drive several hours from the nearest airport. SeaTac is the largest major airport, which is where we also flew into, and then we had about a 4 hour drive to the Rainforest.

Where to stay when visiting the hoh rainforest

The couple in the photoshoot stayed at an air bnb in Forks, WA. It was only about an hour to the visitor center from their air bnb, so if you have a late flight home, this would be a good option. I stayed in Lacey Washington solely because we wanted to have a shorter drive to the airport on the morning we were flying out. So it was a 3 hours drive to the rainforest for us, but only about an hour drive to the airport the following day to get home.

how to check for road closures in a national park

Anytime you visit ANY national park, you MUST check for road closures and vehicle requirements. The Hoh Rainforest is sometimes inaccessible because of flooding, and the weather can change quickly, so keep an eye on the national park’s website a week before your shoot and also the day of. It’s great to have a back up plan in case of road closures. Check out the “other spots” section below.

what to bring to a photo session at hoh rainforest

Keep in mind it’s a RAINFOREST, so expect damp, dark, ever-changing weather. We were SO lucky to have a mild, sunny day, but the paths were still wet and muddy. Definitely make sure you have the following for your shoot:

• umbrellas

• shoes you dont mind getting muddy (you can bring nice shoes along)

• a jacket

• a tote bag or blanket to put all of your belongings down when you’re being photographed

• expectations of bad weather (have a plan for your hair - updo’s are a great, humidity-”proof” option)

permits for doing a photoshoot in the hoh rainforest

According the the national park’s website, unless you are photographing paid models or plan to use the photos to advertise products you are selling, there is no fee other than the National Park Pass that you need to buy to access the rainforest. This is usually less than $50.

Where to park and hike at the hot rainforest

We routed our GPS to the Hoh Rainforest visitors center, and while it was closed the bathrooms were open and there was plenty of parking. There are several trailheads at the Vistor’s Center, but we took the Hall of Mosses trail which is a 0.8 mile loop. Aside from a very short “stairs”-like incline at the beginning, the trail is mostly flat and even paved in some spots. It took us about 2 hours taking time to stop and photograph, but you could easily get through it in a half an hour if you’re looking for a recreational hike.

other spots in olympic state park for photo shoots

On the drive to the rainforest from the south west of the park, there are several amazing spots to stop and take photos, including Kalaloch Beach and Ruby Beach. Both of these options are usually accessible even if the roads to get to the Hoh Rainforest are flooded. These beaches also do not require you to have a park pass.

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If you’re looking for a unique wedding location in the city, this North Shore wedding at the Foundry Table & Tap is full of inspiration for your intimate wedding ceremony in downtown Pittsburgh. The Foundry has a semi-private room in the back that can accommodate around 50 people and is accessed by a walk through the restaurant, but with the heavy sliding barn doors to seal it off once you're in there, we were able to have a DJ and play music without disturbing the restaurant guests and visa versa.

The best thing for me was direct access to the Rivewalk on the North Shore right through the glass doors in the back of the room! Finding beautiful photo spots right in the heart of downtown was so easy! We got some great shots of the yellow bridges and the Gateway clipper with the Point in the background, and there were even plenty of picturesque places with cover overhead when it rained. The highlight of the day was taking photos outside on the beautiful river walk and even running into the Pitt marching band!

I’ve known the bride Bre since middle school, and though some might think the pressure is off if you know your clients ahead of time, that wasn’t the case for me! I always want to make sure I do the absolute best job my skills allow - ESPECIALLY for long time friends! This wedding took place in October, when wedding season is winding down and my creativity is almost spent, so I really pushed myself to get some unique shots for Bre and Chris! That night time rain photo is one of my favorite images I’ve ever taken in the past decade!

Bre and Chris have a sweet, fierce love for each other, finding their solace in music and each other. It was a perfect fit having their wedding showcase their love of music that she said “became their identity” as a couple. The band Motionless in White is their favorite, and the couple incorporated some of their favorite anthems into their details, from the concert ticket Save-the-Dates to the record decor at the reception!

I was so honored to be able to document all the special touches that made the day so very personal to both of them. And I would be lying if I said I wasn’t excited to photo a bride with blue and purple hair!!

My husband Brandon served as the officiant and DJ, and we had a wonderful time celebrating the occasion in the laid-back, casual venue. I love when couples trust that their vision and their heart will show up in their wedding photos, and I think we all had the best day doing just that.

Perhaps a better title is “What to take to a bridal show if you’re cheap and lazy and want to put in minimal effort” lol! It’s bridal show season, and whether you are a participant or a vendor at one, you know that people will be taking home information that will hopefully make an impression. It’s importantly to clearly and quickly show not only your work at a bridal show, but perhaps MORE importantly, a memorable brand. People walking through the hall will see hundreds of images, but they will only meet one YOU! If your brand is “you” and it’s memorable, they will remember to reach out when the event is over or be able to put a face and conversation to the email when YOU reach out to them.

Remember, a brand is so much more than a logo and colors, or a specific instagram filter. A brand is how your product looks and performs, how you talk, and how you interact with your clients. It influences the gear you buy or processes you use. its literally the filter through which everything you do, think, and say, about your business passes through. It’s REALLY important, and its pretty important to get it right the first time since clients start to develop a relationship with you and your brand right away.

The aesthetic part of branding is important too, but still leaves you room to refine and evolve. As you begin to create your website and social media presence, it’s great to have a place to start so you have a cohesive and consistent look. I’ve had people recognize my logo and colors who have never met me or seen my picture that tell me “oh, I’ve seen your business before I recognize the G and the mint green!” Down the road you can absolutely tweak your colors, and even your tagline if you feel like it doesn’t represent your business anymore. But likely, it will be evergreen because it reflects YOU as a person!

What I give to clients at a bridal show or meeting:

Branded folder to hold all the following goodies:

• Pricing Sheet

• Sample Contract

• Handwritten thank you card for one-on-one meetings

• Business card

• Custom stickers (I love Sticker Mule’s die-cut stickers! You can design yours here!)

• Bridal Magazine

For clients that live far away, I will mail this entire folder and tuck in a $10 Starbucks gift card, that way both the clients that live close to me that I get to meet over coffee and the clients I get to meet over zoom have as similar as of an experience as possible, and definitely receive the same value from me.

I am fully aware that my display above is not the most glamorous or impressive, I spent maybe $100. But I know that my advertising strategy doesn’t rely on bridal shows, and most importantly I’m confident in the strength of my work and my personality to make connections! I’ve found that bridal shows are less about the huge displays and flashy pieces of gear and more about showing quality work and presenting a memorable, relatable brand. Even with my rinky-dink display, I’m the one that gets 3-4 wedding contracts because of the personable connection Im able to make. I hope this helped to ease some guilt as you prepare for your bridal show and encouraged you to put on your extrovert pants and get out there and make friends!

If you’re getting married somewhere fun and want photos, I’m willing to be the destination wedding photographer that makes your vision come true! February is a popular time to tie the knot in Arizona, and I was more than happy to leave the 30 degree weather in Pennsylvania to photograph this wedding in the sun!

So the burning question, “HOW DID YOU GET THAT GIG?” It was as simple as a Facebook post, to be honest! When my high-school friend Christan posted that she was looking for a wedding planner in Phoenix, I had no idea that me being a smart-ass and saying that I knew a destination wedding photographer that would travel to Phoenix (aka me!) would result in me flying to Arizona to capture some amazing memories in the desert.

We started the day at the couples house where they were surrounded by friends and family and lots of amazing treats (the bride is, undoubtedly, the most thoughtful hostess ever). The bride was so kind to provide me with tons of detail-styling props (that would otherwise take up room in my suitcase!) to really make her special touches shine. With a navy blue, dusty pink, and rose gold color palette, the invitations, dresses, flowers, and other decor truly captured the “rustic” of the brides Pennsylvania roots while being bold and timeless. We got some great getting ready shots of the groom Jordan, and then headed to the venue to prep for the ceremony!

Antigua Garden is a small all-in-one venue tin downtown Phoenix that is popular for both weddings and quincineras. They provided everything needed for an amazing reception - even the food and DJ! The courtyard just outside the ballroom boasted a ceremony space under stunning arbor covered in bougainvillea (that was BLOOMING! I was in heaven!), a grassy lounge area with chiminea, and beautiful landscaping and architecture in every nook that nodded to Arizona’s hispanic cultural influences.

The couple had a first look under the venue’s dramatic archway, and we were able to squeeze in some gorgeous and romantic portraits in the shady spots of the garden with the lush plants. I was seriously so excited to not just be photographing grass and trees!

The short but extremely heartfelt ceremony had the most amazing vows, and once the couple made it official by jumping the broom, we captured the signing of the marriage certificate. Their stunning families made formal photos a breeze while guests enjoyed appetizers and pup-themed cocktails.

With an epic dress change and Hollywood-worthy entrance down the grand staircase, Christan and Jordan were ready to dance the night away surrounded by over 100 family and friends. The DJ made dance photos that much more exciting with dry ice and cold sparks for their first dance and kept the floor packed all night with clubby tunes. The night ended with late-night bites from a wood-fired pizza truck and a great sparkler “exit” photo op!

I was so blessed to be trusted with commemorating all the memories and capturing all the details of this wedding, and I truly had so much fun and felt so much creative freedom. You may wonder why it’s worth it to pay a photographer you know to travel to you for your wedding day rather than hire a local vendor. I think Christan summed it up best:

“I’m so thankful for you coming here to photograph our wedding! It’s been a crazy stressful couple of weeks and one thing I have never worried once about is the decision to hire you. We are so thankful for you, your talents and incredible vision! I really hope you had the opportunity to enjoy AZ! Feel so blessed to have you as my photographer!! “

The Allegheny County Courthouse is a great place to elope in Pittsburgh with beautiful spots to commemorate the occasion. My husband Brandon is a licensed officiant, and we often offer ceremony and photo packages for courthouse elopements.

The first step in eloping is applying for your marriage license. If you’re wanting to elope in Allegheny County, such as at the courthouse featured here, you’ll want to check out the specifics for obtaining a marriage license at the button below. You will want to plan a bit ahead as there is a several day waiting process between the time you apply for a license and the time it is issued.

The most challenging thing about eloping at the Allegheny County Courthouse is parking. Since it is in the heart of downtown, street parking can be challenging but there are a number or nearby parking garages that you can park in, though expect to pay upwards of $20 for parking in them.

There are no special permits required to photograph in the courthouse, so it is easy to get some beautiful photos on the grand staircase that show off the amazing architecture in the courthouse. Every time I’ve been there it’s been pretty deserted as well, so you won’t have to worry about crowds of people bombing your photos.

If you’re looking for a fast and budget friendly way to elope while still having the opportunity for some pretty wedding photos, this might be the right fit for you!

The Children's Museum and Museum Lab are excellent venues if you're looking for a unique place to have your wedding! Angela and Jeremy decided to celebrate in the lower level of the museum, having their ceremony in the studio room and their reception in the ballroom.

The top floor of the museum features a water play floor, which has floor to ceiling glass that lends itself to great natural light for portraits. Something to note, though, is that the museum doesn’t close its doors to the public during normal operating hours, so if you’re going to have photos done throughout the museum, it’s best to plan that for later in the day.

The ceremony space gets cleared out by the venue staff, giving enough room to seat a small to mid-sized wedding crowd, and the pink and orange ribbons that hang from the ceiling make for a fun and colorful addition to your wedding photos!

Next door, the Museum Lab offers great landscaping and architectural options if you’re looking for a more traditional and classic backdrop for wedding photos, and the beautiful rooms inside the Museum Lab building are a great spot for some timeless photos if the venue isn’t being rented out for another wedding.

Cocktail hour is typically held in the lobby of the museum, which provides plenty of space for guests to mingle among standing tables while the ballroom is set up for the reception.

The reception space in the Children’s Museum is laid out in a great way that will have your dance floor packed. As a long rectangular shaped room, guests are seated at the far ends, with the dance floor in the middle. Because the entire width of the room is taken up by the dance floor, it really pushes guests together in a good way to ensure the floor is packed with activity all night long.

If you’re looking for a unique venue in Pittsburgh with both whimsy and opportunities for more classic and traditional portraits, Children’s Museum is definitely it!