Fall River City Wedding Ceremony & Reception

Happy Monday, everyone! I’ve got another wedding for you! Olivia and Luke tied the knot and celebrated at River City in Wheeling, WV a few weekends ago and their wedding is live on the blog right now! Please give them all your Hannah Barlow Photography love and ENJOY!

My first stop of the day was at La Carezza salon in Elm Grove (Wheeling), WV! The ladies were in full swing of hair and makeup. I also got to see lots of familiar faces AND lots of people I’ve photographed at other weddings in the past which is always so fun and exciting! Also, fun fact…Olivia works here too so this group is VERY close which makes these moments all the more sweet!

After that, I raced off to River City! It’s funny how weddings work….it’s been YEARS (since 2021 I do believe) since I’ve done weddings at this venue…and BOOM…now this is my second one just this year! Crazy how that all works! Becca met up with me at this point and we got right down to details! Shoutout to Luke’s mom who did all the florals!

Everything was done at River City even the getting ready moments! That meant I had to get creative in locations to photograph…and that’s A OK! I like a good challenge…another challenge? Well, that was getting everyone moving and on time! HA! If you know…you KNOW! River City is three floors so people spread out quick!

…but it’s moments like that I just…slow down. This sweet lady is the bride’s friends’ grandma and she’s been a big part of Olivia’s life AND she was the one who altered Olivia’s mom’s dress so she could wear it on her wedding day. It was fitting that she be the one to help get her in it and steam it!

While the bride was finishing up getting in her dress and the other ladies were getting dressed and finishing lunch, I sneaked down where Luke’s mom helped him get the finishing touches done on his tux before we went out for first look moments!

…and by first look moments, I meant that Olivia surprised me with an idea. She wanted her brother to put on one of the bridesmaids’ dresses and surprise Luke. Luke, I had NOTHING to do with this…except taking the photos, of course! I’ve done this every once in a while with couples…it always gets great laughs!

Okay. Okay…we got right back down to business. While we waited for Olivia’s mom to arrive, we had her sister help her with the finishing touches.

AND her other maid of honor and best friend sprayed some perfume!

Then, it was time for the REAL first look. Becca and I tag teamed the angles and we asked everyone else to stay behind and/or hide behind the building because I knew we were going to stretch the photos out and shoot wide angle! This meant we had this whole area to ourselves and it was nice and clean. But also…Olivia and Luke joked, “and this is where we make it awkward, Hannah!” and we all had a great laugh!

They didn’t waste any time! I sent Becca off to collect the bridal party and get them ready for photos while I got right now to bride and groom portraits. I had originally planned to take them down to the waterfront. I had actually walked down there and scouted locations while everyone was arriving earlier in the day…but there was just so much going on down there. There were people everywhere. The sun was SO bright and hot. It just wasn’t giving me the vibe for this River City wedding AND…I needed some fall. This tree became the volunteer and I decided to take photos here! And I loved that I had foliage plus some city feel which really fit their ceremony and reception venues!

See what I MEAN?! That photo of Olivia looking back is going on my website…like TODAY!

OR…maybe this one! I can’t decide!

The bridal party arrived and we got right down to photos! Green has been very popular this year and I was loving the variety of colors we had going for us! In hindsight, I’m actually glad looking at these now..that we didn’t go down to the waterfront. I feel like with all the bright green down there (the fall leaves sure did take their sweet time this year)…it would have been too much and the dresses may have gotten lost in the background. Funny how I don’t see these things in the moment but realize later…the Wedding Gods do exist and I truly believe they guide us in decision making moments like this!

When Olivia told me she was wearing her mom’s dress, I don’t know what I expected…but it could have never been as good as this vision!

Full bridal party (minus the kids)…here we go!

Then, it was time for the men! Luke joked that they were a hard group to wrangle…I disagree! Ten years ago? Whewwww…bridal parties WERE hard to wrangle. For real though! My experience lately with this current generation is…”they like to have fun…but they’re totally fun and respectful and we get the job done as a team…” THAT is this group too!!! I also knew some of them – former groom, wedding vendor friends…you name it!

We did manage to catch up the timeline so I sent the bridal party back to get prepped for the ceremony and utilized the time we had left for some more bride and groom formals!

OooOO MAN! I do believe these are truly some of my very favorites and I’m not typically a city girl!

Off we go! We have a ceremony to get to!

This is where I went rogue and quite literally chased them down the street as they were heading back to River City! If you know me, it will come as NO surprise!

Then, I had a wild (which ended up being too windy) idea to get some photos with the brick. It was like a wind tunnel in there, I tell ya! BUT…they had a car drive by and they knew the people and they spotted us and it made for a genuine, candid moment…and then we ran from the wind and went up the service elevator!

Olivia’s beautiful mom arrived and we HAD to have her touch up and make sure her daughter was ready for the ceremony! I’m really loving this white brick wall!

I’ve done receptions in this little atrium area of River City BUT never a wedding ceremony so that was totally fun! I never would have thought of this!

After they were pronounced husband and wife, they went off to mingle for cocktail hour and then we got to photograph the last minute things in the reception hall on the third floor. I got to meet up with one of my favorite DJs…DJ Brian Oliver and then the couple was announced and cut their cake (not in that EXACT order…but for blog purposes…stay with me)!

They did their traditional parent dances and then their first dance!

Then, the party got started…and it was QUITE the party! Again…if you know…you know!

The pink ponies came out (which was a new thing for my receptions) and people danced the night AWAY! We never had ANY lack of things to photograph at this reception, that’s for sure!

I feel like a broken record here with only two weddings left for the year…but my couples are killin’ it with their weddings this year. Olivia and Luke’s wedding was another one with super sweet people who photograph SO well. I’m pumped to be back at River City in Wheeling, WV too! From their engagement session (HERE) to their wedding, they’ve been super chill and easy to get along with and take…GORGEOUS photos. It was also so great to see some families I’ve photographed in the past AND meet new people who I hope to see again in the future! This was a fun group, for sure! Thanks, you two, for having me be your wedding photographer and thank you everyone for viewing and reading all about their wedding! Have a great day, everyone! BYE! Two more weddings left and the 2025 season will be complete!

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Vendors

Venue – River City in Wheeling, WV

Catering – River City

Hair/Makeup – La Carezza

Florist – Groom’s Mother (Jennifer)

DJ – DJ Brian Oliver

Transportation – Whiteside

Stationary – Zola

Officiant – Liz Hofreuter