Weddings at the LeMont in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania are the standard when it comes to having a classy wedding that has great views of the city without being over-the-top. When Maura and Craig toured the LeMont, they said the thing that swayed them about hosting the wedding there was how down to earth the staff was, simply showing the venue and not pressuring them to make a sale. That’s because the restaurant/banquet rooms speak for them selves. Built in the 60’s and decked out with dark marble architecture and drapery, the Pittsburgh’s “premier 5-star restaurant” boasts an entire wall glass windows. Since the building is perched at the top of Mt. Washington, there is no better place in the city to see the magnificent views than sitting at your sweetheart table with Pittsburgh glowing behind you! I was excited to work here and wanted to make sure we did the view justice!

We started the day at the couple’s new house where the vibe was so very chill, thanks in part to the small bridal party but mostly because everyone was just happy to be present and not worried about every little thing going perfectly. The couple met through mutual friends, and this marketing-director and math teacher combo made for the most sweet, chill, stress-free couple I had the pleasure of working with this year!

The details were perfectly curated to represent both class and whimsy, words that I feel describe the bride perfectly. I loved styling her Badgley Mishka shoes with bows, monogrammed Mrs. Box, and her family heirloom veil.

After a relaxed morning, I drove Maura to Grandview Park where we met up with her groom Craig and we had the sweetest first look! Even though it was past-peak for the autumn leaves, we still had brilliant colors in the trees! Since the park is flanked by a school and a playground and it was in fact a Friday, we were greeted by a few classrooms out for a walk with their teacher. The kids went wild when they saw the bride in her beautiful boho dress, and asked if she was “marrying Prince Charming.” They squealed with delight when she said that she was actually marrying a math teacher!

Portraits were so easy and fun with these two. The time flew by, and soon we were ready to head to the beautiful church for the ceremony. Saint Mary of the Mount is equally stunning on the inside as the popular overlooks of the city are on the outside. With vaulted ceilings and beautiful stained glass, it all but guaranteed dramatic wedding photos! After the ceremony we took the traditional family photos at the altar and then headed outside with the bridal party to get some group shots on the famous Mt. Washington overlooks. We were very fortunate to have a warm and not very windy day in November!

A short walk to the LeMont eliminated transportation and parking stress, and once we were set up, the couple was announced in and all the guests enjoyed the classic rock band that played the night away. The brides father even made a guest appearance for a few songs, including one that he learned just for the groom Craig, a song from his favorite movie “That Thing You Do.” The dance floor flooded with guests as the party started to take off, rivaled only by the excitement when the cookie table (but really “room” is more appropriate here) was finally unveiled!

The bride helped orchestrate and plan the most epic variety of delicious cookies, with lots of family pitching in to add to the delicious offerings. What’s a Pittsburgh wedding without a Pittsburgh Cookie table, after all? The bride’s sister, who owns a wildly successful baking small business, Micah Made Cookies, made amazing shortbread with chocolate on top, the groom scooped up some of his favorite butterscotch haystack cookies, and everyone’s favorite, the bride’s Milk Bar cookies, flew off the platters in record time! (she was sweet enough to give me the recipe!)

We ended the evening with a quick walk to the Duquesne Incline where we got a few dramatic night-time shots of the city and a few more calls of congratulations from on-lookers and the nearby restaurant patrons. For being the wedding I was most worried about (a new fancy venue, city-driving, parking, a big and beautiful and DARK church) it was the least stressful wedding day this season! Thank you so much to the vendors below (including my incredible assistant Ben Lloyd and my second shooter Jon Blanchard for carrying ALL of my gear uphill to the LeMont) for making this day incredible!

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Supporting local and small business was important to the couple - here are some of Pittsburgh’s best!

Ceremony: St. Mary of the Mount, Mt. Washington

Venue/Catering/Cake: Lemont

Second Photographer: Jon Blanchard Photography

Gown: BHLDN

Suits: Berk's Menswear & Tuxedo Shop

Shoes: Badgley Mishka

Rings: Custom made by The Harp and Hound Jewelry

Bride’s Hair: Spencer at Chariot and Vine Salon

Groom’s Hair: La Pomponnee

Makeup: Makeup Design Studio and Day Spa

Accessories: Mrs. Box

Cookies: Bride + Family; Micah Made Cookies

Florals: Bride’s Mother

Band: The Good Guys

Lenape Heights Golf Resort is an amazing venue with surprising views, and at about an hour from Pittsburgh, it provides the perfect destination if you want a peaceful, quiet, low-stress wedding day. The views at this location are absolutely stunning, and booking a stay at the Inn ensures that you’ll get to enjoy it from beautiful sunrise to stunning sunset.

When we first arrived at Lenape, I was completely floored by the beautiful and modern build of the Inn. The grand staircase opens up to a wall of glass, showcasing the beautiful countryside. The rooms are just as stunning - each with a beautiful balcony and lots of natural light, high ceilings, and modern furniture. There’s a lot of space to spread out while still not feeling like you’re crowded in! This made for simple, clean getting ready photos on wedding morning. Not to mention Daisy and her crew were already all ready when we arrived! We were able to get some great detail shots showing off her beautiful invitations, shoes, and jewelry. There was even time for the bridal party to enjoy a visit from the Pastor to do communion right there in the hotel room!

Matt and the guys were also ready in a flash, spending most of the morning helping to set up the outdoor ceremony area at the adjoining patio to the Inn. The ceremony was the perfect length, very sentimental, and ended with an epic kiss, just as everyone anticipates! Even though it was very windy because we were at such a high elevation, we were able to utilize the beautiful glass staircase inside to avoid blowing hair and harsh sun for family portraits afterwards.

Bridal party portraits took place on the golf resort’s course - my assistant Ben was so excited to finally drive a golf cart at a wedding! The friendly staff led us through the countryside and helped pick the best spots - he even knew we needed shade and directed us to holes with lots of tree cover! After a quick 45 minutes of portraits with both the bridal party and wedding couple, we headed back to the meticulously decorated ballroom.

Daisy and Matt designed a breathtaking reception area, with pink chair bows, pink centerpieces, and a gorgeous 3ft. high cake that echoed the pink floral theme. There was even a table for the kids with fun toys and props, and guests enjoyed a table covered with favors from the Pittsburgh Popcorn Company!

This reception started out particularly fun, with the couple running around table to table to complete the “Table Photo Challenge. “ The DJ played “Ballroom Blitz” as we sprinted from setting to setting, getting over 20 group shots taken during the course of the song. It was a great way to get guests in a picture and get them excited about the reception!

We ended the night with some epic golden hour photos by the pond and on the hillside, and sealed the evening off with a fun sparkler exit with the most die-hard wedding guests that stayed until the end.

I hope you enjoy some of my favorite moments from Matt and Daisy’s beautiful, picture-esque day!

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Vendors:

• Photography: Jill Gearhart Photography

• Gown: White Lace Bridal

• Hair: Shear Stylin

• Makeup: Shear Stylin

• Bridesmaids Dresses: White Lace Bridal

• Tuxes or Suits: 700 Shop

• Rings: Lorelli’s Jewerly

• Florals: Kimberly's Floral & Design

• Cake: Sweet Treats Bakery

• Catering: Inn at Lenape Heights

• DJ: Steven Vance Entertainment

• Favors: Pittsburgh Popcorn Company

Weddings at the Renaissance Hotel in Pittsburgh are a great mix of modern and elegance, with so many fun opportunities to showcase the city in order to get epic Pittsburgh wedding photos. This venue can be very challenging to light, with the gorgeous grand staircase and vaulted ceilings with dark purple glass dome - but luckily this isn’t my first day on the job!

I got to know Camille and Zachary when we did their adorable engagement session at Mellon Park with their pup Olive - and even though we had to work around the timing of the Pittsburgh Marathon and then got caught in a downpour, it was one of the best engagement sessions ever because THEY were just so happy and in love. It makes a huge difference in front of the camera working with couples that just love to be around each other. The two met online in the early days of the pandemic, and when they had their first date, they tackled all of the hard topics - religion, politics, etc. to really “cut to the chase” and see if they were compatible. Things worked out well, and they decided to quarantine together with Zach’s roommates during lockdown and their relationship grew at warp-speed! It was so fun getting to learn about them and just seeing the down right GIDDINESS they have around each other. Oh, and they are both super-smart scientist grad-students. They are perfect together!

We started the day in the gorgeous Heaven Suite at the Renaissance Hotel, where I was greeted with the MOST KIND group of friends and family ever (like seriously, they offered us snacks, lunch, and drinks!). The whole vibe was calm, happy, and pleasant, which means EVERYTHING on wedding morning! I always start wedding day photographing the small touches that make the day feel like “you.” Camille’s details featured a water-color rendition of the Renaissance Hotel on their invitation suite, and a hand-drawn Pittsburgh skyline for the save the dates! Jewelry was of course the timeless yet very trendy-for-2022 pearls found on her necklace, earrings, and hairpiece. The wedding dress was the perfect combination of classy and whimsical with a beautiful satin top and a full skirt covered in flowers.

When we went to spend some time with the groomsmen, we found Zachary helping head up the floral decorations on the grand staircase when we arrived. He and his groomsmen looked sharp in their classic black tuxedos and bowties. Once everything was set for the ceremony and everyone was ready, the couple opted for a first look so we could get some photos outside in downtown Pittsburgh before the ceremony started.

The Renaissance Hotel is conveniently located just steps away from one of the most iconic bridges in Pittsburgh, the Roberto Clemente bridge, which always makes for a great photo-op… except when it’s under construction! Luckily the bridal party was happy to walk just a block down the street to the bridge’s twin, the Andy Warhol bridge. Even though there were TONS of people out and about for a Kenny Chesney concert AND a summer festival happening on the same block, we were able to get some great photos by the tree-covered walkways, on the sides of the bridge, and even a few quick snaps walking across!

The ceremony was very sweet, drawing on the love and closeness that Camille and Zachary had grown over the last 2 years. With a quick kiss and a breaking of the glass (Mazel tov!), the two were officially Mr. and Mrs. Since most of the photos were done beforehand, we had time to get a GIANT photo will all 100 guests in on the grand staircase, which was a logistical and lighting challenge that we happily rose to!

Guests enjoyed cocktail hour on the second floor, strolling the marble halls with cookies and cocktails in hand. The Symphony Ballroom was stunning with gold Charivari chairs, floral centerpieces from Blumengarten, and custom etched drink ware for guests. My husband provided music with his company Royal Heir DJ Services, and after a quick getaway to take some night-time photos on the terrace of the Heaven Suite, it was officially a successful wedding day!

I loved being back at the Renaissance - I hope you enjoy some of the highlights from this special day!

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Vendors:

Photography: Jill Gearhart Photography assisted by Tommy Seibert

Venue: Renaissance Hotel Pittsburgh

Invitation Suite: Brown Fox Creative

Gown: Bridal Beginning

Bridesmaid Dresses: David’s Bridal

Hair and Makeup: Black Label Society

Florals: Jim Ludwig’s Blumengarten Florist

Cake: Pastries a la Carte

Officiant: Brandon Stiffler

DJ: Royal Heir DJ Services

Weddings at the lodge at Indian lake feel like a destination wedding at a lake resort but without the long drive! This resort features a big beautiful ballroom and cozy outdoor covered porch for intimate ceremonies, and a neighboring golf courses for beautiful photo opportunities. And the best part is that it’s only 2 hours from Pittsburgh!

Nicole and Alex had the perfect day for a wedding - clear skies and comfortable temperatures, but even more importantly they were surrounded by people that genuinely cared about them and wanted to be there for THEM! We started the day in the complimentary bridal suite (!!!) which had plenty of gorgeous light, mirrors to get ready by, and lots of room for her large bridal party and family. My favorite parts of the getting ready portion were Nicole’s amazing 6 inch heels (her maid of honor told me that Nicole came out of the womb able to walk in heels, and it even was mentioned in the maid of honor speech later that night), the sweet first looks between Nicole and her moms, abuela, and dad, and a sweet and totally coincidental moment when I walked in to her room and found her sitting by the window reading her Bible to calm her nerves.

I am blessed to know Nicole from her early teenage years where she attended a youth group that my husband and I volunteered at. I remembered her as a sweet and spunky (in the best way) beautiful young lady. I had know idea the incredible woman she would grow up to be! Nicole and Alex both serve in the military (where they met!) and have endured so many more trials and challenges in both their personal and professional lives than most are aware of. They have even taken in younger family members as their own to give them a chance to thrive, even though they are still young themselves and working so hard.

I had the privilege of meeting Alex when we started wedding planning all together, and the respect and love he had for not only Nicole but everyone he encounters was evident from the first few minutes of talking to him. surrounded by his best friends from high school and the military on wedding morning, the nearly dozen groomsmen were loud and crazy (we heard them singing and laughing from 4 rooms down the hall in the morning), but immediately respectful and kind once I got their attention. Which was no small feat - I’m considering purchasing a “wedding whistle” so I don’t lose my voice again, haha!

Alex looked incredible in his deep purple suit with black lapels - the only person that could hope to upstage him was of course Nicole, who was breathtaking in her lace Essence of Australia dress with long sleeves and open back. The two were sheer perfection together. The ceremony was shared with a small number of family on the back deck, where Nicole and Alex wrote some of the best vows I ever heard.  Nearly every person cried hearing them, myself included. The two share a deep love that honors God and each other, which was evident in their vows.

After the ceremony came my yell-fest (in a good way!) to get through some large family groupings and a 20 person bridal party, which was super fun to work with because all of them loved the couple so much and genuinely wanted to be there for them, and not just to party. We wrapped up portraits with Nicole and Alex on the grounds behind the lodge near the lake, and when they both were willing to climb in a ditch on the side of the road with flowers all through it for SOME OF MY FAVORITE PHOTOS OF MY CAREER, their paparazzi team of 5 were all speechless. That’s a lie, I’m pretty sure I squealed. A lot.

The only thing that could top the amazing portrait session we had was one of the most fun receptions I’ve been to in 11 years. With a big crew that just wanted to dance, the floor was packed all night with the DJ throwing out some Hispanic inspired songs as well as all the wedding favorites. Nicole’s Puerto Rican heritage meant this girl can dance, and some of my favorite moments were watching her and her mom salsa on the dance floor. With her beautiful satin Marilyn Monroe inspired reception dress and killer moves, Nicole was radiant and joy-filled as we all had an amazing evening celebrating.

It’s not often that I don’t want to leave at the end of the night, but this was such a smooth, fun day that I was a little sad to pack up my lights and go. Over the past 11 years of photographing weddings, the one thing I’ve learned that all great weddings have in common is simply this: surround yourself with people that love and respect you, and your day will be filled with love and respect towards everyone, which is exactly what God calls us to model in a marriage.

A special thanks to this amazing vendor team for pulling off a flawless day:

Lead Photographer: Jill Gearhart Photography

Second Photographer: Kirkland Photography

Photographers Assistant: Ben Lloyd

Videographer: m20 Media

Gown: Essence of Australia at White Lace Bridal, Indiana PA

Makeup: Sparrow Beauty Co.

Jewelry: Sam Jam Creative

Rings: Lorelli’s Jewelery

Caterer: Flair of Country

Cake and Cookies: Nikki Hockenberry, Nikki’s Sweets and Treats

DJ: DJ John with the Lodge at Indian Lake

Officiant: Summit Church

Invitations: Tiffany Miller

Farm 1840

Farm 1840 is a beautiful, all in one wedding venue where everything is taken care of for you! When photographing this wedding in April of 2022, the beautiful chapel was newly finished just a few weeks ago, and the clean, simplistic yet elegant design was every bride’s dream.

Madison and Tyler had recently relocated to the beautiful town on Mechanicsburg for their careers, and while so many people they know and love are from this side of the state, the venue was worth traveling for! The couple met through mutual friends, both of which were in the wedding that day! Their fierce love and loyalty has carried them through so many challenges including moving across the state, losses of loved ones, and incredibly hard health scares. It was evident that their love for each other knew no challenge that they could not or would not face together - I was so lucky to be able to capture that!

We started the day in the beautiful, newly renovated bridal suite, full of lovely natural light which after all, is a girls best friend! Madison’s friend Alyssa traveled across the state to get the girls looking their best with their bridal hairstyles, and the make-up artist Alicia knocked it out of the park to make all the girls look amazing. Madison exuded an old-school Hollywood glam with her soft curls and dramatic lashes - it was so easy to take beautiful photos!

The guys looked handsome as ever and were extremely easy to work with and respectful, which is something I definitely don’t take for granted! Tyler was happy to pose for any and ever photo I asked of him (and there were a LOT that day)!

Once the couple said their I do’s, they walked down the aisle and were able to ring the chapel bell - truly signaling the start of the BEST of their lives!! We were able to capture some fun group shots and finish up with the most romantic and dreamy under-the-veil shots that were TOTALLY worth getting covered in glitter for! We made sure to make time for extended family photos since family is so important to the couple, and then danced the night away with an awesome DJ that kept the floor packed until the very last song! Madison also surprised her mom with a special dance, which again spoke to the value the couple place on those precious family ties. There were so many great moments in the day - I hope you enjoy seeing some of my favorites below!

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Vendor Team:

Venue: Farm 1840

Photography: Jill Gearhart Photography

DJ: Royal Heir DJ

Hair: Alyssa Ferguson

Makeup: Alicia D Beauty LLC

Bridal Attire: Birdy Gray | 700 Shop

Rings: Lorelli’s

Invitations: Miss Lily Designs

Cake: Cakes by Nicole Dunkle

Catering: Misson BBQ

A night-time, winter wedding at Phipps Conservatory is no less beautiful than having your wedding during the summer there - the beautiful wedding venue still has stunning topiary displays to dazzle guests, and when you follow it up with a wedding reception at the University Club on the Pitt campus, your guests are in for a very special, upscale experience!

I was honored to be able to capture these special nuptials a few months ago. The relaxed day started with family and bride and groom portraits in Pittsburgh’s beautiful Mellon Park, and then the ceremony took place under a night sky inside the conservatory’s Broderie Room, decorated with rich reds for the post-holiday season.

After a champagne toast, the couple wandered through the conservatory rooms where we captured some unique night-time wedding portraits among the cactus and fountains. We later joined up with the guests at Pitt’s University Club Ballroom where the guests enjoyed a delicious dinner while reconnecting with family inducing the intimate reception.

Enjoy the shots below of some of the most beautiful spots in Pittsburgh like you rarely see them - in winter, and at night!

The Westminster Preserve location at Armstrong Farms is a great choice if you’re looking for a beautiful barn wedding venue for your ceremony and reception. I was blessed to be a wedding photographer at Armstrong Farms twice last year, and can’t wait to go back!

Alyssa and Jason had a beautiful, sunny day at the farm, complete with deep blue skies, gorgeous flowers blooming all around the venue, and appearances from the famous geese that run the show at the ceremony pavilion!

The couple met on Tinder about 6 years ago, next came a house and a puppy! When I asked about the proposal story, Alyssa shared that on her birthday, Jason hid a camera in the living room and had her open up a present with a new collar they just got their new puppy, Ranger. Jason then sang happy birthday to her, handed her a birthday cake, and told her to close her eyes and make a wish by blowing out the birthday candle. When she opened her eyes Jason was on one knee asking her to marry him! She put the birthday cake on the table to give her new fiancé some hugs and kisses, but when they looked over at the table, Ranger was eating the birthday cake!

The couple honored Ranger and his brother Dante with some cute signature cocktails named for their pups, and had many other special details and moments incorporated throughout their day! Alyssa shared the special significance of some of her accessories:

“On my flower bouquet I had a blue butterfly brooch that was from my grandmother. She is 91 years old and lives in Florida with y grandfather. I always dreamed of my grandparents being there on my wedding day but with my grandmother Alice being 91 years old and my grandfather Melvin being 93 years old and COVID we decided it was not safe for them to travel that far. They have been married 73 years and seeing the love they have for each other is so inspiring to Jason and I. For anyone that has met my grandmother Alice she is always wearing a brooch but butterflies are her favorite to wear. By having that with me on my bouquet it gave me hope and inspiration for Jason and I to be married for just as many years.”

Be sure to check out all the beautiful shots of these meaningful details in the highlights of their perfect day below! And of course, we couldn’t have pulled this amazing wedding off without some incredible vendors:

• Photographer: Jill Gearhart Photography, assisted by Jessica Duncan

• Venue: Armstrong Farms, Westminster Preserve

• Gown: MB Bride

• Hair: Copacetic Beauty Lounge (Mallory Puniak)

• Makeup: Makenna Carlin (friend)

• Bridesmaids Dresses: Azazie.com (in “Twlight”)

• Tuxes or Suits: Men’s Warehouse

• Rings: James Douglas Jewelers

• Invitations or Other Stationery: annsbridalbargains.com

• Florals: Monika Friend (a close friend of my bridesmaid)

• Cake: Tasty Bakery

• Catering: Elegant Catering

• DJ: Entertainment Unlimited

• Videographer: Just Hitched Films (Ray Cordero)

• Coordinator or Event Planner: Deanndra Wetzel with Armstrong Farms

Ashley and Brandon had an amazing day in the early fall for their September wedding at the Chetremon Golf Course and Event Venue! “The Chet” is quickly becoming one of my favorite venues to work at because it seems to truly have everything that a wedding couple could want, but it’s also very easy for vendors to work at as well!

We started the day in the “Inn” on the Chetremon’s property, which is a great place if you’re looking for where to stay the night before and after your wedding. The convenience of having everything right there truly saves so much time and stress on wedding day! There’s plenty of room for even the biggest wedding parties, and the two-floor design makes it easy for the groomsmen to get ready downstairs while the bridesmaids can get ready upstairs! We filled the morning with champagne pops, a first look with Ashley’s dad and her bridesmaids, exchanging gifts to parents and each other, and a very special letter reading.

Ashley and Brandon decided not to do a first look, but still wanted to have a private moment to connect before the hectic day started, so we had them “meet” back-to-back by a tree on the golf course, and read letters that they wrote to each other. It was such a sweet moment and the bride and groom and whole paparazzi team cried!

We then headed to the beautiful St. Michael’s Basilica in Loretto for a stunning Catholic mass, and then returned to the Chet for portraits of their super fun bridal party and of course the bride and groom! We had so much fun exploring the entire golf course (seriously, the owners and managers are so nice and even supplied us all with golf carts!). There were plenty of amazing photo spots, lots of shade, and even some water and bridges to get some really unique photos.

The venue itself looks stunning for receptions, but paired with thoughtful decorations it was truly breath-taking. Ashley is an elementary school teacher and thoughtfully had her students write their definition of “love” on her table number signs - we couldn’t help but photograph every single one they were so precious!

DJ Jack Labarko did a phenomenal job as usual making sure everyone had fun for the reception. Ashley and her dad did an amazing choreographed dance, Brandon sang a karaoke love song to his new bride, and the dance playlist was jam-packed with the bride’s favorites: Shania Twain and Celine Dion. It’s so important to hire a DJ that will really listen to your requests, and these guys always hit the mark!

A little backstory about the couple: Brandon and Ashley met in high school while both performing for the musical, "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat". A couple of months later after the musical, prom was coming and Ashley (Junior) decided to ask Brandon (Sophomore) to go with her. The musical cast was getting together to practice for the Isaac Awards (awards that recognize school musicals and cast) and Ashley knew this was her shot! During one of the rehearsals, they all decided to play a game where everyone except one person would close their eyes. Ashley gave that person who didn't close their eyes a bag of candy with the word- "PROM?" written on it to give to Brandon, but it didn't go exactly as she had hoped. Brandon ended up throwing the bag of candy across the stage while not knowing who it was from! Half an hour went by until he actually found out that the bag of candy was from Ashley. Ever since then the rest is history! The couple has been together for 10 years, and were engaged for 1 year before their magical wedding.

I hope you enjoy the following highlights of THE wedding of the year, jam-packed with special moments both planned and unplanned, pulled off by the team of amazing vendors below:

• Ceremony: St. Michael’s Basilica (Loretto, PA)

• Reception Venue: Chetremon Golf Course and Event Venue (Cherry Tree, PA)

• Photographers: Jill Gearhart Photography and Jenna Dunsmore Photography (Indiana, PA)

• Videographers: Union & Main Collective

• Gown + Bridesmaid’s Dresses: Pine Ridge Bridal (Duncansville, PA)

• Hair: Oasis Styling Salon LLC (Cresson, PA)

• Makeup: Elisa Blue (Pittsburgh, PA)

• Suits: Miller's of Johnstown, Inc. (Johnstown, PA)

• Rings: Kranich's Jewelers (Altoona, PA)

• Florals: Florals on the Corner (Lilly, PA)

• Catering: Amici's Restaurant (Ebensburg, PA)

• DJ: DJ Jack Labarko (Johnstown, PA)

Monica and Jack had an absolutely perfect summer wedding at the Armstrong Farms Westminster Preserve wedding venue. Even though it was a SCORCHER (seriously, we drank all the water they had by 9pm!), these two managed to be cool, calm, and cheerful the entire day. I just love a wedding party that’s happy to be there - which is not always the case!

These two have been together for over a decade (!) and when you see the two of them interact you can instantly tell how comfortable they are around each other. I asked Monica about how they met, and she said, “We were high school sweethearts. We met way back in 2007 - our jr. year of high school in science class. On our first date we went to Chili’s and saw “I am Legend” at the movies. Jack claims I ran a red light while driving there but I still deny it to this day!”

We started the wedding day off photographing the beautiful details, including Monica’s super unique GREY diamond from Alexia Russel Jewelry, and the Sola wood flowers hand dyed by the bride! The dusty blue color palette is certainly popular this summer, but Monica added her own twist by choosing differing shades of the blue for the bridesmaid dresses.

Jack and his groomsmen kept me laughing all day long - you can see just how much personality they have by some of the hilarious groomsmen pictures! After shots of whiskey and Miller lite cheers, we knocked out the groomsmen photos pre-ceremony, to everyone’s delight. The tree-lined driveway gave us the perfect amount of shade and scenery. There’s even an old wagon on the property and the groomsmen were quick to recreate some movie scenes and other silly poses using it.

The lakeside pergola was the perfect spot for the couple to complete their wedding ceremony - Monica’s stepdad even officiated! The famous geese were there too to bring smiles to the guests as we all enjoyed the beautiful moments by the water. I took bets how long it would take for me to step in goose poop - I lasted a few hours, hahaha!

As is standard for most weddings, we did family photos immediately after the ceremony, and since it was a very hot and sunny day we took refuge for shade and photos under the beautiful trees surrounding the pond. “Avoid the sun” was the goal for Jack and Monica’s wedding portraits as well, and luckily the venue provided some beautiful spots among flowering bushes and under shady trees overlooking the scenic barn.

Since the guest list was large and the barn is best suited for dancing, Monica and Jack had their first dance and dinner under the large, beautiful tent beside the barn. Aly, the venue coordinator, was a huge help at orchestrating all the moving parts between three close-but-separate spots for the days festivities. After we all had our fill on some amazing Medure’s catering, guests walked over to the historic barn to get their dance on.

Royal Heir DJ had guests dancing all night - seriously, it was wild!, and I got to experience my first “thunderstruck” at a wedding. All of the vendors worked super hard to make the day amazing, and everything went so smoothly because of the awesome team Monica and Jack put together! Check out the vendors below and enjoy the highlights from Jack and Monica’s amazing wedding. Till death do us party!

Vendor List:

• Gown: Alyssa Kristin (designer) from Blanc de Blanc Bridal

• Makeup: Refeyeance Makeup

• Bridesmaids Dresses: David’s Bridal

• Suits: Jos. A. Bank

• Rings: Blue Nile, Alexis Russell Jewelry

• Invitations: Minted

• Florals: Sola Wood Flowers

• Cake/Donuts: Oakmont Bakery

• Catering: Medure’s

• DJ: Royal Heir DJ

• Videographer: Manny Pain Media

• Event Planner: Aly Weifenbaugh at Armstrong Farms, Westminster Preserve

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When COVID wrecked their original plans to get married at the Renaissance Hotel in Pittsburgh, Janelle and Zac rolled with the punches like so many 2020 couples had to and planned two separate events to incorporate both safety AND their original dream and vision for their day.

The first event, the ceremony and reception, was a totally outdoor event at a friend’s property, high on a hilltop in the beautiful McDonald, PA. They were still able to incorporate elements from the original plan, like their beautiful invites from Paper Chasers, their sentimental details including Janelle’s grandma’s ring and handkerchief, and much of their original vendors for the reception (check those out below!)

We started the day at the couple’s beautiful new home where their sweet pups Sophie and Barley got to join in on the action too along with friends and family. We even got to do a first look right in front of the home Janelle and Zac built together, which was a very special moment. The ceremony, reception, and fireworks display (!!) were gorgeous in the pastoral hilltop setting, and the DJ threw one heck of a party under the stars!

Even though the “Plan B” day was perfect, we still wanted to capture their wedding portraits in the city that Janelle and Zac both love, so a month later we reconnected for a few hours of strictly portraits downtown and at the Renaissance, their original venue.

The city portraits were something we ALL were looking forward to, and that urban atmosphere plays a big part in their relationship. When I asked Janelle about how they got engaged, she said “Zac and myself both love New York City. New York city is one of the first big trips we went on together a few years back and we have been visiting yearly ever since. We always talked about getting engaged on an ice skating rink at Christmas time. In November 2018 we went to New York to see the Christmas lights and went skating at Bryant Park. After skating for an hour, Zac requested a picture and then proposed! He planned a romantic dinner across the river with the skyline in the background.”

Capturing the Pittsburgh skyline was something that was paramount, so the couple booked the Heaven Suite in the Renaissance, a gorgeous upscale room with a private terrace showcasing the best views of Pittsburgh. After some stunning and unique photos on the iconic yellow Roberto Clemente Bridge, and in the grand marble staircase in the hotel lobby, we headed to the terrace in the Heaven Suite to experience a rooftop view of Pittsburgh that was breath taking and the perfect way to end our wedding photo experience! I hope you enjoy the highlights of both days, and be encouraged that if you too have to go “plan B”, there’s always a creative way to incorporate some of what you originally dreamed of.

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Vendors:

Photography - Lead Photographer: Jill Gearhart Photography; Second Shooter: Jonathan Blanchard

Gown - Exquisite Bride, Murrysville

Hair - CC Salon

Makeup - Emily Van Scoy & Co.

Bridesmaids Dresses - Exquisite Bride, Murrysville

Suits - Top Hat Tuxedo

Rings - LJ Marks Jewelers

Invitations - Paper Chaser

Florals - Berries and Birch Flower Design Studio

Cake: Oakmont Bakery

Catering: Renaissance Pittsburgh

DJ - DJ Climax (Bobby Kramer)

Videographer - Legendary Celebrations Cinematography

Coordinator - Fallon DiRiggi, Renaissance Pittsburgh