Pittsburgh Wedding, Boudoir, Senior Photographer

2017 Weddings: Favorites of our Wedding Couples!

Hi friends! I realize that we have been a little quiet over here- during the wedding off season, I bury my head in back end business work, and also, I have been busy photographing a ton of boudoir sessions (due to the sensitivity of that subject matter, I can’t always blog those pictures!)

We are gearing up for our 2018 wedding season, which starts in TWO WEEKS! WOO-HOO! As a little taste to whet your appetite, I want to post my favorite Bride and Groom portrait shots from our 2017 weddings. Originally, I was trying to limit the count to one picture per couple, but honestly, this was impossible because I love too many of the images, so I am posting two per couple!

What makes each my favorite portrait photo is a combination of the bride and groom’s expressions, the lighting, the scene, and how it all comes together. It doesn’t even have to be anything fancy… sometimes my favorite images are the most simplistic ones where you can just *feel* the love and excitement between the couple.

So kick back, relax, and enjoy our top image selections of our 2017 Wedding Couples!
Best of 2017 Bride and Groom Portraits, by Lavender Leigh Photography

Pittsburgh Wedding Photographer-76

First Birthday Party at SLATE!

It has been a little while since I have blogged- I took some needed time off over the holidays and am now back in the saddle and ready to take on 2018!

What a way to start off my photography season! This little girl’s first birthday party was nothing short of phenomenal- you have never seen such fabulous decor, flowers, glitter, and sparkle! The event was put together by the talented ladies at Wanderlust Weddings and Events, and with a myriad of other talented vendors, it was truly the most magnificent birthday party I have ever been a part of!

Even though the weather was cold and the streets were snowy, it did not stop guests from making the drive to SLATE in the Strip District to watch this precious little girl giggle, smile, and smash cake her way through her party!

Here are some images of this lovely’s first birthday party- make sure you don’t miss her smash cake session!

Event Planning: Wanderlust Weddings and Events
Bartending: Anthony Cifelli, Ace Bartending
Catering: Bistro to Go Cafe & Catering
Cookies and Cake: Bella Christie and Lil’ Z’s Sweet Boutique: Love, Flour & Lulu: Parker’s Crazy Cookies
Florals: Sapphire and Lace Event Design
Invitation, “Parker” Bar Sign, “Onederful” Wall Decal Designed by Loree Mayer Design (Bar Sign and Wall Decal were printed and hung by Speed Pro)
Milestone 1 Year Birthday Board: Calligs by Cait
Photographer: Lavender Leigh
Signage, Donut Board, Kids’ Birthday Coloring Cards: Oh Joyful Day
Venue: SLATE
Vintage Furniture and Decor: Vintage Alley Rentals & Design
Vintage High Chair: Old Souls Vintage Rentals

Jill and Jonathan | Fairmont Pittsburgh Wedding

Jill and Jonathan. A couple that is adventurous, believes in family first, and is quite simply enamored with each other. They love laughing and being goofy together, but at a drop of a hat the laughter they share can turn to utter romance. The beautiful and raw emotions that were a part of each and every stage of their wedding day were incredibly touching.

It is hard to pick a favorite moment from their wedding day, because there were so many of them! Maybe it was the “Hurrah” moment that Jill and Jonathan shared as they crossed under the military swords during the recessional. Maybe it was seeing the rest of the world dissipate as Jill and Jonathan hugged, kissed, and laughed throughout the day. Maybe, it was Jill’s father’s reaction to her pink wedding shoes. As the day unfolded, we learned the back story of the significance of her pink shoes. When Jill was little, she always wore a pair of pink shoes. When her father came home from work each night, he would see those pink shoes on his little girl, as she was waiting at the top of the steps to give her dad a huge hug. Each time they hugged, Jill’s father would say to her that it was “the best part of his day.” Or, maybe my favorite moment was the incredibly skilled and choreographed first dance that Jill and Jonathan performed! No joke- it was like watching a number from Dancing with the Stars!

Oh, there’s so much to say about this day! For now, take a look at some of my favorites from Jill and Jonathan’s wedding.

Alyssa and Brian | Pittsburgh Airport Marriott Wedding

As soon as we stepped foot inside of Alyssa’s getting ready location, the wedding dress bag was unzipped, and our jaws dropped in amazement. Alyssa’s wedding gown was a romantic periwinkle blue color from head to toe, with the most exquisite buttons down that back (that matched Alyssa’s engagement ring!) What a beauty Alyssa was in her wedding dress… her dark hair and fair complexion looked so sharp against the blue color! She was a show stopper!

Which is precisely what Brian thought as she made her way down the aisle… his face said it all! Alyssa and Brian are one of the most genuine and down-to-earth couples. They are fun, and have a tremendous sense of humor that kept us laughing all day long! Their friends and families are just as much fun… at the end of the night, Alyssa’s father pulled Barry and I onto the dance floor so we could join in on the fun.

One of my favorite moments during the wedding day was during the ceremony- as the priest went to bless the rings, Brian and Alyssa had the sweetest moment… they had such a loving smile, and it seemed as if they were the only two people in the room.

Take a look at some of the images from their day!

Cake: Dave Terrace Bakery
Ceremony Venue: St. Elizabeth of Hungary Parish
Cookies: Deborah Frohliger & Grace Cerminera
Entertainment: Jonathan Mihellis
Florist: John Wallace Bethel Park Flowers (Ceremony/Bouquets), Reception: Parkway Florist
Hair and Makeup Artistry: Phillip Pelusi- West Mifflin
Limousine: Tortorice Limousine
Photographer: Lavender Leigh
Reception Venue: Pittsburgh Airport Marriott

Jackie and Jay | Ohiopyle Engagement Session

Ohiopyle is a very special place for Jackie and Jay because they got engaged there! Ironically, they got engaged the DAY AFTER I photographed my last Ohiopyle engagement session in August (I don’t usually photograph at Ohiopyle, hence the irony!) Jay proposed to Jackie during a long walk that they took in the woods, right next to a pavilion (where we took a few pictures.)

It was so cute to watch Jackie and Jay interact together! They snuggled tightly, and the way Jay makes Jackie laugh… you just can’t help but get the warm fuzzies. One of the first things Jay told me was that “he doesn’t like taking pictures and is not photogenic.” Say what???!!!! Wrong!!!! There were so many amazing pictures of these two, I literally couldn’t pick which ones to blog about.

Here’s a few of my faves from their session!