I first met Shanna and Dave over Zoom after they found me through Instagram. They were very mellow and down-to-earth from the beginning. They were not trying to overhype themselves or act overly excited for the sake of a wedding consultation. They were simply themselves, and I was immediately drawn to that.

They told me that they liked my calm presence and the fact that my photographs felt authentic and unstaged. They did not want a photographer who would overpower the emotions of the day or make everything feel like a production.

That worked well for me because I naturally prefer to observe. I will step in when something needs to be fixed, move people into better light and help when the timeline changes, but I do not want my couples to feel as though they are performing for me all day.

Shanna and Dave met at work in a technical field involving radioactivity, which may be one of the more unexpected “how we met” stories I have heard. They are also both big fans of The Office, and Shanna managed to work references to the show into the wedding in the smallest, funniest ways.

Getting Ready at Stone Mill Inn

Shanna got ready inside the separate bridal suite located behind the main Stone Mill Inn building.

The suite is on the property, but it feels private because it is set apart from the ceremony and reception spaces. She got ready with her sister, sister-in-law, mom and mother-in-law, and there was more than enough room for everyone.

The building has a lot of windows, several benches and little sitting areas that work well for photographs. This was especially helpful because we could not rely on the outdoor property at all.

Even with the dark clouds and rain, the windows gave us enough natural light to photograph Shanna’s details and the final parts of getting ready. We also had room for a few portraits without making every image feel like it was taken in the same corner.

The Details

Shanna had clearly thought through every part of the wedding, from the largest installations down to the paper details. She crafted so much of it herself, and I wanted the detail photographs to reflect that same level of intention. Her satin Jimmy Choo heels were extremely photogenic, and instead of trying to hide the weather completely, we brought the rain into the photographs of their save-the-dates. The water gave the paper a different texture and made the images feel connected to the day they actually had.

While Shanna was getting into her dress, one of the framed pieces on the wall gave the photographs an almost Parisian feeling. Between the frame, the window light and the shape of her gown, the room briefly looked much more like an apartment in Paris than a bridal suite in Hellam, Pennsylvania.

Dave changed into his suit inside the reception space. Getting-ready photographs of him were not a major priority for the couple, so we did not force an entire section of the timeline simply because groom-getting-ready photos are considered traditional.

We began photographing him more intentionally when it was time for the first look.

Shanna’s Wedding Dress, Veil and Cascading Tulip Bouquet

Shanna wore a corset wedding dress with a large train and buttons running down the back. Her hair was styled in a smooth, elegant bun with a few wispy pieces around her face. She wore a double-strand pearl necklace and satin Jimmy Choo heels with a lower heel, which meant she was actually able to wear them throughout the day.

Her makeup was clean and natural, and the light blue color palette made her blue eyes stand out even more.

Her veil included embroidered details that were personally significant to her, including her bunnies and her grandmother’s favorite flower. There were several other small elements embroidered into it as well.

Then there was the bouquet.

I have never seen another bouquet like it - not on Instagram or Pinterest. It was a cascading tulip bouquet that began with a gathered section at the top and continued down the front of her dress. The individual tulips were suspended on wire, so they moved as she walked instead of sitting in one stiff arrangement.

It was completely one of a kind and suited Shanna’s artistic mind perfectly.

She did not carry the large bouquet for the entire wedding. Her florist also created a smaller floral purse that she could wear around her wrist later in the day. It included white tulips, calla lilies and spray roses, with greenery, ribbon and beading arranged in a circular shape. It gave her a second floral look without asking her to carry a long cascading bouquet through cocktail hour and the reception.

First Look and Rainy Wedding Portraits at Stone Mill Inn

Shanna and Dave had their first look on the covered porch of the bridal suite. The porch protected them from the rain while still allowing us to use some of the greenery around the building. It was quiet, intimate and perfect for that type of day.

Afterward, we took more portraits inside the suite and along the dark staircase near the main entrance, again, using lines and the interior beauty to make some memorable portraits.

My videographer and I had attempted to build a movable outdoor rain shelter before the wedding. We brought large, heavy-duty tripods and clear vinyl with the idea that we could move the setup around the property and photograph the wedding party beneath it. We had practiced with shower curtains the day before, which held up surprisingly well but were not large enough for a wedding party of seven.

The vinyl was large enough. It was not, however, strong enough.

The rain came down so hard that it broke through the setup, so that plan officially failed.

Thankfully, it was not our only plan. We brought several umbrellas, covered our equipment and thought through which indoor spaces could be cleared for portraits.

A Calm First Look With Her Dad

Shanna also had a first look with her dad before the ceremony.

It was very calm and heartfelt, which suited both of them. There was no exaggerated reaction or big performance for the camera. He simply saw his daughter in her wedding dress, and they had a quiet moment together.

Her dad had actually been standing outside in the rain for a couple of minutes while we figured out how to bring Shanna onto the covered porch without getting the bottom of her dress wet or dirty.

He waited patiently while we worked out the umbrellas, her train and the driest possible route. It was a small part of the day, but one that I remember very clearly.

Family Portraits

For the family photographs, we brought everyone back to the bridal suite. My team and I moved the carpet, mirror and chairs, along with anything else that was taking up unnecessary space. This allowed us to photograph the family privately while guests were beginning to arrive. It also kept Shanna out of view before the ceremony.

Look at how nicely the window light comes in!

For some of the wedding-party portraits and photographs of Shanna and Dave, we gathered the aisle flowers and arranged them around the couple. The flowers made the portrait area look intentional rather than like an emergency indoor location.

Once we finished, we moved everything back into place for the ceremony, just in time for guest entrances.

This is the less glamorous part of photographing a rainy wedding: moving furniture, carrying umbrellas and watching the radar while trying to make a backup location look as though it was always the plan.

Rainy Day Wedding Ceremony at Stone Mill Inn, Hellam

The ceremony took place beneath Stone Mill’s white tent, which is normally used for cocktail hour.

Stone Mill had a solid rain backup plan, and the tent gave everyone enough room to remain covered without moving the ceremony into the reception space.

Shanna's bridesmaids wore light blue dresses and the three groomsmen wore black tuxedos with boutonnieres and blue bow ties that matched the ladies' dresses. The wedding party was not even, and I loved it.

Their color palette centered on light blue periwinkle, with cream, white florals and plenty of greenery. Bouquets included periwinkle flowers that matched the bridesmaid dresses almost exactly.

We braved the rain for 30 seconds to grab a portrait outside and then rushed immediately back to safety.

Ceremony Decor

Their ceremony arch was tall and completely covered in flowers. It was stunning to look at, let alone get married in front of! All the additional arrangements were asymmetrical, with flowers and greenery extending in different directions instead of forming a perfectly even shape.

The arch included a thoughtful combination of garden roses, spray roses, ranunculus, lisianthus, hydrangeas, sweet peas, chrysanthemums a mixture of Italian ruscus, jasmine vine, variegated pittosporum, and possibly a little eucalyptus.

Green branches were also suspended from the ceiling of the tent among the twinkling lights, which look like weeping willow branches - perfect for a rainy day.

Dave’s speech was honest and emotional without sounding rehearsed. He worked in a few Office quotes, but they did not take away from what he was saying.

I remember looking over at my videographer afterward, and we both agreed that it was one of the best groom speeches we had heard. It was not filled with perfect wedding language - it simply sounded like Dave talking about Shanna, which made it much more romantic.

One of the speeches also included a joke about bad weather following Shanna to important events. Apparently, a previous graduation involved either a hurricane or tornado-level storm, so the rain on her wedding day was almost on brand.

Once the ceremony was over, Shanna and Dave walked back down the aisle with everyone cheering around them, and the moment carried straight into hugs with their family. From there, they signed their marriage license while everything still felt very fresh, and I photographed a few of those final ceremony moments.

Stone Mill Inn Cocktail Hour With The Office Details

After the ceremony, the benches were removed and the tent was flipped for cocktail hour.

This was where many of Shanna’s handmade details were displayed.

Shanna and Dave love the series The Office, and included references without turning the wedding into a full television-show theme. Their favors were small matchboxes arranged on a decorative plate. The boxes said “The Wedding” using a design inspired by the title logo from The Office.

Shanna also made a bookshelf-style seating chart herself.

The decorative book spines were light blue and white, and each guest’s name was written along the spine with a table number at the bottom. She also added fictional books referencing the show, including Michael Scott’s Somehow I Manage. Other spines referenced Jo Bennett and The Ultimate Guide to Throwing a Garden Party, inspired by Dwight’s garden party episode.

I was laughing while photographing it because it was so specific to them.

That bird that you see in the first photo on the left is yes, a life-sized swan. Not just a cute, subtle decoration but an actual bird made out of large white lilies and smaller white flowers - it sat on the brick dividing wall inside the cocktail-hour space.

Shanna also created a bar menu using an ornate silver tray. The cocktail, wine and beer selections were printed in the same periwinkle color used throughout the wedding and attached to the surface of the tray.

Every part of the cocktail-hour space felt beautifully connected.

Their First Dance at the End of Cocktail Hour

Shanna and Dave held their first dance at the very end of cocktail hour. I had never seen a couple structure it that way before, but it worked extremely well. Everyone was already standing around them and paying attention. Once the dance ended, the DJ invited the guests to walk directly through the doors and into the mill for the reception.

There were no repeated announcements asking guests to find their seats because everyone was already gathered in one place. The transition was super easy and frankly, something other couples could consider, especially when cocktail hour and the reception take place in connecting spaces.

The reception was held inside the mill, directly through the doors from the tent.

Because the temperature had dropped with the rain, it was nice to move someplace warmer. The reception room has warm orange tones, and candles were placed along the pillars throughout the space. This room already has a very specific look, so it did not feel like a standard ballroom that needed to be completely transformed.

Their entire reception was such a vibe and I can't move on without sharing a couple more photos. Don't you just love how moody and low-lit everything is?

Cloudy Evening Wedding Portraits

Later in the evening, we went outside for a few more photographs. I cannot call them golden-hour portraits because there was no sun -the ground was still soaked, and taking these photos meant risking the bottom of Shanna’s dress, but she was willing to do it.



Gelato, A Dress Change and Pizza

The dance floor was full of energy.

The only thing that made it even better was Shanna's change into her second dress - this gown was covered in tiny strands of beads and feathers, so every small movement glistened. It was the kind of dress that almost forces you to shimmy just to see what it does.

Shanna did exactly that - she danced, moved from side to side and completely let herself enjoy the floor.

Toward the end of the night, a gelato cart arrived. Shanna and Dave went outside for dessert and took photographs beside the cart before returning to the reception.

A Lighted Calla Lily Wedding Exit

After their private last dance for for their end-of-night exit, Shanna made lighted calla lilies for the guests to hold instead of sparklers or bubbles. She had already passed them out on the dance floor, where everyone used them while dancing, so by the time the exit happened, they had already become part of the reception.

At the end of the night, everyone gathered beneath the white tent with the chandeliers and twinkle lights glowing overhead. Guests raised the calla lilies above them while Shanna and Dave ran happily through the middle.

Shanna wore Dave’s tuxedo jacket over her twirly second dress, which looked incredibly chic on her. The oversized black jacket made the whole look feel a little cooler and less expected.

The exit was loud, full of movement and completely different from anything I had photographed before. As I've come to learn - it was very Shanna and Dave.

A Rainy Stone Mill Inn Wedding That Still Felt Like Them

What I remember most is how little attention Shanna and Dave gave the weather.

They noticed it, of course. It affected almost every part of the timeline, but they never allowed it to become the subject of the day.

They focused on the people around them and laughed through the changes. They trusted their vendors to move things where they needed to go.

Looking for a Wedding Photographer for your Pennsylvania wedding?

Whether you are planning your own Stone Mill wedding or getting married somewhere else in Pennsylvania, I photograph wedding days with a calm, observational approach while still stepping in when the timeline, weather or portrait locations need help. You can read more about what is included on my Services page, or visit my Contact page to tell us about your date, venue and wedding plans.

Shanna & Dave’s Stone Mill Inn Wedding Vendors

Venue: Stone Mill Inn Estate & Gardens

Photographer: Aly V. Photography

Videographer: Eugene Videography

Makeup Artist: Fatima Reitz Makeup

Hair Stylist: Cate Coletto

Florist: Woodland Floral Design Co.

DJ and Entertainment: 3 West Productions

Bridal Boutique: Mia Rose Bridal Boutique

Wedding Dress Designer: Maggie Sottero Designs

Suit: The Black Tux

Bride’s Ring: By Bonnie Jewelry

Groom’s Ring: Manly Bands

Wedding Shoes: Jimmy Choo

Bridesmaid Dresses: Azazie

Catering: Stone Mill Inn Estate & Gardens

Wedding Planner and Day-of Coordinator: That’s Darling Events

Invitations and Paper Goods: Minted and Cards & Pockets

Gelato Cart: Cocco’s Gelato

Bride: Shanna

Groom: Dave