In the midst of planning their wedding over the past year, Lauren & LJ moved into a new house together. And along with that house came a big, beautiful barn right on their property. So when Lauren emailed me a few months before the wedding to tell me they’d decided to move their ceremony from the original planned location into their very own barn, I thought, “What a fun idea!”
So about a month before the wedding, I stopped by the house so we could talk through all the wedding details, and also because I was really excited to see this barn. From the outside, it was gorgeous and I could tell it would definitely be spacious enough to hold everyone. When we stepped inside…well…let’s just say it needed a wee bit of T.L.C. before their wedding day ;) LJ explained everything that they planned on doing (clearing it out, tearing down walls and ceilings, etc.) and seemed totally confident in being able to complete it all within those next couple of weeks. And honestly, I believed him and knew they’d do a great job fixing it up in time for the ceremony. But I never in a million years could’ve predicted the way it actually turned out.
When I walked into that barn on the wedding day, I could not believe my eyes! Lauren & LJ transformed the place into probably THE most beautiful barn ceremony I’ve ever seen. Every single detail was thought out and absolutely perfect. Let me just say that I was looking forward to sharing this blog post before I even snapped my first picture! The setting was beautifully rustic & romantic, and the ceremony was so cozy and sweet. Their backyard was the perfect backdrop for some gorgeous photos afterwards. They even had a tree swing!
As much as I wanted to just keep photographing at their home for the rest of the weekend, we did have a reception to get to :) So we took off to the Mayernik Center at Avonworth Community Park to kick off the party for the rest of the evening. The new Mr. & Mrs. enjoyed their first dance, then cut into their own little pumpkin pie. The rest of the night was a blast with so many family & friends hitting the dance floor, and we even got to sneak back outside to grab a nighttime photo of the newlyweds.
Lauren & LJ – I hope you both enjoyed every minute of your wedding day! You were so much fun to spend the day with, and I can tell you make each other truly happy. Also, your DIY skills are incredible and I wish your barn was an actual wedding venue so I could shoot there every weekend! Congratulations!!
Ceremony Venue: Bride & Groom’s Personal Barn
Reception Venue: Mayernik Center
Hair & Makeup Artists: Kristin Fiola & Megan Malamed
Dress Shop (Bride & Bridesmaids): David’s Bridal
Dress Designer (Bride & Bridesmaids): Vera Wang
Tuxedo Rental: American Commodore
Rings: S Kaufman Jewelers
Florist: Agent Flowers
Ceremony Musician: Evan Dean
DJ: Life of the Party Productions
Caterer: Monteverde Catering
Second Photographer: Levana Melamed
Feel free to browse the galleries on my website for more eye candy, and contact me when you’re looking for a Pittsburgh wedding photographer!
