Nothing beats a first kiss as husband and wife but double the luck for couples who marry on New Years’ Eve. Sending lots of love and congratulations on that numero uno milestone to Kaitlyn and Brian tonight!
Tag Archives: Lancaster Weddings
Ringing in the New Year as Newlyweds
Although we’ve been photographing weddings for going on eight years, we’ve rarely been asked to photograph a wedding on New Years Eve. I believe we were waiting for the absolute perfect couple to celebrate with, which was most definitely Kaitlyn & Brian!
Kaitlyn & Brian held their dream wedding late in the evening at the Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square, with stunning drapery and lighting provided by Shumaker Designs. Given it was an extremely busy night for downtown Lancaster, we were thrilled that coordinator Jenni Mercandetti, opened the The Montgomery House for some simply gorgeous backdrops.
My favorite moments of the night had to be the couples introductions as each bridal party pair entered to a WWE wrestler the couple loved. The end of the night, getting Ryan Seacrest up on the main screen, with guests in festive hats and decor, was another amazing moment we were privileged to capture. Congratulations to Kaitlyn & Brian! You guys are seriously awesome and lots of love to Koosh (their beautiful pup).
For more images of Kaitlyn & Brian’s wedding click here!
Vendor Love:
Venue/Catering- Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square
Design/Lighting: Shumaker Designs
Entertainment: 30West
Gown: Posh Bridal
Videographer: InVision Video
Flowers: Petals with Style
Cake/Desserts: Bella Manse/La Petite Patisserie
Stationary: Persnickety
Linens: Special Occasions
Early Spring Riverdale Manor Wedding- Jocelyn & Brandon
Beauty meets Tech Geek. Tech Geek swoons Beauty. The two marry and have one kick ass party to celebrate!
Jocelyn and Brandon, who met in college, exchanged heartfelt, yet comical vows, at the gorgeous Riverdale Manor, located in Lancaster PA. The couple kicked off their evening with the BEST, best man toast offering pieces of Brandon’s past that will no longer carry over to married life- his favorite girly poster, Skyrim, Halo 4 and his collection of crazy hats. The dance floor was stocked all evening with the couples sorority sisters and frat brothers, to which Jocelyn’s grandmother also broke out a few moves!
All in all a very fun way to kick off the busy 2015 wedding season! Joy and Love to the newlyweds!
Vendor Love:
Ceremony/Reception/Catering: Riverdale Manor, Lancaster
Cake: Bella Manse
Officiant: Dave DiRaddo
Entertainment: Ryan Miller Entertainment
Gown: Alfred Angelo
Suit: Mens Warehouse
Hair: Visage A Visage
Flowers: Petals with Style
Want Great Getting Ready Images? Here’s How!
Not every gal wants getting ready images but for most brides after a photojournalistic (story telling) wedding portfolio, the ceremony pre-game is a must have. If going the family heirloom route, starting your album with gorgeous images of final touches, dressing, and details are pertinent to recanting your wedding day and sparking those fun memories.
From the photographer perspective, I love capturing this part of a couple’s wedding day. It’s the anticipation, catching natural candids, nervous expressions, and emotions that can make this small part of your wedding day that much more special when looking back years from now. Although not hard to capture great images during this time, there’s always a few things to keep in mind if getting ready images are important to you. Not to neglect the gentlemen, but as Jason describes to almost every couple, Bride getting ready shots are always fun, elegant, and beautiful where for the men… it’s basically putting on another pair of pants! Yes.. we gals are super jealous that our grooms can roll in two hours before the ceremony and still look like rock stars while we’re up at the crack of dawn getting primped and prepped:)
Here’s a few food for thought items on achieving kick ass getting ready images:
*No Junk in the Trunk– Okay a total expression, however getting ready images are much more elegant when bags, trash, and other must have prep items aren’t scattered in various places throughout the getting ready room. 
As a gal, I completely understand us ladies have baggage and NEED a ton of products and things to feel our most glamorous, however asking your maids to sequester their items to a specific area of the room can take your prep images to the next level of photojournalism. I usually recommend, depending on the location, to “junk” areas farthest away from natural light windows since the majority of getting ready images are captured in that vicinity. Along with the amazing images, keeping things orderly will make the end of night departure so much easier instead of scavenging for your items in a potential drunken bliss.
*Open the Curtains– Within reason of course! If your getting ready room has the means, throw open the curtains and let the natural light pour in for the most beautiful light.
*Gather the Details- With months of planning out the details of your dress, shoes, and accessories, I want to make sure we’re capturing those special, well-thought-out items before you don that gorgeous gown if possible. I usually recommend for brides who love details, to have your MOH or bridesmaid gather the items you want photographed into one location. Upon arrival those are the go to items I typically will capture first and REALLY want to capture if possible as potential publishing opportunities on blogs and magazines will always want to see your well planned details.
*Everyone Dresses Before the Bride– Completely aesthetic and your bridesmaids might thank you for it, but consider having your dressing assistants in their gowns before zipping you up.
*RELAX! Your Face Tells All– Most brides during the getting zipped, fastened, tied into her dress beam a gorgeous natural smile or relaxed thoughtful expression. In some not so perfect dressing moments such as the 32nd loop on the corset, it’s easy to hit that “OMG are we done yet” or “What do you mean it’s not _____” expression which is captured on camera. Take a breath and relax!
*Keep the crowd to a minimum– It’s easy to invite close friends and extended family into the getting ready room, however keep in mind that it can crowd up your room and make grabbing different angles and perspectives a challenge, not to mention potential added stress. Either opt for a sizable getting ready area if expecting a large group or keep your posse to a few close important people.
What do you recommend for the best getting ready images on a wedding day?
Farm at Eagles Ridge Wedding- Renae & Ryan
If there was one wedding I was completely and utterly bummed about missing, it was this one! When discussing details during a planning meeting with Renae I knew their event was going to be epic.. no wait.. EPIC!!
This country loving couple chose to exchange vows under weeping willows at the Farm at Eagles Ridge (which is beyond gorgeous if still on the venue hunt). Renae wore a beautiful lace styled gown with a pop of dusty pink in her belt while Ryan stunned in his kicked back beige suit and vest. The couple opted for rustic elegance, incorporating brooch bouquets, burlap and lace into their design theme. One of the sweetest moments of the night was a dance shared by Ryan’s grandmother who was recently diagnosed with cancer and all of her grandchildren- not a dry eye in the house, including Jason’s! 
We wish Ryan and Renae the most amazing and blessed marriage and a lifetime of joy and sharing!
For more images from Ryan & Renae’s wedding click here!
Venue: Farm at Eagles Ridge
Catering: Events Etc
Design Service: Shumaker PDT
DJ: Interactive Media Productions
Videography: Matt Stambaugh Media
Flowers: Floral Designs of Mount Joy
Ceremony Music: Molly Rahe Music
Cake: Sweets Baking Co
Beauty : Texture Salon
Thoughts on a Rainy Day Wedding- YAY or NAY?
Although we don’t see it often, this year it seems May has been a bit… well damp. For couples (and their photographers) who are in love with an outdoor wedding, hearing the chance of rain on your wedding day can spur some depressing thoughts, 
however major kudos to our couples who experience this minor occurrence as all have shrugged off a little shower or major downpour and simply enjoyed their celebrations. The best way to offer thoughts and tips if rain is on the radar for your wedding can only be expressed by recapping Brianna & Travis’s wedding at the Lancaster Eden Resort.
The fun and carefree couple had planned for an outdoor, courtyard ceremony with a short jaunt to a local Lancaster park for beautiful outdoor creative portraits, yet mother nature decided differently. Bri & Travis were definitely prepared (as everyone planning an outdoor wedding should) and snatched up beautiful matching umbrellas for their bridal party and a large black golf for themselves which from what I heard were a steal at 5 Below. Brianna and Travis’s attendants also took a page from the “How to be a gold star member of the bridal party” and made the best of it.. no complaints, no smugness, just happy and hilarious as the sky dropped huge buckets of rain during the bridal party shots. We even got a break in the rain just in time for the couple portraits!
Most photographers actually love shooting on a rainy day as not everyone can capture gorgeous images when the elements are against them with lighting and how the subject will react. Rain also makes the surroundings glisten.. but enough on my opinion and YAY vote.. you be the judge:)
Click here for more details from Brianna & Travis’s wedding!
Venue: Lancaster Eden Resort
Entertainment: G2 DJ Services
Hair/Makeup: Lord and Davis Salon
Flowers: Splints and Daisies
Homebrewed Love- A Brief Wedding Encounter
Guest Written by Lead Photographer Christin Lopez.
It’s interesting hearing how our couples meet and what sort of bond made a simple first date into one hell of a memorable one! Jeremiah and Jeralynn fall into the category of couples with very interesting first date stories, which for these two, resulted in a pit stop at Urgent Care due to some seriously bad tuna. The couple, who are avid homebrewers.. seriously.. where’s the beer.. currently reside in Brooklyn, NY, though Jeralynn pegs Lancaster, PA as her hometown. Jeralynn and Jeremiah chose to have their brief, yet classy wedding celebration at Landis Valley Museum in the historic firehouse, where touches of vintage elements and cool lanterns added to the ambiance. 
One of the coolest details was a tie between Jeralynn’s stunning high-low shortened dress and the cork place holders with old family photos! Instead of traditional bland and boring wedding food, the foodie couple chose a relaxing feast of delicious BBQ and homemade pie (baked by Jeremiah himself for the couples pie.. store-bought for the guests) rather than cake. 
What home brewer wedding would be complete unless some samplings of Jeremiah and Jeralynn’s were available for tasting, sealed with a heart bottle cap of course?! I gotta say my favorite moment from their day was seeing these two just be themselves, 
kick back and just have a blast with being photographed and being married to one another! Congratulations you two and warmest wishes of many years of married bliss and happiness!
To see more from Jeralynn and Jeremiah’s day click here!
Venue: Landis Valley Museum
Catering: Hess’s BBQ
Flowers: Neffsville Flower Shop
Linens & Decor: Special Occasions
Melissa McClain Photography 
You must be logged in to post a comment.