Intimate Courthouse Wedding in Pittsburgh | Amelia & Paul
Amelia and Paul’s intimate courthouse wedding was everything we love about being photographers. It was full of love, intention, unexpected laughter, and the kind of adventure you can’t plan for (but ends up making the best story anyway)!
They live out of state and both work with animals and when it came time to get married, they knew exactly what they wanted. A return to Pittsburgh, surrounded by the people they love most, doing things their way.
Their day started at the Lawrenceville Magistrate Office, where they were scheduled for their ceremony. When we all arrived though, the office was locked. The lights were off and no one was answering the phone. Paul stood outside, looked at us with a smile, and said, “Make sure you get photos of this stress.”
And that’s exactly why we’re there! That’s documentary wedding photography. Right there in that moment. The reality. The joy. The humor. The story.
Amelia shrugged and said, “This is just so us,” and we couldn’t have loved them more. The whole group banded together, making calls and texts, trying to track down a backup officiant. And then, right at 4:00 on the dot, the judge opened the door with a cheerful “Come on in!” Totally and completely unaware that everyone had been standing outside panicking! It was hilarious and such a perfect start to the celebration that followed.
After the ceremony, the newlyweds and their loved ones made their way to Bar Botanico for drinks. If you’ve never been, just know that it is awesome! Plants everywhere, gorgeous light, and the most welcoming staff you could ask for. Amelia and Paul fit right into the energy of the space.
One of the beautiful things about this intimate courthouse wedding was how it unfolded like a mini adventure. After drinks, we headed to the Mexican War Streets for portraits, taking in the charm of the North Side’s architecture. We even took family photos in front of a stranger’s beautiful home and couldn’t help but laugh when that stranger popped their head out the second floor window shouting “Congratulations!! I hope my dog wasn’t in the photos!”
Dinner was at EYV, a fully vegetarian restaurant that was so thoughtful and aligned with Amelia and Paul’s values. Every part of the day reflected who they are: intentional, compassionate, joyful, and totally themselves!
When Amelia first reached out to us, she wrote something that made our hearts dance:
“Your photography makes me feel like I was actually there. Captures the imperfect, which is beautiful.”
That’s it. That’s why we do what we do.
Because your love doesn’t need to be posed or polished to be beautiful. It already is!
Amelia and Paul embraced the imperfect. They rolled with the chaos. They laughed through the locked courthouse doors and danced through each stop of their day. Their intimate courthouse wedding wasn’t traditional, but it was so full of meaning and joy. And we are so honored that they trusted us to tell that story.
After we delivered their gallery, Amelia sent us the sweetest message:
“We loved them, and must have looked through the gallery 10 times last night. I’m so thankful I landed on your instagram page months ago. Best investment we made for our wedding was hiring you both!”
And their official review? It just about made us cry:
“Julia and Glen were the best investment we made for our intimate courthouse wedding.
We weren’t having a traditional wedding, and Julia and Glen rolled with the punches the entire day… If you want someone to capture the imperfect, the real moments of laughter and love, book these two gems of human beings!”
If you’re planning an intimate courthouse wedding (or any kind of celebration that feels true to you) and you want photographs that reflect the real joy and beauty of your day, we’d love to be a part of it. We’ll be there through the unexpected, the spontaneous, the sentimental, and the wild. And we’ll tell your story exactly as it unfolded!