Sunset in the Country | Hannah Barlow Photography | OH Wedding Photography

Before we get started, I want to give a HUGE shout out and “thank you” to The Farm Restaurant and Rub in Adena, Ohio for allowing us to use their property to take these amazing photos. My couple had asked permission and they were so gracious to let us galavant around for an hour! Again, THANK YOU!

You can find more information about them HERE.

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Happy Monday, everyone!

If you’re like me and you’re stuck inside trying to figure out how it got so darn cold all of a sudden, I have something to warm you up!  This session isn’t just visually warm due to that ooey gooey golden hour sunlight I always hope for…it is also warm (hot) because this couple’s love pours out of their mannerisms and movements and it just feels like one giant hug when you look at these photos…and it gets a little steamy too after a while!! You just wait and see!

So, here we go!

Meet Marissa and Chris!

They’re the latest HBP wedding couple to appear in front of my camera and I’ll be photographing their wedding just a little over a year from now! EEEEKKKKKKK!!! Let my assistants fight over this one now!  You’ll see why!  Enjoy!

Right off the bat, we did some walking and snuggling.  These two just seemed so “connected” and didn’t appear to be nervous at all so I didn’t think it was necessary to go through all the usual core poses!  GAH!  These black and whites make my heart so happy.  They’re also a combo of Kari and I’s shots!! That’s right!  Kari tagged along with me to this session.  I’m trying to drag her out of the house more and more to give her some girl time (selfishly I also wanted a driving buddy this day too and to just generally spend some time with her because I miss her so much).  I also wanted her to take the past month of August (when these photos were shot) to get back in the groove!  Any time we take a break, we feel so rusty.  We have some OUTSTANDINGLY amazing weddings coming up here soon too!! We’re gotta bring our A+++ game!  This was another good practice run!

I mean really….check them out!

So, while I was waiting for that bright sun to set JUST a tad more, we played around a bit because Marissa said she liked fences.  I seriously couldn’t compliment these two enough.  I mean…their outfits were on point (and I usually don’t say that…because I’m getting old!).  They would also be perfect candidates to pose for a painting or sculpture class.  I kid you not…when I asked them to pose…they posed and did not move.  Like…I couldn’t even see them breathing.  It was almost creepy how still these two can be! HA! It made my job a whole lot easier though.  I mean…sometimes I have to “yell” at my couples to “get back into that pose” but not these two.  I actually had to tell them they could get out of the pose!  HA!! What a change of events!

My goodness…I can’t even stand it.  Of course, we (they) danced.  I (of course) squealed!  THAT DRESS! AHHHHHHHHH!!!!  Can you also see how the sun was warming up?!  That means it was setting and I was watching it out of the corner of my eye and knew (JUST KNEW) magic was about to happen!  Even Kari was getting excited and she’s my chill friend/assistant/second shooter!

But before it set…we shot these.  Again, these are a combo of Kari and I’s shots.  This is also another example of their stillness.  It was crazy how they just fell into these poses and then maintained them like it was the easiest thing in the world.  What was that thing everyone was doing last year or the year before where you stood really still and people taped it and posted it on social media?!  Yea…these two would have won that competition!  They are a model couple, I tell ya!  I know, for a fact, that I wouldn’t be able to hold these poses without busting out laughing (challenge accepted come October though..it’s on, John!).

Did I mention how much I love their outfits?!  I’m pretty sure I did!  And you know what else I love?  How Chris looks at her.  I even caught him doing it out of pose when I wasn’t taking photos…he looks at Marissa like she’s the only girl in the world!!  It’s honest and sincere.  I swear…they popped right out of one of my daughter’s story books!  Which princess would she play?! Hmmmmmmm….

…and then the sun started to set and it was GAME ON!  Cue the dramatic music!

…and Kari and I could NOT get enough so we just kept moving them back and forth.  I imagine Chris and Marissa wondered what the heck was going on!! They were AMAZING sports though AND I came to find out Chris doesn’t particularly love the idea of having his photo taken. WHATTTTTTTT?!  GET OUT OF TOWN!  She told me they were a little anxious but excited but decided they were going to have fun with it! ANDDDDDD fun they had!

I mean…he offered to carry her.  TO CARRY HER!  In case I wasn’t clear, he offered to carry her…through a field…during sunset…while two ladies photographed him doing so.  I can’t even!  THIS is stuff that happens in the books I read (right, Kat?!).  This may just be one of my favorites.  Again, check out his eye contact with her.  I’m swooning over here.

Ok.  Changed my mind.  Once I converted this to black and white…it may have become my favorite.  I just don’t know!  So, he carried her.  Then, he dipped her.  It looks angelic.  It was magical!

…and while I was doing that and they were maintaining this dip like it was the easiest thing in the world…Kari was shooting these from the side.

Marissa and Chris went to rival high schools.  She tells me she always knew who he was (the good looking senior football star) but didn’t think he knew she even existed!! He did, in fact, know about her because he was the one who initially reached out on social media while he was off at college.  At that point, she sought advice from her brother who told her to go for it!  They talked and facetimed every night until Chris was able to come home for winter break.  Tragically, Marissa’s brother passed away in this time frame and never got to meet Chris.  Nonetheless, Chris and Marissa’s relationship turned into a friendship during the mourning phase but didn’t tear them apart…only made them stronger.  NOW, here they are and while I don’t always think things like this happen…I’m wondering if maybe that beautiful light shining down on them was her brother…being a part of all of this since he was really there in the beginning to help push Marissa in the right direction.  It was really supposed to rain this evening.  The clouds off to our left were dark and angry…but if you look to the right…the sun was shining like I have not seen it shine in a long, long, long time!  It really makes you think, doesn’t it?!

On a lighter note, we added a new pose to the HBP repertoire!  I was holding this off for Sam and Joe’s wedding (because they were, up until this point, my spunkiest couple) BUT I just felt like Marissa and Chris should give it a test run.  Everyone…I’d like to introduce “The Baywatch”.  That’s right!  I asked them to run through the field like they were on Baywatch!! I’m seriously giggling while typing this because Chris was all for it!  He put his every effort into it, I tell ya!  I really should have considered he was an athlete because he jumped REALLY high in some of them!  It was hilarious!!  We all laughed (Kari included).  He even mentioned he was missing his life preserver.  THEN, I laughed even harder afterward when Kari and I found out he wasn’t a HUGE fan of the idea of having his photo taken! HA! I would have never asked him if I hadn’t gotten all the good vibes from him!  Marissa did mention he puts his every effort into anything he does…and yep…she’s totally right!  AND I hope I changed his mind regarding photos!  Seriously…I can’t stop laughing thinking back on this moment AND smiling because the photos are JUST SO GREAT!  OooOo memories!

Then, I decided to go for it with some sitting photos.  It’s not easy to look good while sitting.  These two had no issues…and I wasn’t even surprised at this point.  The sun kept setting and it was just a beautiful and memorable night all the way around!

These are Kari’s photos below and they are steamy and amazing and I’m so lucky to not only have outstanding couples who embrace their sessions and go “all in” but to also have assistants and second shooters like Kari who can show me up a time or two!  I don’t mind at all…I’ll take ANY amazing photos like this to give my couples!

I mean really…can you get much better than this?!  No…no you can not!  Don’t they look like they belong on the cover of a movie?!

Ok…one more because I can’t stop!

Nope.  One more because I’m never really done…EVER!

…and a shot of her, ring, of course!

Marissa and Chris are getting married next September!  If these photos are any indication of what we’ll see next year, I’m not sure how I’ll remain standing! EEEEKKKKKK!!  Kari and Jenna might argue over who gets to do this one…but I bet Kari will play her cards right since she already met them! HA! Only time and schedules will tell but make sure you check back because it’s going to be outstanding!  This is probably going to be one of those ones my daughter feels the need to critique…she already thinks Marissa looks like a princess! I think she got that love story gene from me! Watch out!

A HUGE congrats goes out to these two beautiful individuals!! I’ll be photographing their beautiful, fall, rustic themed wedding at Ebbert’s in St. Clairsville, Ohio!  YAY!

Happy Monday, everyone!

I hope that warmed you all up a bit!! STAY DRY OUT THERE!