Warm and vibrant, the chosen orange and sunset hues of Amanda and Ryan’s White Barn wedding looked gorgeous against the nature-inspired Pittsburgh wedding venue. The colors painted the celebration and were seen primarily through the floor-length bridesmaids dresses, floral arrangements, stationery, and the delicious cake from Ivy Pastry Co. Amanda stunned in an Essence of Australia wedding dress from Bridal Beginning, her beauty enhanced by a diamond necklace worn with the stone from her mother’s engagement ring. The loving accessory wasn’t the only element that held significance. From the first look photos taken at a spot scouted by the couple beforehand to the dahlias for the centerpieces grown by the groom’s mother, the personal meanings were evident throughout the day. And despite being anxious, Amanda even faced her fears and hopped into a row boat for some of the most beautiful photos. A little nature, a lot of love, and an abundance of thoughtful touches — this one captured through the lens of Anne Troxel Photography is worth a scroll!
About the Couple
It was the last weekend before Penn State Behrend’s fall 2014 finals week, and Amanda was living in the library studying for her dreaded ECON 102 exam. Her friends encouraged Amanda to let loose for the night and attend a holiday party at the girl’s soccer house. After some pre-gaming and a pit-stop at the “Butler House,” she made her way to the soccer house. It was there she made eye contact with a young man who gave her a look like he recognized her. He approached her and introduced himself as Ryan, noting that they had economics class together. Though she vaguely recalled seeing Ryan in class, this information piqued Amanda’s interest and she wittingly asked what grade he had in the class. She came to find out he had an A and she…did not. A mutual friend suggested that Ryan tutor Amanda to prepare for the final and they exchanged numbers. The next morning Ryan texted Amanda asking if she wanted to study and she gladly accepted. To Amanda’s surprise, he was also cuter than she remembered from the night before. After a few late night study “dates” and a passing final for both parties, Ryan asked Amanda to get dinner. They had their first date during an Erie flurry at Panera, in which Amanda kissed Ryan upon dropping him off at his dorm, and thanked him for all his help as they parted for winter break. Many college nights, Penn State football games, and adventures later, Ryan and Amanda moved to Manhattan’s Upper West Side together to pursue their careers.
In August 2020, surrounded by dear friends, Ryan proposed to Amanda at the foot of a waterfall along Grand Teton National Park’s Jenny Lake.
About the Wedding
From the photographer…
Amanda has an affinity for small details and treasured heirlooms. She wore a diamond necklace, which had been created with the stone being from her mother’s engagement ring.
Their dads came with them during the first look, and it was really special having the two of them there to support the couple.
As we were capturing golden hour magic, two bears were playing in the not-so-far-off field. Amanda was filled with glee!
Favorite Moment
From the photographer…
These two are a blast! They radiate love and friendship. During portraits, Amanda wanted to be surrounded by plants and nature – which I adore, but admittedly, get a touch nervous about! We were truly “in the weeds” on a hiking path in the woods for portraits. We’d encountered a snake during their first look.
I also loved that Ryan’s mother grew the dahlias for the centerpieces. We sat together during dinner and talked all things garden.
