Pittsburgh Wedding, Boudoir, Senior Photographer

Laura and Dan | Embassy Suites Wedding

“Please take these sandwiches and make sure you eat on the way to the ceremony!” Laura, one of the sweetest brides we’ve had the pleasure of working with, runs into her house in her wedding dress, and comes back out carrying ham sandwiches, NuGo Bars, and two drinks. She scurries across her front yard and passes the food to us through our car window. We had just finished photographing her getting ready pictures, and honestly felt like royalty for how hospitable she was being to us! But that’s just Laura inside and out- the type of friend anyone would want to have because she genuinely cares about their well being. She is the bride that helps her bridesmaids get ready on her wedding day, being just as excited to see them in their dresses as she was to put her own dress on.

It was so sweet to watch Dan’s excitement throughout the wedding day. His subtle smile spoke volumes as he watched Laura walk down the aisle. His grin kept getting bigger as each step brought her closer to him. A few times during the ceremony, I caught him glancing to the left at his beautiful bride, with that same smile of excitement, and love. As we took pictures of Laura and Dan together, the little moments of kisses in between pictures warmed my heart. Without being asked, Dan helped Laura walk in between picture taking spots by picking up the train of her dress in one hand and covering her with the umbrella with his other hand. Sweet little interactions. The love these two have for each other is obvious, and we were the lucky ones to have a part in capturing it on their wedding day.

pink roses, Aldo, wedding shoes, flats, sparkle

white wedding invitation, pink roses, pearl, simple

wedding ring, engagement ring, wedding band, his and hers heart tray

getting ready, pre ceremony, bride, bridesmaid, bracelet

Anne Gregory for the Bride Wedding Dress, Bride, Mother

The little moments Laura had with her mother and bridesmaids were incredibly touching.

Laura’s Father couldn’t contain his excitement when he saw his daughter for the first time in her wedding dress!

Just look how Laura’s eyes were shining that day! She is so beautiful!

Laura kindly offering us food and drink to eat on the way to the ceremony. Such a sweetheart!

Laura kindly offering us food to eat on the way to the ceremony. Such a sweetheart!

Groom, boutonniere, wedding day, church, pre-ceremony

Dan’s mother helped pin the gents’ boutonnieres on them.

groom, tux, rose, pocket square, portrait

Such a genuine smile. One of my favorite images we took of Dan that day.

Flower Girls, purple sash, wedding ceremony, flowers

Barry has a knack for getting the Flower Girls to smile.

processional, bride, father, wedding, ceremony, St. Mary of the Mount, Pittsburgh

I just love a silhouette image of a bride and her father entering a wedding ceremony.

groom, wedding ceremony, giving bride away, St. Mary of the Mount, Pittsburgh, wedding

I also love the moment when a groom takes his bride’s hand after her father gives her away.

Bride and Groom, Mt. Washington,city, Pittsburgh

Having a second photographer is beneficial to get different perspectives! The image above is Barry’s perspective, and the image below is my perspective.

Bride and Groom, Hot Metal Bridge,city, Pittsburgh

There’s something so genuine and cute about this image. They are just. so. happy!

Cake: Bethel Bakery
Ceremony Venue: Saint Mary of the Mount
DJ: Entertainment Unlimited– Scott Alexander
Floral: Botanical Emporium
Hair and Makeup Artistry: Evolutions Salon
Photographer: Lavender Leigh
Reception Venue: Embassy Suites
Transportation: Shamrock Limousine

Courtney and Chris | Pittsburgh Airport Marriott Wedding

You just *know* it is going to be a good day when you walk into the bride’s getting ready room, and the first thing you hear is Top 40 music and laughter from the bride and her bridesmaids. This precisely sets the scene for the start of Courtney and Chris’s wedding day. Except, not only were Courtney’s bridesmaids part of the getting ready scene, but also an entourage of her other friends and family. It was obvious how absolutely adored Courtney is by the amount of people who popped their head into the room to say hi, to help with the day’s tasks, and to take pictures. I can see why she is adored so much- not only is she caring (she offered us food not even five seconds after we entered the room!) but also helpful, and absolutely hysterical. I got the biggest kick watching her shoo Barry away when he tried to help her move chairs and other heavy objects to declutter the room for pictures. Then she turned around and helped to apply the Junior Bridesmaid’s makeup. All done with her bright and beautiful smile. Who doesn’t love an independent, energetic, “go getter” woman?!

Chris is just as loveable with his genuine smile, relaxed demeanor, and can-do attitude. When he wraps his arms around his bride, they fit perfectly together. His expression of excitement as he watched Courtney walk down the aisle will always be unforgettable- it was a mix of his jaw dropping to the floor, his eyes wide open in awe, and his huge smile that boasted “that’s my bride!” And out of amazement, he carried this expression the entire time Courtney walked down the aisle at Heinz Chapel. So adorably sweet.

Take a scroll through their images to see what I mean…

Black and ivory wedding invitation, pocket fold, classy, elegant

Above are a few of the glamorous wedding details we captured during the getting ready time.

Bride satin robe, wedding day, photographer, makeup application

Courtney was so helpful on her wedding day- she applied makeup in her spare time!

Bride embracing her mother, Pittsburgh wedding photographer, Pittsburgh Airport Marriott, Wedding Day, Excitement

The moment Courtney’s mother saw her for the first time that day.

family, moments, hugs, wedding day, bride, mother, father, grandparents, photographs

Just a few of the intimate moments Courtney had with her parents and grandparents.

Wow- just look at her! Stunning!

bride, walking, swimming pool, wedding day pictures, the things you have to do

Courtney had to walk through the pool area to avoid her guests from seeing her!

Moving locations, we had enough time to get Courtney’s portraits at the Mellon Institute College of Architecture.

There’s something so simple and touching about this picture of the bridesmaids helping Courtney walk down the steps…

groom, hug, mother, outside, sentimental, cry, happy tears

I just love this moment between Chris and his mother.

Lookin’ sharp, gents!

flower girls, wedding ceremony, Heinz Chapel, Pittsburgh

Well, at least one of the Flower Girls wanted their picture to be taken!

The look between Courtney and her Father right as they walk down the aisle.

As we were heading to the reception, I got a picture of Barry and our friend Josh of JHC Videography. Josh is really good at his craft- check out his work (link below in credits!)

Barry and our friend Josh of JHC Videography. Josh is really good at his craft- check out his work (link below in credits!)

I love watching the joy of everyone cheering on the bride and groom as they enter the reception.

wedding reception, guests, laughter, toasts, Pittsburgh Airport Marriott

The toasts were phenomenal! The guests went wild!

Dr. Zoot is an amazing band! They had the dance floor going all night long!

Band: Dr. Zoot
Cake: Carol’s Cakes
Ceremony Venue: Heinz Chapel
Florist: Parkway Florist
Hair Artistry: Lisa Jurasko, Serenity Salon
Makeup Artistry: Emma Orlich
Photographer: Lavender Leigh
Reception Venue: Pittsburgh Airport Marriott
Transportation: Vogue Limousines
Videography: JHC Videography

Weekend Getaway to Charlottesville

I know you’ve heard the phrase “the calm before the storm.” Well, once wedding season starts here, it really isn’t a storm but a whirlwind! So, before the whirlwind of our wedding photography season began, Barry and I decided to take a long weekend getaway and do what we love to do most: escape to a beautiful place that offers a lot of experiences, beautiful outdoor scenes, friendly people, and amazing local fare. Charlottesville Virginia is one of our favorite places to visit for this reason!

Barry and I have been to Charlottesville one other time, and fell in love with the bed and breakfast from this visit called The Farmhouse at Veritas. While we *never* stay at the same place twice, The Farmhouse is our only exception. Between the gourmet food, spotless and charming décor, and amazing wines produced by their on-site winery Veritas, we have never stayed at a B&B that was so close to perfection. Below are some images of The Farmhouse, the food and wine we tasted throughout the trip, and some other adventures during our visit!

The Farmhouse at Veritas, Bed and Breakfast, Weekend Getaway, Charlottesville, Virginia, Wine Country, Culinary Escape, Blue Ridge Mountains, Relaxation, Vacation

The grounds and lovely house at The Farmhouse at Veritas Bed and Breakfast.

Surrey Room, bed and breakfast, well appointed, room

We stayed in the Surrey Room, which was well-appointed, and had cute nooks and crannies.

grapevines, wine drinking, Farmhouse, happy hour, golden hour, sunset, bed and breakfast, lavender leigh photography

Having fun drinking wine, nibbling on charcuterie, and exploring the grounds at The Farmhouse.

Pool, wine, relaxing, weekend getaway, lavender leigh photography

Relaxing at The Farmhouse as we played pool, drank wine, and listened to music.

The horses on the grounds of The Farmhouse greeted me for a minute!

The horses greeted me for a minute!

It was a chilly weekend, so we enjoyed a gourmet breakfast by the fire. So charming!

Indian Summer Guide Service, winery horseback rides, Blue Ridge Mountains, Veritas Winery

This is Ashton, the owner of Indian Summer Guide Service, and one of his horses. Ashton leads trail rides to wineries! We became fast friends!

Horseback riding, Indian Summer Guide Service, Blue Ridge Mountains, photographer on a horse, riding in the valley

As I was petting the horses, Ashton asked me if I wanted to ride one. So I said “YES!” and rode in my suede booties.

Barboursville Vineyards, Veritas Winery,Wine tasting, vertical wine tasting, spring weekend getaway

We love tasting wine, and brought quite a few bottles home with us! We even did a vertical tasting at Barboursville Vineyards. It was one of my favorite winery experiences!

Silverback Distillery, Bold Rock Cider, Devils Backbone Brewing Company, tastings in Charlottesville, spring weekend getaway

Some of the other tastes of Charlottesville at Silverback Distillery, Bold Rock Cider, and Devils Backbone Brewing Company. Look at the crazy taxidermy at Devils Backbone!

Shenandoah Mountains, Lambs, Sheep, Walk, Blue Skies,

Taking a stroll through the valley of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Flying Fox Vineyard, wine and food pairing, Charlottesville, Virigina, Veritas, Monticello Trail event

The set up for the farm-to-table wine paired dinner hosted by The Farmhouse and Flying Fox Vineyard. Just look at the beautiful décor, created especially for the dinner!

That about sums up our flavorful weekend getaway to Charlottesville, VA! If you are considering visiting this area, below is a list of our favorite things to do there!
Bed and Breakfast: The Farmhouse at Veritas or on the east side of Charlottesville, The Inn at Westwood Farm
Places to Eat: The Farmhouse at Veritas, Tavola, MarieBette Cafe and Bakery
Wineries: Veritas, Flying Fox Vineyard, King Family Vineyards, Barboursville Vineyards
Other Craft Tastes: Silverback Distillery, Bold Rock Hard Cider, Devils Backbone Brewing Company
Outdoor Activities: Indian Summer Guide Service (Horseback Riding), Shenandoah National Park (we hear Humpback Rocks is a great hike)

Vibrant Boudoir | Boudoir Photography

I’ll never forget the text message I received on the day of this lovely lady’s boudoir session: “I’m bringing two suitcases of outfits because I just can’t decide. One suitcase is just for shoes!” Leading into her session, I already knew she was such a sweet person because we spoke during her prep consultation, but her text message made me laugh so much, I knew her boudoir session was going to be so much fun!

I actually photographed two boudoir sessions that day: one for this saucy lady, and one for her friend! It worked out perfectly because as one lady was having her hair and makeup styled, the other was photographing. Ladies, if you are ever interested in experiencing a boudoir day with friends, don’t hesitate to reach out! We can coordinate such that one person photographs at a time, while the others get pampered with hair and makeup.

A special thanks to Pure Beauty Makeup Artistry and Auria Salon for the exquisite makeup and hair styling!

Here are some of my favorites from her session…

A Day in the Life | 2015 Behind the Scenes

Wedding days are fast paced, yet here and there, Barry and I remember to grab a shot of one another while photographing. This blog post is dedicated to some shots we took of each other during our 2015 weddings, knowingly and unknowingly. A few things I’ve learned while putting together this post:

Lighting tests on Barry are an endless source of entertainment.
Photographing in such a variety of beautiful settings, and working with a variety of fun and exciting clients and talented wedding professionals is what makes our job so special!
There is a multitude of different scenarios we face each wedding, and to be versatile and adaptable to each scenario to get a great image is key!

Behold the candid and slightly questionable moments (kidding… or not) of Barry and me while we photograph our beloved 2015 wedding couples…

Lighting Tests
Barry’s Version

Leigh’s Version
When it comes to lighting tests, I don’t hold a candle to Barry’s entertainment, so we’ll just stop at one.

Our friend Mel made a cameo at a wedding to help us out… she must have learned from Barry…

A few of us in the trenches…

We make friends! With guests…

…with fellow wedding vendors…

Sometimes we get *poured* rain on, but whatever we can do to keep people smiling…

Sometimes we trip and fall and need a bandage (this only happened once… well, twice!)

Sometimes we photograph in *really* odd positions just to get a great picture…

Now before you go saying “Ah Leigh, that’s gross! Why were you laying on top of the gum and spit on the city sidewalk?!” Let me defend myself and tell you that… well… really, it was gross. I have no defense. But pictures of ladies’ shoes are worth it.

Sometimes we pet the animals!

Shooting in the prettiest of scenes…

Excited about the horses!
Not excited about the horses (in his defense, he’s allergic)

A final parting shot… thanks for stopping by and seeing more of our day to day!

Laura and Dan | Embassy Suites Wedding

Courtney and Chris | Pittsburgh Airport Marriott Wedding

Weekend Getaway to Charlottesville

Vibrant Boudoir | Boudoir Photography

A Day in the Life | 2015 Behind the Scenes

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leigh@lavenderleigh.com