Mansions on Fifth Wedding

Mansions on Fifth Wedding

Erin and Barrett brought a dose of New York style and a whole lot of fun to their Mansions on Fifth wedding in Shadyside. They’re a fabulously energetic and enthusiastic couple. I knew that going in to the wedding day, but I found out that their friends and family share the same joy of living that they do. It was an evening of wine, song, and dancing.

I could go on, but let’s get to the photos.

Erin’s dad restored this magnificent Packard 120 coupe, completing it just in time for Erin and Barrett’s wedding. Erin didn’t want to do formal photos in a church, so she rented the Frick Car and Carriage Museum in Point Breeze. This turned out to be a great plan because her wedding day was one of the rainiest days that I can remember working on:

bride and groom stand before a classic car outside of the frick car museum

Getting Ready

Erin checks her makeup in a mirror while getting ready at the Mansions on Fifth.

bride looks at her makeup in a mirror while being reflected in another mirror

Having tall bridesmaids is a good thing when your dress is hung in a high place to keep it off of the ground.

bridesmaids take a wedding dress off of a hanger while the bride looks on

Erin and her mom hug after getting the dress on.

a bride hugs her mother after putting her wedding gown ona beautiful young bride spins around after putting on her wedding gown

Barrett gets some help with his bow tie (Lisa’s photo).

a groom gets help putting on his bow tie

Off to the Church!

Sure, rainy days aren’t ideal for a wedding. But the soft light really brought out the beautiful color of the paint on the Packard. This looks like it could have been taken in the early 1940’s!

a 1941 Packard 120 is parked in front of the Mansions on Fifth in Pittsburgh before a weddinga bride carries her wedding gown so that it doesn't get wet while groomsmen protect her from the rain with umbrellas

The bridal party traveled to St. Maria Goretti Parish in a trolley bus while Erin and her dad rode over in the Packard.

a bridesmaid looks back at the bride from a trolley and sends her a signal that she loves hera bride's father helps her get out of his 1941 Packard 120 in Bloomfield

The Ceremony

Erin stayed out of sight by waiting in the stairway to the choir loft. I saw that the light coming in the window was perfect for a portrait.

a bride stands for a portrait in front of a window in a church

a bride applies lipstick

Once the guests were seated it was time for the processional. Erin and her friends have a lot of experience in theatre and dance, so this was choreographed and timed to the music. You’ll see another example of choreography later in the post (foreshadowing!).

a bride embraces one of her bridesmaids before walking down the aislea bride and her father walk down the aisle during her weddingbride and groom exchange smiles and rings

Erin and Barrett share a moment together before heading off from the church. I got to ride in the back seat! It was a little bit of an adventure riding in a vehicle with early 20th century technology – no turn signals and dodgy brakes – but Barrett used to drive race cars, so we were in good hands.

a bride caresses her husband as they ride in a Packard 120 after their wedding

The Reception

OK, remember when I said that Erin and her friends were dancers? Well, they came up with a burlesque-style dance before the garter. It was a complete surprise for Barrett 😄

(Lisa’s photo)

a bride and her bridesmaids do a choreographed burlesque dance

The view from my camera.

a bride approaches her groom while doing a burlesque dance

The John Parker Band provided the evening’s entertainment. The dance floor was packed all night long!

a woman in a tight fitting pink dress dances during a wedding receptiona couple embraces as they dance during a wedding reception

Barrett is a wine expert who represents distributors in the New York area. When I scouted out locations for portraits in the Mansion, I came across the wine cellar. So it made total sense to take the couple down there for a portrait session at the end of the evening.

a bride and groom pose for a portrait in a wine cellar during a wedding reception

Rachel Wagner of Pittsburgh Wedding Cinema captured the day on video. It’s always a pleasure to work with Rachel, who is a documentarian, recording what goes on without interrupting or otherwise being obtrusive. Here’s a link to their video.