PHOTOS BY JENNA HIDINGER PHOTOGRAPHY

Stephanie and Bill Van Cleef always dreamed of having a fall wedding in Pittsburgh; they finally made their dreams a reality on Nov. 7, 2020 at Shady Elms Farm.

“Everything about finding the venue unfolded like it was all happening by the grace of God,” Stephanie says. “The moment I saw Shady Elms in person, I could not imagine having our wedding anywhere else. … The view over the hillside, where we had our perfect outdoor ceremony, was magical.”

Her photographer, Jenna Sasala, who owns Jenna Hidinger Photography, had experience working at Shady Elms, and Stephanie says “it always felt more like I had a friend photographing my wedding” instead of just another vendor.

“The photos are stunning and captured every detail of our day,” Stephanie says, “fall foliage and all.”

PHOTOS BY RYAN ZARICHNAK

Emily Wahl and Kyle Kelsch held their wedding on Nov. 13, 2020 at the St. Paul Cathedral, although it was not their first choice of venue.

“With COVID, we had to replan our whole wedding,” Emily says. “Truly, St. Paul’s Cathedral was always my dream venue, but I never thought it was an option because of the long waitlist. With COVID and tons of cancelations, we were able to get my dream venue.”

Emily says the Cathedral is “as close to royal wedding as it gets” and loves the photos her wedding photographer, Ryan Zarichnak, captured of the surrounding trees losing their leaves.

“Fall is our favorite time of year. Fall has always been a special time of year for us,” Emily says. “Plus, it’s gorgeous and makes for amazing pictures.”

PHOTOS BY KRISTEN WYNN PHOTOGRAPHY

Nicole and Troy Williams were married at St. Jude Parish’s Sacred Heart Church on Nov. 14, 2020. Nicole attended Mass at Sacred Heart Church when she lived in Shadyside, and the church was always special to her.

“I fell in love with the huge glass-stained window at the back of the church and knew it would make for absolutely beautiful photos for my wedding someday,” Nicole says. “Because I lived in Shadyside, Troy and I spent much of the early part of our relationship there. … Getting married there felt like we were going back to where it all began.”

Nicole fell in love with the work of Kristen Wynn Photography after following her Instagram and knew long before she was engaged that she wanted to hire her for her own wedding. When she did finally call Kristen, she felt it was meant to be.

“Before we even had a confirmed reception venue, and we talked for what seemed like hours, not just about the wedding, but our interests and lives,” Nicole says. “Kristen would not only be our photographer but also a sounding board, a source for great advice, and, most importantly, a friend.”

PHOTOS BY CJ WAGNER PHOTOGRAPHY

Erin and Levi Shetler held their wedding on Oct. 17, 2020 at Erin’s parents’ farm after their original venue decided to close until 2021 due to COVID-19. Erin and her brothers all took their engagement photos on the farm, and she says it means something to everyone in her family.

“To be able to make this happen was a big family affair,” Erin says. “From one of my brothers securing generators, to my other brother leveling the backyard, to all of my aunts and sister-in-laws decorating on the day of, it was quite the transformation.”

She met her wedding photographer, Jared Wagner, of CJ Wagner Photography, at a Halloween party several years ago and says choosing him was a no-brainer. Erin loved the way Jared captured the farm’s fall scenery while making everyone feel comfortable in front of the camera.

“Honestly, the best part of having it at the farm was being able to have the backdrop of the farmhouse with the fall leaves,” Erin says. “We had perfect weather for October.”