Amanda & Noah’s Fall Scenic Sites Wedding

Well, if this wasn’t THE WAY to go out of the 2024 wedding season…OR any season for that matter..I don’t know what way would be the right way! I’m going to need everyone who is the last wedding of the year to do something crazy and GRAND moving forward! Amanda and Noah’s wedding was the most traditional, non-traditional oxymoron of a wedding I’ve ever attended and photographed and that’s a GREAT thing! I do believe this wedding has attracted the most attention because of it’s uniqueness too! So, without further ado and before I get going, please give Mr. & Mrs. Hilton all your Hannah Barlow Photography love! You’re going to need some time to get through this one! It’s worth it! Promise! ENJOY!

Lacey and I were SUPER pumped up for this one! Not only was it going to seal the deal for wedding season but I know Amanda not just because she has styled hair and makeup for many of my brides but BECAUSE she was maid of honor in a wedding Lacey and I both did last year! So, we excitedly got right down to greeting everyone and organizing details. No sooner did I get ready to shoot details, Bria (Event Aesthetics) showed up with the most GORGEOUS floral extras and handed them right to me. To say that I was grateful is an understatement. And boy OH BOY did these florals give my detail shots the phenomenal finishing touches that I didn’t even know it needed. You’ll see them here in a second!

The ladies were getting ready! Here’s just a few of those! We were in and out of the getting ready rooms snapping away!

We were having a MOMENT (many moments) with this dress and…spoiler alert, I had Marge the Mannequin in my car and all this excitement got the best of me and Lacey and I BOTH totally forgot about her and never dressed her in this dress. Don’t worry…I’m already planning an anniversary shoot for Marge and THIS dress! Nonetheless, please take a moment to enjoy this amazing dress in all it’s glory and soak up all of Amanda’s excitement! It’s my FIRST colored dress EVER and it came from Etsy!

Ok! BACK to those glorious details! Definitely some of my favorites EVER!

…and some groom details which we actually did first!

As most beginning of weddings go for me, it was a little bit of preparation and a wee little bit of chaos for me to get everything done. Amanda went over to get ready with her mom as we finished up details. Then, we headed on over to one of scenic sites’ cabins where they had gone to do the finishing touches.

It was a vibe this day. I don’t know how to explain it but it didn’t feel like a wedding day even though it was a wedding day and I think that’s because we were surrounded by Amanda and Noah’s family and friends who treated us like they had known us for a very long time. Amanda’s dad has been so fun both in person and on social media. He deserved to have a first look along with Amanda’s brothers! He even helped her get grandma’s necklace on!

After that, I ran over to say “Hi” to Noah and then we got set up for their first look.

Again, I can’t even explain what I was feeling at this point because while I knew it was a wedding day, I very much felt at ease and comfortable like I was just hanging out on a random day on a Saturday with friends. I’m not even sure what I expected in these moments. I knew it would be sweet and intimate and, of course, Amanda had on a nontraditional green dress and I didn’t even know if Noah knew about it at this point. But their first look was definitely something that I wish everyone could experience at least once in their life. It was heart fulfilling and a reminder that in this crazy life and world there are still moments like this that are truly unforgettable and that you cannot explain it to someone until you get to feel all the feelings yourself. And now that I’m getting all emotional and sappy and positively rambling in incomplete sentences…please soak up all the goodness from these two!

They did a preplanned private vow reading. Noah had told me earlier that he was going to go from the heart which had me turning away so that my steel heart that I usually have on wedding days didn’t start to melt. I’m not one to be super emotional but this was getting me. It’s kind of starting to sound poetic, right? I don’t mean it that way but Amanda had originally given me her vows to put in my bag to have on standby and when I asked Noah if I should hold his too, he told me he was going to read them from the heart. At this point, Amanda had asked him the same. And I cannot tell you what they said because we stayed far enough back to give them privacy but you could just feel the love and emotions pouring off of them. And I’m pretty sure that can be seen in the photos even if you weren’t there. Oh!!!…and they actually did a ring exchange too because that’s become the new Hannah Barlow photography tradition so that they are wearing their rings during their first look and couple portraits.

Now, I don’t want to act like everything was absolutely perfect. Let’s be honest, every wedding has a little hiccup here or there. It was at this point that I realized we had Amanda’s bouquet but Noah did not have flowers. So, I started to get right down to bride and groom portraits. Lacey was multitasking in the best way trying to get a hold of Erin or Maria on MY phone. This photo has cracking me up so I had to share it. Talk about doing two things at once! And I should’ve known, the ladies were on it and had already found the boutonnieres and pinned them on the men so we were ready for bridal party photos!

We did a few couple portraits right where they did their first look but these ended up definitely being some of my favorites bride and groom formals of the day! They are usually what I call my “insurance..just in case” photos but they ended up stealing the show!

OOoo and before we went over to get the bridal party, Amanda requested that they practice their dip and I’m sure glad they did and you’ll see why later!

Time for the bridal party photos! I’m going to be honest, I didn’t know exactly what color palette or theme Amanda was going for. I did know that her dress was green. I honestly can’t remember if she told me that Noah’s attire was green, as well. I did find out when she filled out her questionnaire that the bridesmaids dresses were champagne but somehow I didn’t know about these flowers. If I did know, I tuned it out for some reason. Purple is my absolute favorite color and you know I love a good, bold, color palette so the fact that Amanda pulled all this together so flawlessly is just mind blowing! I wouldn’t have been able to picture it if I tried. She even told me later after I posted a sneak peek that she wasn’t even sure how it was all going to come together. Talk about trusting the process! And if anyone wasn’t convinced before, just go read all the love and comments she has been receiving in the last week on her sneak peek from both friends and family and perfect strangers! It’s perfection!

It’s really amazing how GREAT the weather was for the second week of November too!! AND THAT LIGHT! It was ooey, gooey and glowey just like we LOVE!

The men wore deep brown tuxes and it tied ALL of this together so nicely!

After bridal party, we rounded up family. Amanda and I had a hilarious exchange at this point in the day. I had tried to talk her out of doing family prior to the ceremony and then we had to send some people to go round up family members. I looked at her and she looked at me. Without me even saying anything, she said, “don’t yell at me Hannah!” And we had a great laugh when I said, “I told you so!”. It’s always easier to do family right after because everyone is already present and seated…butttt I’m really being dramatic because, in all seriousness, I was just giving her a hard time. Rounding up the few people we needed for these groups was nothing compared to what I’ve had to do at other weddings when we have literally lost family members. I honestly wouldn’t even call it a hiccup or a problem. We got family formals done AND ahead of schedule and remained ahead of schedule which is a HUGE WIN…so thank you to everyone who was a part of family formals! Be sure to reach out to the couple to get your copies!

Alright!…To the dead stuff! I expected a lot more fall and fall foliage at this wedding. In the history of my business, the first and second week of November usually have the most fall looking weddings. Of course, having a fall loving bride who had the most beautiful engagement session that you can see HERE, the wind had taken all the leaves away. OF COURSE! OF ALL YEARS! I was still determined to give her that very fall look… SO…to the dead stuff!

We had to get creative with those bare trees but it’s just WORKING! The colors REALLY do help them pop!

Right on schedule, we left the couple go relax and refresh while we went and photographed reception! We came back to Amanda sneaking peeks out the window!

When Scenic Sites was a new venue, I had originally toured it and the ceremony location was in a different place. I was so pleasantly surprised with Amanda and Noah’s choice of ceremony location! This little spot is just beautiful! And when she came down the aisle, I don’t think one person was surprised her dress was green. To be honest, I kept forgetting that it was green because they’re beautiful people inside and out and that’s all could keep focusing on!

See this real time dip? Amanda almost covered their faces with those gorgeous flowers SOOooOOoo I’m glad we did the practice too!!!!

PLUS…the light and everything was pure perfection earlier in the day!

Then, to roll back into traditional things, Amanda and Noah opted to do a receiving line and they asked us to photograph it plus cocktail hour! It’s not every day someone asks me to photograph cocktail hour and it’s not every wedding that we actually have time. When you do not do a first look, no one gets to attend cocktail hour because we’re doing photos! This wedding had a traditional receiving line BUT we also had all the photos done. I LOVED this timeline!

As a cat lover, I APPROVE!

So, we gallivanted around cocktail hour and played paparazzi getting some of the photos that were left on the list of certain groupings the couple desired, and we had one more thing we needed to finish. They had requested we do golden hour or sunset pictures. Well, it was a cooler overcast day and while I was watching the sun very carefully, I was getting super nervous that we were going to miss it. Especially since Amanda had said the night before there was the most perfect sunset! So, I opted to take them out during cocktail hour to be sure we got something AND boy was it beautiful! The goodness kept on coming!

Us wedding vendors can NOT ever get out of vendor mode!! Erin delivered drinks just like she does when she’s the wedding planner!

Lucky for me and the couple, Lacey, another fall loving human, saw this little path. I’m not even sure if we were still on the Scenic Sites’ property, but I was going to beg for forgiveness rather than ask for permission next to this home (and THAT is very unlike me if you know me). So, shout out to whoever lives here!!! You have the most beautiful foliage next to your home and we took advantage of this little spot to give the best glowey fall photos.

Another one because…WHY NOT!?

We were having the BEST time! Amanda and I’s personalities have a lot of energy! I’ve always connected with her!

Back to the reception we went to finish cocktail hour! Non-traditionally…the bridal party was not introduced and traditionally, the couple WAS introduced by DJ Brian Oliver AND then they went straight into first dance and parent dances!

….and then cake cutting and champagne popping!

We ate dinner AND THEN…Amanda had her friend and co-worker pull her hair UP and then SHE pulled Noah’s hair up!

Time for speeches…and if you know me…you know speeches can make me…un-comfy. You just NEVER know what you’re going to get…if I’m going to side eye the staff…if someone is going to say something that upsets the couple…etc. NOT THIS WEDDING…ALL The speeches (including a very kind and sweet introductory speech from the couple where they not only thanked their guests BUT ALSO their vendors)…were SO great! I smiled. I laughed. It was ALL the things speeches at wedding should be!

That’s it! At this point, all the “wedding things” were done and it was time to party!! I had “warned” Brian that this group liked to party and told him he’d have NO problem keeping the night going! I did hear this was a correct statement…even after we took off!

This is one of those weddings where I just wanna hug my computer. I also want to bounce up and down in my seat and clap like a toddler. I also want to tear up a little bit because not only is this the end of yet another great wedding season, but it’s also saying “goodbye” to so many amazing people…Amanda and Noah included. I never know what my feelings are going to be leaving a wedding season but I’m super grateful for this year and because I have an early end…it feels surreal! This year I made a lot of friends and maybe even have a few future Hannah Barlow Photography assistants on the radar. It’s true!

2024 wedding season is COMPLETE!

Give the Hiltons one more GIANT shoutout for closing out the season in the BEST WAY!

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Vendors

Venue – Scenic Sites

Bride’s Gown – Lace Bridal on Etsy

Bridesmaids’ Attire – Birdy Grey

Hair – Gypsy Soul Salon

Makeup – Samantha Harris Makeup

Florist – Event Aesthetics – Bria

Videographer – Pittsburgh Entertainment Co.

Cake – Sweet Abe’s Bakery

Catering – Carrie’ Catering

Stationary – Zazzle

Officiant – Rachael Goldbaugh

Blankets – Faire

Bartenders – Rent-a-Tender

Printing – The UPS Store

Groom’s Ring – Patrick Adair Designs

Bride’s Rings – Diamondere