Morgan+Jim with Charlie and Big Snack in Regent Square and At Home

Morgan and Jim!! They are back on the blog after their 2011 wedding and after Morgan’s mom, Louise, has declared herself the leader of our unofficial fan club ever since. :)

Morgan and Jim are our buddies in the ‘Burgh and some of our favorite people. To celebrate their ‘Burghness, the original plan was to take their photos in Regent Square near where they used to live. However, February in Pittsburgh had other plans and decided to snow on us, but not that pretty, light fluffy snow… more the wet, slushy, everyone ends up looking like they just came out of the shower snow. So we got a little way through and then called it quits, only to resume this past weekend at their (freaking adorable!) house in Springdale. So if Jim looks like he shaved and got a hair cut in between location changes, he did.

Also enter Charlie and Big Snack. Big Snack’s real name is Murphy, but I refuse to call him that because Big Snack is too much of an awesome nickname to not use it. Both are gray, adorable kittehs. Charles is the one who clearly doesn’t mind modeling. Big Snack is the one who is terrified of the camera and, ahem, the larger kitty… hence the big snacking. Both joined their parents for their photoshoot in their house and made their lovely home even more cuddly and lovely, if possible, because it’s super cute already since Morgan actually does the projects she puts on Pinterest… unlike the rest of us. :(

Jenn+Brett At Home in Pittsburgh, PA

When I was in high school, Jenn was known very fondly as JennBrown. One word. No spaces. Sometimes it was shortened to JB, but there was never a Jenn without the Brown. It just didn’t happen. Until now! JennBrown was married and became a Brown no longer! What! Geoff was happy because he finally got his namesake back (although Jenn said that because Geoff was unable to attend this session that she’s still keeping the name and he can’t have it). And although I have now met and love Brett, I am still calling her JennBrown because that’s just how it is (although for the sake of the rest of the blog, I will call her Jenn… because it’s shorter to type and I’m lazy).

Jenn and Brett live in… well. I think it’s technically New Kensington, but it’s also technically like 8 other cities because they live on a weird Bermuda Triangle of land that all surrounding counties are trying to claim are theirs. But basically it’s a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania suburb. They live there with their adorable dog Harley Quinn, their black cat Pooka, their gray cat Klunk, and their orange cat Mr. Murray. They are all incredibly cute (although Mr. Murray seems to secretly be everyone’s favorite because he is so fluffy).

Jenn and Brett are currently trying to add a baby to their family and are going through the adoption process, so they were looking for pictures of them hanging out in/around their house doing the fun stuff that they like to do like puzzles, cooking, hanging out with their animals outside, and hanging out in the outrageously awesome comic book man cave (good pictures can help mothers giving their children up for adoption a better look at perspective parent candidates). I can’t think of a better, more loving couple than Jenn and Brett… or a happier, more lovely home (I almost took home all of their living room furniture but it wouldn’t fit on the plane).

Kirsten+Michael Have a Winter Wedding in the South

The South is normally a bundle of sunshiney cheer, but this winter has been rough. And by “rough” I mean in the 30s and 40s and a lot of rain. That’s pretty “freaking awesome!” when you live in the north, but it’s atypically cold and wet for North Carolina. Unfortunately Kirsten and Michael’s wedding day was no exception to the “ugh” that’s been this winter here – cold and rainy.

But – and prepare yourselves for me to get totally cheesy right now – this couple has been a great ray of sunshine for us. Ohhh! So cheesy, but so true. They’ve been great. Genuinely nice people whose love is very evident for each other and the people around them. Kirsten bought me a scarf to say thank you before their wedding because she’s the sweetest girl ever. I took a few pictures of Michael staring at Kirsten in the most adorable way possible during the ceremony while their witnesses were signing their marriage license. Finally, just when I thought they were too cute, Kirsten’s dad gave a speech: Kirsten and her family are from Zimbabwe, where it’s traditional for a groom to pay a Labola to the bride’s parents in exchange for their daughter. It’s typically in cash or cattle. So Michael gave Kirsten’s parents a large teddy-bear shaped container filled with animal crackers.

When you’re looking at how cute they are, keep reminding yourself that Kirsten not only made her wedding cake, but her wedding dress. Yes, the whole thing. I still have my mom sew buttons on my coat when they fall off, so consider that.

Date: February 23, 2013

Ceremony Venue: Jones Chapel at Meredith College // Raleigh, NC

Reception Venue: The Pavilions at the Angus Barn // Raleigh, NC

First Dance Song: “Green Eyes” – Cold Play

Kirsten’s Occupation: Sommelier

Michael’s Occupation: Doctor

How You Met: Wine Tasting

Interesting Bride Fact: Kirsten is a Zimbabwean trillionaire!

Interesting Groom Fact: Michael had to pay lebola (African brideprice)

Honeymoon Location: Shh! It’s a secret!

Vendor Credits: Officiant – Rufus Massengill // Band – The Dickens // Cake – Kirsten Holshausen, yay! // Caterer – The Angus Barn // Hair – Dani Begley // Makeup – Kirsten Holshausen