Wedding Outtakes 2018 | Hannah Barlow Photography | WV Wedding Photography

HERE WE GO! YAY!  I’m just so excited about this one!  Get ready to laugh…and cringe.  It’s going to happen!  The Hannah Barlow Photography outtakes blog is HERE!

Gosh, I do love the Behind the Scenes post from last week BUT I LOVE LOVE LOVE the outtakes version even more!  This blog is all about the great, the not so great, and the REALLY bad of 2018 wedding photography!  Unlike the behind the scenes shots which are usually taken intentionally as the “test shot” or just because something interesting is happening…these photos are either total accidents, something really crazy was happening, OR one of us saw an opportunity to poke fun for this exact blog at the end of the year! HA! We have a ton of fun at Hannah Barlow weddings and it’s all in good.  Lots of laughter occurs so it’s only right to show where those giggles stemmed from, right?!  Let’s do it!

So, our first wedding was Sarah and Nate’s wedding (HERE) at Grand Vue Park in Moundsville, WV!  Kari and I arrived early to scope out the location and get some detail shots.

Check out our very first wedding photos taken for 2018!  I’m so glad that wasn’t a preview of what the year would be like! HA! Epic fail!  Mine on the left…Kari’s on the right!

Those are horrible.  Seriously.  Test shots for the fail!  We may have been a little rusty going into 2018 but have no fear…a few clicks and corrections and we were ready to go!  That photo on the right was when I started doing the live videos at each wedding.  That was the first video ever!  Documenting it proved to be difficult apparently though!

This blog is all about the visual bloopers and the stories.  So, here’s a story for ya!  At that same wedding, they had hundreds of mini cupcakes sitting by the cake on the cake table.  I was moving the pile of napkins and plates to take a non-cluttered photo and knocked this baby on the ground.  Appalled by myself, I quickly hid it but then told the bride about it later.  She laughed and said I had to eat it…so I did! HA!  And we documented it!  Why am I always a sweaty mess in these photos?! Yikes!

As you probably recall, the weather was NOT nice to us at Caitlin and Trey’s wedding (HERE)!  Poor Kari.  These photos make me laugh!  That wind was killer!! LOOK at her hair when she was fixing Caitlin’s veil too!!  I’m laughing thinking about the eye of the literal thunderstorm we were trying to shoot in!  We did it though!

Yea…Kari’s not a huge fan of being out in the elements at weddings (in real life she’s all for it but with camera gear…not so much)!  We went from a rainy spring (above) to a cold, rainy, and bitter December (below).  It rained at Jenna and Joe’s wedding (HERE).  She was holding the door for them.  I was standing IN THE RAIN because Jenna and Joe had my umbrellas.  Oy.  Ironically, they still have my umbrellas! HA!

…and it was just downright frigid at Lisa and Dan’s wedding…the last one of the year…HERE.

I’m pretty sure this was the moment below when I looked over and saw the bridal party hiding from the rain and yelled, “Everyone ok over there?!”  The things we do in the name of wedding photos, I tell ya!  I’m just going to say it over and over again like a chant…IT BETTER NOT RAIN IN 2019!  I swear it either called for rain, rained a little bit, or just poured at every single wedding this year!  It was exhausting!  I stopped checking the weather about half way through the year.  I think my brides thought I was nuts when they’d text me panicking about the rain and I was like…”Egh.  It’ll be fine!”  I was numb to it at that point!

It’s not just the weather that gives us trouble either…the rings…ugh…it happens every year.  This is NOT the first time they did not end up in the best man’s pocket prior to the ceremony (it happened in 2017 at Kari’s wedding too…and Erinn’s wedding).  As a result, you all know I ALWAYS make sure to call witnesses when I return the rings after detail shots.  That’s also helpful when I have to run back down the aisle (it’s true) and yell to Kari, “Go.  Fast.  Go get the rings.”  At this wedding, she handed them off to the coordinator who has some kind of secret trap door at this place!  I have NO IDEA how she ended up there in that spot because it was the opposite side her and Kari were originally standing!  Nonetheless, Kari got them.  She handed them to Gina and Gina got them to the right people before anyone else knew they were missing.  Of course, I’m just clicking away and documenting it all.  These went in the gallery too, of course!  HA! …and now the blogs!

I can’t even stop laughing right now at this one.  At Courtney and Steven’s wedding (HERE), they MAY have been a little bit nervous about Steven’s brother, Bobby, being responsible for the rings.  Have no fear…he DID have them!  This moment is hilarious nonetheless!

First looks are amazing.  They can be funny too!! This was one of my VERY VERY favorites – the original elevator first look (see it again HERE)!  There ALWAYS seem to be outtakes though.  Courtney got a little bit of makeup on Steven’s tux…and I caught the moment she tried to do the mom lick and get it off! HA!

Speaking of makeup…it’s so important…and so time consuming…especially in that wind!  Fun fact about Kari – she is ALL about her makeup and products!  Her and the makeup artists always have a lot to talk about!

The dresses can be time consuming too!.  Courtney’s amazing florist told her to be careful what jewelry she picked with a lace dress (which is excellent advice, by the way).  Well, the concrete had other plans and as soon as she went to do her grand march down the aisle…she got stuck!  Dad and the coordinator, Caroline, had to come to her rescue! It happens!! Everyone giggled!! Courtney was a GREAT sport about it too and now she has these memories!

She wasn’t alone either.  The same thing happened to Amy in October at Oglebay but with the veil instead! HA!  Their wedding can be relived right HERE!  Those veils like to stick to EVERYTHING!  Amy also gets the award for LONGEST veil of the year!

The gals are NOT alone.  The guys tend to have issues with their shirts and ties too!  Dan’s was a tad too tight.  See Lisa and Dan’s wedding HERE.

Cody and his little mini me ring bearer had to make some adjustments too!

This little guy needed a bow tie adjustment, as well!! Isn’t he the cutest?!  BEST KIDS EVER at Carly and Ryan’s wedding (HERE).  Look at Carly’s face! HA!

Another fun fact…Kari tends to be a wanderer.  So, I just follow her around taking test shots until we find something we like! HA!  I bet she doesn’t even know she does this!  I love it though…saves me lots of time!

Seriously…I follow her around at a lot of weddings!  People had a lot of to say about that tan/burn line too!  At 9 months pregnant, her dress options were limited!

Seriously…all year long!! She has NO IDEA I take these either! HA!  Here she was simply enjoying the elements.  She’s all about fall!

Yes.  She does wander and yes…we’re photographers but we’re also human and when we see people in need…we rush to help!  I turned around looking for Kari at Danielle and Greg’s wedding (HERE).  She had run her pregnant bum over to help the DJ set up his table in the crazy wind!  2018…you were not nice in the wind and rain dept…2019 better be hot and dry!  I’m still chanting it!

Speaking of Greg and Danielle’s wedding.  Kari totally hates me for this but I’m so glad I caught it though!  Kari caught the veil that literally flew off the bride’s head.  Seriously, the 2018 wind was brutal!  Once the bride got to the front of the aisle, she wanted her veil so Kari waddled (she did) up the aisle and gave it to her.  I guess when Danielle and Greg were watching their wedding video they didn’t realize she was looking at me taking photos! HA!  Kari actually MADE it into the wedding video!  She also said some guests gave her the good ole’ “GREAT JOB” and high fives as she ran (waddled) back down the aisle! Bahahahahahahaha! No wedding is perfect!! It just adds to the memories!  I’m laughing so hard right now!  If I could show you all the video, I most certainly would…my blogs don’t allow it though! Whomp Whomp!  MAYBE in the comments section of the Facebook thread!

It’s no secret.  I know this because people have commented and told me.  We take our appearance VERY seriously at weddings.  Now, I’m sitting here wondering if those glasses were on her head the entire ceremony at Kristen and Matt’s wedding (HERE).  Bahahahahahaha!  We also learned (the hard way) that we can’t wear color (because it’s reflects onto our subjects and then I have to photoshop it out).  I’m telling ya…we learn new things every year!

We should probably take our facial expressions into account, as well…Oy!  I can’t stop giggling.  I’ll go first.  I can 100% guarantee you this was pointed at Ethan.  Ethan and I have a hilarious “inside joke” love/hate relationship.  He once said I’m the donkey to his Shrek! HA!  You can see their wedding HERE.  I’m SURE I was making this face at him.  Maybe not…but it’s still fun to imagine!

He was probably doing this…HA!  In all seriousness, Jen and Ethan are one of my many couples I plan to see over and over and over again!  We ALWAYS have a good time with them!

….and then Kari…

…and Lacey…I’m giggling so hard right now!

…and Jenna…we always seem to be looking to our left! HA!

Kat and Ashleigh…you girls lucked out!  OR you’re just better with your facial expressions! HA!  I’m sure I’ll get ya next year!

We do catch our couples doing funny things too!  Am I getting a hug here? I have no idea what Kristen is doing! HA!  Better yet, what is Jenna doing?!  They’re both going to kill me!  I hope it’s a hug…not airing out her arms! HA!  We do that too though!  I still joke with Meghan that I’ve never sweat so much as I did doing formal photos at her wedding!

Sometimes we get hugs…sometimes we get high fives!

Sometimes we get a scowl too.  Don’t let this photo of Maddie fool you though!  (Their wedding HERE).  She is used to being in front of my camera and purposely decided to give me some outtakes!  We’d spent so much time together she knew how we work and she planned to make the test shots entertaining!

In the wedding industry, most vendors work as a one person team or a team with just a few people.  So, when different companies get to work with each other over and over again…it feels like working a shift with your best bud co-workers.  DJ Nick Arno is one of those people.  He took the opportunity to call me out and  “yelled” at me for this… ON THE MICROPHONE.  Something about the “photo person getting out of the way” for speeches…HA!   I was just trying to help!  I’m pretty sure I turned around and barked at him! HA!

Jenna does it too!! She didn’t get yelled at at Jane and Tom’s wedding! (HERE).  That’s probably because we didn’t know the band well enough for them to give me a hard time.  Hit Play rocked the house!

…busted at Becca and AJ’s too (HERE)!  That’s Chad, lead singer of Cross Creek the Band.  We know each other well though so I just looked over and told him to “SHHHH! Zip it!”  I’m just trying to help!  Everyone got a kick out of that!

…and now that I think about it…the DJs do this to me ALL the time! Hmrph.  Here I was trying to arrange a large family for a photo that was requested at Jenna and Joe’s wedding (HERE) and Jonathan Mihellis of Finest Events had the audacity to ask if I needed a mic.  Me?!  Need a microphone?! COME ON!  I’m a loud person…I don’t need no microphone (awesome grammar, huh?!)!  I told him that too and that’s why we’re laughing so hard!  I’m SOOOO going to pay for this post too! HA!  I’ll see ya in July, buddy!  That’s also Mark Tiberio of Mark Tiberio Photo + Films.  He’s “staying out of it”…HA!

Remember how I mentioned in the behind the scenes blog that we often wait for someone to step into the photos for a test shot?  Well, Nick (DJ mentioned way above) happened to be that person for this lighting test shot.  He is also awesome and will put drinks at the head table so the bridal party doesn’t have to worry about going to the bar!! It definitely speeds things up!  Fun fact about Nick…his wife trained me when I was a new nurse! It’s a small world after all!

Remember this photo above?  It has a story!  The Capitol Music Hall can be a challenge to photograph.  We shot Erica and Doug’s wedding at this location (see it HERE).  I’m so thankful I didn’t book this wedding when I was new and booked it now that I really know what I’m doing with any type of light.  Nonetheless, during our test shots…Jenna’s expression pretty much says it all.  I thought we were SO SCREWED.  SO SCREWED.

I was about 2 second from busting out every light and flash I had in my bag when the lighting guys at this venue saved the day and were AMAZING!  They also saved my stress level!  We were happy photographers again!

DJ Brian Oliver and I work a lot of weddings together…so there’s always time for some friendly banter regarding who does more work at weddings…photographers or DJs.  Phffffftttttt….Wedding photographers unite!! Tell him! TELL HIM!  He said us photographers don’t do nearly as much work as the DJs.  I had A LOT to say about that during cocktail hour, as you can imagine! HA!  Ben McMillen of McMillen Photography later told me that since he’s been both a wedding DJ AND a wedding photographer…he can confirm we do more before and after work! HA!  Take that!  I guarantee Brian has A LOT to say about that statement though so I’m sure we’ll be reliving that conversation here in May!  Don’t mind that we are out of focus…our discussion was intense!

Ironically, this wedding below is when  I met Ben for the first time and when we discussed that EXACT subject! HA!  The conversation was intense too apparently.  I talk a lot…can’t help it!  Cocktail hour is when we get all that time to chat!

Speaking of intense, I have no idea what we were talking about but the conversation between Susan and I must have been interesting!  We’ll have to get a better photo together at her sister Jill’s wedding this year!

Coordinators and DJ’s do it too! This was at Emily and Steph’s wedding HERE.  That’s the DJ and the coordinator trying to hash out some details!

…speaking of DJ’s earlier…they are the ones we get to talk to the most at receptions!  We were getting a game plan down for Audrey and Kyle’s wedding reception (HERE).

Sara and Kevin’s wedding (HERE) was the first time I got to meet and work with DJ Chelsea!  We always get caught looking so serious in these photos!  I should note the music is usually playing so it’s hard to hear each other and not scream…so you REALLY have to pay attention and concentrate…and get close!

…and another fun thing about working with the same vendors over and over again is that you get dragged into situations you wouldn’t otherwise be in.  Nicole, co-owner of Smash Multimedia, LLC, dragged me into the photo-booth…so I made her pose for the camera! HA!

Then, I got to take home and momento to go in my wedding scrap book!  Sorry it’s sideways! I have no idea why that happened!

I don’t give the DJs any down time either.  They gotta keep their eyes open and I got busted taking this one! HA!

…busted Jonathan Mihellis of Finest Events too! HA!  This was at Meghan and Nate’s wedding (HERE).  His facial expressions make me laugh!

…and these videographers as Susan and Chad’s wedding (HERE) were ready!! They were on to me and ready!  Mark and Angelo work for Dana Lynn Photography!

Actually, maybe it’s a camera thing.  Most videographers are ready for their photo op!  Ashleigh and Aaron of Off Center Production were ready!

Abigail and Justin of Light and Motion media were ready too!  They just got married last fall too!! Congrats to them!

Moving on…and I’ve mentioned it enough.  Last year was the year I let go of some control.  Sometimes I’m the primary photographer and sometimes I’m the assistant.  We didn’t have time to track down staff at River City at Jane and Tom’s wedding so I made my own light and used the reflector to put it where I needed it! HA!  Jenna was doing a fabulous job at taking reception detail shots so…what the heck…I got an arm workout while I was at it!  My fitness coach Jessica Brown would be proud…LOOK…I do work out at weddings! HA!  My arms were burnnnnnning! Wheww!

Speaking of time…I was a wee bit stressed about getting everything done before Courtney and Steven’s ceremony!  I’d like to call this one, “We have no time for horse play, gentleman!”

I remember feeling this way at Audrey and Kyle’s wedding too (HERE).  How are we going to get it all done?!  BUT we did!  We made it to right before the ceremony!

Gotta do what you gotta do in the name of wedding photos!  I requested a towel to clean the dirt and dust off this window sill but Ben McMillen of McMillen Photography volunteered his bum to clean it up.  I like how he thinks…really saved us some time! HA! Check out Jane, the bride, cracking up over this moment!  This was the hottest wedding of the year.  Remember that 90+ degree weekend in June last year?  Yea.  We photographed outside at this wedding and we all ruined all clothes getting sweaty.  Ewww!

She was happy to sit there though once we got it all cleaned up. HA!  I like to call that one on the right, “Hand me my shoes!”

Ben was my light tester this day too!!  Photographers unite! Testing…testing…testing…GQ shot compliments of McMillen Photography! HA!

More light checks…Steven and Kari were competing for the best light spot!

Kari gets to use the cake cutting shots for test shots when I have to do a little educating!  “So, where exactly do we cut the cake?!”  You wouldn’t believe how common that question is at weddings!  I mean, most people have never done this before, right?!  They always look to me for help and most of the time…Kari uses that as her last minute test shot!  Courtney and Steven (HERE), Jane and Tom, and Becca and AJ…they all asked for clarification!

It happened at Sara and Kevin’s wedding too! HA!  Have no fear…I’ve been a part of MANY cake cuttings, of course!! BUT…Kevin’s listening skills are cracking me up in this photo!

I say it over and over again…all year long.  Those little details MATTER.  Again, it’s what makes a good photo GREAT!  Every member of the Hannah Barlow Photography team has something they’re super anal about and we make sure to take care of it when we can!  There was a rogue weed in the flower bed at Maddie and Cody’s wedding (HERE) and Jenna insisted it had to go.  We had to stop and wait for her! HA!

That barrel was NOT centered.  I’d like to call this one below…”I need to find a big, strong person.”  All my strong men had left to go get ready for Sam and Joe’s wedding though (HERE).

So…I took it into my own hands.  “Never mind…I’ll just center it myself!”  OCD kicking in right there! HA!  But my goodness…that thing was HEAVY!  I think it was full of water!  It’s important to note both Kari and Lacey stood back and just watched this happen, laughed at me, and took photos of it!

At Lisa and Dan’s wedding, we were doing reception detail shots and noticed the cake topper hadn’t been put on the cake.  I do NOT have any part in that…just like the rings…I don’t want to be responsible for something going wrong.  Rachel from Elegant Event Solutions took it into her hands like it was nothing!  Look at that gentleman’s face…we both had a lot to say about it…”You’re doing great, Rachel!…don’t smash the cake!”

If you read Sam and Joe’s blog (seriously…just go do it now), I mentioned the “puke face” I give them a lot because they’re just so disgustingly in love.  So, HERE IT IS!  We were picking confetti out of Sam’s hair and Joe just couldn’t resist getting in there and loving on his new wife.  Gross! HA!

…and sometimes you get the “Don’t stand too close! shot” HA!  Honestly, that’s not what was happening here but it made for a hilarious photo to put next.  Becca was actually instructing some people on what was going to happen at the reception.  It still makes me giggle though!  This lady knew exactly what she wanted at her wedding, wrote it down, and made my job easy!

If you remember, Sam and Joe also had the most EPIC sunset EVERRRRRRR!  I also told the story in the blog of how Joe and I were being obnoxiously loud screaming, “JOE!  JUST LOOK AT IT” and he was countering back “HANNAH! LOOK!  LOOK AT IT!”.  Well, I found out later Kari documented the whole charade! HA!  Sam and Joe have quickly become our good friends…just like Kari and David!  That’s Dan, the videographer and owner of Isley Creative.  He was probably thinking we were nuts!

Weddings are long days.  Our shortest days are 8 hours not including driving time…the longest days are 12 hours and adding in driving…14-16 hours total.  We get a little slap happy and tired…dancing helps!  I was digging the Taylor Swift concert going on at this wedding!

Kyle was apparently digging his own music at Amy and Logan’s wedding!  What do we call that move?!

Hmmm…not sure what you’d call this “move” or “pose” from DJ Nick Arno at Kristen and Matt’s wedding.

Jimmy wanted to dance at Danielle and Greg’s wedding too!  He jumped my car after a dead battery that day and SAVED THE DAY so I couldn’t say “no”.  We also laughed hysterically AND the couple actually put this image in their wedding album! HA!

Kari very rarely gets into the songs like I do but she was REALLY feeling this song (and I can’t remember what is was now).

Actually, I think I danced with everyone that night! HA!  Seriously, I miss my long hair! WAAAAAAHHH!  I want it back!

I got to dance with the bride at Jen and Ethan’s wedding (HERE).

…and I’m not even sure what Katie and Mark are doing here.  I think they were showing the couple how to dip…but where’s the couple?! HA!  Mark was the videographer.  His company is Mark Tiberio Photo + Films.

We take so many reception images…and we move around a lot to try and catch everything.  Sometimes we photobomb each other too!  Seriously, we take SO MANY RECEPTION IMAGES!  Joe would have done the same thing though.  So, I photobombed one of Kari’s shots! HA!

Sometimes we photo bomb each other during the day too…like right before Courtney and Steven’s ceremony.

I tried to get Kari at Meghan and Nate’s wedding ceremony before it started…I barely succeeded!

I did manage to accidentally step into this one though.  I was having a moment over that dress with Meghan’s mom!  I STILL haven’t gotten over it!

It was no secret Emily didn’t love having her picture taken at their Deep Creek Wedding and she wasn’t used to being all dolled up.  Check out her face! HA!  I remember her saying, “What…what are we doing here!?”  I’m still giggling over it!  See their wedding HERE!

I wasn’t kidding.  WHAT is she doing here?!   And this photo doesn’t even look edited now that I’m staring at it! Whomp! Whomp!

There’s been a running inside joke with Kari and this reflector.  She just can’t put it away!  I really thought once Kari became a mom she’d be able to twist and put it away.  Most of you moms will know…it folds just like almost EVERY baby thing folds and once you figure it out…you can fold anything…tents, floaties, you name it!  Not Kari…she hasn’t rose to that level yet! HA!  Now that I’m typing this…she MAY have done it in December…it’s all a blur now!  There’s always 2019, girl!  We’ve got this!

Well, with all that randomness, it’s hard to figure out where to end.  I’ve proof read this blog about 50 times and I still can’t figure out where so quit…how to end it…AHHHHH!  So, I’m just going to end it on this note.  I’ve got no closure to the 2018 Hannah Barlow Photography outtakes blog!  Hmph.  I deleted a bunch of photos and added a bunch more in and it’s just not “closing”.  So, since it’s a true “outtakes” blog…we’ll end it with one last blooper of me saying “BYE! I have no idea how to end this!”

How’s that for an abrupt ending?! Thanks for reading!! Happy Monday, everyone!