A Winter Wedding Fairytale | Ohio Wedding Photography

It’s the MOST wonderful time of the year!

SING IT!

Go ahead.  Sing along with Andy Williams and get your holiday on!  You really don’t need it though for this wedding but it’ll sure up the ante for all the warm and fuzzy feelings you’re going to be feeling at the conclusion of this baby!  OooO my goodness me!  STOP!  Just stop what you’re doing right now and enjoy this because Jenna and Joe are married!  It was breathtaking!  It’s eye candy!  They’re currently basking in the sun in Barbados and even though it’s only been five days since their wedding…I’ve finished it.  I’m blogging it now.  It’s amazing!  ENJOY!

Photo credit right off the bat to Kari!  She’s the best!

So, we started the day off at the St. Florian hall in Wintersville, Ohio to photograph the reception goodies.  This was the Florian’s last wedding under the current caterers and decorators (Piergallini’s Catering) so it was bittersweet for a lot of people!  We spent lots of time taking beautiful photos of the black, the white, and the red decor!  It was stunning and unlike anything I’ve even seen or photographed at a wedding!  If you didn’t see my live video, head on over to Facebook to see it!  Of course, I’ll show you more of the reception later too!  But for now, just know that I was overly excited about what I was seeing and a little winded for other reasons.  More on that behind the scenes story in a bit!

So, after we photographed the reception details, I texted Jenna and told her we were on our way!! This was a 12 hour day for us so I brought Ashleigh along too and boy OooOo boy did she work her butt off at this wedding!  I’m forever grateful for everything she does when she comes and assists but I couldn’t have needed her more than I did at this wedding!  You’ll see!  So, we met up at the Borings home (Becca and her husband were also in the bridal party but kind enough to open up their home to us for getting ready shots, hair, and makeup in the morning).  I walked in ready to see this fabulous and beautiful and puffy and ruffly dress I’d been hearing so much about for over a year now…only to find out it wasn’t there.  Whomp Whomp.  So, Plan B.  I was going to take all the goodies and go to the church to shoot details with the dress.  Nope.  Joe’s details were en route to the Borings home and if I left…I wouldn’t have those details to photograph either.  Ok.  Plan C! HA!  Jenna was so laid back about it all and I know I was 110% looking stressed just one hour into the day and just as I had walked through the door!  I joked with her later that she stressed me out for 1 minute and 45 seconds…until I came up with my new plan…on the fly!  So, are you ready to see it?! Let’s do it!  I grabbed all the details she did have ready for me right when the videographers, Mark and Katie, arrived!  Perfect timing!

AND man OooO man…these details were TO DIE FOR.  Get ready for a wedding detail photo overshare!

I mean…her veil even had sparkles on it!  It was a Christmas wedding done RIGHT! AHHHHHHHHHHH!!! I can’t even.  It was just so perfect!! Remember, I’m a December bride too!  So, you can imagine this was just too much for my heart to handle!  She even threw in some Ford…just for Joe!  I’m not even sure he knew about this!  Maybe he did!  If you remember, Joe lovesssssssss his Ford truck.  It was even part of their engagement session.  If you don’t remember that, check it out HERE!  We even did a unique shot with the ring on the Ford emblem!  It was proudly displayed at the reception too!

There were just so many options for detail shots.  I’ll be honest…there was so much goodness here I was pretty overwhelmed.  I took SO MANY shots and I kept having to ask Kari and Ashleigh for opinions and advice because I just couldn’t decide how I wanted to do it all!! I mean…that’s the BEST problem to have when doing these shots.  AHHHHHH!! Isn’t it just so pretty?!  Doesn’t it make your Christmas heart and wedding heart want to burst?!

The girls were about 10 feet from us getting hair and makeup done.  So, we kept popping over to get some getting ready shots.  Almost 50 weddings in, I’ve NEVER been able to catch the hairspray in action…until now!  YAY! FINALLY!  OOoO it’s the little things for me! HA!

So, Kari and Ashleigh took advantage of me stepping away for a second and started making serious magic!  How do they come up with this stuff?!

I snapped some of Joe’s details too!  Black.  Like Black Tie. OoooOOo YESSS!  YESSSS please!

Becca, another HBP bride, was getting her makeup done right beside me to I scooted up right beside her for this fun shot!

…while Kari and Ashleigh were killing it with the details nearby!

Seriously?!  Kari said Ashleigh was styling while she was photographing.  They NAILED IT!  How’d I get so lucky to have such awesome help?!  These are unlike any shots I’ve ever had in a gallery for a wedding!

At this point in the day, I had taken off.  It was my plan to go track down Joe and say “Hello”.  Jenna told me all the guys were going to have breakfast together at Bob Evans in Steubenville and I was like, “oOoo heck.  I’ve got backups.  Why not?!”  So, Mark, the videographer, and I jumped in my car and we headed off!  I left Ashleigh and Kari behind.  Kari later told me Jenna was another one of our laid back brides.  Apparently, she was so laid back she kept laughing because she hadn’t planned out her makeup and didn’t know what she wanted to do with it…on the morning of her wedding! HA!  This is how I always picture Jenna…giggling.  Every time I’ve photographed her…she’s got this amazing smile and sweet spunk about her.  I mean…she IS a dental hygienist…so the smile makes sense.  They always have fabulous teeth (my roommate from college was also a dental hygienist)…but I’m talking about that all around sweet and giggly personality…that’s what she’s got going on!

…I really think Kari was serious.  I saw this photo later and thought, “Huh.  She really didn’t know what she wanted for makeup that morning.”  Deep thoughts happening here.

So, while that was happening, I was here.  When I walked in, I wasn’t sure how the guys would react.  They didn’t know we were coming.  Joe popped right up out of his seat and gave me the biggest hug.  He is a genuinely sweet and sincere guy.  I can’t even tell you how excited I was to see them both leading up to this day!  I know I say it all the time but you couldn’t have paired two better people together.  Jenna with her warm and sweet personality and Joe with his calm demeanor and gentleman traits (their friends are probably saying this is SO not true).  You just wait and see what happens when you put them together though.  It’s fireworks…I swear you can see them!  But anyway, we caught some photos of the guys having breakfast.  Joe and I headed out to the parking lot to get his note he wrote to Jenna.  It was fun and they even got video footage of it which will be totally awesome and unique to their wedding video!  Huge shout out to the Bob Evans staff for giving us permission to do this!! I blurred out the other faces just for privacy’s sake!

I think we were there four minutes total before we hopped right back in the car and back to the house where the ladies were getting ready!

…and I came back and Kari and Ashleigh were still having fun with the details!

Brianna Otto did Jenna’s make up.  I’ve worked with her many times now and she’s fabulous!  She was also a bridesmaid which made it extra special!  Kristin Tennant did the rest and I’ve worked with her too!! AHHHH!! I love when all us vendors know each other!

You know…I needed the customary invitation shot, of course!  I love this one…it’s a favorite of mine now!  I can’t take credit for that photo though.  Katie Harris of Katie Lynn Harris Photography has photographed this amazing couple many times and took the PERFECT photo for their invitation!  She told me they’re often her test couple and I agree 110% because these two don’t know how to take a bad photo and they don’t even have to try!  They should be modeling wedding attire right along with their good friends Becca and AJ! OOoooOo I’m getting all kinds of ideas now!

OooOoo these photos below.  They belong in a Hallmark movie.  Doesn’t it look like a Hallmark movie?!

I do believe it was Ashley, one of the bridesmaids, who showed me this box and was so kind to take her rings off and let me photograph them!  These ladies…it was another calm morning with lots of smiles and laughter.  These are THE BEST mornings for us!

Then, we headed to the church so I could FINALLY see this dress.  Holy crap! HOLY CRAP!  It was more beautiful in person and you know why?!?!?!?!?!  It sparkled.  I kid you not…not only did it have intricate, unique beading…it had the most fabulous back we’ve ever photographed AND ALL OF THE FABRIC sparkled.  I’m telling you what…I tried and tried and tried and I couldn’t get the sparkle to show up in too many photos but I promise you….from the straps to the bottom of that dress…including the veil…there were sparkles.  There was beading and ruffles and poofiness and more sparkles…perfect for a winter, Christmas wedding.  Perfect forJenna too!  AHHHHHHHHHHH!! I could dance around the room right now.  You know Kari…she’s not a lace fan and she needs a unique back.  So, this dress met those marks and was RIGHT down her alley and she couldn’t say enough about this thing…which is saying something!

Is she stunning or what?!  I couldn’t wait for Joe to see her.  I met up with him at the church when we were scrambling to get formal photos done prior to the ceremony and I said, “Stay in here.  You don’t want to see her.” He replied, “OOOoooO I do want to see her!”.  It made my heart melt a little.  Not yet, Joe.  Not yet!  But I thought that was so sweet because it’s so them!

So, we headed out and did formal photos with the ladies!

OoOo hey there, Mr. Stuart!  He’s not about to let his bride outdo him in the picture department!  Kari was with me for a short second while I took these and said he could totally model this in a magazine!! I concur!  I say she was there for a short minute because we had to split up…all while Ashleigh ran in between us…back and forth…back and forth!  I’m serious…Ashleigh needs a vacation after this wedding.  I can’t tell you the number of times I said, “Don’t kill me…but I need you to…” and she did it.  Parked my car…carried my bags….set up my lights…back to my car…found a note…back to the car…I’m forever grateful!  So…yes…we photographed Jenna getting ready prior.  We were running about 45 minutes behind at that point.  I photographed what we would usually take 45 minutes to do in just about 15 minutes.  So, I made up 30 minutes of time there…whewww.  Then,  we ran to Joe’s room and did these and then Kari and I split up.

Then, it was time for the gentlemen.  IT’S A BLACK TUX.  LOOK!  I mean, I know you saw it before but I want to talk more about it now.  Everyone’s wearing grey…except the groom.  Black tux.  Black tie.  I’m just going to sit here and pretend that when they were deciding colors, the conversation went something like this, “Let’s do grey.  Well, Hannah really loves a black tux.  Ok.  Then everyone else will wear grey and I’ll wear black”.  Of course, I know that’s not really how it all went down but a girl can dream…right?!  Nonetheless, this was executed really well considering the women wore black!  It’s just so crazy I’m sitting here blogging this too because I remember last year when Jenna was texting me stressing about colors and what would look good.  I remember scouring the internet and all my friend’s pages to screen shot and send other weddings I had seen that have had this same color scheme!  How is it over already?!

So, we made up some more time and then headed in to photograph the notes being read.  I had originally wanted to do this before we got to the church but Jenna told me earlier in the week it wasn’t possible because Joe wanted to write his letter the morning of the wedding so he could write what he was feeling.  Who is swooning?!  If you’re not…re-read that sentence a few times.  Over and over and over again, I keep pinching myself because fairytales do exist and I get to photograph them!  This was less than 30 minutes before ceremony start.  I looked at Kari in the hallway and asked who she wanted to photograph.  She picked Jenna because she was already set for the lighting in that room.  See?!  I’m not ALWAYS a control freak.  I let my friends/assistants decide sometimes…sometimes! HA!  So, here they are…reading their letters…in different rooms…but at the same time!

 

And it’s simply amazing how things in life happen.  When you look at the time stamps on these photos (my cameras tell us exactly what time the photo was taken), these two teared up at almost the EXACT same time.  If you don’t believe me, I’m happy to show you.  Heck, I’ll just show you anyway!  So, here are the finished images of these two getting all emotional over each other’s notes.  I’m not going to lie.  I teared up a little bit too because these two love each other like you read about in novels!  I couldn’t help it!

Here is a screen shot of the two photos in my sorting program…back to back.  There were no photos deleted, I promise.  I have a firm “do not delete any photos” policy with ALL of my second shooters and that includes me too.  I’m always afraid if we get anywhere near that button we will end up accidentally deleting something we need.  If we take a bad photo, we just keep going.  So, there were absolutely no photos in between these two right here…Kari and I snapped them at almost the same time.  You can’t make this stuff up!

…and these moments happened 7 HUNDREDTHS (that’s 0.07th of a second) apart.  Is this real life?!  No way!  I mean…we couldn’t have scripted it that closely!

Ok, now that I’ve gotten that out of my system.  Let’s see what they got each other!  I wasn’t with Jenna, of course.  I’m so sad I can’t be in two places at once but Kari says Jenna’s reaction to Joe’s gift was epic.  She said Jenna could not have been more excited about these boots and immediately said she HAD to put them on.  I can’t wait to see it!  So, she ditched those beautiful heels she had on like they were on fire and quickly got some help putting these babies on AND I can confirm she did keep them on all night!

I DID get to hang with the groom though!  Joe was opening his watch at the same time.  It came complete with a sweet little note!

Then, very quickly, it was time for the ceremony!  Kari took many of these photos!  I think at this point you all know it’s a good mix between who took what but it’s still worth mentioning because she rocks it!  This may look like a Catholic church but it’s not!! It’s the VERY beautiful First Westminster Presbyterian church in downtown Steubenville, Ohio AND it was decorated for Christmas!

The grandparents were seated.  The parents were seated.  The men came out from the back and lined up.  The beautiful bridesmaids made their way down the aisle…and then it was time for the four tiny, flower girls to do their thing.  It was the cutest little (well…big) hot mess we’ve ever seen and everyone smiled and giggled while the parents scrambled.  You’ll see.  It was so stinkin’ adorable and I’m pretty sure it got rid of any nerves that may have been brewing.  So, the first two came barreling down the aisle and right at me.  Kari was up above.  We wanted to switch it up this wedding.  I’m so glad we did!  Here they come!

…and no sooner did she get down the aisle…she decided to run back up the aisle! HA!

So, one of Joe’s sisters (and a mom) went after her!

Then, since mom went up the aisle…this little one went back up the aisle too! HA!  AND was quick to point out there was a mess that needed picked up.  She was looking to her dad for advice.  “Should I pick it up?  Leave it there?”  There was another one crying.  I do believe one didn’t even come down the aisle at all.

Finally, Dad had to go up and get the last one who was still more than willing to do her job and toss those petals…but slowly!  I’m telling you.  Everyone got a huge kick out of it!  It was adorable and exactly what one would expect with so many little ones!

…and finally…the officiant asked everyone to “Please Rise!”.  It’s my favorite part!!  You want to know what was also my favorite part?!  Jenna picked ALL traditional music!  She marched to the old, traditional, bridal march song! EEEEKKKKK!!! It was powerful!

…and Joe finally got to see his beautiful bride in her STUNNING gown fit for a princess!

I didn’t see any tears and that’s ok (my hubby and I aren’t emotional…no tears at our wedding either)…but his face says it all!! Kari and Katie were taking shots from the top!  Do you feel like you were there?  I hope so!! I want to go back and do it all over again!

OoooO man.  Kari and I nailed it again and caught the same moment…same time…different angles!  I love his reaction when she got closer!

Once she made it to the front, her dress was sparkling like crazy…like it was lit up!  Of course, you can’t catch that action in still photos but the videographers did!  Kari even said later they could see it all the way up from the top!  It was a combination of the dress AND the veil.  Good grief…there wasn’t anything about this ceremony that wasn’t perfect and fitting with the “Christmas Wedding” theme.

They were pronounced Mr. & Mrs. Stuart and Joe grabbed her up for a first kiss as husband and wife!  It’s no secret Joe and Jenna have NO issues showing off their love for one another!  This kiss was steamy!

So steamy the officiant reminded them they were in front of hundreds of people! HA!

THE STUARTS, everyone!

We quickly went into formals!  Here’s a shot of the whole bridal party!

I’m a crazy person sometimes.  I had this bright idea I’d go collect all the rose petals that were tossed down the aisle and have Kari and Ashleigh throw them up in the air.  We did a couple test runs and Ashleigh decided they needed to be blown.  We ALL had a good laugh trying to make this happen!  Kari on my left.  Ashleigh on my right!  I told them to lock lips and not move until I said so….Joe told me that was no problem!

So, we did it a second time just for good measure! Of course, Joe had absolutely no objections!!  If you look REALLY closely, you can see the sparkles on the dress in this shot below.

…and a few more!

Then, we headed outside to get Jenna up in Joe’s big truck!  Do you remember the truck now?!  As you can see, it was pouring.  Jenna had texted me that morning in a panic because she didn’t have umbrellas.  You’d think she’d know I’d have that covered!  I’m so paranoid!  I’ve used those things A LOT this year…2019 better be dry!  😉 Funny thing though…when you give the bride and groom your only two umbrellas…it leaves you out in the rain…literally.  So, here I am…running like a crazy person in the rain with $5000 worth of equipment in my hand.  Huge shoutout to Canon for making water resistant gear! HA!  This isn’t the first time I’ve done this.  It makes Kari absolutely crazy when I do things like this…but it’s worth it.  I knew these photos were extremely important to the couple.  I wasn’t about to let a little rain stop me.  Those groomsmen were on it too.  They didn’t balk at having the VERY important job of keeping the dress clean and dry.  At the very end, Joe picked up his bride and got her (and the dress) safely into his truck!

THEN, it was time for the goodies!  Jenna and Joe found a hidden gem of a place to photograph formals…inside…in the heat…in December! WOOOOO!

Get ready for a bridal shot overshare!  I simply will never…ever…get over this bride and this dress!  I can’t count the number of times I’ve hugged her!

Mark told her to swing her dress for a little action for their video and I was alllllllllll about it.  YESSSSSSS, girl….YESSSSSS!! Swing that beauty!

She may be sweet and she was always such a “simple” bride to work with and when it came to planning but there was NOTHING simple about the finished product!  It was jaw dropping!

You all know I like to take my couples who belong in a novel and picture them as my favorite characters.  Is that weird?  It’s weird now that I typed it.  Ooo man.  I really AM crazy! HA!  Nonetheless,  I know exactly who Jenna would be!  I think this photo below could be on a cover!

Then, you add in Joe and those fireworks I mentioned earlier start to go off!  You barely even have to pose these two!  They’re so easy to photograph it’s almost cheating!

Yep.  We were totally under that veil with them…both Mark and I!  I took just a few and then held the other side so he could get the stuff he needed!! I wish we would have caught a behind the scenes of that madness!  I think this was Bri’s idea, one of the bridesmaids!

I was being a total creeper at this point and holding my camera directly ABOVE Mark’s head while he did video.  He probably wanted to kill me at this point but what he had them doing could NOT be missed!! oOoooO heck no!

Believe it or not, this is Joe “goofing around” (below).  I told him to lean like men lean (MANY of my grooms hear me tell them that).  So, he did this and I lifted my camera and this was the only one I got but COME ON!  How is this even possible that this was an “accident” photo?!

Jenna walked right into the frame and Joe forgot all about his lean.  I mean, he had other things to focus on…like his new, beautiful bride!

I got him back into it though.  I even joked that he follows directions too well and too literally sometimes!

It didn’t matter what they did…the photos were amazing!

Just a few more!

…and before I got too carried away…I asked them to stop being so ooey gross lovey to one another and smile and say cheese for me…because these are the photos Grandma is going to want, right?!

Kari saw these stairs and we knew we had to take just a few before we left!  I snapped these three and then the videographers had a grand idea to get them to go downstairs and dance!  Did you see the video?!

…and it was grand!  I only took a few so I wasn’t in their way and then I got myself some body guards.  Literally.  For those of you who know where we were, I wanted some backup before we went back outside in the dark with all our gear and walked down the block.  AJ and one of the other groomsmen were more than kind and accommodating and got Kari and I to our car safely!! Thanks, you two!! You’re the best!  Maybe I worry too much…but better to be safe than sorry…and potentially not have a photographer at the reception or a photographer at the reception with no gear!  I mean…I once heard a story of a photographer who had her bags stolen on the streets of a city at night AND the cards for the wedding were in there! AHHHHHHHHHHH!!! Can you even imagine?!  So yes…the gear is insured…the digital photos are not!  You just can’t get those memories back so a huge shoutout to the gentleman who made sure we got where we needed to be with everything we needed with us!  But anyway…check out this simple photo!  Can you just picture her dress swaying back and forth?!

So, we headed back to the St. Florian hall in Wintersville, Ohio to get this party started!  We were back with Jonathan Mihellis who had even more tricks up his sleeve!

*in my DJ voice*

STAND UP.  PUT YOUR HANDS UP.  THE NEW…MR. AND MRS. JOSEPH STUART!

Speeches were given.  Dinner was served. Cake was cut!  Aren’t they the cutest?!

Joe almost shoved cake on her and I was thinking, “AHHHHHHHHH!! NOT THE DRESS!”  He didn’t though!  You can tell by Jenna’s reaction she wasn’t worried a bit either!  OOoO and check out the TV behind them.  That’s another one of Jonathan’s tricks.  He played a video (slide show like) of photos of Jenna and Joe through the years!

He didn’t hesitate to get the party started either!  I even got to snap another photo of AJ and Becca since it wasn’t long ago they got to be the bride and groom in front of my camera!

I even caught Jonathan out on the floor flossing with the kids!! I always say…never trust a DJ who doesn’t dance.  The DJs always say…watch out for Hannah when she’s the photographer at the wedding.  I totally got busted! HA!

I caught him scratching for real too!  He calls it “throwing in the wicky wickies”…whatever the heck that means. HA!  He made that booth too, by the way.  If you thought I was CRAZY about being a photographer…well…he’s just as crazy about being a DJ and he’s got lots and lots of years and weddings on me!

OOooO the first dance!! It’s one of my favorite times of the day!  Look at those ruffles!  NOW you can see the dress sparkling since I’ve got lights all around!  Go ahead…zoom in!  Do it!

…more kissing, of course.  More spinning, of course!  I always relax at this point because the day is pretty much done and at this wedding …I was extremely thankful that…and for my flashes.  Remember how I said I was stressed right off the bat this day?!  Well, you can thank Kari for that! HA!  I’m laughing about it now…not so much at about 10:15 AM that morning.  We had just gotten there.  We set up all our lighting gear.  I always have the settings “saved” in the memory.  All the flashes “talk” to each other, you see.  If we change batteries, we don’t have to reset them…we just have to “load” the saved settings.  Wellllllll,  Kari fat fingered those buttons and hit “save” instead of “load”.  It overrode all the previous settings.  No big deal, right?  Nope…not usually.  We’ve had to reset and change settings a lot.  Yea.  Well, I don’t know what happened…because it’s NEVER happened before but those flashes went crazy.  They wouldn’t work.  They wouldn’t talk to each other.  It got to the point I was sweating.  I handed over my camera and my flashes to her so she could keep working while Ashleigh and I spread out the manuals….we had Google pulled up on TWO phones…nothing.  I determined they were broke.  They were giving me a huge exclamation point and I don’t know why.  We do have backup plans for when gear malfunctions so all was good.  I switched all the gear around and we started shooting again.  No big deal.  Then, Kari comes back into the room laughing…she says, “So, I wasn’t going to tell you…but I dropped your flash just now.  I’m telling you though because now it works”.  Huh.  Who knew a little smack on the concrete would get a “broken” flash working!  So, if any of you saw my IG story where I let Kari drive my car (which is the WORST idea EVER)…that’s because I was switching ALL the gear back to the normal arrangement while we were on our way to the house.  So, there is your little behind the scenes for the day!  Now, back to the wedding!

They did the COOLEST thing for the father/daughter and mother/son first dances.  During the dance, they played video footage of photos of them as children AND did little shout outs and thank yous to their parents.  OooO my goodness.

I’ve mentioned it before but Joe’s a genuinely sweet guy.  I knew this when I first met him at their engagement session.  He confirmed it when he offered to hold light stands for me when he was a groomsman at Becca and AJ’s wedding.  He does all kinds of things that show off his sincerity and love for the people around him.  I always try and find the parents sitting during the first dances and what do you know…during the father/daughter dance…I found Joe with Jenna’s mom.  He had pulled up a seat right beside her and held her hand while he waited for his turn with his own mom!

…and now that all the “official” and traditional wedding reception traditions were over (for the most part…we have some epic garter removal moments coming up here soon), it was time to REALLY party!

OooO my goodness me.  Whoever the parents of these two children are…I’m high fiving you over here!  Kari caught this little man DIPPING AND SPINNING this little lady.  I can’t even.  Can I make it long enough to photograph these two at their own weddings one day?!  Wouldn’t that be something?!

I told you earlier, didn’t I!?! She kept them on ALL NIGHT!  They must have been comfy because she was dancing in them too!

Conga line, anyone?!

More dancing.  More scratching.

You all know I love the anniversary dance!  These two grandparents have been married for 56 years.  Their advice is to “never go to bed angry” and to simply “be nice”.  I love love love love that last part!  That couldn’t be more true!  I think people often forget it’s the simple things in life that make us truly happy.

Check out these four!  I’m sure they ALL look familiar to you!  They should!  They’re all Hannah Barlow Photography brides or grooms!

Then, it was time.  It was time for the garter removal.  OoooO my OooO my.  Jonathan did that dreaded tunnel again though.  Ugh.  The videographers probably got me on the microphone saying, “I’m going to smack him for this”.  I was prepared this time though! HA!  I lit it MUCH better.  He likes to challenge me, I tell ya!  Kari said it adds to the whole feel of this moment and these memories though…Ok.  I’ll give her that…you just wait!  I’m not sure Jenna knew what to expect.  Check her out.  Joe got RIGHT into it though…I mean…you remember…he’s not afraid of a little PDA!

Here he goes!  Look at the phones.  You can tell it was starting off GOOD!  No one was about to miss this!

Kari ran up to the top and caught some amazing angles of this epic show!

Jonathan likes to challenge the guys and tells them their bride has every right to send them back to the end of the line if she doesn’t like what’s happening.  We thought he was done here.  That’s it?!  That’s all?!

Ummmm…yea.  Nope.  He wasn’t done.  He dropped down and showed off his moves.  Anyone see Magic Mike?  Yea…he was doing that! HA!  You know what I’m talking about!

….and he slid in there like it was nothing!

…more kissing.  I don’t think they EVER stop kissing!

So, after one of the best shows we’ve seen (even Jonathan said he’s never seen some of those moves and he’s done A LOT of weddings), I’m happy to report he DID successfully remove the garter and toss it to his buddies!  Then, everyone got their wobble on including Mark the videographer!

Of course, of course!  We got a picture with one of our very favorite DJs who always gives us lots and lots to photograph!

…and at 10 o’clock and just 12 hours after it all started (the day FLEW), we left them to party it out!

…but not before Jenna requested I get a photo with them!  It melts my heart.  I can’t say it enough…I’m SUCH a lucky gal!  I had waited so long for this wedding.  It felt like it took a really long time to get here but then it was over so fast!

That’s it.  That’s a wrap on #19 of 20!  Jenna and Joe are now the Stuarts and, as I mentioned before, they’re currently in Barbados with Becca and AJ soaking up the sun!  I am so very happy for these two and I can’t thank them enough for being SO awesome and sweet from beginning to end.  I am pretty happy and sad about this one.  They are amazing individuals apart but they are one strong and perfect couple together.  I couldn’t be more happy for them but sad for me.  I won’t get to see them again for a while!  If I have it my way, they’ll be in front of my camera over and over and over again in years to come!  I see them being one of my model couples…maybe even a prince and a princess.  You know…because my dad and I recently decided we were going to do some parades next year…build a float…theme it…the works (because I need more to do apparently…Oy).  I thought it’d be totally fun to dress up like Disney princes and princesses for the kids (OMG.  Can anyone see my husband doing that?! Bahahahahaha!).  We’ll see!  I’ve got lots of ideas in my head for the future!  But for the sake of this wedding…head on back over to Facebook and give them lots and lots and lots of love!  They deserve it!

CONGRATS to the Stuarts!

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Vendor Shoutout!

Bride’s Gown – Nicole Spose from Bridal Beginning 

Bridesmaids’ Dresses – Sorelle Bridal

Men’s Attire – Michael Kors from Phil-mor’s in Wintersville, Ohio

Jewelry/Rings – Andrews Jewelers and Kay

Bride’s Hair/Makeup – Brianna Otto

Bridesmaids Makeup – Makeup by Kristin

Wedding Planner/Coordinator – Jenna joked Jonathan and I have been her “go tos”! HA!  I’ll take it!

Florist – Follansbee Flower Shop – Kasey

Videographer – Mark Tiberio of Mark A. Tiberio Photo + Films

Katie Lynn Harris Photography (Wedding Invitation Photo and Second Videographer)

Cake –  St. Florian Hall

DJ – Finest Events by Jonathan Mihellis 

Catering – Piergallini Catering – St. Florian Hall

Invitations – Shutterfly 

Favors – Hot Cocoa Mix

Church – First Westminster Presbyterian 

Reception – St. Florian Hall