Courtney and Gabe

And prioritizing feeling present on your wedding day…

A blog by

When I imagine a stunning Western Pennsylvania fall wedding day, Courtney and Gabe’s wedding is exactly what comes to mind. The weather, the colors, and the overall feel of the day was a 10/10 in every category. The details were gorgeous, the laughs were contagious, and the love and emotion between the bride, groom, and their families was an honor to witness.

I’ve said before and I’ll say it again: my goal is to capture your wedding day in such a way that your film looks and feels like you. To me, your wedding day is not a production, it is a collection of beautiful, yet fleeting moments. I believe these moments should be captured as they naturally occur, without an overabundance of interference from your vendors, in order to achieve something amazing.

I don’t say these things just to say them, I truly mean them. I do whatever I can to ensure a comfortable atmosphere on your wedding day that enables you to be present. To experience. To feel. Outside of your photos, your wedding film is the only real chance you get to look back on your wedding day and really immerse yourself in how you felt and what you experienced. I do not take this lightly!

Photo credit: Rachel Wehan Photography @rachelwehanphotography

For those new here, I’m Logan, a Pittsburgh based wedding videographer and photographer. I specialize in documentary style wedding videography, focusing on the real, fun, candid, and in-between moments. For both photography and videography, my style can be described as more neutral and true in tones, and fun and authentic in the vibes!

Now back to Courtney and Gabe’s wedding. Both the bride and groom got ready at Willowbrook in Volant, PA, with their ceremony and reception both taking place onsite at the same venue. Willowbrook offers both bride and groom getting ready spaces, and endless possibilities for photo locations around the property. From the large, draping willow trees, to the pond and dock, to the small greenhouse and open landscape, you’re never without a stunning backdrop.

I recently asked Courtney and Gabe a few questions about their wedding planning process, overall priorities and goals, and how they felt those goals were achieved on their wedding day. Here’s what they had to say…

“We really wanted to prioritize feeling present, enjoying every bit of the day, and not stressing over the small stuff. That meant choosing vendors who seemed like they would be fully invested in our day, and who we felt we could truly trust to handle things on the day so we didn't have to worry. We looked for people whose work we loved, but also whose personalities we felt matched ours. Looking back, we definitely could not have ever made any better choices than we did! We would do it all over again with the same team.”

When wedding planning, what did you want to prioritize as a couple and how did that play into your vendor choice?

On the wedding day itself, what was most important for you to experience/feel and how were you able to do that?

“Honestly, we both just wanted to feel happy and soak it all in. We knew that this would be one of the only days in our whole lives together that all the people we love would be in one room, and it was so important to us that we felt that. We took moments throughout the day to just pause and look around and see all the people that were there just for us. One of the best feelings was seeing some of our friends and family that have never met before laughing and making conversation with each other. During dinner, we both took a couple moments just to sit and look around the room. We also soaked so much in during our private dance at the end of the night, which I could not recommend more! It is such a long and busy day, and it is so easy to let little moments fly by. There were little things that went wrong or did not go as planned, but those moments are the ones that you can look back and laugh about when the day is gone. If everything goes as planned, then there is nothing to laugh about later, and that's boring!”

Based on your answer to the previous question, do you feel like you accomplished those goals on your wedding day? Did choosing the right vendors for YOU help accomplish that?

“100% yes, yes, yes. We felt so present in our day, so loved, and enjoyed every second. We did not have to worry about the timing of the day, or staying on schedule, or any of the logistics. Our vendors went above and beyond throughout the entire planning process! Both Logan and our photographer Rachel had timelines created for us that aligned perfectly, and they did SUCH an amazing job during photos keeping our bridal party and family on track. They guided us right through the afternoon, and once it was ceremony time our DJ did a great job pacing the rest of the evening. Our vendors made our day exactly what it was for us and it couldn't have been possible without them. Because of their planning, we were able to completely enjoy the day, feel so present, spend so much time with our family/friends, and soak it all in. It was truly our best and favorite day and we want to relive it forever!”

Choosing to be present on your wedding day, and “enjoying every bit of it” is more than just saying the words. It’s about a mindset, AND choosing to work with vendors whose values, processes, and personalities align with yours. No matter what those values are to you, it’s immensely important to chat with a vendor before booking and be sure they work in a way that makes you feel comfortable and can accomplish what you want and need on your wedding day.

What do I personally love to see on a wedding day? A willingness to let go. To clearly state your priorities to your vendors, and trust them to accomplish it. To focus on your spouse, your family, your friends. To laugh, to cry, to dance. I take my role very seriously, and strive to create an environment where you feel comfortable enough to let your real personalities shine through, and not feel like you have to constantly put on a smile or pose because there’s someone with a camera around. I recently had a bridesmaid tell me they barely even knew I was there most of the time, which is EXACTLY what I want. To document your memories in the most organic way possible, with a dash of instruction and guidance where necessary.