Alyssa & Ben met at Franciscan University where they quickly became best friends and would spend hours on end talking about everything under the sun. After three and a half years of dating, Ben proposed on the beach at what Alyssa thought was just going to be a sunrise photoshoot.

I first met these two last December for their engagement session in downtown Pittsburgh and we had such a good time together! I loved watching their sweet interactions and could tell immediately how perfect they are for each other.

The weather forecast leading up to their wedding kept calling for thunderstorms all day long on Saturday but when Saturday morning came it was sunny and blue skies and the storms didn’t hit until later in the afternoon right as the reception was starting. Alyssa and Ben wanted to do their first look outside the Portiuncula Chapel at Franciscan University and they seriously lucked out because they got married on one of the only Saturdays in the entire summer that the campus isn’t swarming with Conference guests which meant we had the place completely to ourselves (which is basically unheard of!) The Portiuncula (affectionally referred to as “The Port” by all students) is one of my favorite places on the entire campus and it was AMAZING to shoot their first look and first portraits right outside it!

Alyssa picked a dusty pink and light green color scheme and it was the perfect summer wedding and her attention to detail and clear vision for her wedding day will be so evident to you in all of her detail shots and her gorgeously decorated reception! Her mom created ALL of the bouquets and floral arrangements at the reception venue and did an incredible job!

Ok, enough talking, I am so excited to share all my favorite images from their wedding day and I’ll let them tell you the rest of the story! Enjoy scrolling through this beautiful summer wedding!!

I didn’t realize until I was editing these images, but the image on the wall behind Ben is actually a photograph of the Portiuncula where we were heading to do their first look!

The first of the storms came in fast and hard right as we were wrapping up wedding party photos so we took cover under the entrance to the Steubenville Country Club and then decided to take advantage of the brick wall for some portraits and I LOVE how they turned out!!

These two could be freaking models. Am I right???

Later into the night I snuck them out for a few more portraits after the worst of the storms had passed. Alyssa wanted to use the clear bubble umbrella for some shots and I love how all of these turned out!

Let me just remind you that Alyssa’s mom created ALL of the floral arrangements! And Alyssa and Ben and their family and friends decorated the whole reception themselves the day before their wedding. They did an incredible job!

A close college friend of theirs performed a BEAUTIFUL acoustic version of “Can’t Help Falling in Love” for their first dance. It was perfect!

Alyssa loves cake and Ben loves ice cream so they had both! And seriously, a gelato sundae bar is quite possibly one of the best ideas I’ve seen at a reception!

This was the first wedding I’ve photographed that did the popular shoe game and it was SO MUCH FUN!!

Alyssa & Ben, it was such a joy and honor to photograph your wedding and I hope you enjoy scrolling through our wedding day blogpost!

Xoxo,
Mary Kate

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A huge thank you to all the other vendors who came together to make this day possible!

CHURCH // Holy Family Catholic Church, Steubenville OH

RECEPTION VENUE & CATERING // Steubenville Country Club

VIDEOGRAPHER // Light Motion Studios

DJ // Fireside Events

FLORIST // Bride’s Mom!!

CAKE // Toni Hendricks

DRESS // Sorelle Bridal Salon

BRIDESMAID’S DRESSES // Birdy Grey

GROOMSMEN ATTIRE // Men’s Warehouse

INVITATIONS // Designed by Bride, printed through Shutterfly