December Wheeling Engagement Session

Happy Friday, everyone!  It’s two days after Christmas and the day after my dad’s birthday and the day of my daughter’s birthday.  Yep.  That’s right!  It’s been BUSY around here, I tell ya!! To top it all off, I’m fighting a nasty cold so this is the first day in a long while I’ve been back in the office for a full day!  It was nice having a break but I’m forcing myself back into the swing of things!  It was a good day though as I’m packing up for the wedding tomorrow AND finishing up these two sweet people’s engagement…and surprise….session!  Everyone, meet Emily and Kwan and get ready for their big announcement!! They are the newest couple on my blog!! Enjoy!

That’s right!! In addition to saying “I do” next year, they’ll also be welcoming a little one of their own to the world!! EKKKKK!! So, Emily requested we treat this more like a maternity session than engagement session and I’m so glad we did!! It was a nice change for me!  We actually didn’t even have this planned until last minute.  I purposely didn’t plan anything this month and Emily and Kwan were going to be home (they are both pro basketball players so they aren’t home much these days).  She reached out to me to see if we could make something work.  The stars aligned and here we were!  And yes…I will do the occasional maternity/announcement session for Hannah Barlow Photography couples!!  I get asked a lot and I do them but I just don’t post much!

But anyway, these two are SO easy to photograph (as you can see)!! I bet it has a lot to do with them being use to publicity and being filmed/photographed during their day to day “office” lives!  I kept squealing the Hannah squeal because their wedding photos are going to be amazing!! I also told them I was going to stay at the back of Oglebay’s Stifel Center because it’s also (as you all WELL KNOW) my rain location.  These two will be conveniently saying their vows right across the road at St. Michael’s Catholic Church so I wanted to keep our options open!  You know…we have had PLENTY of rain in 2018 and 2019 though so I’m ready for a REALLY dry year like 2017!  Come on, 2020…you can do it!

I mean…look!!! We had a great laugh at this little spot too.  I saw that bench and asked if they wanted to do any sitting photos.  I, personally, am never a fan but always like to leave the options and decisions to my couples!  Kwan shook his head and said he didn’t know what they’d do with their legs and I busted out laughing.  He’s right!! It’s hard to pose average height people while sitting…let alone two basketball players!  I felt like I had a pretty good read on these two at this point and knew their wedding would be a breeze but when he made that statement and we all had a good laugh, I KNEW for SURE their wedding was going to be amazingly fun with so much pretty wedding photos to go with it!  I’m funny like that but it’s moments like these that are just easy and tell me all I need to know about my couples!  These two are rare gems!

OoO yea!! Before I go, I also want you to meet Debbie and Chuck!  They are Emily’s parents!  I actually “met” Debbie first!! She’s the one who called me to get all the details before booking!  We had a long conversation about everything wedding photography and then I forwarded everything to Emily!  So, OF COURSE, I had to give them the true Hannah Barlow Photography treatment and sucked them over for a few photos of their own!

…and per the usual, I had them do one big, family “group hug” for the camera before they all took off!

That’s it!  Debbie and I actually kept chatting in the parking lot long after this session was over!  I kept giggling because I saw the van with the other three start pulling away and I kept telling her they were going to leave without her!!  It may have been an amazingly short and sweet session but I felt like I REALLY got to know all of them in that short of time!! It’s going to be one of those weddings we feel like family rather than the hired help…I just know it!!  So, check back in August 2020 for their wedding.  They’ll be first up for a double header weekend at Oglebay with Brian Oliver and lots of other vendors you’re used to seeing on the blog!  OMG!!  I can’t even wait!! WOOOO!

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday!  I’m slowly but surely getting back into the swing of things!! Lots of blogs to come!

ANDDDDD…don’t forget to place your votes on Monday when the end of year competition goes up!

ANDDDDD don’t forget to tell all your friends who are recently engagement over the holidays to get a hold of me!! 2021 dates are already getting sucked up!

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