Belmont Hills Country Club Winter Wedding

This blog is a small snippet of the couple’s full wedding photo gallery.

It is intended to show the highlights and most memorable parts of the day.

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Hello Hello! I’m like a broken record here but I’m going to just keep going. As most of you know, I have had such a great feeling about the 2022 wedding season and we’re now two weddings in and it’s even BETTER than I could have imagined…even with that cold, bitter chill we dealt with last weekend. It was all A OK…because of this couple…and their family and friends…and the vendors…and it was ALL just magical. Stephanie and Mason are two of the sweetest souls and it was very apparent how they ended up that way once I was embraced by all their family and friends. So, give the new Mr. & Mrs. Hamilton all your Hannah Barlow Photography love! They may be on the beach right now but their Belmont Hills Country Club winter wedding is live right now! Enjoy!

So, anyone who lives locally knows there was a stark contrast between last weekend and the weekend prior to that (and even today)! Last weekend we battled terrible, snowy roads and a wind chill that was less than the actual temperature of 17 degrees. That’s right! Lacey and I both left extra early to be sure we arrived on time. That meant we ended up arriving about an hour early (call me paranoid but if you know me…you know). It was worth it though because we got extra time to plan for photo locations AND lots and lots of time photographing bridal and groom wedding details with the videographers – Ashleigh and Aaron of Off Center Production! I mean…LOOK at these bridal details. They matched the bride TO A TEE – sweet, delicate and OooO so beautiful!

Mason didn’t disappoint and provided me with lots of website worthy groom details!

While we were photographing details, we were also tag teaming the getting ready shots! Everyone was so chill and it made me SO happy to be there. GAH! This wedding just made it feel like the 2022 wedding season was real…and we needed these ooey gooey feelings after the rough few years with had with the pandemic!

We needed just a few more photos with the robes and then a moment with Steph’s mom, Lynn, before the ladies ran off to get their dresses on!

Then, we brought Mason up and had him get ready. You all know I won’t tell a lie…and we do usually fake these shots. Most of the time the men are ready to go and we just fake it. Nope! This was all real. Also, I learned something new. There’s a half Windsor knot AND a full Windsor. I never knew this! Of course, we made it super difficult bringing Mason up here with no mirror.

So, both his dad (Hi, Chris!) and Steph’s dad (Hi, Rick) jumped right in to help…and we had lots and lots of laughs! In the end, everything looked perfect and we were ready to go with the first look! I absolutely love that these are candid!

Just a few more last minute touches before I raced off to get the bride dressed!

Last minute dress details with the help of Steph’s sweet momma, Lynn and her friends!

I’m usually a HUGE color fan but these black and whites were screaming at me to post! BUT I have to share some color too, of course.

I love little details like this jacket! One of my other brides for 2022 has a jacket like this too and she wore it at her engagement session!! Now, we have all kinds of wedding day ideas!

We didn’t have a dad/daughter first look planned. It just kind of happened after I took this tie photo and again, I LOVE that things just kept happening organically!

Then, it was time for the bride/groom first look. HUGE shoutout to Aaron (videographer) for letting me roam around in a Hannah panic trying to find a first look spot only to say “Hannah, this has great light. We’re doing it here.” Yes…YES! It was a great choice! Now – the first look! So, as you know…as a wedding photographer…I do a lot of first looks. THIS ONE? OooO this one was something. These two were so ready…wind chill and all. We prepped and planned and I told them they could take as much time as they needed…and they did. It was SUCH a moment. And listen, I hardly EVER cry but there’s just something about standing in a real life storybook fairy tale that makes you tear up. The anticipation for this moment was killer and then then those emotions just started flowing.

Then, they read their vows. I’m telling you…I’m not sure they even remembered it was cold. We did though! Lacey was activating hand warmers and I was sneaking them in our pockets (and the videographer’s pockets).

Then, they read their vows to one another. You’d NEVER know it was 17 degrees, right?!

Ok. Wheww. We got that out of our system and checked off the list. Then, Mason asked (he seriously asked me) if it was ok to do a first look with his little sister. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO ASK…YESSSS. Let’s do it! And you know what? The perfect-ness just kept happening. Again, I teared up…and then I looked over and said, “If my two kids don’t do this on their wedding days…well…” and someone said, “You don’t want them?”…THAT’S RIGHT! The genuine love between Mason and his sister, Auburn, was something I’ve never seen before…and as you know…this wedding photographer sees A LOT!

It was formal photo time! We got a “try to stay warm” game plan and outside we went! Stephanie…you are JUST beautiful!

Here are the lovely ladies. If you haven’t noticed, I’m not leaving ANYTHING out of this blog. EVERYONE is getting a moment! Yep!

Then, Mason got his time to shine and he does NOT mind photos. So, you know…I already got those groom detail shots but I was excited for some more (even if I had to photoshop snow off his face later…HA!)

Then, the men! The wind was whipping now. Lots and lots of photoshopping to remove the snow in their faces!

…and now. It’s time for bride and groom portraits! There’s not a whole lot of words needed. I’m telling you. These two are JUST so in love. I honestly was surprised they wanted to do a first look…then, when I actually SAW their first look…it all made sense. These two deserved those moments together. But really…it was 17 degrees! HOW they remained calm and looked this good? I’ll never know!

Lacey and I were tag teaming the angles! If you saw my story over on Instagram, I had some yellow golf cart arrows and lines to photoshop out!

OoOo my GOSH! These are some of my favorites!

No wait. Maybe these! I can’t decide!

We attempted to do some more and the wind said, “NOT TODAY!”. It was literally whipping around our heads and I intend to share those behind the scenes photos sooner rather than later! HA! So, I had them do some walking!

EKKKK!! All the Hannah squeals!! I love this one below so much!! It just encompasses Stephanie and Mason and their whole Belmont Hills Country Club wedding!

I liked my dip photo but I liked Lacey’s more! I’ll ALWAYS give credit where credit is due! Yep!

Then, it was time for the ceremony! I had briefly met their “officiant” who is actually their really close friend. He told us all about Stephanie and Mason’s love story…plus the tales of their quarantine together during the beginning of this pandemic (they all lived together at college). I found myself smiling from ear to ear…but that just matched up with the rest of the day so I shouldn’t have been surprised!

Then, it was time for family formals. And you know what? Stephanie was ready. I saw that determined look on her face. I mean, she’d attended my workshops THREE years in a row and every year I give the same speech…”Family photos are stressful…but we’ll get through it” AND we did! AND my heart just about exploded when I got the grandparents up there for their own time to shine. Not only did they smile for me…they did ALL the Hannah Barlow Photography things…smile here, look at each other…KISS! I mean, THIS right here is couple life goals! I’m highlighting these two grandparents because they won the anniversary dance and I’ll talk about that later too! GOALS!

Then, Lacey and I looped around the ballroom during the rest of cocktail hour to capture the beauty that was the Belmont Hills Country club ballroom!! Head table decor done by Kyle Mac!

Mr. & Mrs. Hamilton for the second time, everyone!

First dance magic on the clouds!

Again with Mason and his sister. They made my heart want to burst! Because their mom couldn’t be there for this happy day, Mason danced with his sister. Tara was VERY much in our hearts.

Then, Stephanie got to dance with her dad…and they had a big surprise for everyone. And let me tell you something…this is one of those “trends” that us wedding photographers do see a lot. So, I was prepared…but I was NOT prepared for how stinkin’ good they were going to do this!! THEY ROCKED IT!…seriously! And the crowd was loving it! They went wild!

 

Then, Kyle got the party rocking!

…and before we left, two of my favorite people of the night (mentioned earlier) got to celebrate 54 years of marriage and they won the anniversary dance!

Also, grandpa can get DOWN! I promise you I’m going to be THIS grandparent one day!

Then, they played a great round of the shoe game and I think they only missed three?

…and that’s how we left them! AHHHH!! I don’t want all my ooey gooey wedding photographer feelings to go! I have a feeling they’re going to keep coming back in 2022 though. This wedding was a work of art and a product of some amazing planning, an amazingly laid back couple with family and friends who back them AND amazing vendor friends who worked together to make this possible. Aaron (Off Center Production) was having to do the “heavy lifting” with the men’s side of things. Because they were in the basement of the country club, I wasn’t permitted down there so he went back and forth getting me everything I needed – groom details…and the men, in general, when I needed them for photos. I absolutely love working with them and always feel the need to thank them in the blog one more time! Stephanie and Mason were so calm and ready for this day. Their family and friends treated us like family and friends! IT WAS JUST SUCH A GOOD DAY!

ONE MORE TIME – CONGRATS TO THE HAMILTONS!

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VENDORS

Bride’s Gown – Sottero and Midgley from Sorelle Bridal Salon

Bridesmaids’ Attire – Azazie

Men’s Attire – JCPenney

Shoes – Kate Spade Keds

Jewelry/Rings – Jared (Bride’s) and King’s (Groom’s)

Hair/Makeup – Gypsy Soul Salon

Wedding Venue – Belmont Hills Country Club Ohio

Wedding Coordinator – Julie Baker

Florist – I Do Florals (Gina Hedrick)

Videographer – Off Center Production

Cake/Mini Cupcakes – Diane Conroy

Cookie Table – Mom, Lynn Courts & Sarah’s Cookie Art (Sugar Cookies)

DJ – Smash Multimedia – Kyle Mac

Head Table Decor – Smash Multimedia – Kyle Mac

Catering – Belmont Hills Country Club

Invitations – Truly Engaging by Magnet Street

Officiant – Alex Franke

Favors – Hard Tack Candy, Mom, Lynn Courts

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