Grand Hall at the Priory Wedding | Sam + Nathan

First wedding blog of the year is HERE and it’s a beautiful wedding at the Grand Hall at the Priory in Pittsburgh, PA! This day wasn’t just special and amazing because I know the bride’s family very, VERY well (this is wedding number four with them) or because this was a new venue for us to explore and photograph…or because the weather was just perfect or because Nathan is in the Air Force and we have mutual military friends…or that we had zero issues finding parking spots in the city of Pittsburgh. It wasn’t only beautiful and perfect because of the Spring flowers or the soft color palette the couple chose…actually, it was a combination or all of those things that made this day 10/10 fantastic in all the ways. It was just…”one of those weddings” where quite literally everything went right (even the few hiccups can be forgotten in my book). Everyone ran on schedule. I could go on and on and ON about how perfect this wedding day was, for real. You see where I’m going with this? It was THE way to start off wedding season this year!

Yes! Seriously. It was just…perfect (expect the word a lot) AND I can’t wait for you to see and read all about it! This blog was so bittersweet for me in ALLLLLL the ways. I found myself both sorting the photos and typing the blog at the same time to make sure I didn’t forget anything! It’s a lot because I met this family all the way back in 2018 and have watched their family grow but also…this wedding was a great reminder of what a cool job and blessing this career is. So, I’ve rambled enough…let’s get to it! Here we are…the last Harrison daughter is married and the new Mr. & Mrs. Nathan Nichols are ready for their wedding to be seen! ENJOY!

As I always do, let me tell you about the whole day start to finish. Lacey and I arrived extra early since this was our first time at the Grand Hall at the Priory wedding venue. So, we tried to get ALL the details of this venue throughout the day and I put them together in one nice collage!

After we scoped out the venue, we then proceeded down the elevator to the ladies’ getting ready suite where I was struck with all kinds of Hannah emotions. And I wasn’t ready, quite frankly. I’m not an emotional kind of gal and I’m absolutely not a crier so I found myself in some sort of way when I saw everyone…so, what did I do with these unknown surprise set of emotions? Well, I proceeded to hug every single person in the room (not the makeup and hair stylists…I didn’t want them to think I was a total whackadoodle). I do have some sense…HA!

Then, we snatched up the details and went back upstairs to the Grand Hall’s room off to the side of check in which had the most perfect light. This is also where we met the videographers of Blue House Media (I hope the film is 10/10 amazing because I want to add them to my preferred vendor list…they were so kind and easy to work with)!

We rerouted and went to see Nathan before heading back to the ladies! The men were all ready to go and Nathan was super chill and ready for his photo op!

Then, it was time to get this beautiful bride ready…and there were no dress disasters (at this point in the day, at least…if you know you know). That will come later! Ha!

Then, we did first looks with bridesmaids and then dad.

And off to the church we went! Sam’s sister, Maddie, had mentioned how large this church was…but I don’t think there was any way I could have prepared for how actually massive this place is AND absolutely, stunningly gorgeous it is!!!! (ALSO…Fun Fact: After I posted this in my stories, I found out a past Hannah Barlow Photography bride actually teaches at this church’s school!! It’s a small world after all! Sing it!)

No, but for real…it’s massive and so gorgeous! I’ve noticed to COVID era of outdoor, non-church weddings is on the decline and we’re back inside for religious ceremonies more and more!

This part of the day was the only part I felt like was “pure wedding chaos”…the pre-ceremony part – gotta get set up but gotta meet the church staff but everyone needs us but ALSO… I needed to meet Nathan’s parents and get their moments…which was priority. Meet Nathan’s mom!

Then, I did have to meet with the church staff (standard practice at any Catholic Church to make sure I know the rules, obey the rules and get welcomed back). I had people handing me (and Lacey) boutonnieres, and flowers for the women…and someone was asking about programs and thennnnnnnnn the dress “disaster” ensued. I should have known. I’ve done many Harrison weddings and I’ve even seen people sewn into dresses…this one was new. The dirty floor of the church was not kind to Sam’s dress. Honestly, I was holding in my internal panic. It was quite literally five minutes before the ceremony when they came and got me. They’d already tried to get it out with wipes. I don’t ever use chalk because I’ve been there…done that…and all it does it come off right on the groom’s tux or suit. So, I was like “It’ll be finneeeeeeee” BECAUSE WHAT OTHER CHOICE DID I HAVE?! And it was fine…but I was absolutely ready and prepared to photoshop out a lot. I also didn’t stay long because I still had cameras to set and lenses to choose and allllll the things. Like chickens with our heads cut off, that’s what we looked like navigating the five minutes before the ceremony. And I didn’t have to photoshop much, in the end, because the wedding Gods really showed up and said, “This day will be perfect!” See?! Barely even noticeable now! This was the photo I took to show Sam…quickly…HA!

And just like that…the music was playing! It sure was a beautiful ceremony! Shoutout to Lacey for getting the behind the scenes moments at the back of the church!

Here comes the bride!

Always a favorite moment of the day for me…capturing the pure and new “we’re married” joy!!!!

Right into family formals we went! This was ironic because Sam has a rather large family at this point with all the additions over the years and Nathan is an only child (like me)! So it was a great combination of very familiar faces and new faces…larger family groups and smaller family groups. It was also crunch time. (Note: This is just two family photos of a very large gallery of family formals. To see yours, please reach out to the couple.)

The happiest girls I ever did see!

Sam told me she loved this church! Nathan’s uniform added that extra pop of color I LOVE! So, we did some formal portraits before we took off! AND AGAIN, shoutout to Lacey for those second angles.

When I took this…I said “That’s it! I’m done. Let’s pack up and leave…this is all I need!” Can I also tell you the light hitting them is natural light from a window? That’s right! They stopped in the most perfect spot!

But I am never truly done! I had seen this hallway earlier and knew I needed a few! We snapped these right as we were going out the door.

Then, we left the church and headed back toward the Grand Hall at the Priory but took a side quest to a park the couple requested for their formal photos. I asked two of the sisters to share their phone tracking with me (I’d only do this with people I really know well…and trust) and THAT WAY I could track their whereabouts. They could track mine…and we didn’t get separated or end up in the wrong place at the wrong time. I did even consider riding the bus with them but with all our gear and the need to “get ahead” so we can prepare and be ready when they arrived talked me out of it. Lucky for us (and this never happens), parking was NO problem! In the city…before the NFL draft…I still can’t believe it!

They have arrived!

Alright. Let’s do this! We were on a time crunch now and while still technically “on schedule”…that time can go away real fast. So, we went straight into bridesmaid photos.

Then, photos of the bride. There was lots and lots of talk about this dress BUT…even more talk about this veil. At some point in the day earlier, Sam had mentioned, “I just want to throw my arms up in this veil and fly like this…” and she laughed…and I just KNEW we were actually going to do that! Isn’t she beautiful?!

And it sure did fly in the most beautiful way!

For efficiency purposes, we brought the whole group together!

Then, it was the gentlemen’s turn! Lookin’ good, Nathan! He had told me at their engagement session (you can see that HERE) that he would be wearing his uniform on the wedding day!

Formal photos for the men and then GROUP HUGS!

We did do some couples’ photos for those who had significant others with them (and some had gone back to the bus so we caught those later).

And then…we sent everyone back to the bus and it was time for just the couple to have their moments!

These springs trees just made these photos feel so fresh and gave us that color we love!

Lacey and I have mastered getting different angles over the years and I’m always so grateful for my second photographers’ hard work they put into being the assistant AND second photographer for all these angles.

That veil had one last moment to do its thing!

And that’s it! It’s time for the reception so off we went to head back to the Grand Hall at the Priory wedding venue to get this reception started…kind of…because I wanted justtttttt a few more of the couple before announcements! I had seen this little courtyard area earlier in the day and just knew, with those lights turned on, a few photos in here could be super magical!

AND, as promised, we tied up loose ends with the rest of the families and couples! If there’s one thing Lacey and I do well, it’s tag team a time crunch of a situation and DJ Brian Oliver was looking for us! He likes a good timeline just as much as I do because it was time to get the reception started!

Time to welcome the couple, cut cake and get this reception going!

Brian got the party dancing started after speeches and dinner. These families have lots of traditions and one of them is…rollin’ on the riverrrrrrrrrr….SING IT! If you know, you know!

And EVERYONE cuts in to dance with Grandma to Piano Man! What a blessing for us wedding photographers to get to enjoy these moments with this family…over and over and over again. I joked I’m going to need invited to Thanksgiving because I very much feel a part of all these family moments now!

…and then the party REALLY got started and the one other thing about these families, they include everyone. Doesn’t matter who you are…what age you are…you’re involved in some way and I LOVED when they got into a dance off! They went ALL in! Like…ALLLLLL in!!! See below!

Then it was open dance floor!

And what a perfect way to end this blog because I gotta do it abruptly or…I’ll just keep going and going and I still have a final, closing paragraph to type. Nathan was “flying” his new wife around the dance floor!

I’m not a crier…I’m not even THAT affectionate of a person but when I grabbed Sam’s mom to give her a hug before I left, I teared up a bit. Then I found her dad. Then I found Sam and Nathan. They all said the kindest things to me (it wasn’t necessary) and it really felt complete. I was saying “goodbye” to this family while reliving and thinking about all the memories made that I’ve photographed with this group in 2018, 2022, 2024, and now 2026. I’ll never be photographing another Harrison wedding again and Nathan’s an only child like me…so really….I may never seen many of these fabulous humans again. (I WILL NOT cry…I WILL NOT).

Sam and Nathan, I know this wedding was a long time coming and I hope it was EVERYTHING you wanted it to be and more! I didn’t get to see Nathan in 2024 because he wasn’t granted time off from the military to attend that wedding. I did get to see him last year at their engagement session and I do believe the first time I met him was at the 2022 wedding? I don’t think he was around in 2018…but now I gotta go look back!

LOOK WHAT I PULLED FROM THE ARCHIVES! Seriously, this is why I keep EVERYTHING!

Ahhhhhhhh! This is the bittersweet moment I’ve got to tie it all up! Congrats to the new Mr. & Mrs. Nathan Nichols. If you made it this far, please leave me a white or purple Heart emoji in the comments to match this wedding! I appreciate all of you for reading and sharing your love with this new couple!

…and they asked me to to take a photo with all of them! MY HEART! Bye, everyone!

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If you’re interested in also having a Grand Hall at the Priory wedding, you can scroll down and click on the venue link to reach out to them directly for more information.

If you’re interested in me photographing your wedding, please click HERE to request more information!

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

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Vendors

Venue – Grand Hall at the Priory Wedding Venue

Church/Officiant – St. Jude – Sacred Heart Church / Fr. Thomas Chillog/Fr Michael Gossett

Bridesmaids’ Attire – Azazie

Men’s Attire – Jim’s Formal Wear

Hair/Makeup – Groove Beauty Co.

Floral Design – McCandless Floral

Videographer – Blue House Media

Cake/Desserts – Bella Christie

DJ – DJ Brian Oliver

Catering – Grand Hall at the Priory

Stationary – Canva