Grace and Noah’s Fall Oglebay Wedding

I usually say, “Happy Tuesday” or “Happy Election Day” to start things off but this wedding gave me the feels…in a different way.  So, I’ll start it off a different way…Let’s go!

Most of the time couples hire me and I know nothing about them. Sometimes I meet people I am different from but we just come together and click and the rest is history!  When that happens?  The excitement and the emotions for the big day is unexplainable because I want it to be perfect…because couples like this are nearly perfect and I want them to have the BEST DAY EVER.  You remember Grace and Noah, right?  You can see their engagement session HERE.  They are exactly those kinds of people.  Grace is sweet, gentle and more quiet than me…and Noah is easy going, kind, and hates photos (it’s true).  At the end of all of this, I found myself smiling from ear to ear and Noah even admitted he wouldn’t be opposed to having me take his photo EVERY YEAR! <—- Insert the little ghost emoji with the shocked face!  This wedding was everything I love for a Hannah Barlow Photography blog and I can’t wait to tell you all about it! Enjoy!  Grace and Noah are now the Marnes!

Lacey and I started the day pumped up for this one!  I had talked this couple up and I just knew deep in my wedding photographer bones that it was going to be AMAZING!  I had stopped at the Pine Room at Oglebay to get a feel for the reception and then I headed right over to the cabins.  This was another wedding I just walked in and knew it was going to be fine…just GREAT!  Everyone was ready to go…having a grand time and Grace had everything ready for me!

OoOo yes!  She had all her details laid out on her bed.  These details define Grace…in a nutshell.  She’s tiny and sweet and delicate and elegant and beautiful!  She’s alllllll the things we hope for in a bride!

These invitations were so amazingly beautiful with lots of unique elements so Lacey and I spent some time outside getting lots and lots of photos!

Then, I went downstairs to find Noah.  Noah’s not the biggest fan of photos as I mentioned earlier.  Remember back at their engagement session?  He was excited I promised to make it quick and I had no idea what I was getting myself into! HA!  His mom confirmed he does hate photos but I still think he’s lying!  He did everything we needed to do and more and all with a smile…and lots of laughs…jokes…you name it!

Back upstairs I went!  I mean…I MEAN…can you just feel the energy?!  We were ready to do this!  Let’s get this wedding day started!

Huge shoutout to Lacey for the styling of this shot (below)!

Let’s also pop some champagne!  Look at that bottle…all the glitz and glam!!  Also, Grace loves FALL!  So, I definitely wanted to incorporate alllllll the fall into her photos!  Grace’s dad got in on the champagne too!  All of Grace and Noah’s family were popping in and out throughout the day!

Obligatory robe shots!  And matching cups!

…and now…it was time to get Grace ready.  Her name is just perfect, right?  What about her sister, Anna?  I swear, they popped right out of a Disney movie!  They’re so sweet and absolutely, heart warmingly, amazing together!! It was giving me total sibling envy!  I’m an only child, ya know!

I MEAN…Anna was so happy for Grace she kept tearing up but she didn’t let that stop her from helping!

OoooooOoO GRACE! GIRLLLLLL!!!!  Your simple, elegant dress was NOT simple after you got in it…Goodness gracious!

Dad needed to see her and we had set up in a corner of the room so Anna was happy to lead him that way!

She’s ready!  Let’s do this!

Father/daughter moments!

…and then her friends got to see her for the first time and you can tell their reactions are genuine!  Grace did that spin countless times for the rest of the day and I was sure to try and catch it every…single…time ….because I wanted to spin in circles too!! WEEEE!! This was my last full wedding of the year and it was the perfect way to go out with a bang!

Alright!! Off to the first look location we went!  While we were waiting for Grace’s brother (that’s right…he drove everyone around) to go back and get the girls, I took full advantage of our time.  Fall…check!  Groom who CLAIMS he hates photos…CHECK!  Amazing groom formal shots? CHECK CHECK AND CHECK! AHHHHHHHH!!!

I knew at this point…we were going to be just fine for lots and lots of photos.  I did not prompt this (below).  I asked them to come over for a group shot and this is exactly what they did…right out of the gates!  This comes into play later too!

I am love love loving the tux colors! YES! Your eyes are not playing tricks on you…the groom’s tux is a different color!  All the blues compliment each other SO well!

Lacey caught Grace waiting for her moment.  Even sitting in a van, she looks like the Disney princess/bride I imagined she would be…and more!

Ughhhhhhhhhh…the sibling love!! Grace has a lot of siblings and I got to meet many of them.  I got to spend a lot of the day with these two and they just kept making me squeal!  Grace’s brother helped her get out of the van and then Anna literally walked Grace hand in hand up to the first look!

I never ever let anyone come with us to the first look but if you look closely…you can see the bridal party in the background.  They really wanted to watch and I felt like I knew this group well enough to know they would respect the moment and watch from afar and I was right!  It’s a nice, sweet little addition to the background, right?!

Noah’s reaction…OooO my goodness ME!  There are no words.  This photo below can speak for itself!

I mean really…his reaction!  HIS REACTION! AHHHH!! I’m sorry to all of you who are new to my blogs.  If you’ve met me, you can hear me right now!  I was a squealing machine on the inside…but I had to be quiet for sake of video!

Then, he asked her to spin and he literally clapped and cheered her on! Is this real life?!  IS IT?!

I would say, “I hope he always cheers her on like this for the rest of their lives…” but I don’t think there is any question, do you?  You can’t make this up.  You can’t fake this kind of love!

Formal photo goodness coming at ya!  It’s fall, ya’ll!  Lacey loves fall so she was in heaven too!  They take an amazing photo, don’t they?!

Then, we had a visitor…and I got to meet someone new.  Who is it?!

That’s Noah’s mom! HA!  She was grandma of the year and brought the flower girl over all ready to go…curlers and all.  IF THAT ISN’T DEDICATION TO FAMILY?!  Well, I don’t know what is…and I warned her these would end up in the blog.  Clearly, she was up for it…as she posed with the couple…in her curlers!  It’s probably one of my favorite funny moments of 2020!

More photos!  That light though.  GAH!  So good!  Also, I love the way these two laugh and smile at one another.

That little one was NOT feeling photo time…nope…not even with Baby Shark…all my sounds…and grandma’s curlers!  Tough crowd, I tell ya!  Noah’s mom said she gets it…from Noah! HA!  We did wake her up from her nap though…so I get it!

Blue and fall…who would have thought?!  AHHHH!! It all came together so nicely!

OOoO Grace.  You are SO beautiful…inside and out!  I’m so lucky to have been your wedding photographer!

Yes…girl…YESSSSSSSS!!! Swing that dress!  This dress was stunning!

A glitzy shoe photo was much needed!! Lacey got an “amazing” unflattering shot of me doing these on the ground…HA!  That’ll go in the end of year blogs, of course!

More photos…why not?!  Also, who would have thought we’d have an amazingly warm and perfect weather day mid/end of October?!

Fun bridal party shots!

Obligatory dinosaur photo too!  They didn’t ask for this…I did…and I’m going to make it hilarious next year.  I’d also love to note the entire bridal party got into this and Noah and Grace just laughed at us all! HA!

Moreeeeeeeee bride and groom formal photo goodness!  That light just kept wrapping its arms around this couple.  The wedding Gods were here again with us this day!

Walking and snuggling for the win!

Grace’s brother-in-law and friend (Hey, Jaron and Eli) were filming this day right along with us!  Shoutouts are deserved.  They were SO laid back and easy going with my crazy personality!  While they were getting some dancing shots, I was creeping from the side!

As I mentioned in their sneak peek, they aren’t from West Virginia so I wanted to give them a taste of our wild and wonderful state!  I mean…how do I explain them?!  They’re just so easy to photograph.

They nailed their first dip right out of the gates but the wind was pretty harsh this day so we switched them up….

…and they laughed…and they celebrated.  It was AMAZZZZZINNNNGGG!  We were ALMOST done with photos but I had seen one other area I wanted to get before we went to the ceremony!

It was SOOOOO windy and their hair was being beat to death so we took a few.  Grace later said she hoped these ones turned out!! They did! WOOOOOO!!

Off to the ceremony we went!  Lauren was just as excited (if not more excited) about this wedding as I was, I tell ya!  We had been talking about this wedding and texting for weeks (months?).  If I haven’t said it enough…hiring vendors who are just as pumped for your wedding as you are makes all the difference.  Hiring vendors who know each other and all have the same common goal?  That’s the best decision you can make for you big day and let me tell you…between Lauren and I…I’m not sure you could have pumped more energy into this day!  She was playing the music for the ceremony.  She was early and ready.  We chatted…and I even saw that Grace and Noah used one of my engagement photos for their cover photo for their playlist.  Just steal my heart right now, why don’t you?!

Lauren very much wanted this day to be PERFECT.  She told me the week before that she was super nervous about the Christmas decor going up right outside Grace and Noah’s ceremony.  She didn’t want it to take away from their fall wedding.  I can tell you…and I have photographic proof…that the couple didn’t mind a bit!  It was almost time for the ceremony!

Ceremony details…COVID details!  #2020

Remember what I said about the guys being close?!  Well, this is how they followed Noah down the aisle! HA!  I wonder if he even knew!

Here comes the beautiful bride!

Anna was getting all emotional again and I was so happy I turned and saw it happen! 

I’m telling ya…first looks make the ceremony more emotional!  I still don’t know why…but it’s true!

There was a moment the officiant asked some people (I believe the parents) to have a word…and we all busted out laughing when someone said, “Ummm.  We didn’t know about this.  We aren’t prepared…” and she didn’t even miss a beat and skipped right over it!

Remember…some of Grace’s family couldn’t make it…but they were definitely still there and watched the whole thing happen!  Photos compliments of Lacey!

ALLLLLLLL the smiles and emotion and love here! AHHHH!! Mr. & Mrs. Marne, everyone!

Then, because they are the sweetest people ever and I swear put everyone before themselves, they took a moment to actually talk with Grandpa.  Then, I took the phone and held it so he could see a full body shot of the couple!

So yea…I don’t think they were upset about Christmas AT ALL!  In fact, they requested (well, Grace requested) a photo with it all!  As a fellow Christmas lover, I was totally on board!

Nope.  I didn’t mind one bit!

Then, we headed off to the Pine Room and there was still NO lack of excitement.  Check out Lauren and Grace’s reaction when they saw Jonathan for the first time!

He always tries to avoid my photos but I got the back of his head! HA!  TED!  We missed you and your DJ assistant duties!

Grace wore her mother in law’s hair piece for the reception. It was such a sweet moment when she put that in Grace’s hair…sans curlers too! HA!  Then, Grace’s mom jumped in there to help with the finishing touches on her hair.

Oglebay’s Pine Room looked BEAUTIFUL!

Lacey was outside photographing cocktail hour while I was inside doing those detail shots.  She tag teamed it back and forth so some of those above may be hers too!

FAVORITE COCKTAIL HOUR DETAIL OF.THE.YEAR!!!!!!!!!  This is the best EVER! AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

Did you all see my live video?!  We were sooooooooooo excited about this!

For the second time, Mr. and Mrs. Marne, everyone! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Noah’s dad stood up and said some words to the couple to start things off!

Then, Ethan…Noah’s brother…stood up to say some words and you can see on Noah’s face he isn’t sure this is going to go in his favor! HA!

Then, Anna stood up and said some of the sweetest words…seriously, I’m having total sister envy this whole time!

Cake was cut!  Grace took that knife right out of his hand and went in vertically for the kill…HA!

It was our last wedding of the year and while I’ve not taken selfies because…well, it’s 2020….I needed one with Jonathan!  We all have our different opinions but I’m all about living life…you don’t know when you’ll get another day…and I want to have photographic memories with my favorite vendor friends!

First dance magic…and laughs…and smiles…and love…we had it ALLLLLL!

I caught Noah watching Grace dance with her dad!

Then, Noah got to dance with his mom!  The moment at the end cracked me UP!  I have a boy…and I love him dearly.  I imagine this is very much going to be me in 20 years!  And check out Noah’s brother in the back watching the mother/son moment transpire!

Then, Jonathan opened up the dance floor.  I looked right at him and said, “You’re not even going to have to try at this one…”  The dance floor was quickly packed and it didn’t matter who you were…you were dancing your heart out!

All good things must come to an end…but if you wanted a drink…you could have one…ON SCOTT!  Meet Scott (below)…Yep.  He’s Noah’s dad and who you saw earlier making the speech.  Lauren and I agreed this was the BEST sign ever at a bar!  “Enjoy the drinks.  They’re on Scott!”  He’s buying!  So, the last photo for me for the night was of Scott standing by his sign.  He didn’t know about this sign, of course…until later.  THAT made it all the more hysterical!

So, I had one elopement after this wedding.  I also have one “full wedding” but I’m a guest too so I’m not shooting the reception…so really…Grace and Noah’s wedding was my last one.  This couple…I don’t even know how to put all this into words at the end.  After their engagement session, I wasn’t sure how it “went” on their end.  I felt good about it…but I also knew Noah hated photos and then I talked…and talked…and talked some more after it about the wedding and felt like I may have gone too “Hannah” on them!  Then, Grace turned around and sent me the nicest gift and thank you note…AFTER THEIR ENGAGEMENT SESSION.  I mean…who does that?!  Amazing people…and I don’t feel like I deserve it.  I’m just doing my job.  But this has become so much more than a job for me.  I get all sappy at the end of every year.  You know, I was a nurse before all this.  I loved my job and I loved my patients.  I’m a people person…always have been.  I NEED to be with people.  2020 was very scary (and still is) but I’ve been blessed with couples who were willing to take the risk and still invite me along.  I’ve been blessed with this new career and to be surrounded not only by amazingly gracious humans who love me for me and welcome my Hannah craziness and allow me to be unorthodox in the world of wedding photography!  AHHH!! Here I go.  But anyway, Grace even sat us at our own vendor table for dinner…and you know what?  When we all sat down, we each had out own individual “thank you bags” complete with ANOTHER thank you note, a gift and all the goodies I was running low on (hand sanitizer, masks, etc.) in my camera bag.  HOW DID YOU ALL KNOW?  It’s crazy.  I’m a firm believer in “everything happens for a reason” and that things DO come full circle.  This couple found me thanks to the Oglebay gals.  The weather was amazing.  This couple and their family and friends were so fun to spend the day with!  I’m so dang lucky people keep hiring me and I’m so grateful my assistants keep coming with me weekend after weekend.  I’m rambling now.  I don’t know how or where to end this one.  GAH!

Grace and Noah…when I think of your wedding…I’m going to think of all the laughs and smiles and love….then the pretty photos we took.  I can’t wait to one day put you on the “where are they now” blogs and ramble all over again about your day.  You two are both gems in my book.  I hope you wedding was everything you wanted it to be and MORE!

Congrats to the Marnes!

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Vendors

Bride’s Gown – MB Bride

Bridesmaid Dresses – Azazie

Men’s Attire – Modern Tux

Shoes – Crocs

Jewelry – Jerald’s

Hair/Makeup – Meraki, A Hair Salon

Wheeling Planner – Lauren Mitchell – Oglebay

Videographer – Lamar Digital Media

Cake/Desserts – Oglebay Pastry Team

DJ – Finest Events

Catering – Oglebay

Officiant – Pittsburgh Officiants, Lynne Feinberg