Outdoor Wedding in Pittsburgh

Amy and Manuel’s outdoor wedding in Pittsburgh:

Late summer in Western Pennsylvania is a pretty special time. The weather starts to get a little bit cooler in the evenings and the afternoon sunlight is magical. Amy and Manuel took a hands-on approach to their wedding. In the very best sense of the phrase “Do It Yourself” they invested their aesthetic and taste into every aspect of their wedding day. Their goal was to have a day that was relaxed, fun, and personal – which was exactly how things turned out.

Making Their Own Flower Arrangements

We started out a couple of evenings before the wedding in a field of flowers on the hillside above where their wedding ceremony was to be held at Simmons Farm.

a couple walks hand in hand through a field of flowers outdoor wedding in pittsburgh

Once the flowers were picked, family and friends pitched in to make the arrangements.

women and girls put together arrangements from fresh cut flowers outdoor wedding in pittsburgh

The guys turned the greenhouse into a reception hall. They tied cornstalks to the posts and strung fairy lights across the ceiling.

a man hangs corn stalks in a greenhouse to prepare it for a wedding reception outdoor wedding in pittsburgh

Getting Ready

Fast forward to a couple of days later, Manuel laughs with a friend while getting ready for the wedding (photo by Lisa).

A groom smiles as he talks to a friend in a hotel room outdoor wedding in pittsburgh

The weather turned kind of unseasonably cold on the wedding day so Amy rocked her jean jacket over top of her wedding dress.

A bride puts on a blue jean jacket over top of her wedding gown outdoor wedding in pittsburgha bride points to her choice of lipstick shade that a makeup artist painted on her hand

No Rain!

It was a little tense, but the rain held off.

a bride smiles and rolls her eyes as she talks with her future in-laws outdoor wedding in pittsburgh

Some details from the farm. It’s a lovely place on the edge of a heavily populated area that gives you an idea of what much of what Western PA used to be like.

detail photos from simmons farm in peters township, washington county, pennsylvania includes a sign and an enormous pig outdoor wedding in pittsburgh

Having Fun

Manuel helps Amy down from the hay wagon that delivered them to the ceremony site on the hillside above the pond.

a bride and groom arrive at their wedding ceremony site in a covered hay wagon outdoor wedding in pittsburgh

Amy’s dad walks around the fire pit with his grandkids.

a grandfather and his grandchildren walk around a fire pit on top of apple crates outdoor wedding in pittsburgh

The portrait session before the ceremony was a lot of fun!

a groom swings on a tire swing as his bride laughs outdoor wedding in pittsburgh

There’s a playground nearby where they’ve got an old fire truck.

a young boy leaps on top of a fire truck that has been turned into a playground implement outdoor wedding in pittsburgh

…and some big tractor tires. The kids had a great time.

a little girl crawls on top of giant tractor tires outdoor wedding in pittsburgh

The Ceremony

Both sets of parents walked Amy and Manuel to the ceremony site.

a bride and groom link arms with their parents as they all walk together to the wedding ceremony outdoor wedding in pittsburgh

Amy’s brother and Manuel’s sister acted as officiants. As a result, both the English and Spanish speakers were able to follow along with the proceedings.

the bride's brother laughs as he and the groom's sister officiate their respective sibling's wedding outdoor wedding in pittsburghdetails of the books that a couple uses to hold their wedding vows outdoor wedding in pittsburgh

An embrace after the ceremony.

a photo of a bride and groom embracing after their wedding outdoor wedding in pittsburgha photo from behind the groom as his bride hugs him while holding a bouquet of sunflowers outdoor wedding in pittsburgh

Manuel’s dad had a few words for Amy after she boarded the tractor to head over to the reception.

the groom's father shows his love to his new daughter in law outdoor wedding in pittsburgh

One of my favorite photos of the year.

a groom kisses his bride's forehead as they ride in a hay wagon on the way to their wedding reception outdoor wedding in pittsburgh

Greenhouse Reception

Some more details. It’s incredible how Amy and Manuel, along with their friends and families, were able to turn a cement-floored greenhouse into a beautiful reception venue.

detail photos include table decorations, fireworks, seating tags outdoor wedding in pittsburgh

Amy’s dad gave a beautiful toast that was translated into Spanish by the gentleman standing behind him.

father of the bride gives a speech as a translator looks on outdoor wedding in pittsburgh

bride laughs while listening to her father's toast and the groom kisses her on her cheek outdoor wedding in pittsburghoutside view of the greenhouse where a wedding reception is taking place at Simmons Farm outdoor wedding in pittsburghdetail photos include beer, popcorn, cupcakes and s'mores

Amy’s niece and her step-father performed a couple of songs before the dancing started. They’re very talented.

red lights shine on a man and a young woman playing guitar and singing at a wedding reception outdoor wedding in pittsburgha bride dances with her niece during her wedding reception outdoor wedding in pittsburgh

That was an awfully big fire for making s’mores 😀 (photo by Lisa).

a woman toasts a marshmallow in a huge bonfire outdoor wedding in pittsburgh

a woman dances with a little girl who makes a funny face outdoor wedding in pittsburgh

There were sparklers and fireworks. Guys love that kind of stuff! (photo by Lisa).

two men light sparklers in the dark during a wedding reception outdoor wedding in pittsburgha couple embraces as they make s'mores at a bonfire outdoor wedding in pittsburghmen help little kids light sparklers during a wedding reception outdoor wedding in pittsburgh

Amy and Manuel met while taking Tango dance classes, so it was no surprise that there was a lot of dancing.

a husband and wife dance during their wedding reception outdoor wedding in pittsburgh

This wonderful outdoor wedding in Pittsburgh was so much fun to photograph. Here’s another wedding you’ll enjoy.