Spring Engagement Session in Wheeling, WV

Happy Friday! HAPPY FRIDAY, indeed!  The sun is shining.  I’ve got a new couple for you…with lots of Hannah Barlow Photography history…and I’m just FEELING this whole day!  That’s right.  That means all the Hannah energy and story telling coming to you in this engagement blog!  So, please give Maria and Jake all your Hannah Barlow Photography love.  We shot their engagement photos just a few days ago and it’s all the spring love and goodness I needed in my life!  Enjoy!

Maria and Jake “knew” me through some other mutual couples (specifically the Bucons and the Lambertis).  She also knows some wedding vendors who I’ve worked alongside and they encouraged her to come my way…and she did!  I’m always forever thankful and grateful!  AND their story is a great story…straight down and starting with Jake using the Bucon family as his excuse to leave work early one day…but actually went to Maria’s family to get permission to ask her to marry him.  I MEAN!  I love when stories come full circle!

These two admitted they weren’t the biggest fans or all that comfortable getting their photo taken but Maria also knew enough about me to let me take the reins, be my photographic bossy self, and make this happen!  It was honestly so nice to feel that mutual trust even prior to this session.  I was my normal gabby self and they went along with it!  We found some new fun spots and took some amazing photos!

These two met at a wedding.  The universe knew what it was doing and sent Maria in the place of her sister (when her sister wasn’t able to accompany her mother to the event).  Jake tried all night to get Maria to dance.  He used the line, “Jesus didn’t turn water into wine so you could drink coffee at a wedding. Let’s go dance!”…and I hear he also had long hair at the time which makes the story all the more amazing.  I just can NOT picture it!  But I hear there are pictures (insert the side eye emoji)…HA!  I can just picture it though!  They exchanged numbers that night and then they spent the next three years traveling back and forth to and from both Louisiana and Oklahoma to Wheeling just so they could be together.  THAT is dedication!

I was digging the “ooey gooey” light at this little spot!

You can take a peek at Maria’s ring in these photos below!  Jake asked her to marry him at Falling Waters (where they were getting some wedding vibe inspiration).  I LOVE that he handed his camera off to an older couple and then just got right down on his knee and popped the question.  They tell me the woman took a ton of photos and it made for SUCH great memories!! GAH!  I should probably ask for this stuff BEFORE I write these blogs!

2023 blog goals!

They had over a hundred image files in their finished engagement gallery today so I feel like I’m cheating you all only showing you these BUT…I just couldn’t pick or narrow it down any more.  And I was also texting Maria the whole time this morning like a crazy person so I needed to FOCUS while writing this!

We ended the night with lots of comfortable laughing…beautiful light…and a great, genuine feeling (definitely on my end) that this wedding is just going to be SOMETHING.  You know…one of those weddings that’s so bittersweet for me I’m weepy the whole time because I’m so happy it came but so nervous because I want it to be perfect…but also sad it’s coming and going all at the same time.  I can already picture myself being the Type A Hannah mess for this wedding – in a great way!  I WAS this same way for the Bucon/Lamberti wedding (Emily’s wedding for anyone not caught up) AND Jake and Maria were guests…so yea.  Maybe that’s something!  No matter what…I’ve got that feeling!

Can you tell I’m missing wedding season?  It’s coming up NEXT WEEKEND…EKKKK!  And these two will be seen again right here on this blog next May.  They’ve planned a wedding for the books already.  Big wedding, big party…but unique and under a tent with a stone shelter and all the local vendors I like to see pop up!  Ooo my goodness.  I REALLY just have a feeling…I know it!  It’s going to be a good one!

Thanks for reading!  Give these two one more shoutout and all your love!  Go enjoy that beautiful weather!  That’s my plan for today!