WEDDING | Matthew & Lara - a fall country club wedding in Pennsylvania

In October of 2012, I had the privilege of attending my cousin Matt's wedding.   I can't believe that it's almost been a year now!  Matt is about a year older than me and I met him when his dad got married my aunt almost fifteen years ago now.  They all live in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area and so we see them a few times per year, especially around Thanksgiving.

A few years ago, this girl Lara started showing up more and more during our visits.  Lara just fit so well into our family and more importantly, she is perfect for Matt! So, it was no surprise when Matt popped the question and the planning began for their big day!  No detail was left out! The weather was gorgeous that day for their ceremony at Calvary United Methodist Church and reception at the picturesque Shannopin Country Club. 

It was nice to attend as a guest rather because I got to spend time with all of my family that attended!  But I did have my camera with me and managed to capture a few shots from the day!  Our family ALWAYS has a good time at weddings, which you will see later :-)!  Congratulations Matt and Lara!

WEDDING | Shawn & Addie - a rustic fall train station wedding

In 2012, I had the absolute privilege to assist Jessica Cortes of Jessica Mae Photography on three of her weddings.  Jessica is great to work with - friendly, engaging, smiles a lot and is easy to talk to.  Her manner helps her relate to her clients and their families, putting them at ease - a necessity on a day when nerves can be high.  She's also wonderful because she is willing to share with other photographers just getting started - i.e. me!

Shawn and Addie were married on September 29, 2012.  As we were driving up to Covington, Virginia - Jessica told me all the two of them!  Addie and Shawn are so much in love which I'm sure you will see through the images.  Addie is a school teacher and loves pink, a color used throughout their wedding.

When we arrived, Jessica and I headed over to the Covington C&O Depot to shoot the details.  The depot is also where Addie and Shawn would hold their ceremony later that day. 

BRIDALS | Julie at West Manor Estate

Julie got engaged to her fiance' Jonathan earlier that spring (see their engagement session here!) and had planned their wedding day for the upcoming Labor Day weekend!  Their fantastic wedding venue - West Manor Estate, allowed us to photograph there for her bridal session! At the end of our session, the sun was going down brilliantly over the fields in the back of the manor!  Some vintage birdcage wedding decor and some personal decor created a styled scene to match their special day!  Julie's gown from David's Bridal was a perfect fit for her - subtle, sweet, and a bit of sparkle!  Julie is a southern girl from North Carolina and of course we had to include her cowboy boots for a few images!

I have to give a little shout out to Cardinal Camera for letting me borrow a beautiful Canon 85mm 1.2 lens for this session!  The images really turned out fantastic and I now have to save up for great glass of my own :-)!

*Note for future brides to be: Bridal sessions are a fantastic way to run through your hair and makeup and see how it looks before the big day!