Nicole & James Wedding – 5.19.18

Posted on June 24, 2018

It’s weddings like Nicole and James’ that I look forward to. Not only were they an awesome couple with an amazing group of family and guests at their wedding, but it took place at a petting zoo!! I seriously have the best clients! We started the day off with some getting ready shots with both the guys and gals. Needless to say, the groom and the groomsman had me laughing the whole time. The groom pranked all his groomsman the night prior and brought a whole stack of suits that were incorrect and mismatched! Also, let’s talk about the awesome T-Rex bride and groom shirts that these two were wearing! Not all my couples can be this awesome sauce.

Following getting ready, everyone headed to Green Meadows Petting Farm to get hitched! Guests got to wander around to get to the ceremony barn to the calls of peacocks, and were also able pet goats, sheep, not to mention piglets, and even a baby kangaroo! The ceremony went off beautifully, with the bride riding in on her horse! These two even did their own lovely vows. After they kissed as husband and wife for the first time, they were led off to do photos with the bride’s horse, and then we headed down to the petting zoo barn to get some photos of Nicole bottle feeding a baby kangaroo, hold a baby goat, and pet the most adorable baby cow with huge ears! Her horse was even a bit jealous of the other animals getting pets and got in on the photo action!

After family photos, we all headed to the reception for the couple and their party to make their entrance. The couple came in last and began their first dance. These two have quite the moves! They pulled off some spins and dips beautifully! Dinner was served shortly thereafter, and guests raved about the food. Nicole and James went around to greet all their guests, and get hugs and congratulations from all their family. We even pulled off a huge cousin photo with all the groom’s cousins! He wasn’t kidding when he said he had a lot of cousins! Once the sun had started to go down, I pulled these two away for some backlit shots, which they champed through despite the rain that had been going on all day! After that, these two headed back into the reception to dance the night away with their guests, who all were obviously of the dancing persuasion. As the night ended, I bid these two goodbye, and I wish them nothing else but happiness! Congrats to the happy couple and without further ado, I give you this awesome petting zoo wedding of Nicole and James!

Photography and writing by:

Alysha Yoder Photography

(b) www.alyshayoderphotoblog.com www.alyshayoderphoto.com

(e) alyshayoderphoto@yahoo.com (p) 610.762.7810

Venue: Green Meadows Petting Farm

Catering: Carterque

Cake: Eds Country Bakery

Flowers: Blossom and Basket

DJ: DJ Luccio – Adam Carluccio

Kayla & Matt’s Wedding 5.28.17

Posted on July 19, 2017

So this blog post has been a long time coming! I’ve been busily second shooting, photographing families, and packing for Japan which I leave for in the AM… today now, I guess lol. But these two love bugs, Kayla and Matt, are clearly two peas in a pod. Not to mention, their family and friends really knew how to throw a party! They had to reschedule the venue unexpectedly THREE DAYS before the wedding took place. And holy cow, did they all come together as a family to pull this event off! We started off the day with the women getting ready at Kayla’s grandmother’s house. Everyone enjoyed subs and chit chat, as everyone’s hair and makeup was done.

After the lovely bride was put in her dress, I headed out to the groom’s mothers home to get shots of her with the men. She sadly was unable to attend, so the couple wanted to include her in photos! Everyone piled in their cars and headed to the lovely Banana Factory in Bethlehem. Family members and friends showed up with cookies and desserts in hand for a dessert cookie bar (which was also served with gelato, yum!) after dinner. Soon, the family was all hands on deck to put together the stunning arbor for the ceremony.

With everything put together and decorated, the go ahead was given for the ceremony to start. Guests were seated as the groom and groomsman walked in. Kayla, being given away by her father, led to chuckles as they circled the sign post a few times before heading to her soon to be husband. And let me tell you, Matt was beaming as soon as he caught a glimpse of his stunning bride headed down the aisle for him. The ceremony was lovely, and guests looked on as these two got hitched. Rings were exchanged, a sand ceremony (where sand wasn’t exactly ‘combined’ like it was supposed to haha!), and a first kiss were had! The couple was announced as husband and wife for the first time and headed down the aisle and right into their couple pictures.

With two super handy bridesmaids to help, we went all around the Banana Factory property, capturing these two in the scenery. You couldn’t ask for a more photogenic couple, could you? And both are so clearly in love with one another in every single photo! With couple photos checked off our lists, we all headed inside to prepare for the party’s entrance. First dance and father daughter dance commenced, followed by all guests joining in on the dancing festivities. There were some winning dance moves by some for sure, and I caught a butt grab or two 😉

The best man and maid of honor stood up and toasted the couple in two sweet speeches. Glasses were raised and clinked, while guests blew on noisemakers to signal that the couple should kiss! The bride’s father followed up with a thank you speech as guests were then asked to make their way to the dance floor for the garter and bouquet toss. There were some awesome dive bombs from both the men and women for these and the reapplication of the garter left the room in stitches! A touching ‘longest married couple’ dance began and the winner’s were presented with a plaque as they gave marriage advice to the newlyweds. Cake was cut (and smashed in faces) and guests were served gelato and tons of yummy homemade cookies before we headed out for some lovely night photos. These two rocked it, even though it was raining outside. They win some of my favorite photos ever! Just look at how in love these two are! The night wrapped up and I headed out, but not before exchanging some hugs and congrats. So three cheers for this lovely couple and to many, many more years of happiness. Now enjoy, Kayla and Matt’s wedding:

Photography and writing by:

Alysha Yoder Photography

(b) www.alyshayoderphotoblog.com www.alyshayoderphoto.com

(e) alyshayoderphoto@yahoo.com (p) 610.762.7810

Venue: The Banana Factory

Flowers: Flower Essence of Easton, PA

As well as the expertise of Aunt Shelli and bridesmaid Melissa.

Cake And Catering : Simply Smooth of Allentown, PA

DJ: Laser DJ of Bethlehem, PA

Jackie & Mike – 6.11.16

Posted on July 18, 2016

Down-to-earth couple, beautiful farm location, lovely outdoor ceremony, does it get any better then this?! It certainly doesn’t with all the many wonderful little touches that Jackie added throughout the day. From the welcome sign when you walked in, to bride and groom cows, even down to little honey jar and milk jug favors for their guests! You sense a theme going on here? Mike is a dairy farmer! Farm couple meets stunning farm venue!

These two love birds have a very cute farm engagement story too! While making a pit stop at their dairy farm on Christmas Eve, Mike had lit up a field with a BIG, “Will you marry me?” made out of rebar and Christmas lights. How fantastic is that?!

The country rustic wedding theme was evident throughout the day. The bride and bridesmaids donned some killer cowboy boots while the groom and his party rocked some fancy looking blue jeans. They had some touching moments too. Jackie gifting Mike with a pin with Mike’s late mom, as well as a candle lighting ceremony for her with the family and even a sand ceremony combining Mike and Jackie’s love and families.

These two got married in a beautiful outdoor ceremony surrounded by friends and family. Despite the heat, there was a light breeze and sunshine streaming through the trees during the whole service. They walked down the aisle with all their guests blowing bubbles their way. They received hugs and well wishes from everyone in a receiving line before they started their photo session. What a lovely couple, day, and venue! A photographer couldn’t ask for better! Dinner, speeches, cake cutting and dances were had! How cool is it I could get up in the farms loft to take cake cutting photos?? A different view from the normal for sure! With the little touches all over the barn and the stunning natural light streaming through the barn windows this was a photog’s dream. It was such an honor to get to photograph this wonderful couple’s big day! Here’s to another 100 years of love for these two! And without further ado, Jackie and Mike’s wedding!