Wheeling Golden Hour Engagement Photos | Melanie + Chris

Put your seatbelts on…this one was a beautifully fun ride (no pun intended…for real…I’m not a “pun-ey” kind of gal). BUT BUT BUTTTTTTTTT. I really am going (to try) to hold back on ALL the Hannah words for this one. If you know me, you can imagine my squeals and shouts of excitement…even in the nearly 100 degree heat (if you live local…you know…you KNOW what we’ve been dealing with here).

Melanie and Chris are a DREAM to photograph and I’m TRYING to keep it short because these photos deserve to be allowed to speak for themselves. So, NEW COUPLE ALERT! Give them ALL your Hannah Barlow Photography love and ENJOY! Melanie and Chris’ engagement session is live on the blog right now! ENJOY!

…and it was at this moment, two photos in…I knew we’d be A OK! (…and that Chris has theatre background and Melanie has dancing knowledge). We’d also planned on doing these photos in a different location but festivals and heat and crowds steered us into a very random location and a sudden right turn (literally). I’m all about showing people that Wheeling, WV IS beautiful!

Celebrity doppelgängers in Wheeling this evening! Tell me in the comments who YOU think they look like! But in all seriousness, these outfits couldn’t have been MORE perfect for this location PLUS…it totally matched the original vibe they were going for for their engagement photos.

I could make a whole outtake blog of them! Every test shot I took, they were READY!

It’s been a long long LONG time since I got that perfect glow.

Would you believe me if I told you it was HOT…and sweaty?! I wouldn’t believe it either because there was no struggle like I expected…heck, Melanie’s mom (Hi, Mary!) had come prepared with water and tissues for sweat and all the things (real professional on my blog, huh? “sweat”…LISTEN…if you’re new here…I’m all about the REAL…and that’s what these blogs are all about!). Actually, looking back…did we even utilize all the things? We just kept taking picture after picture after picture!

So, they walked and snuggled and at one point I yelled, “don’t kidnap her!”….The “kidnapping” photo turned out very well actually! OK! It’s actually adorable!

I’m in love with this gallery…for real.

Shout out to Melanie’s dad Tom for letting them bring his car. Melanie had seen another shoot in Wheeling that featured a classic car and really wanted to do something similar. Chris was the one assigned to drive it because he’s the only one that can drive a stick. Ha!

Hey, Tom! You’ve probably already heard…but after all the wedding stuff is over, can you bring the car back so we can dress them up in authentic 60’s clothing, hair, and makeup and we can do a decade shoot honoring the 1960s?! I mean…can you picture it?! HOW great would that be?!

I’ve always wanted to do decade shoots…THIS car and couple was the push I needed! Let’s make it happen! I need a car from every decade in the 1900s!

The light really tried to be the main character. And while absolutely beautiful, you really can’t take away from Melanie and Chris. This is Pinterest worthy…I’m putting it on Pinterest!

I’ve sent multiple of these to my assistant, Lacey. We were privately squealing with delight in the office and via text! Their wedding is going to be FAB!

Then, they did an outfit change and I went rogue with my location and posing. These two, as usual, went right along with it. I’m not sure they took a bad photo!

Mary was right by my side keeping at eye out for different opportunities. I kept telling her she could be a photographer…she didn’t see what I saw in her own observations (she’s got an EYE) but she was able to visualize things that wouldn’t make sense to most but translate so well in photos!

AND THAT…is how we ended up in front of this building. I wasn’t too sure…but HEY! What the heck, right?! We were already hot and sweating and had walked to this location…let’s make it WORK!

It worked…OooO goodness it worked!

When you can make walking and a very empty parking lot and loading area look good…it’s magical!

So, DANCE! “Right here?!” YESSSSS!!! DANCCCCEEEEEE! The security cameras sure got a show! I not so secretly hope there was a security guard watching and enjoying these moments with us! It was something! So simple…but grand all at the same time!

…and to cool down, we had to document this ring. Yellow gold, of course…to match the whole beautiful warm vibe of this session (warm…the irony)!

You know what makes this even more exciting?! Their wedding…is in January…and what a stark contrast we’re going to have to this session. We’ve already scouted some locations. They are getting married at Waterfront Hall with some of my very very VERY favorite vendors. It’s going to be dreamy! I just know it! Check back in less than six months too see these two again! I can NOT wait!

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Disclaimer: Hannah Barlow Photography engagement blogs only represent a small portion of photos the couple actually receives in their private gallery.  The blogs are meant to highlight my own favorite photos and favorite moments of the session and do not represent an entire gallery.