May 21, 2022

Danielsville, PA

Outdoor Barn Wedding Venue: Filbert Bed & Breakfast

Hair & Makeup: Beautiful A.S. a Bride

DJ: DJ Capcee

Videographer: 4Real Wedding Films

Getting Ready

Kim and Skip win the award for “most fun had on a wedding day” in all my experience in shooting weddings!!! These two really made the day their own and prioritized family & joy as they celebrated their love for one another.

They got ready for the wedding in a multi-story cabin in the beautiful Pocono Mountains. The girls got ready upstairs and the guys got ready downstairs!! (Which goes to show that yes, you can get ready in the same place and still not see each other before the first look/ceremony! Getting ready photos are important!!) One benefit to getting ready in the Poconos is the wildlife – we saw a mama deer and a baby fawn right next to the house!!!

The day was a party from the very beginning. Everybody in the wedding is super tight with each other, which made the atmosphere relaxed and fun. Kim and Skip had charcuterie boards filled with snacks while everyone got ready, and the porch provided some peace & quiet from the rest of the house. We did a few different sets of pictures in the side yard with the beautiful scenery: Skip’s first look with his daughter, Kim’s first look with her father & son and Kim spraying some celebratory champagne with her bridesmaids!!

First Look

Once everyone was ready, we left for the first look spot by the lake. Kim & Skip were so happy to finally see each other all dressed up for the big day!! And since Kim gave Skip her gift earlier in the house, Skip gave Kim her gift after the first look so he could see her reaction … and see her wear the gift!! He got her a gorgeous ring to wear during the ceremony 🙂 How sweet?!?!

Barn Wedding Setup

After wrapping up family & wedding party photos at the lake, we made our way to Filbert Bed & Breakfast – me in my trusty Subaru and the wedding party in their yellow schools. I started taking detail shots and setting the scene as soon as I arrived at the outdoor barn wedding venue. The setup was pretty cool – the ceremony was set to take place outside in front of the barn. Once they got married, they planned to open up the barn doors for cocktail hour and the ensuing reception.

When it came time for dinner, guests were ushered into a big white tent near the barn so they’d have a place to sit while they ate! The entire concept was very open & go-with-the-flow, perfect for a down-to-earth couple like Kim & Skip. The only downside was that there was no air conditioning, but that was a small price to pay for how much everyone enjoyed the wedding!

Outdoor Ceremony

Back to the barn wedding – the bus pulled right up to the gates of the venue and each part of the wedding party entered the ceremony straight from the bus, which was pretty cool! Kim was walked in by her son which was such a sweet moment. The officiant wasted no time getting to the vows, and for good reason – Kim and Skip decided to write EACH OTHER’S vows!!! And they had no idea what they were about to read until they opened their vow books. It was awesome. Skip made sure Kim opened her vows by saying how handsome he looked, and Kim had Skip recall the first words he ever said to her when they met for their first date (“Damn, you are short!”). Everybody was having such a great time!!

But beyond the laughter, it was easy to tell how much love Kim and Skip shared, not only for each other but for their family. Kim & her son joined with Skip & his kids to perform a sand unity ceremony during the wedding ceremony to symbolize two families joining together. It was beautiful!

First Dance & Food

Once Kim & Skip were married, they immediately went into their first dance in front of their seated guests. This was the first time I photographed a first dance right away like this, but since they had an unconventional reception setup with the barn wedding and the tent it worked out pretty well!!

Cocktail hour saw people milling about the yard, the barn and the tent, just like Kim & Skip had intended. There was lots of chatter and lots of hugs as people were reunited after long periods of time apart.

When it came time for reception entrances, everyone wore fun costume accessories which had the crowd erupting in laughter and applause! The toasts were so freaking sweet, and the FOOD!!! Y’all. Best pulled pork I’ve ever had in my LIFE.

After an entertaining cake cutting, the videographers and I whisked Kim & Skip away to take advantage of the BEAUTIFUL golden light before they tore up the dance floor!!

Barn Wedding Reception

Kim & Skip did 3 things well at their reception. First, they closed the barn doors and had a private last dance just for them. I can’t recommend this enough – you are SO busy on your wedding day that you don’t get much alone time with the person you just married!! This is a great way to let the day sink in before you leave the wedding.

Second, they got everyone reusable LED sparklers for the sendoff – a unique and less dangerous way to be sent off!! Plus, the photos look pretty darn cool and matched the vibe of their fun wedding.

And third, they left in the school bus. I am all for cool, not-by-the-book ways to leave a wedding!! It was an awesome way to end a super fun wedding day.

Congratulations Kim & Skip, I wish you & your family the best and I can’t wait for our family session this fall!!!