WHERE ARE THEY NOW? – MAY WEDDINGS

Here we go again!  Happy Thursday, everyone!  This will be a two part series for my May couples.  I am posting in no particular order simply in the order I received them!  So, for this “WHERE ARE THEY NOW?” wedding blog, I have one 2018 and two 2019 Hannah Barlow Photography weddings to show you and tell you ALL about!! ARE YOU READY?!  Let’s do this! WEEEEEE!!!

First, Kristen and Matt (Gotta make sure I spell her name right…I remember spelling it wrong at the beginning of our relationship…Oy! HA!  It’s funny how I remember those little things, right?)!  So, these two tied the knot in May of 2018 and a WHOLE lot has happened since then! EEEKKK!! Let me show you their pretty pictures and tell you about what’s happening now!  Kristen and Matt, everyone!

First, let’s talk about and see their engagement session!  Holy moly!! THIS is a blast from the past, I tell ya!! It feels SO long ago that I traveled down to Morgantown (their alma mater) to photograph these!! It’s also when I got to meet Barb (Kristen’s mom) and some of her other family!  We had a BLAST and just looking at these gets me SO excited for future engagement sessions…AHHHH!! I NEED more of this in the my life AND SOON, it we get lucky!  We shot these in August of 2017!  Enjoy!  The light and summer-y colors just have me loving this eye candy!

I remember I could NOT stop laughing at this moment!  Not only were we using my reflector to block light, but Barb was using her body to block it for me too! HA!  Thanks for the assist!  We did get those beautiful photos with the stadium above though!

Then, May 2018 rolled around and it was time for their beautiful wedding!  I remember it was supposed to rain this day (and it did, I believe, right after photos) and on top of it all I was recovering from a cold and had a broken toe (it’s funny how I remember that stuff).  It was also my first double header weekend ever so this was my second wedding that weekend!  We met up with Jay Morris and started off with those wedding details and then went straight into the ceremony!

This ceremony was my first at St. Michael’s in Wheeling, WV!  Isn’t it SO pretty?!  Kari helped me shoot this wedding!  They became Mr. and Mrs. Graney!

Then, we went to Oglebay to get some classic, quintessential “Oglebay” photos!  This was also where the reception would be held for the reception in Oglebay’s Pine Room.  We had GOBS of time to shoot these!  Check out these beautiful ladies!  I remember they called that bouquet shot the “boob shot” and to this day I can’t ever stop thinking that when I take similar photos…and I also try to plan it a little better so it’s more flowers…less chest area! HA!

Just look how pretty!!!  You all probably recognize one of those bridesmaids too!!  That’s Jane!  I’m going to see if she wants to throw back for my June wedding blog!

I remember the guys not wanting to be outdone and some of them got SO into it!  I can hear us all laughing again while I was taking these!

Sometimes people want that “Oglebay Mansion Photo”!  Kristen was one of those brides and I was so happy to oblige!  I do believe Jay got some good drone footage of this, as well!

OOoo Father Jim (LaCrosse).  He is, by far, my favorite Priest I’ve worked with.  You see…he starts off REAL scary and strict but then you realize he’s just a big, lovable, teddy bear.  He gave me “the speech” that we get at most Catholic churches.  You know…where we can stand, where we can’t stand…when we can and can NOT take photos…what time we have to be gone for confession and mass, etc.  I’m used to it!  I’m also EXTREMELY respectful and make it a point to ask ahead of time and follow all rules.  Father Jim, however…took it a step further when I introduced myself at this very first meeting.  He pointed.  He warned me AND THEN he even had the music director give me a tour of exactly where I could stand.  I remember thinking, “Ok.  You’re used to this, Hannah…but don’t mess it up with this guy”.  He’s also super punctual and will lock those doors for any late guests and start on the second…so 1:00 PM in this case (again…WHY do I remember those little details).  After all that, he gained a lot of my respect and became my favorite to work with.  It breaks my heart because I heard recently that he’s ill with some heart troubles.  This day of this wedding back in 2018 was his birthday.  I remember him standing up at the reception (left photo below) and directing while everyone sang “Happy Birthday” and then he danced with the bride.  It’s unique moments like these I will NEVER forget.  I do believe he retired at around 600 weddings but I always hope he’s got one more in him!  I do believe he was supposed to do Marissa and Chris’ wedding last September and that’s when I found out he had fallen ill.  Let’s all think happy thoughts for this sweet man and wish him more good health in the future!

This reception had a PACKED dance floor.  Nick Arno KILLED IT!  I just remember there being SO much love and laughter and that “energy” NEVER stopped!  So, here’s what happened at the end of the night and I still can’t stop smiling looking at these!

SO, WHERE ARE THEY NOW?!  Well, a lot has happened for these two in just two years!

Just six months after these two tied the knot, Matt was deployed in November of that year with the US Army reserves and spent 11 months overseas.  They didn’t even get to celebrate their first anniversary together and missed out of a lot of “firsts” as a married couple.  I remember emailing Kristen (as I’m also a military wife and have experienced  deployments) and I cheered her on while telling her the good, the bad, and the really ugly of being a wife of a deployed man.  I emailed her intermittently to check up and she gave me updates in return.  She shared some photos from that experience!  MATT, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE!  SooOoo glad you made it home safely!

Just recently (like a week ago), they also bought a house in Newark, DE!  They’re so excited to move FINALLY!

And even though they didn’t get to celebrate their one year anniversary…they still tasted their wedding cake!  Tell us…HOW DID THAT TASTE?!  It would have been a year and a half old! HA!

Now, Kristen is still an emergency room nurse and has fulfilled her dream of becoming a Forensic Nurse Examiner and Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner as well as the trauma clinical leader (as a nurse myself…I just say “holy crap” to all of that).  Matt is still working for Amtrak and the Army reserves as a heavy equipment operator!  Even though these two just celebrated both turning 30, I’d say they’re doing REALLY well!  Thanks, Kristen and Matt for being a part of this!!  You still have an amazing story!! Love you both!

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Next up, Kristine and Jamie from last year…a beautiful, May wedding in 2019!  BUT FIRST, of course…their engagement session.  It’s funny.  I didn’t get to chat with these two a whole lot prior to their wedding.  They were super busy with school, new jobs, getting ready to move…you name it!  BUT…I swear…I talk to Kristine every other day now and I love it so much!  When we finished their wedding order on their wedding album and what not, I remember telling her not to be a stranger.  She said she told Jamie she was sad and he said, “I’m pretty sure you can still talk to her after all this…”  And yes indeed…that’s just what we do!  But anyway, I had seen photos of them before I met them at their engagement session and just remember thinking, “How the heck am I going to get both her head and his head in the frame?!  The height difference is extreme, I tell ya, and now it’s one of my very FAVORITE things about them!

Aren’t they adorable?  I could get some really cuddly photos with them and I love love loved it!

This ring ended up giving me some of my very favorite wedding ring photos everrrrrr!! You’ll see here in a minute!

Then, we got to their wedding!  Maybe this was Lacey’s last wedding?  I feel like she was there…maybe not!  It was May of last year and the color trends were still Navy and blush pink but these details had some real POP to them!

Do you all remember this watch?  Yep.  This was the one I thought I had “lost” when it fell out of my bag in my car on the way to the church.  I can still picture that gentleman who wanted to talk to me in the parking lot and I was all freaking out in my head, “No time to talk, kind sir!  I lost the groom’s watch!”  Now, I can confirm Lacey was with us because I remember sending her to talk to him while I emptied my car!  We did find it!  It was right with my bag…just not in my bag! Whewwwwww!!  I still sweat a little thinking of that moment!

Kristine was so emotional reading this card and they are some of my favorite “getting ready” photos!  The ones with the emotion always get me!

Then, Jamie got to open his other watch right before the ceremony!  That’s when I told him the story of the “lost watch” that wasn’t really lost!  OooO and those flowers on the guys.  I actually don’t know if Kristine knows this part of the story.  So, I always pin the flowers, right?  I’ve done what…almost 100 weddings now?  Yea.  I kind of consider myself a professional flower pinner BUT…I have NEVER….and I mean NEVER…had so many issues.  I have no idea what was happening but the flowers kept snapping off the stems as we pinned them.  Good GRIEF!  So, that flower on Jamie is actually two pieces.  I had to use about 10 pins on him to make it look “whole” BUT that baby didn’t go ANYWHERE! HA!  Talk about more sweat! Jeesh!

Their ceremony was at Corpus Cristi in Warwood, WV.  I’d show you those but I’d much rather tell you about Sampson!  You see, I didn’t know he was high strung like me.  We got him all set up and ready to go and I made my “rooster” sound as people call it.  That’s the sound I make to gets kids and pets attention.  Well, he went CRAZY!  Whoops!  It took us a while to get him calmed down again and I just remember saying, “Yea…you should have warned me our personalities were similar”!   We got some hilarious photos of that moment though!

SEEEEEEE!  He did so good!! This little guy also just celebrated his 10th birthday this year!

Then, we went on to bride and groom portraits and oOOoOo my goodness me!! That height difference was my wedding photographer dream come true!! JUST LOOOKKK!!!  AAAHHHHH!!! Still love these SO MUCH!

You just can’t go wrong!  You can’t!

I do love me some Oglebay stairs!! This series was some of their favorites, I know!  GAH!  I need to get back to shooting!

Then, we went into their reception.  This was our first with DJ Brian Oliver for the year and, as always, he killed it!  Kristine and Jamie didn’t have cake.  They had PIE!  That’s right!! We actually just talked about this in our virtual workshop on Monday!  I love unique details!

The dancing was epic!  Jamie’s brother-in-law perfectly executed this photo taken by Lacey and I still crack up over his wife’s reaction in the bottom left had corner.  Name that song!  Go ahead!

Then, they ended the night on a sparkler exit!  I remember everyone had had a REAL good time at the reception and then those extra long and extra hot sparklers were waving around my head! HA!  WORTH IT!  We put some of these in the album!! WEEEE!  Congrats to Dr. Jamie Latos and Dr. Kristine Brown!! They’ve got one year coming up!

So, WHERE ARE THEY NOW?  Well, they are gearing up for their first anniversary, of course!  Right after their wedding, they took a three day mini-honeymoon to Greenbrier and Lewisburg, WV (where they met and went to medical school).  Their big honeymoon they had planned for now got cancelled due to COVID 19.  Whomp Whomp!  But they did close on a house right after that mini honeymoon and moved to Morgantown, WV after Jamie finished his fellowship in South Carolina.  If you remember, Kristine is a pediatrician and Jamie is the most swag rheumatologist you’ll EVER meet (who remembers that inside joke?!).

Put him to work, Kristine! HA!

Kristine still hasn’t gotten any taller so it’s still an issue for them to get both their heads in a photo.

All jokes aside, I seriously love these two so much!! I hope Jamie doesn’t mind that I suck up so much of Kristine’s time texting her about nonsense things! HA!  I keep hoping I’ll get to have dinner with them sometime soon!  One last photo of these two!

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Last but not least for this blog was the wedding the weekend RIGHT after Kristine and Jamie’s and also at Oglebay – Mattie and Noah!  These two are, to date, the youngest couple I’ve photographed.  I always felt like I connected with them because I too got married young (engaged at 20 and married at 22).  Their engagement session had me squealing with delight!  From the light to the stone and then the colors they chose and their overall connection with one another…I just could NOT get enough! EEEEKKKKK!!  Do you remember these?!

They just make my photographer heart SO dang happy!!! WEEEEEEEEEE!!!!

I always did love these ring shots too!!  That band is SO uniquely beautiful!

Then, in May of 2019, they tied the knot!  Purple was very popular last year!  Navy and pink are on the way out and I think purple took over!  Mattie’s details were so pretty, classy, and feminine!

We may have been stuffed in one of Oglebay’s smaller hotel rooms to get ready but that did NOT take away from her getting ready photos!! EEEKKK!

I’m not a wedding photographer who forces my couples do first looks.  Actually, most of my couples choose not to do one and wait to see one another.  Mattie and Noah decided to go for it and it was one of the most emotional first looks we’ve done.  Do you all remember the “drama” of finding a place to do this?!  We were run out of our first location by another photographer and bridal party…GAH!  It all worked out though and Kari and I got to witness this beautiful moment!

EEEKKKKKKKK!!! I just remember this moment and him admiring her in this dress.  AHHHH!! Feels like I was there again!  I need this kind of wedding job and excitement in my life again!

It was hot and humid this day but you couldn’t tell!  These bride and groom portraits make my wedding photographer heart so happy!! Didn’t she look like a queen?!

Noah didn’t let his bride to be show him up either!

Then, we did some bride and groom wedding portraits before we we went into their ceremony!

My goodness do I love those stairs at Oglebay!

Seriously, I am just SO happy to be doing these blogs but OOO MMMMM GGGGGGGGGGG.  It’s making me miss weddings SO MUCH!  WAAAAAAHHHHH!! Couples, I’m with you!! I’m so nervous about this 2020 season and I can’t WAIT to get back to normal!

BUT ANYWAY (enough with the COVID 19 gloom and doom).  Mattie and Noah’s ceremony was BEAUTIFUL and so touching!

Do you all remember this moment?  It was not planned.  It was so sincere…and I loved that I caught it! SO MUCH!

Then, I saw some purple flowers and just HAD To get some photos with them.  Purple flowers…purple wedding.  It was MEANT TO BE!

Kari’s was better though and I have no issues admitting that! EEEKKKKKK!!!

It had rained this day (story of my life, right?).  But that didn’t stop them.  They had their reception outdoors under Oglebay’s shelter and it was GORGEOUS!

Remember their very unique “purple drink”?! AHHHHHH!! This is a detail I forgot to mention in my workshop Monday!  I always love this so much!  The bartender was so happy to help me get all the ingredients out for this photo!

Can you tell how much fun we were having?!  It was an AMAZING day and night!  I do love me some Oglebay weddings!! WEEEEEE!

So, WHERE ARE THEY NOW?!  Mattie said not a whole lot has changed!! They’re getting ready to celebrate their one year anniversary and have the same jobs.  She’s still finishing nursing school and has decided to become a labor and delivery nurse (isn’t it ironic all three couples are in the medical field?)!  Now that they don’t have a wedding to plan, they’re planning lots of trips!  They already went to Mexico and Punta Cana.  They had another spring trip planned that was also cancelled due to Corona like Kristine and Jamie….whomp whomp whomp.  She DID sneak a dog home right after the wedding! HA!  They have a labradoodle named Lucy!  OBSESSED!  They’re also in the process of buying a home and the closing date is the end of this month!! WEE!! I’d say a lot HAS happened!! YAY!  Congrats to the Clarks!

HI, Lucy!

The Clarks, everyone!

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Calling all my other past May brides!  Next post goes up Monday!

…and if you want to go back and relive these three weddings in more detail.  Follow the links below!  Happy Thursday, everyone!

Kristen & Matt

Kristine & Jamie

Mattie & Noah