Whimsical, relaxed, and quaint, Hannah and Ryan’s day is the epitome of a backyard Pittsburgh wedding. A color palette incorporating lots of green paired well with the natural aesthetics of the greenery surrounding them. It was like an enchanting forest including fresh pops of coral, yellow, and burgundy to add the perfect colorful touch! The casual and fun vibe continued into the night for the duo’s wedding reception with string lights, chalkboard signs, and sage linens. Mitch’s BBQ made this a true backyard gathering with delicious food while the Bachelor Boys Band had guests dancing the night away! These photos by Dawn Derbyshire Photography and this video from Wedding Mix are proof that not only was this one charming wedding but also that there really is no place like home!
About the Couple
Ryan and Hannah met in January 2012 when they both worked for the same non-profit, and they started dating a few months later. The first year of dating was full of trips to various friends’ weddings and Ryan and Hannah continued traveling together whenever they could, combining their love of food, beer, and outdoor experiences. They moved in together a short time later and eventually bought a house that came with a cat they found living in the backyard that Ryan patiently tamed.
After dating for four years, Ryan and Hannah were exploring San Francisco when Ryan popped the question at the top of a mountain in Presidio Park on one of their regular travel hiking excursions. After missing “Lover’s Lane” and getting a bit mixed up on some trail locations, the lookout point was a welcome recovery spot and Hannah couldn’t have been more surprised to turn around and find Ryan down on one knee. Of course, Hannah didn’t hesitate to say yes! Since their families had known that this was “the weekend,” they had all been impatiently waiting for the news and were all very excited to get the phone call and pictures.
About the Wedding
The wedding and reception were both held at the bride’s family home. While Ryan and Hannah had looked at other venue options, they both kept returning to the place where Hannah had grown up and they eventually decided that there was no other place where they would want to exchange their vows in front of family and friends.
The wedding itself was inspired by the beauty of the location and everything was designed to seamlessly blend with the surrounding nature. The couple wanted a lot of greenery with pops of coral, yellow, white, and burgundy. The floral arrangement for the chuppah contained dried hops, a surprise personal touch by the florist highlighting Ryan’s love of beer. Hannah and Ryan really wanted the day to be a celebration of their union and their relationships with their family and friends and they made sure to plan a day full of great food, great drinks, and great music to keep the party going into the wee hours of the night. The live band was a great addition to a backyard wedding and even the bride’s family dog wouldn’t leave the dance floor.
Favorite Moment
The ceremony itself was in a beautiful location in the yard and the officiant did a great job of including the audience and really making it personal to Hannah and Ryan’s relationship. The speeches by the father of the bride, maid of honor, and best man were all both funny and touching and showed how much love there was for both Hannah and Ryan as individuals and as a couple.
