Tony Urban Photography – Senior Photo Art, Pittsburgh Wedding Photographer – Somerset, Johnstown, Greensburg

Saturday marked the end of “wedding season” 2009 for Sharon and me.  We headed northwest about 2 hours to Butler, PA for Kendra and Jay’s wedding and it was a great day.  Both Kendra and Jay were so friendly and so much fun – it was awesome to work with them.

We started the day off at the Days Inn in Butler where Kendra was getting ready.  She had misplaced the cards for the seating chart and was rewriting them by hand.  Most brides would be losing it at that point but she was completely calm and composed (and the cards did turn up later in the day so no harm was done).  I knew then that she was going to be a fun bride to work with. Kendra’s matron of honor was also a former a client of mine. I shot Brooke and her husband Eric’s wedding in 2007 and it was great seeing them again!

Once the preparations were mostly finished, we headed over the Grand Ballroom at Cornerstone Commons in Butler for the ceremony and reception.  Everything was so beautiful, from the dresses and flowers to the decorations at the hall.  The night went so well and everyone was so excited and happy.  Everyone involved with the wedding was smiling throughout the night. It was such a joyous event and a perfect way to end the year!

On Saturday Sharon and I shot our last wedding of “autumn” (going by Pennsylvania seasons, not the calendar – we have 2 more weddings in late Nov/early Dec).  The day started off at Tanglz  Salon in Somerset where Jess and her bridesmaids were getting their hair styled.  Everyone was so relaxed – I was impressed!  The morning was filled with small talk and laughter before they headed out to the hotel to continue preparations.

At the Courtyard by Marriot in Greensburg, the group worked on make-up and started to get into dresses.  The flower girls were all adorable and so photogenic!  While we were at the hotel Jess got her gift from Heath (via her mom, Roxanne) – a beautiful bracelet!

The rest of the day took place at Ferrante’s Lakeview which featured a lovely gazebo overlooking a pond.  I got some photos of Heath and the guys outside while Sharon photographed Jess and the ladies indoors.  The weather was just beautiful – sunny and warm and perfect for the outdoor ceremony.

After the ceremony and photos, we moved indoors for the reception and what a party it was!  Everyone was having a blast and the DJs(Dustin and Dustin from Johnstown’s Top Dog Productions) kept the dance floor packed all night.  I had such a great time working with Jess and Heath and their families – it was a blast!

Saturday Sharon and I were in New Castle, PA shooting Bert and Amanda’s wedding. When I booked the wedding, I assumed that New Castle was a suburb of Pittsburgh, but when it came time to start getting our itinerary in order I checked the address and discovered that it’s almost on the Ohio line. So, our day started when we hit the road at 8am.

We arrived at Toni’s (Amanda’s mother’s) house a few hours later and she greeted us with open arms. I could tell immediately that the day was going to be a lot of fun as Toni sat and talked with us while we waited for Amanda to arrive. Sometimes you just meet people and “click” and that’s how it was with Amanda’s mom. She was a total sweetheart! Shortly afterward, Amanda arrived and the day’s excitement began. I can’t say enough how amazing these people were. So warm and friendly and fun. Amanda was completely stress free and full of laughter. Check out her original twist on the “bride looking expectantly out the window” shot!

Once preparations were wrapped up at the house, we headed over to the Mary Mother of Hope church in New Castle where I had the chance to chat with Bert for a few minutes before the ceremony began. The church was so beautiful with great architecture!

After the ceremony, we went to some indoor and outdoor spots in and around New Castle while we dodged the raindrops. One of the locations we stopped at was the high school where Bert and Amanda met and started dating. I thought that was so cool! The bridal party was just as much fun to work with as the bride and groom and we got some really fun shots. One of the bridesmaids even came up with the idea to stage a scene where Amanda’s veil was caught in an escalator. So twisted, yet so funny. Needless to say, I loved it.

The reception was at The Alpine Room at SNPJ and the evening was a blast! The party was going non stop and I loved the different traditions that took place at the reception like the Cake Walk and the Tarantella. It was such a fun night and working with Amanda and Bert was a dream!  Oh, and be sure to check out their wedding cake.  It was a replica of Amanda’s grandmother’s wedding cake (I hope I got that right) and it was AMAZING!