St.Clairsville, Ohio Country Engagement | Hannah Barlow Photography | WV Wedding Photography

It’s FRIDAY!! YAY!

(I haven’t quite ventured into using “Friyay” yet..HA!)

So, I’d like you to meet the newest Hannah Barlow Photography wedding couple! Say, “Hello” to Kassandra and Derek!  This beautiful lady said “yes” to this awesome guy and they will be tying the knot this December!  I met Kassandra at Jane and Zac’s wedding back in June.  She must have been taking notes because she quickly reached out after that wedding and we started talking about her big day!  I also was a December bride so those weddings are very special to me!  As you can imagine, I was so thrilled when she chose me to be there to photograph it all!!  These are two wonderful people and are so easy to photograph!  I have no doubt their big day is going to be very special and memorable!

Check out their country engagement session we did a couple days ago in St. Clairsville, Ohio!  Derek’s family was gracious enough to let us drive around and find spots to shoot! His mom, Janet, was also kind enough to be our chauffeur for the day so we didn’t have to walk! Thanks, Janet!  It was a huge plus I also got to meet a lot of their family!! As a result, there will be lots of familiar faces at the wedding! YAY!

Here are some of my favorites! Enjoy!

Since we took photos at the grape arbors, I thought it was necessary we have an engagement ring photo there too!

Sunflowers! There were SUNFLOWERS! I’m in love! If these photos don’t say “August” and “country”, I don’t know what else will!

Aren’t they beautiful together?!  Can’t you just SEE their wedding photos already?!  They are going to be an amazing bride and groom!  We might just have to dress a little warmer! HA!

Give me a tree.  Give me a gravel driveway and a good looking couple and we’ll make this happen!

These next sets of photos are some of my very favorites!  I love the greens and blues and how cuddly and “in love” these two look!  They’re really very natural together!  It never ceases to amaze me how weeds and “ugly” flowers always look so great in photos!  It’s often the little things we don’t really pay attention to that make photos stand out and this job has really made me appreciate the simpler things!  Check out that fence line!  I love how it compliments them! Perfection!

This might be my favorite!

Nope! Maybe THIS is my favorite! GAH! I can’t decide!  How do you decide?!

Kassandra wanted to dip! Well, that’s PERFECT because EVERYONE knows my couples just have to dip for me!  We also had some amazing light and some amazing skies! There weren’t really any “bad” options for photos at this farm! 

I saw this old barn and the light was wrapping around it so I figured we’d try a nice, dreamy photo with pretty light and nice lens flare!! I think this is one of Kassandra’s favorites!! I couldn’t tell you why…;-) HA!  Amazing, right?!

Beleive it or not, that was NOT a sunset in the photos above by the fence and when they dipped.  That was the sky in the east.  THIS was the sun setting in the west! Crazy, right?!  I’m telling you, this night was perfect for photos! Check out these beauties!

Of course, there was dancing!!  Like my husband, I don’t think Derek was thrilled about this idea BUT I’m pretty sure he’d do just about anything for Kassandra.  I’ve been there, you two.  My friend Kat (Hey, Kat!) recently threw my poses back at me and had my husband and I dance….it’s not THAT simple, I tell ya!  It’s HARD to make it look good!  These two nailed it!

So, here is something I’ve learned through doing all this and shooting all these amazing couples over the past couple of years.  At the end of any session, when they’ve gotten pretty used to what you ask when it comes to posing….you gotta catch them off guard.  When you do that, magic happens because they stop thinking about the pose and just do what you suggest…and quickly.  It can be really weird in front of a camera…I’ve tried it, of course.  I actually prefer, most of the time, to be taking the photos!  So anyway, I had these two dancing.  I was laying on the ground (like a crazy person…in a field…surrounded by cow patties…heck, I think I WAS on a cow patty at one point)….and then I said “quick…spin her!” and he did.  It was perfect!  THEN,  I said, “QUICK…dip her!”…..and he did!  He didn’t miss a beat either and LOOK what happened!  They were laughing with most natural giggles and the most sincere smiles and joy! EEEKKKKKKK!  This is also a new take on the dip and I love that! I’ve never had a couple grasp hands and support their weight that way, so this dip is uniquely Kassandra and Derek….you don’t get much more special than that, do ya?! 

I promise we’ll try to replicate this dip for ya this winter! I’m hoping for pretty snow and clear roads!

Well, I hope you all enjoyed!! This was an amazing session with a great couple (…and moms and dads and uncles)!  Be sure to check back in December for their beautiful winter wedding.  These two will be saying “I do” at an intimate ceremony in Harrisville, OH .  We will be back at this beautiful farm in St. Clairsville, Ohio for the formal photos with a 30+ person bridal party (Kari’s ready…she’s got her loud, organizational voice, pen, paper, and whip (just kidding) on stand-by). HA!  We’ve got this! I can’t wait!  We’re going to party it up at a reception at the Skyliner after!

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I recently took a macro photography class and I’m in love! So, you can now expect even more ring shots on my blogs! That photo on the right is for you, Janet!  Janet could be a seriously great wedding professional! She’s good with the details!  I later found out she is the sister of a wonderful, lady I worked with when I was a nurse (Hey, Paula)!  It’s going to be a great wedding…seriously! 

I saved the beautiful side shots of this ring for the wedding photos! You just wait! It’s GORGEOUS!

There’s nothing more summer and August than an engagement ring on a sunflower! 🙂  It makes me happy! It’s almost Fall, y’all! 

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OOooO and if you want to see the wedding where Kassandra and I met, be sure to click here!

That’s it!  Everyone have a safe and wonderful weekend!