Pittsburgh Grand Hall Wedding

Pittsburgh Grand Hall Wedding

Brittany and Chris’ Pittsburgh Grand Hall Wedding:

With winter now upon us it’s a great time to look back on a lovely wedding that took place on a warm, clear day in late spring. Brittany and Chris put a lot of planning and effort into their day. One big thing – well not that big, he slimmed down for the wedding – was their beloved puggle Elvis was a part of the ceremony. They also wanted an elegant space with great food, and folks at the Priory delivered for their Pittsburgh Grand Hall Wedding. Here are some of my favorite photos from the day.

Young married couple look at each other and smile. Bride has her arm around the groom who is wearing a dark blue suit and a pink plaid bow tie.

Getting Ready

Marilyn Monroe watches as a stylist applies lipstick to Brittany at Salon Atmosphere in Dormont.

A makeup artist puts lipstick on a blonde woman. They're blurred out of focus but a black and white poster of Marilyn Monroe with bright red lips is in focus behind them.

Elvis yawns as Brittany scratches his head.

A woman wearing shorts and sandals reaches down and scratches the head of her dog who opens his mouth in a large yawn.

Brittany gives herself the thumbs-up as she looks at herself in a mirror. The bridesmaids agree.

Two photos: A bride gives a thumbs up gesture as she looks at her reflection in an oval-shaped floor mirror. The second photo shows bridesmaids smiling as they look at the bride in her wedding dress.

The color of the brick buildings on Lockhart Street complimented the pink and purple hues of the bridesmaids. Brittany’s flowers were perfectly lovely.

Bridesmaids in pink and purple hues stand on a sunlit street with similarly colored pastel-shaded buildings behind them. Second photo is a closeup of the bride holding a bouquet of pink and purple flowers.

Chris and the guys got ready in a suite at The Priory (Lisa’s photo).

Three men have drinks around a table with booze and snacks on it. Two of the men are exchanging a high five while the third one laughs.

There was time for a quick portrait before heading out for the first look. Pro Tip – I always try to get a picture just as soon as the bride and groom are ready. Your hair and makeup are at their very best! (Brittany’s photo by me, Chris’ by Lisa).

Two portraits. A long-haired blonde bride looks left and smiles as she stands against a brightly lit wall. The groom in a blue suit with a pink rose pinned to his collar sits in a booth with a dark red wall behind him.

First Look

The first look took place in the Blumengarten across the street from the Grand Hall.

Triptych: Sequence of first look photos in an elegant garden. First, the bride reaches to tap the groom on the shoulder from behind. The second shows the bride grinning as her groom turns to look at her. The third shows them holding hands as the bride looks down and to the left.

Just after the first look, the couple and I hopped in my car and went down to the North Shore for a quick portrait with downtown Pittsburgh in the background. Kudos to them for agreeing to climb out on a storm sewer to get this view of the city.

Portrait of a bride and groom as they stand together beneath a tree with the Allegheny River and a view of downtown Pittsburgh behind them.

Ceremony in the Courtyard

Brittany walks across Lockhart Street followed by her bridesmaids on their way to the ceremony.

A bride steps across a city street filled with row houses as she makes her way to the wedding venue.

Brittany walks through the crowd escorted by her mom and dad (Lisa’s photo).

A bride grins as she is escorted by her parents through a crowd of guests gathered in a courtyard for her wedding.

Braddock Mayor John Fetterman officiated the ceremony.

Braddock PA mayor John Fetterman addresses the audience gathered for a wedding. The bridal party stands on a porch beneath an awning.A smiling long-haired blonde bride is seen through a group of groomsmen during her wedding ceremony.

Chris calms Elvis down after he decided he needed to bark at all of the guests watching from the courtyard.

A groom bends down to calm his anxious dog during a wedding ceremony.

Brittany laughs as Chris reads his hand-written vows (Lisa’s photo).

A bride laughs as she listens to her groom's wedding vows as he reads them from a notebook in his hand. The maid of honor looks on at right.

Brittany looks up at Chris as he places the ring on her finger. It’s crowded up on that porch so I put a remote controlled camera on a bracket beneath the awning. I wasn’t sure how it would turn out, but sometimes you get lucky 🙂

Seen from above the groom's shoulder, a bride looks up as he places a ring on her finger.

Elvis leads his people out during the recessional.

Bride and groom recess through the crowd gathered in a courtyard for their wedding while their dog leads them out on a leash.

The Venue

Details included bags of treats from Elvis for the dogs at home.

Interior photos of the Pittsburgh Grand Hall Wedding include a group of tables and a basket filled with dog treats directing guests to take some home for their pets.

There was a small cake for the couple, but a whole table of cupcakes for everyone else.

Four photos of cupcakes at a wedding: cupcakes with chocolate and nuts on top; a table filled with different kinds of cupcakes; cupcakes with white icing and a strawberry on top; white iced cupcakes with candied shaved almonds and a cherry on top.

A toast!

Bride (center) and groom (right) laugh as her maid of honor (left) reads a speech at their wedding reception.

Party Time!

First dance. What a spectacular atmosphere!

Groom raises his left foot into the air as he and his bride share their first dance during their Pittsburgh Grand Hall Wedding. The dance floor is in the center of the room with stained glass windows on either side and a large, backlit pipe organ in the loft above them.

A kiss to end the dance.

Bride and groom hold hands and kiss at the end of their first dance.

A view of the dance floor from the balcony.

Bride and groom dance in the middle of a group of their friends as seen from high above them.

Like father, like son. Time for a bottle.

A man sits against a wall and sips a bottle of beer while holding his infant who drinks a bottle of milk.

The Elite Show Band had everyone up and dancing!

A group of people hold their hands to their hearts as they dance in a circle at a wedding reception.A bridesmaid holds a bottle of beer as she sings along with a bride on the dancefloor at her wedding reception.A smiling woman and man dance side by side during a wedding reception.A woman holding a bottle of beer raises her left hand into the air as she dances in front of a man wearing a green shirt.

After the dollar dance there’s a tradition that requires the groom to get through a crowd of guests who try their best to keep him from the bride. You’ve got to get in close for the good photos, but can get rough!

Three photos showing a crowd trying to keep a bride and groom apart from one another in an old tradition. The third photo shows them smiling as they put their heads together after finally reaching one another.

The end of a wonderful evening had Brittany and Chris up on the bandstand!

A groom holds his arms out as he and his bride celebrate the end of their wedding reception surrounded by the band. The stage lights cast a purple glow on them.

Filed under: Pittsburgh Grand Hall Wedding and Pittsburgh Wedding Photographers. I’ve been photographing weddings at the Priory and Grand Hall for years.