Hometown wedding for high school sweethearts on the hottest day of the year… lots of love, color and a packed dance floor… and everything was within a mile from my home!
Alexis shared, “We chose Rhinehart Photography because we love Lisa’s work! Her photos have an artistic feel, she captures emotions well and has such a unique perspective. Lisa and Kris are professional, fun, super creative, and have a very unique vision. We are hoping to see love, excitement, fun and laughter with our photos, featuring all the friends, family and people we love.”
I have never shot this close to home before– everything was within *1 mile* of my house, I’m talking hotel, church, reception! As someone who spends many weekends in NYC, DC, Philly etc, this was such a treat to have a wedding at a church that I can literally see out my office window, and to be photographing two Shippensburg High School sweethearts was the best…
Here Alexis puts on her finishing touches in the mirror…
Wow, such beautiful lace, beading and applique– it’s something you have to see up close…
Alexis finished her wedding day preparations at the Courtyard by Marriot in Shippensburg. Everyone was so excited for her!
Small town! Emily, the bridesmaid laughing below, and I share the same nephews! (Her brother is married to my husband’s sister).
Alexis shared, “My family is very close. I can go to my mom with anything and everything. We just have the best relationship. I’m very blessed.”
She added, “I feel the same way about my sister!”
Spencer shared, “I love that Alexis is very caring and someone I can talk to and trust. She is my best friend. I wanted her to be my life my partner because I knew I would never find a girl in the world like Alexis.” 
Alexis listed, “The flowers were: quicksand roses, eskimo roses, baccara roses, red rubicon roses, majolica spray roses, dark burgundy scabiosa, lisianthus, chocolate lace flower, ect. There was so many!! A ton of roses because they are my favorite flower and I love greenery.”
Giggles all around…
Alexis shared, “I wanted a rustic feel for our wedding, mixed with a little vintage. Our colors were burgundy, dusty rose and rose gold. These colors are so pretty together and I just loved how it all came together!”
Spencer shared, “Our wedding day was sooooo hot. It was 97 degrees outside, but it felt much hotter. We were very grateful for the AC that day!”
Spencer smiled, “My parents and brothers are my best friends. My nephews are also a great blessing. I adore them.”
Spencer explained, “I went to Shippensburg University for a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, so I have spent a good amount of time on campus.”
My second photographer, and husband, Kris, did an awesome job on this shot… so cool and modern!
Alexis shared, “In high school, Spencer was a football player and I was a cheerleader. Some of the football guys drove us to a bonfire they were having. Spencer was there and immediately I started crushing on him. He was flirty and I was extremely shy back then, but it all worked out! I will never forget that night. After the bonfire, another cheerleader gave me his number.”
She continued, “I asked him if I could wear his jersey for our 2012 LBJ game….he said yes!! I was so nervous and excited. We started dating November 3rd 2012. I am so glad I got the courage to ask to wear his jersey!”
Alexis explained, “We chose the catholic church, Our Lady of the Visitation because it is the church I grew up in.”
This also happens to be the church I can see out my office window and the one many of my neighbors and friends attend. The last time I was inside was to attend one of my friend’s weddings.
Alexis shared, “The kids in our wedding were the cutest, the flower girls were so pretty and our nephews mean the world to us. We love them very much.”
I have many photos of the kiddos, but I really like this show because it really gives you a sense of space… the flower girls, the ring bearers the church etc. I used the flower girls to frame the cross, stained glass and bearing.
What color! I think he’s ready, guys…
Alexis shared, “When I first saw Spencer on our wedding day. I just could not stop smiling. I was so happy at that moment. I knew I was about to marry the love of my life and my very best friend.”
Spencer shared, “When I saw Alexis for the first time on the wedding day, I thought “OMG this is actually happening.” I did choke up a little and was just amazed that I get to spend the rest of my life with this beautiful human being!”
So cool to see two different perspectives of the same moment! While I was down on the ground capturing all the emotion in Spencer and Alexis’ faces, I had Kris stationed above in the balcony, getting the entire scene. Wow Alexis, that dress!
Tears of joy…
I love the layers in this shot… the stained class, the bible, a candle, the groomsmen, the priest, the family, the bride and groom…
I move a lot during the wedding, here I climbed up to the choir loft and got that perspective. I really wanted to show off the wood ceiling.
Awww more happy tears from Spencer!
We captured all the expected shots, the kiss, the recessional, but sometimes these moments that are less visible to the public are some of the sweetest…
Spencer shared, “My family is extremely close and tight-knit. I hope to be half the dad my father has been to us 3 boys. My mom is an angel who has done so much for me and has helped me every step of the way in my life.”
When we first met, Spencer and Alexis mentioned wanting to see emotion and color in their photos. The above showed here is some of both…
While I love to capture emotions, I also make sure to capture a few more traditional photos too.
Alexis shared, “I fell for Spencer as soon as I saw him. He is so funny and friendly. I absolutely adore everything about him. His dimples are my favorite thing and I am praying our future kids are going to get them one day!”
I love to give my couples a good variety of photos– some up close and some father away, showing the whole scene…
Wow, the architecture of the Luhrs center!
Alexis continued, “Spencer is so caring and compassionate, I know he would do anything for me. He always puts everyone else’s needs before his own. He is such a hard worker and is so positive about every day. He makes me a better person and I fall more in love with him every day.”
What you can’t see is that the heat index is well over 100 degrees. We waited for a while in the air conditioned vehicles and were only outside for literally ten minutes total, haha!
Here I played with perspective as Spencer danced with Alexis, complimenting her dress ;).
Spencer shared, “The number one thing that made me fall for my wife when I first met her was her smile. It was and still is, so beautiful. Alexis is my best friend, she’s a funny girl who is also very caring and I appreciate that about her so much!”
Spencer smiled, “I am most looking forward to continuing our love and eventually starting a family of our own!”
Spencer shared, “We both went to Shippensburg High School, we started dating when Alexis was 14 and I was 16. We have taken a lot of pictures for school dances in front of the fountain at old main, now we’ve been there for our wedding photos, too!”
Strike a pose! Vogue…
Alexis shared, “The Tuscarora room was the perfect reception room because it is very close to the church and the hotel we had our guests stay at. Colton Staver decorated the reception beautifully and totally transformed the room. I wanted a very rustic feel and that’s exactly what we got.”
Here clothespins hold the seating chart– this and all of the other details were so beautifully and meticulously executed…
Spencer shared, “The reception was awesome. It was amazing coming in and seeing everyone cheer us on!”
Aw the time of their lives…
Spencer explained, “Heaven by Bryan Adams has been our song since we started dating. Alexis loves the 80’s. She chose the Shane Filan version because she wanted a slower feel.”
Alexis raved, “Colton Staver and the JDK group was AMAZING. All my flowers and decor was beyond what I could have dreamed my wedding looking like. It was exactly what I wanted- rustic and vintage. When I walked into the room it took my breath away, so beautiful.”
I wanted to bring in a little more of the scene with Alexis and her dad during dance. Here I used my radio triggered flash and used the curtain in the background and candles in the foreground to bring in a little of that beautiful atmosphere.
Here I brought in a lot of it. I wanted to capture all the emotion of Spencer and his mom during their dance…
Alexis explained, “The backdrop was huge for me, I saw it on Pinterest and absolutely loved it. I have always been a fan of “twinkle lights” and I just thought the whole idea was classic and elegant.”
Spencer shared, “My brothers are my ride-and-die and best friends. We talk every day on the phone if we do not see one another in person.”
He laughed, “My brother really roasted me by telling my “lawn-mower story”… PRICELESS!”
Bouquet toss…
Alexis smiled, “Ava is very competitive, so it is not surprising she tried very hard to catch the bouquet. Spencer’s cousin, Shea, caught the bouquet.”
Garter time…
The grandparents reaction to the garter toss was *the best*….
Let them eat cake…
Spencer shared, “I was so happy to see everyone having such a great time celebrating together. The dance floor was packed! Our DJ did a really great job with that.”
It was so great to see so many familiar faces… The woman clapping in the frame above hired me for senior portraits, the one below is my physical therapist!
Their grandson is my nephew!
Check out here hair!!! Love it!!!
Alexis continued, “DJ Jenergy took care of everything. She was so awesome and helpful. She knew when to play what kind of music. She kept the crowd dancing the whole night, no one wanted to leave the dance floor! I could go on and on! She was just perfect. The best DJ I have ever heard play at an event.”
Smiles all around…
How cute are these two…
Alexis shared, “We loved that everyone danced and had a good time. Our goal was to get everyone up and dancing. We just really wanted everyone to have a good time.”
Alexis smiled, “At the end of it all, we felt so happy and loved. We were a little sad that our wedding was over, but we were so happy to finally be husband and wife.”
Vendors:
- Decorator & florist: Colton Staver of the JDK Group
- Reception venue: Tuscarora Room at Shippensburg University
- Ceremony venue: Our lady of the Visitation Church
- DJ: Jennifer Yaukey of DJ Jenergy
- Catering: Chartwells
- Makeup artist: Athena Meraki
- Hair: Jennifer Killian
- Bride’s gown and tuxes: JB Bridals
- Bridesmaid dresses: David’s Bridal