A classic, elegant Catholic wedding and Tavern celebration in Lancaster Pennsylvania…

John had been following my work over facebook for the last several years.  He shared that we wasn’t really going for traditional wedding photos, but rather pieces of art that capture the two of them.  He said that what he enjoyed about my photography was that I capture a couples personality, relationship and style in a beautiful way.
In the photo above I wanted to capture the elegant, timeless aesthetic of Catie & John’s wedding.  I used window light streaming from a hidden corner of St Joeseph’s Catholic Church.  The little nook gave them privacy and fit their relaxed nature, yet still read incredibly elegant.
Simplicity was also important to the happy couple.   I kept the photograph of their wedding rings simple, while really playing up the timeless, elegant feel by using an aperture that would keep all of Catie’s diamonds in razor sharp focus, while blending the curtains in the background to an almost palpable toffee.  😉

As Catie finished dressing and started her way down the stairs, her Nana stood at the bottom with tears in her eyes.  Catie reached out and held her hand.
I like the perspective of the shot as well as the framing and lighting, but what I love most is all of the emotion and people involved.  You can see her moms hands holding tight to the train of her gown to the left and the interaction of Catie and her Nana as well.

A peek out of the window to ensure that the rain has stopped.  “I knew that buying a dozen umbrellas would ensure that it wouldn’t rain!”  haaaa
What a stunning bride!

Catie is a strong, smart, independent woman.  I believe all of those elements come across in this image as well as her classic, elegant style.
During our initial meeting she mentioned loving her grandmothers wedding portrait and wanting something similar that would stand the test of time.  I believe this photo will do just that– move over Mona Lisa…

Catie shared that John allows her to be independent and isn’t at all threatened by it and that is one of the reasons that she fell for him.  Likewise, John shared that he fell for Catie’s intelligence, independence among many other qualities that I will cover a bit later.
Now it is time to introduce John!  John is also intelligent, witty and down to earth.  Here he sits in the livingroom of his downtown apartment in Lancaster, PA.  Calm, cool and collected.
I like the classic, relaxed, understated feel of this photograph– it fits John well…

Catie shared that she appreciates John’s sense of humor, and that he’s funny (but not as funny as her, hahaha– he said she was funny but not as funny as him).
They both like to travel and go on adventures to interesting places (Iceland was a recent trek).  Catie appreciates John’s sense of dedication and commitment, that he is good to his family and has great life-long friendships.

As the ceremony processional began, Catie was escorted down the aisle by her father.  I assured that the church doors would be kept open, so I could capture the moment as a dramatic silhoette.
I love this photograph as it shows the elegant architectural attributes of the church from the vaulted ceiling and columns to the pipe organ and marble floors.
It also captures all of Catie and John’s wedding guests standing at attention.

John shared that one of his favorite moments was seeing how beautiful and happy Catie looked as she was walking down the aisle towards him.
He shared that he had to work to keep his composure (which he joked was a real rarity for his heart of stone).  I like how proud her father looks, here as well:

They observed a full mass, which included a rose to mary, the Eucharist, and several other Catholic traditions…

Saint Joseph’s Catholic  in Lancaster is one of the most beautiful churches I have photographed.
I like I have access to the balcony and can offer a bird’s-eye view on a ceremony.
Following the ceremony John shared, “Falling for Catie was easy.  She’s intelligent, funny, energetic, independent and is just a good, caring and kind person.  We fit together well.  We work together well.  My strengths cover her weaknesses and vice-versa.”

Lancaster has such beautiful fields and countryside that I mentioned that it might be nice to stop along the way if we see anything that looks interesting.
We saw this golden field and popped out for a couple of minutes while these two adventurers explored (and several passersby shouted and “honked” their congratulations).

At the place where we hopped out there happened to be a horseshoe, which also happens to be an Irish symbol of good luck!
I shared that my mother-in-law found one on our wedding day and gave it to us to hang over our front door.  One thing I forgot to mention, guys, the tradition says to hang it with the ends pointing up so that the luck won’t “drip out.”
Catie said that she’s looking forward to sharing many adventures with John.  She said it is all exciting and they don’t really know what to expect.  I think you get a sense of those emotions here:

The happy couple…

While the yellow color caught my eye initially I was really taken aback by the soft periwinkle tones of the sky and clouds here as well as this lovely couple…

From the open fields of Amish country, we headed to the Fireside Tavern.
Catie and John chose it as their venue because of the simple, elegant feel as well as the outstanding food and guest accommodations being within walking distance for their out-of-town wedding guests.
Inside the tavern, they enjoyed their first meal together as husband and wife as well as their first dance, guests also clicked glasses which of course resulted in…


The dance floor opened!  Hugs and happy faces were in abound…


Before I packed up for the night, I pulled Catie and John out for one last photo.  They lived happily ever after…

Thanks Catie and John, it was a real pleasure to work with both of you!
Thanks for your incredibly kind and thoughtful note– I think it is the perfect ending to your wedding photography set…

“It was so easy to work with you throughout the wedding.  You helped us form a realistic timeline, helped us prioritize, and came full of ideas for beautiful photographs.  All we had to do was listen to you!  Even if we didn’t understand what you were going for initially– following your direction made for amazing shots!  A lesson for everyone out there: trust your photographer!”

Oh and your wedding wire review…

“Lisa made us look amazing. Her photography is art. Trust her instincts! She has a great eye for lighting and captures really unique shots. While at first I was hesitant to do the engagement shoot, I’m so glad we did. Lisa was able to give us great direction, get to know us, and work with our style. She was easy, cheerful and provided a lot of great guidance to help us keep on time for the day.”

 If you haven’t had enough of this witty couple, you may want to check out their Troeg’s Brewery engagement photos, here.