Kayla + Michael: Chadwick Wedding Photos

September 8, 2018 marks 8 years of Kayla and Michael’s relationship. What better way to spend their 8 year anniversary than to create a NEW anniversary - this one for their wedding day!

I’ve had the privilege of really getting to know Kayla and Michael over the last two years, since their engagement session nearly two years ago (Click here to see their photos!). I’ve seen ups and downs in their lives, but what remained steady: their relationship and their love for each other. These two have already lived out many of the vows they took on their wedding day, but hearing them confirm their vows in front of their closest friends and family even brought tears to my eyes!

Not only are Kayla and Michael amazing, but so was their bridal party and family, who welcomed us with the most open arms! We truly can’t thank each of you enough for making us feel like a part of the party (and for making me an honorary bridesmaid 😉). And Kayla and Michael - you two truly are amazing, and I am so blessed to know you! And without further ado - check out some of my favorite photos from Kayla and Michael’s wedding day!

Vendors:

Makeup: Allison Renock Makeup

Cake: Lincoln Bakery

Ceremony & Reception: The Chadwick

DJ: Jason Lacko

Bridesmaid Dresses: Vera Wang from David’s Bridal

Bride’s Dress: Truly Zac Posen at Davids Bridal

Invitations: The Wedding Suite by Shutterfly

Officiant: Reverend Mark Dinuzzio

Pittsburgh Wedding Photographer: Jenna Hidinger Photography

Jenna + Tom: Pittsburgh Botanic Garden Wedding Photos

The quote that kept playing in my mind throughout Jenna and Tom’s wedding day: "Gatsby looked at Daisy in a way that every young girl wanted to be looked at." Not because their wedding had anything at all to do with The Great Gatsby, but because that’s the only way I could think to describe the way Tom kept looking at Jenna throughout their wedding day: just completely in love!

I think it’s safe to say that those who know Jenna and Tom know how well they light up a room together. Their day was packed FULL of laughter, and full of people from all over the world. With Tom being from England, and Jenna being from Pennsylvania, their wedding day was the most beautiful mesh of customs and details from both cultures - and had some of the kindest people in the world! Everyone spent a TON of time out on the dance floor, dancing the night away with the Bachelor Boys Band - which is why you’ll see so many reception photos near the end. What a party!

Jenna and Tom, it as a total honor to be a part of your wedding day! Thank you so much for having us, trusting us, and just for being so kind. You both are wonderful, and we wish you all the best!

Vendors:

Ceremony & Reception Venue: Pittsburgh Botanic Garden

Coordination: Your Big Day

Bride’s Dress: Bridal Beginnings

Makeup Arist: Janneth Avila

Hair Artist: Liz Macey (Gallery Salon)

Bridesmaid Dresses: Azazie

Menswear: Dobell (UK)

Invitations: Minted

Flowers: Budget Blossoms by Jillian

Catering: Hazelnut Catering

Band: Bachelor Boys Band

Cake: Bethel Bakery

Tent, Linens, Light: Ambassador Tent Rental

Pittsburgh Botanic Garden Wedding Photographer: Jenna Hidinger Photography

Elizabeth + Jason: The Pennsylvanian Wedding Photos

We arrived at the Pennsylvanian early the day of Elizabeth and Jason’s wedding to drop off our equipment. As we gathered our light stands and sandbags, I looked up into the rotunda of the Pennsylvanian and felt a familiar sense of wonder at it’s unique beauty. Built in 1900 as Pittsburgh’s Union Station, this building has remained a place that draws all types of people from all walks of life - then, as a train station, now, as an event venue (and apartment!). And, of course, this venue was THE perfect fit for Elizabeth and Jason, who currently live in Chicago, and had people from lots of different areas joining them to celebrate their marriage.

One of my absolute favorite touches from Elizabeth and Jason’s ceremony was the location of their ceremony. Right under the front rotunda in the photo you see below, there’s a pillar with the word “Chicago” written over top. To the left of the Chicago pillar, there’s a pillar that says “Pittsburgh” overtop, and to the right of the Chicago pillar, one that says “New York.” Elizabeth and Jason are from Chicago (as I mentioned before), both went to the same school (NYU) in New York (they didn’t know each other at the time - but what an amazing coincidence!), and tied the knot in Pittsburgh. So, of course, it was perfectly fitting to have their ceremony right under the Chicago pillar! It seems like that venue was made JUST for them! And it’s not only where they had their ceremony that paid homage to their journey - but the colors they chose for their wedding, too! Purple and silver are NYU’s colors, perfectly symbolizing a large point of connection in their relationship!

We had an absolute blast photographing these two (even in the crazy Pittsburgh heat and humidity!) and are so thankful to have been a part of their day! Congratulations, Elizabeth and Jason! 💛

Vendors:

Ceremony & Reception: The Pennsylvanian

Hotel Accommodations: The Westin Hotel

Catering: Rania’s Catering

Invitations: Minted

Bride’s Dress: Honey Bridal in Chicago; gown designed by Rebecca Shoneveld

Hair: Elisha Evans Styling

Makeup: Mock Makeup (Danielle Mock)

DJ: Jeremy Ganss Productions

Florist: Bloomer’s Floral

Videographer: Dorosh Documentaries

Pennsylvanian Wedding Photos provided by Jenna Hidinger Photography

Koreen + Kurt: Renshaw Family Farms Wedding Photos

I've had the privilege of photographing two weddings within weeks of each other this year at Renshaw Family Farms in Freeport, PA! And I have to say - it's quickly becoming one of my favorite farm wedding venues, not just for the gorgeous sweeping scenery or all of the beautiful little photo spots - not even for the outstanding staff who go above and beyond in every single way - I truly believe that something about Renshaw Farms draws the sweetest, kindest, most loving couples (I've photographed three and counting here! Check out Kaitlyn & Marshall's here, and Maddie & Tyson's here). Koreen and Kurt were absolutely NO exception and were a joy to work with on their wedding day! If you missed their spring engagement session a few months ago, you HAVE to check it out. We hit up the most beautiful spring scenery (including pink trees!) at just the right time! See it here!

On Koreen and Kurt's wedding day, it was supposed to rain. But instead, it turned out to be one of the most beautiful days of the week! Koreen arranged the florals herself (girl has some serious talent!) and even made the flower crowns that her daughter, Kenlee, and the other flower girls wore. Speaking of Koreen and Kurt's daughter - one of my favorite moments of the wedding was when Kenlee was walking down the aisle and realized that her dad was standing at the end of it. She let out a loud "Daddy!" and ran the rest of the way down to him, where he, beaming, took her hand.

After the ceremony, Koreen, Kurt, and Kenlee entered the reception barn, all grinning ear to ear, where friends and family toasted to their new adventure, and danced the night away. We snuck out for a few evening portraits right at sunset - and let me tell you, they were worth scrolling all the way to the bottom of this post to see!

Koreen and Kurt, I cannot thank you enough for the honor of being a part of your day. The three of you make an amazing family, and I am so honored that I got to be a part of your journey towards becoming husband and wife!

For vendor information, scroll to the very bottom! But in the mean time - enjoy a few of my favorite moments from Koreen & Kurt's wedding day!

Vendors:

Ceremony & Reception: Renshaw Family Farms (Freeport, PA)

Cake: Patti's Pasticceria Inc.

DJ: DJ Colt

Makeup: Shannon Cole

Hair: Headlines by Jackie

Bride's Dress: Bridal Beginnings (Allure)

Bridesmaid Dresses: David's Bridal

Invitations: Ace Brothers Printing

Caterer: Cracked Egg Catering Co.

Violinist: Megan Reilly

Selfie Station: Action Inc. Brandon Battista 

Abby + Dave: The Grand Hall at the Priory Wedding Photos

The Grand Hall at the Priory has been on my "bucket list" of wedding venues to photograph a wedding at in Pittsburgh for a while, so you can imagine how excited I was when Abby and Dave contacted me to photograph their wedding there! Just to give a little background, the Grand Hall was built in 1894 and operated as "St. Mary's Church" by German immigrants (per the Priory's website), and maintains much of the classic church architecture, including the large organ pipes on a balcony overlooking the ceremony & reception space.

I met Abby and Dave at a previous wedding a few years ago, where Abby was a bridesmaid! It's always a HUGE honor when someone who was a part of a wedding I photographed reaches out when their wedding day comes around! 💛 And let me tell you, this wedding did NOT disappoint! The classic elegance of the Grand Hall meshed perfectly with Abby and Dave's vision for their day. I could go on and on about how absolutely stunning this day was, but I think the photos speak for themselves, so I'll let them do their job! 😉 Congratulations on your marriage, Abby and Dave!

Vendors:

Ceremony & Reception: The Grand Hall at the Priory

Invitations: Dina Paola Designs

Bride's Dress: Bridal Beginnings

Hair & Makeup: Caviar & Curls

Bridesmaid Dresses: Azazie

Florist: Kathy Bonessi

DJ: Pittsburgh DJ Company

Cake & Cupcakes: Priory Bakery Shop

Pittsburgh Wedding Photographer: Jenna Hidinger Photography

Lindsay + Ryan: Hidden Valley Resort Wedding Photos

Ohhh friends. This is a good one!!! I am SO excited to share Lindsay and Ryan's Hidden Valley Resort wedding photos today! One of the BEST perks about being a wedding photographer is working with couples on one of the very best days of their lives. There's always so much joy and love, and for Lindsay and Ryan, I'm pretty sure that joy and love was doubled! These two might be two of the kindest individuals we've had the pleasure to photograph, and we quickly felt like fast friends with these two!

The wedding day started out with photographing the bridal details, and of COURSE, I had to incorporate some of the resort's amazing lodge-like decor! I took over their lobby for about thirty minutes to get these shots (all good things take time! 😉) but it was totally worth it for the final result!

After details and the final getting ready touches, Lindsay stepped right outside her getting ready room to a beautiful stone and wood staircase for a first look with her soon-to-be husband (Not sure what a first look is or if you should do one?! Click here!), followed by portraits of the two of them around Hidden Valley's amazing property, as well as bridal party photos.

Shortly after, we reconvened at the Stone Patio at Hidden Valley Resort for the main event: a gorgeous and heartfelt ceremony, decorated with bright blooms and sweet smiles! After, everyone headed over to the Lodge to celebrate with tons of dancing and amazing food! We were even able to sneak these two out for some sunset photos! ☺️

Lindsay and Ryan, it was truly such an honor to be a part of your day. We are so thankful to know you both and pray all the very best for you on this new adventure!

Vendors:

Event Coordinator: Eileen Crawford - Special Occasions Coordinator at Hidden Valley/Seven Springs

Ceremony: The Stone Patio at Hidden Valley Resort (PA)

Officiants: Traci Marriott Bowman and Dave Bowman

Reception: The Lodge at Hidden Valley Resort (PA)

Florist: Linda Brown's Floral

Invitations: Kim McCartney (family friend)

Makeup: Pretty Hair Salon, Valerie Dixon

Hair: Pretty Hair Salon, Christina Oros

Bride's Dress: Exquisite Bride

Bridesmaid Dresses: David's Bridal

Menswear: Men's Wearhouse

Cake: Hidden Valley/Seven Springs Chef

Linens: Table Talk Linens

DJ: 2nd II None Productions

Sam & Matt: Pittsburgh Airport Marriott Wedding Photos

You might remember this duo from their Phipp's Conservatory engagement session last summer (click here to check it out!)! Sam and Matt tied the knot in July at the Pittsburgh Airport Marriott on a gorgeous summer day, surrounded by so many of their family and friends! Their ceremony took place in the beautiful courtyard of the hotel, surrounded by flower bushes and officiated by Sam's Mamaw - which was so incredibly sweet and personal!

The ceremony was followed by one heck of a party (when 2nd II None Productions is DJing, it's always a party!), along with the most amazing cupcakes I think I've ever had in my life by the Flour & Sugar Cakery.

Congratulations, Sam and Matt! It was such an honor to be a part of your beautiful day!!

Vendors:

Ceremony & Reception Venue: Pittsburgh Airport Marriott

Makeup: Blake Artistry

Bride's Dress: Bridal Beginnings 

Bridesmaid Dresses: David's Bridal

Florist: Parkway Florist

Cake: Flour & Sugar Cakery

DJ: 2nd II None Productions

Pittsburgh Wedding Photographer: Jenna Hidinger Photography

Emily & Brady: Hilton Garden Inn Southpointe Wedding Photos

I've been looking forward to Emily and Brady's wedding for quite some time since their North Shore engagement session (click here to see it!) early this year. Thankfully - their wedding day was slightly warmer than the day we took their engagement photos! ;) And even more thankfully - it didn't rain, as we expected it to!

Emily and Brady's wedding day started out at the Hilton Garden Inn Southpointe, a beautiful hotel right in Canonsburg! Emily's bridesmaids wore a slate blue dress color, which definitely has to be one of my favorite wedding colors I've seen at any of my weddings this season - it's classy, refined, and photographs like a dream!

After some getting ready photos around the hotel, we headed over to the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in the heart of Washington, PA for the ceremony. Afterwards, we stopped at Washington & Jefferson College for bridal party & bride and groom photos. And seriously - this has to be one of my new favorite spots for photos! There is so much beautiful architecture, along with quaint historical buildings, that make it the perfect spot for wedding photos with tons of variety!

I know that everyone is supposed to be madly in love on their wedding day - but these two really were. In the midst of the craziness of a wedding day, it's easy to feel the need to push past really savoring moments with one another throughout the day - but it was easy to see that Emily and Brady took the time to truly enjoy themselves, each other, and their family and friends who came to celebrate with them, without getting caught up in the craziness. THOSE are my favorite weddings to be a part of. The ones that aren't just about a one day wedding - they're about a marriage commitment, and a lifelong love between two people.

Without further ado, I'm SO excited to share just a small fraction of my favorite photos from Emily and Brady's wedding day. Congratulations, you two! 💛Thank you for the honor of being a part of your day!

Vendors:

Ceremony: Immaculate Conception Catholic Church

Reception: Hilton Garden Inn Southpointe

Bride's Dress: Exquisite Bride

Hair: Hair by Bri

Makeup: Veiled Complexions

DJ: All Star Events (Jason Lacko)

Cake: Bethel Bakery

Florist: Washington Square Flower Shop

Second Shooter: Ashley McLaughlin

Pittsburgh Wedding Photographer: Jenna Hidinger Photography

Maddie + Tyson: Renshaw Family Farms Wedding Photos

Did you know that Pittsburgh has 36 "blue sky" (completely cloudless) days per year? Somehow, Maddie and Tyson's wedding day happened to fall on one of those days! And, as you can imagine, and as you'll soon be able to see - it was absolutely beautiful!

To be honest, it's easy to talk about how pretty the day was - because that's what photos do. They capture the essence of what something looks like in order to preserve it for forever. But what really stood out to me on Maddie and Tyson's wedding day wasn't the details or the weather or the attire. It was their hearts.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again - one of the best parts of the wedding day is getting to know the bride and groom through toasts and speeches, and Maddie and Tyson's wedding day was no different! Even though I already knew these two were a killer couple, I learned quickly that these two are known for some pretty amazing things: Maddie is the friend who will do anything for a friend, known for her loyalty equally in the good times and bad, and Tyson is an incredibly hard worker, known for the intense effort he puts into everything he does. And on a personal level, these two were throwing encouragement at US all day as we photographed them - which further shows a little glimpse of the amazing people they are!

Maddie and Tyson, you two were a blessing to photograph. Praying for you two as you start this next adventure!

Vendors:

Ceremony & Reception: Renshaw Family Farms

Bride's Dress: One Enchanted Evening (Maggie Sottero)

Bridesmaid Dresses: One Enchanted Evening

Hair: Brooke Rockwell Hair Design

Makeup: JL Makeup Studio

DJ: 2nd II None Productions

Uplighting: Elegant Chair Cover Designs

Cake: Sam's Club

Flowers: Rosebud Floral

Invitations: Minted

Videographer: Modern Era Weddings

Pittsburgh Wedding Photographer: Jenna Hidinger Photography

Bridal Emergency Kit Must Haves!

No wedding day is perfect, and no wedding day prep is perfect! In fact - there are a lot of things that have the potential to get left behind! Simple items like scissors, bobby pins, and nail clippers can seem not that important until you're a half hour away from show time (i.e., the bride walking down the aisle) and the bride gets a drop of coffee on her dress or chips a nail. Eeeek! What do you do then?!

If you are the mother of a bride, mother-in-law of a bride, bridesmaid, sister, or friend, you could be a lifesaver on the day of the wedding by having these items on hand! I've compiled a list of what I hear people ask the most for ("does anyone have any _______?") on a wedding day so that YOU can be prepared! And if there's anything you think I missed - feel free to add it in the comments!

• Scissors
• Nail file
• Tweezers
• Tissues
• Needle & thread
• Hair spray
• Deodorant 
• Comb/small brush
• Bobby pins
• Oil absorbing wipes
• Clothing tape
• Nail clippers
• Tums (or peppermint oil for a tummy upset!)
• Tylenol/Ibuprofen
• Stain stick remover
• Mints/gum
• A small mirror
• Clear nail polish
• Chap stick
• Hair ties
• Safety pins
• Flip flops (If the bride is wearing heels, these are invaluable come reception time!)

Is there anything you would add to the list? Comment below so everyone can be prepared! And if you're looking for a wedding day emergency kit - check out some of my favorites below! (They don't include everything on the list, but they do make a super cute gift for the bride in your life!)