Pittsburgh Wedding, Boudoir, Senior Photographer

Annie & Nico | Greystone Fields Wedding

It isn’t often when the weather is forecasted to be an 80% chance of rain the *entire* day of a wedding! And, although this forecast would put a damper on the spirit of many wedding couples, Annie and Nico barely batted an eye at it. They were focused on the true meaning of the day, and also that they would get to share it with all of their loved ones. The rain was merely an afterthought.

I must say, the clouds and rain were actually a blessing that day, because we found some lovely covered places to photograph at, and also because the bright green and pink hues of spring seemed to pop in result of the quenching water!

Speaking of water, there were very few dry eyes in the house when any single person saw Annie in her wedding dress for the first time. Whether it was her mother, her bridesmaids, her father, and especially Nico (who had to bend over and take in a deep breath in preparation of seeing Annie walk down the aisle!)

It was such a joyous day all around, full of love, color, and laughter! Take a look to see what I mean…

Ladies Getting Ready

<alt> Greystone Fields wedding spring 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania</alt>

Gents Getting Ready

Ceremony at St. James Church in Sewickley

The Bride, Groom, and Bridal Party

On to the Reception at Greystone Fields in Gibsonia!

And to All a Good Night!

Cake: Oakmont Bakery
Caterer: Stephen’s Kitchen & Catering
Ceremony Venue: St. James Church, Divine Redeemer Parish
Florist: Weischedels
Hair and Makeup Artistry: Beauty Box
Photographer: Lavender Leigh
Reception Venue and DJ: Greystone Fields
Transportation: Shamrock Limo
Wedding Dress: Magic Moments

Show Hide 0 comments

Lindsay and Greg | Strip District Engagement Session

Lindsay and Greg; a couple that loves to travel, loves music (they just got home from a trip with their friends to Coachella!), loves wine, and also loves their dog, Waffle. It is pretty cool that I have these same things in common with them (well… I have never been to Coachella, but maybe one day!) And just having met Waffle on the day of their session, I can 100% say that every single person that meets him loves him <3

We had a lovely day for an engagement session, much of the time we talked about wine regions that we have traveled to or want to travel to, and also how their trip to Coachella was (they had some fun outfits to wear there!)

Lindsay and Greg are getting married this September at the Heinz History Center, and we couldn’t be more excited to be a part of their big day!

Here are just a few of my faves from their engagement session!

Show Hide 0 comments

Traveling to Mykonos, Greece

Having read many articles about which islands in Greece experience over tourism, I knew that Mykonos was one on that list. However, our experience on this island was probably one of my favorites in Greece; we found ways to stay away from the crowds, and had a mix of excursions that made our experience feel unique compared to the usual tourist agenda.

I believe that two factors really made a difference when trying to stay away from the tourist crowds:
1.) We rented a car, so we could easily drive to any beach/ restaurant/ location on the entire island. Most people rent ATVs and have to keep their driving to shorter distances.
2.) Our hotel was not within the overcrowded town of Mykonos, where many of the other tourists stay.

Amazon Mykonos Resort and Spa

Thanks yet again to Travelzoo.com, for leading me to a fantastic deal at a new luxury resort on Mykonos! The Amazon Mykonos Resort and Spa is a short drive from the touristy town of Mykonos. It is a small, quiet resort with top-notch amenities and offers tranquil views of the sea and sunset.

The pool glitters at night. Look at that dreamy sunset!

The “Welcome” refreshments and treats at Amazon Mykonos.

Have you ever seen such a huge room in Europe?! We certainly lucked out.

The view from our bed; we sipped coffee every day on our front porch.

This was the view from our room’s porch. It was hands down the most tranquil and heavenly scene that I have ever experienced while traveling.

A friendly resident at our doorstep every day!

Sailing Excursion to UNESCO World Heritage Island, Delos

Delos is an island close to Mykonos, that is a UNESCO World Heritage site. In Greek Mythology, it is the birthplace of Apollo and Artemis. Delos is a very important archeological site in the Mediterranean, with excavations still taking place. In order to get there, we took a small yacht tour and sailed about 45 minutes to Delos. Thanks to GetYourGuide.com, where we booked the excursion called “Mykonos: Yacht Cruise to Rhenia and Delos.” It was a fantastic experience!

Once at Delos, we walked through what was once a bustling town and trading post between the 1st and 2nd Century BC, and saw parts of houses (including one of Cleopatra’s), a large theater, and what was once a market, still partially intact. It wouldn’t be unusual to see and touch artifacts, such as a vase, in its final resting place from all of those years ago. Even more artifacts can be seen in the Delos Archaeological Museum, which is a short walk through the town’s ruins.

The Terrace of Lions built in 600BC. These are actually replicas, the actual lions are found in the Delos Archaeological Museum on the island.

Above: the Theater ruins on Delos. It was out of this world to sit on the rows of stone seating, the same spot where Cleopatra may have been all those years ago.

One of the island’s residents. Humans are prohibited to live on Delos, but cats are not! They are looked after by the people who work on the island.

After our excursion to Delos, our tour guide took us to Rhenia, a crystal clear swim spot. It was heaven!

As we sailed back to Mykonos from Delos, I was able to grab a picture of the famous windmills of Mykonos.

The end result of my picture above. The famous windmills in Mykonos.

The Town of Mykonos

After our tour of Delos, our tour guide docked near town, and walked the winding streets full of shops, cafes, and restaurants.

The town of Mykonos, looking at it with the windmills at my back.

Houses are scattered among the stores in the town of Mykonos.

Mykonos Brewing Co.

Would it be a real trip if we didn’t scout out a microbrewery for Barry to try? Mykonos Brewing Co. was a short drive from our hotel, and was completely worth the trip! We were floored at the large selection of beer, and also how good every single one was. We shared a flight, and it was nearly impossible for me to pick a favorite!

The brewery is actually underground! Upon entering, you have to walk down a flight of stairs.

Our tasting table, the only one that was placed on a little landing pad prior to going down a second flight of stairs to the tasting room.

The labels for Mykonos Brewing Co. pay tribute to the legends of the Giants that live under the rocks of Mykonos, who were defeated by the Olympic Gods during the Gigantomachy.

Pouring our beer flight directly from the source.

Agios Sostis Beach and Kiki’s Restaurant
Agios Sostis Beach is a very special beach, and was about a 50 minute drive from our resort. It had the clearest water of any beach that we have been to… you could see ripples in the sand 20 feet below and also your shadow on the sand as you swam.

On top of being a phenomenal beach, there is the hidden gem called Kiki’s Restaurant, located in a cove on this beach. Kiki’s doesn’t use electricity to cook the food. It is well known by the locals; there is an hour wait at any time of the day. The best part; there is no “wait list”… upon greeting you, the owner puts a glass of rose wine in your hand and tells you who will be seated directly before you. So, you have to pay attention to when they are seated or you will lose your spot!

Watching swimmers in the cove while eating at Kiki’s.

Our table was nestled amongst trees overlooking the sea’s cove.

Sunsets in Mykonos

No other sunset that I have witnessed can hold a candle to the ones that we experienced in Mykonos. The colors changed every evening. Some nights, the sunset was painted with hues of pink fading into purple, and other nights, fiery shades of red, orange and yellow were on display.

One last parting shot before leaving Mykonos!

Thanks for following along on our journey to Greece!!!

Traveling to Paros, Greece

After our week-long stay in Crete, we hopped a plane and took off towards the lovely island of Paros. Upon arriving at what we thought were our hotel accommodations, we were told that our booking information was nowhere to be found! As it turned out, there are two properties in Paros named Margarita Studios, and we were at the wrong one! Fortunately, we had rented a car and only had to drive 20 minutes to the location where we had actually booked our stay.

Margarita Studios– Our B&B and Cooking Class!

Upon arriving to Margarita Studios where our actual booking arrangements where made, BOO BOO the dog immediately greeted us, and we sat down to a delightful meal of grilled chicken skewers and fried zucchini balls. Both were doused in a delicious tahini sauce, so much better than the over garlicky version that I typically taste in the USA. Barry had a beer from 56 Isles Microbrewery, which happened to be 5 minutes down the road from our stay, so you know where we went next after lunch!

The picture above and the six pictures below are at Margarita Studios, where we stayed.

Poolside courtyard and dining at Margarita Studios. Breakfasts were included in our stay, and you could add on lunch and dinner, if desired.

We took a cooking class onsite at Margarita Studios! Thanks to Stella for being a tremendous chef and teacher!

The fried zucchini balls were one of my favorite foods in Paros!

Lefkes

We visited a charming hillside town towards the center of Paros named Lefkes, which boasts lovely views of the island. Walking around Lefkes, you will find cafes, tavernas, an ice cream shop, and a plethora of shopping. The whitewashed buildings had bursts of hot pink flowers cascading overtop of the archways.

If you look closely, you can spy the hiking trail from Lefkes to the sea.

Peeking into the historical museum in Lefkes.

Lefkes town: a boutique store on the left and ice cream on the right.

The inside of the boutique store noted above.

Naoussa

Naoussa is an impeccably clean, white-washed town in Paros dotted with blue shutters and doors. This town is a maze of shopping, and the wares range from homemade leather goods, to unique, light and airy dresses, to jewelry. You could get lost in this maze and shop for days without coming across the same store twice! Outdoor eateries and cocktail bars were bountiful, too!

Walking through the maze of stores in town.

Craft beer and Wineries on Paros

Surprisingly, Paros has a craft brewery named 56 Isles, that I mentioned above, which had a very impressive list! We also had the opportunity to taste at two wineries,

At 56 Isles Microbrewery, just a five minute drive from our B&B.

We had a wine tour and tasting at Moraitis Estate, also close to our B&B.

We also tasted wines at a newer winery, Ktima Roussos.

We had a little furry spy watching us as we tasted wines at Ktima Roussos.

Helping the Cat, Michael

As you may be able to tell, there is an overpopulation of cats in Paros (and on many of the islands that we visited in Greece). Some of the cats have owners, but most of them do not. By observing, it seems that all of the cats, with or without an owner, live outdoors only, which I imagine contributes to the rising cat population.

During our visit, we noticed many cats in need of medical attention. I happened upon a very sick tan-colored tabby close to our B&B Margarita Studios, and made it my mission to get him any medical attention that he needed.

A HUGE THANK YOU to FEP Veterinary Center in Naoussa for lending me a pet carrier to trap and bring in this sweetheart, now named Michael. They were able to neuter him and give him shots and medications to get him through his sickness.

And another HUGE THANK YOU to Martina at Cats Eden in Paros who looked after Michael after Barry and I left the island. Ironically, Martina knew this cat in past years… he was part of her rescue prior to escaping!

And lastly, a HUGE THANK YOU to Barry for his patience with all of the walks to find Michael, trips to the FEP Veterinary Center, and the trip to get him to his continued caregiver, Martina, at Cats Eden in Paros.

We will end with a few beautiful beach scenes around Paros…

Hopped out of the car for this quick snap…

The walkable beach from our B&B, and our favorite restaurant in Paros behind it, The Blue Oyster.

Stay tuned for the final blog post in Mykonos, Greece!

Traveling to Chania Crete: Part II

Boating by Day

“If you are interested, you can rent a motorboat and drive it to secluded beaches on the southern shores of Crete…”

Without having to consult with each other first, Barry and I immediately responded “Yes, let’s book that boat!”

It was day four in Chania, Crete, and we were feeling pretty comfortable grabbing our car and taking the hour-and-a-half drive to Sfakia, where our motorboat rental with Notos Mare was awaiting us.

To get to Sfakia, we had to go up and over the Lefka Ori mountains (aka White Mountains) via narrow switchback roads. I am afraid of heights, and actually got dizzy winding back and forth on the 180-degree turns that were set on the steep cliffside, with little to no guardrail.

Upon stepping into our boat, we were given a 30-minute hands-on demonstration on how to drive and anchor the boat, and then we were off! Just me, Barry, the motorboat, and the clear turquoise sea!

Below: switchbacks roads over the White Mountains led us to our boat rental in Sfakia, on the south shore of Crete.

The next nine photos are all cell snaps of our secluded beach adventures (because I didn’t want to bring my good camera on a bobbing boat in the middle of the sea)…

Thanks to Notos Mare Marine Adventures for the boat rental and secluded beach excursion experience!

We boated past the Samaria Gorge, one of Crete’s National Parks.

One of many secluded beaches that we swam at.

Cell snap. Yes, all the water in Greece is this bright turquoise in color! You can see the pebbly texture of the beach.

At another beach; we anchored here and swam through the caves ahead.

Motoring past little churches towards the next beach.

Strolls in Chania

The last few days in Chania were spent wandering the colorful streets in the Venetian Harbor, sampling tasty treats and popping into local shops and art galleries.