Fall Foliage Wheeling WV Engagement Photos

Happy Thursday, everyone!  Meghan and Alex have been on my blog ONE other time!  They got some photos taken back at a 2020 wedding in June (Hey, Rachel and Jim) and NOW they get to have their moment on the Hannah Barlow Photography blogs as the stars!  Everyone, meet “officially” Meghan and Alex and give them all your Hannah Barlow Photography love!  They’re tying the knot next year (almost exactly one year from today)!  I can’t remember if we did that on purpose but I love it!

These two are out of towners so we had to schedule this on a weekend.  I leave about one weekend each month for people who can’t make weekdays work and they weren’t going to be in town another weekend…sooOoooOO wind or not…we were going for it and it WAS windy- 20 MPH windy!  If you read my other blog I posted yesterday about the wind, we did this one right after!  I promised Meghan I’d fix her bangs in photoshop later so looking at these now…I’m so shocked we got what we did without having to retouch them yet.  I mean…if you saw my IG story, her bangs were blowing straight up at some times!  I always tell my couples though…angles, intention, light, and just laughing through it make for the BEST photos!  See?!

Not only was the wind whipping Meghan’s hair, but her nails weren’t doing so well either!  Her and I just kept laughing!  She was all worried about it for a hot second and then I reminded her I have tricks…so we just covered up the ones we didn’t want to see and voila!!

These two have been long time best friends.  They dated briefly in high school but then went on to date different people before everything came full circle (my favorite) and here they are getting their photos taken together!  Alex gave Meghan that ring…not during the European dream she had envisioned…but in their own home privately over a dinner all while Meghan was studying for law school.  She’s says it ended up being perfect and very much “them”.

OooooO yea!  And Preston got to come.  They warned me he doesn’t like people…and that’s ok.  I went all “Hannah” on him anyway…and THAT comes into play later when he let me know all about it!

Isn’t he cute though?!  He may be sticking his tongue out at me but he was a total champ with the smiling!  Also, huge shout out to Meghan’s mom, Trish, who came and played fur babysitter for us!

…OOO yea…she was also “dress holder downer” too so Meghan didn’t pull a Marilyn Monroe! HA!  When I say the wind was intense…I’m telling you…it was CRAZY!

Meghan had told me she really wanted waterfall photos.  She’s a blog reader and knew about this location.  Well, she also wanted fall and that wind had blown it all to the ground.  I had done some scouting and knew the trees had very little foliage but I KNEW she’d regret not giving it a go and I’m glad I had that “feeling”.  These ended up being my favorites.  ANDDDD the wind wasn’t so strong since we were down by the creek!

Then, we started to be able to play with the poses because we weren’t having to deal with crazy hair and crazy wind!  Walking and snuggling for the win!

They went RIGHT into it and it was so cute.  It was so great I had them stop and then told Meghan to get real close and cozy to Alex because I saw some amazing photos coming!  What I did not notice?  That leaf Meghan had grabbed.  At the time, I had wondered what Alex was talking about and then I saw the photos later and couldn’t stop laughing!  Aren’t they adorable together?

She said this is so “them” and their personalities.  Him all calm and collected…her…with the craziness.  She said it may have to do with her red hair!

Meghan knows I love the details.  So, she was super excited to show me the monogram on her vest and I knew…just knew…I was going to have to get a closeup of it!

More photos with Preston.  They warned me…and I did my Hannah thing anyway and got way too close and he let me now ALL about it.  HA!  I told him it doesn’t scare me though!  I’ve been an animal person my whole life!

He was giving me the side eye…”You stay right there woman…” OooO if photos could have captions!

Then, we headed over to the waterfall.  I saved it for last because if they were going to get wet…I wanted it to be last!  GAH! I can’t pick a favorite!

We had gone back and forth all session about whether we were going to hike down into the water.  Sometimes we thought we would…sometimes we decided against it.  Well, when Alex said “Let’s go for it”…I was ALLLLLLL about it!  I caught Meghan with some Hannah energy too and she was literally jumping up and down so excited about these ones.  Good thing for my lights too…it was getting super dark!

I told them I would creep right out of there with them and just keep taking photos!

I knew Alex didn’t love photos but I also knew he was a great sport so I took fullllllll advantage of his easy going personality and saw this super fall area and wanted to take just a few more!  Meghan said Alex is more city.  She was tromping through there like it was her job!

I just loved this little location!

…and just like that…it was dark!  So, we snapped a few grand finale photos.

I never ever have couples do this at the end but we’d had too much fun!  One last one for the people in the back….Woooooooooooooo!!!!

That’s it!  That’s a wrap on this one!  They tell me it’s going to be a more intimate affair next year and we’ll be out of town!! The HBP team is thinking of making it an overnighter weekend!  Girls’ trip!! WOOOOOOO!  Again, huge shoutout to Meghan’s mom for coming along with us!  There are going to be so many familiar faces next year and those are always my best weddings and blogs!! EEEKKK!! It’s also my last one of the year so far!  We’ll go out with a bang!  I just know it!  Bring on 2021…I’m ready!