Black Tie Oglebay Wedding in Wheeling, WV

Hello! Hello! It felt like I’d been away from Oglebay for TOO long! Two months?! That feels like an eternity for me so I was super pumped when Nicole (Nikki) and Cody’s wedding popped up on my calendar! July has been another amazing month of wedding season and if you remember their engagement session last year (HERE)…it was STUNNING! I had no doubt their wedding would be exactly the same…and it was…I also “struggled” to write this blog because there’s just SO SO SOOO much I wanted to show you and tell you about. I had to really narrow it down so I decided to mix it up a bit and show you more of the special and exciting moments. If you know me, you know I have written hundreds and hundreds of blogs. This one won’t be like all the others. SO, with that being said, please give them two all your Hannah Barlow Photography love! Let’s do this! Their wedding is on the blog right now! ENJOY!

Becca is back this year with us second shooting again and this was her first wedding of MANY in the next couple of months! Lacey carried a lot of the beginning of wedding season and Becca’s going to carry the next few months with Ash tagging in again at the end. So, we met up together in Glessner auditorium at Oglebay to get a good look. I got to meet the videographers (Jeremy Scott Films) for the day and touch base with the planner (Heyyyyyy, girl! Plans for Perfection)! Then, it was off to navigate Oglebay’s lodge to find the women and get right down to details!

Usually I’d flood the blogs with lots of pretty details BUT…there was sooOOooOoo much going on in the getting ready portion and so much uniqueness there too I’ve decided you really need to see all of that! Well, not all…because it’d be impossible to please the Google Gods if I put it ALL in here SO…let me show you a good bit of the “prep” part of the day. Very shortly after details, we met up with the men! The vibe in the men’s room was 10/10 what I like to experience! We had lots of good laughs including me “showing them” (I don’t really know what I’m doing either) how to do the pocket square. I call it “fake it until you make it”!

Pocket square 101 was a highlight of my morning/afternoon! Plot twist…I don’t technically know how to do it either (I’ve been shown…and it goes in one ear and right out the other) SO, like I said, together we faked it until we made it!

A few more details and finishing touches. Then, we ducked out so the videographers could get vow reading and prepared to head outside.

Then, we took a field trip outside to get most of the men’s portion of formal photos completed!

Then, we made our way back to the women’s suite. Again with the vibe, 10/10! You can always tell when the women are close and having a good time…this was that kind of time!

Makeup was finishing up and Nikki was allllllll about her getting ready wardrobe (NOW…I can totally see why)! We ate up these moments to get some really great shots of her! We’ll keep it PG here but sooooo many of these were FIRE! AND this was just a small portion…which seemed to be a theme that continued on the whole day despite a tight timeline.

We needed PJ photos…and at one point Nikki decided…to just jump…for joy.

THE JOY at this wedding was infectious! I honestly think that’s how we kept plugging along, staying on track with the timeline but still getting so many photos. It was hard not to be excited and in the moment(s)!

PJ photos prior to getting dressed are very common. What’s not coming is this newspaper and how Nikki suggested we use it. YESSSSSSS!! She said, “Let’s incorporate them into the PJ photos”. These were in the welcome bags for guests too. I can’t remember who suggested throwing them BUT….dang if these weren’t some amazingly unique photos, right?!

Then, all the ladies got ready and I would love to highlight not just the bridesmaids and MOH in this blog but the moms too! I kept telling them they are THE example of who I want to be on my children’s wedding days! SooOOOo many photos…I’m sorry…but not sorry…you’re going to have to zoom. I couldn’t pick!

Then, just like the men, we took the women out to get the majority of their formal photos done! How can you not smile right along with her?!

We need allllll the bridal details!

Plus the beautiful ladies of the bridal party!

So far so good on the timeline! It was ALMOST time for the ceremony on Oglebay’s West Spa Patio!

Ashley isn’t a stranger to anyone who knows me! She’s “crazy” just like me too and will do anything for her couples…squats and burning quads and all. Did I mention she JUST had a baby…via c-section…five weeks ago?! HA! “How low can you go”…was how she captioned this on her IG. She was LOW! As you can see, you couldn’t even see her before they turned. Becca caught these!

…and you STILL couldn’t see her here! The dress fluff was a fun addition! Cody was peaking! I caught him but I’m pretty sure guests were blocking Nikki before she made the turn.

Look at those smiles!!! I can’t believe we got some clouds! I can hardly EVER get the sky during ceremonies on the patio! It’s SO pretty!

After their were pronounced Mr. & Mrs. Black, Ashley escorted them to the shade where they laughed and smiled and celebrated!

You know, looking back I never thought we’d get alllllllll these photos…I was definitely sweating over this timeline…apparently for no reason though. Everyone knew it…I didn’t hide it and told everyone we’d have to make this a team effort. I work fast…but sometimes things slow us down that are outside our control. I also knew the possibility of it being unGodly hot was high on the charts. The Wedding Gods really showed up and delivered. It WAS warm…and sunny at times…but we got the most beautiful clouds and breeze and it made for absolutely STUNNING ceremony AND FAMILY photos!

AND extra couple portraits!

Then, we moved into family formals. This point in the day was the pivotal point. We had lots and lots of photos to get done in a very VERY short amount of time (shoutout to Ashley for extending cocktail hour ahead of time)! This cloud…bless this cloud and thank the Wedding Gods because it made for absolutely stunning family and bridal party photos!

AND shoutout to this bridal party! 2024 was been a VIBE for amazing bridal parties! Field trip!

We took a whole bunch in about 5 minutes and then sent them off to cocktail hour!

Then, off to Oglebay’s mansion for the bride groom formals. We tossed them in my car and made our way over caravan style with Jeremy and Amanda behind us!

Ashley tracks me so she can serve the couples drinks of their choice at our photo locations! I had quickly texted her…typo included Hannah style…and somehow she still got the drinks right! HA!

…and it was crunch time! Becca and I tag teamed photo angles while Jeremy filmed!

…and the amount of photos we packed into this stunning gallery even impressed myself! HA!

The trick is to utilize EVERY second…even when walking!

Nikki suggested the fountain and they made it look STUNNING! Shoutout to Becca to getting those tight angles for me!

To the next location! More walking…more walking! Nikki’s feet were screaming and you’d never know!

OoooOo this classy, black tie wedding needed some mansion pillars! Again, I couldn’t pick…because, believe it or not, this is just a “few”. So, zoom and scroll as you wish!

Let’s finish it off with some black and whites!

We called it on this portion of the day and Nikki kicked off those shoes! MORE PHOTOS!

Becca went out to photograph cocktail hour and I went inside to Oglebay’s Glessner auditorium before the couple got to peak in at their stunning reception area. This couple couldn’t have been more excited and kept thanking us vendors (that’s right…these people are too sweet) for making it so beautiful!

These two soaked up EVERY moment, I swear!

The crowd really did too!

Even the table racing went perfect!!!! Let me know, if you’d like a copy of your table (with the couple’s permission, of course). Email me at info@hannahbarlowphoto.com WITH a description of your table…because let’s face it, I have NO idea what the numbers were.

The dance floor was PACKED. I’d not met or worked with DJ Digital Dave yet…but I told him later he ROCKED the party! I could show you all that…BUT…BUTTTTTTTT we have golden hour (which I almost missed). I saw golden hour. I told the couple about golden hour. I went to get my stuff….and everyone was GONE. EVERYONE – couple, videographers, Becca, planner…just poof! GONE! That was a first for me…I mean…I’m the one who cued golden hour! As I was panicking, I left my phone behind so my watch didn’t link and five missed calls later…I found them. THEY WENT OUT THE STAFF EXIT! HA! I went out the front. BUT…it all worked out. Funny story though!

…and look how beautiful!

AHHHHH!! WHERE TO END?! I will say this…Nikki and Cody and everyone involved in the wedding planning process were the epitome of “plan every last detail” BUT then…trust the process. The amount of joy that radiated out of this group while still enjoying and soaking up every single second of the wedding day can’t be measured. It wasn’t once…or twice…or three-five times these people stopped to thank their vendors and smile and “oOoOO” and “ahhhhhhh” over their wedding! It was such a breath of fresh air and I couldn’t have asked for a better experience! It truly does take a team…of not just great vendors…but a great couple…great family…great friends…that vibe we hope for at all weddings…and more. It was just one of those days…and I loved it…and I love this gallery…and I’m SO excited to wrap this up so I can send it off to the couple! SoooOOooO….

Congrats to the Blacks! (It kind of rhymes and I LOVE that)! Thanks for reading!

Disclaimer: Hannah Barlow Photography blogs only represent a small portion of photos the couple actually receives in their private gallery.  The blogs are meant to highlight favorite photos and favorite moments of the wedding day and do not represent an entire gallery.

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Venue – Oglebay

Planner – Plans for Perfection, Ashley Kirchner

Bride’s Gown – Blanc de Blanc Bridal Boutique (Dany Taret)

Bridesmaids’ Dresses – Azazie

Men’s Attire – Men’s Wearhouse

Hair – Shanna, Salon Blanca

Makeup – Bongiorno, Bella! Phylicia

Florals/Decor – Masterpieces of Old Town

Videographer – Jeremy Scott Films

Cake – Masterpieces (Cookies by Family and Friends)

DJ – DJ Digital Dave

Catering – Oglebay

Stationary – Zazzle

Ceremony Strings – Steven Vance

Reception Uplighting/Monogram – DJ Brian Oliver