Captivating Imagery: Pittsburgh Wedding Photographer and Professional Photography Services

Lee and Brian decided to opt for a post-wedding photography session after their elopement this spring. It was a fun and relaxed way for them to commemorate the beginning of their lives as Mr. and Mrs. We decided to head to the Oakland area of Pittsburgh for its plentiful locations that are perfect for a playful post-wedding session.

Such a pretty bride! The petals were already falling and we had Brian shake the tree a bit to help.

Brian’s look was inspired by Johnny Depp. Lee said they liked what he wore at a recent event and decided that it was a good alternative to a suit or tux for Brian.

Our session was rescheduled by one week due to heavy rain and while it sprinkled that morning, we weren’t going to let that get in our way.

Much giggling occurs when I set couples into loose poses for more romantic shots. And I do love it when they giggle.

Here’s a fun one under another tree with pink blossoms. I love springtime.

We stopped at the gardens outside of Phipps Conservatory for a few shots.

This image was begging to be black and white.

It’s tough to tell, but it was raining lightly here as we walked around outside Heinz Chapel.

Lee is a Pitt graduate and Brian graduate from Penn State, but he was a good sport and didn’t seem to mind having his photo taken all over Pitt’s campus.

Sometimes it’s fun to have a couple that’s not the exact same height. It can be challenging, but it can also bring about unexpected images like this one.

Lee is actually standing on a small concrete bench. If I could go back, I’d photograph a full length shot for fun.

This one was fun. Lee is smiling at Brian who is just taking it all in while he stands off to the side. He said that the Frick Fine Arts building has never looked better.

One thing that’s nice about post-wedding sessions is the opportunity to get a little dirty and have fun. They wanted to get in the fountain for a few photos and I was happy to join in the fun.

This one is a new favorite and it is definitely going on the front page of my site. Lee and Brian, many blessings to you and your marriage! Thanks for a fabulous post-wedding session!

Have you heard of the new University Center in Oakland?  Ok, this isn’t an ad, but this beautiful new venue prompted me to post a Oakland venue review as part of my Bride’s Guide.  Oakland is a popular setting for many Pittsburgh weddings, with the surrounding college campuses, beautiful churches and parks.  For a long time, this college town was more limited in reception venues, but the University Club is definitely a stand-out in my opinion.  I photographed a corporate event there in the fall.  However, I don’t have any photos that really show the beauty of this venue, because my assignment was mainly what we photographers call “grip and grins” or informal group shots of guests at the event.  So you’ll have to check out their site to get a sense of what this place looks like.

It seems that lots of brides and grooms nowadays are planning for their ceremony and reception to be close-by to save time in their busy day and also to keep it simpler for guests.

Now there are a lot of gorgeous churches in this neighborhood: Heinz Chapel (photographed above), St. Paul’s Cathedral, Bellefield Presbyterian Church, just to name a few.  Other reception venues include: The Twentieth Century Club, the Concordia Club, the Pittsburgh Athletic Association, or St. Nick’s Cathedral Room, as well as the local hotels.  These venues have the catering covered from linens through glassware.  Other unique venues include Soilders and Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum, Carnegie Museum or Carnegie Music Hall, and Phipps Conservatory.  These venues might require more planning, for instance, renting chairs and collaborating with outside caterers, etc.

Whew!  There are more Oakland reception venues than I thought.  And that’s just off the top of my head from my experience in photographing events at these locations.

One last consideration if you’re planning for an Oakland wedding: there are plenty of great locations for the photography within walking distance.  Can you tell I’m a fan of Oakland weddings?  Check out a few of the great Oakland locations in the photos below.

Sarah and Mike were married at the beautiful Phipp’s Conservatory in Oakland.  Here are a few of my favorites from the first round of edits:

More to come of this fabulous wedding next week!

I checked out Bellefield Presbyterian Church in Oakland the other day and was totally impressed with it’s beautiful sanctuary.  Unlike some of the recent churches I’ve photographed, Bellefield’s sanctuary is square and wide open.  The dome ceiling really adds to the spaciousness and the acoustics are great.  While I was there, the church’s worship team was practicing and they are fantastic.  The church is made up of a young college-aged congregation, so they don’t hold back on the worship.  Anyhow, I really enjoyed their music while taking photos.  

A church member stopped by to talk with me and told me that during some financial struggles (possibly during the Great Depression), the church sold four of stained glass windows in the dome to pay the pastor.  How sad, but that’s a glimpse into hard days I hope we’ll never see.

Anyhow, this church is a gorgeous place to get married in.  I suspect it plays second fiddle to Heinz Chapel just down Fifth Avenue.  The two couldn’t be more different.  Bellefield’s brightly trimmed dome and stained glass windows are very cheery.  And there is plenty of light, so its great for photography.