Love is in the air in Pittsburgh! I had an absolute blast shooting this North Shore engagement session for Jess, Sam, and their Great Dane, Raleigh. The couple decided to go with two looks and locations, one dressy and one casual. In the first set of photos, Jess wore a beautiful flowery skirt, top, and heels, while Sam looked dashing in his military uniform. The water and bridge at North Shore provided the perfect romantic background for these two lovebirds!

In the second set of photos, we really took advantage of Pittsburgh’s modern aesthetic for multiple background locations around The Highline in Pittsburgh. The couple wore t-shirts and jeans, and they even added their sweet dog Raleigh into the shoot! It was so refreshing to witness the couple’s love for each other and their cute pup!

In addition to their North Shore engagement photo session, I get the pleasure of photographing Jess and Sam’s wedding day, too! Jess and Sam were the lucky winners of my recent giveaway. The beautiful couple currently lives in the DC area, and they plan to get married there at a local winery. I can’t wait to celebrate right alongside them! I’m not sure if they plan on including Raleigh in their big day, but lots of couples do!

4 Reasons to Include Your Fur Baby in Engagement + Wedding Photos

Are you as obsessed with the pup photos as I am? Consider including your best four-legged friend in your wedding day.

Family First

When planning your big day and inviting your closest friends and family, you can’t forget about your favorite furry family member (and I’m not referring to hairy Uncle Bob 😉). After all, your dog is your fur baby that provides constant support and love. Your sweet pup will be so happy to sit by your side from engagement photos to wedding vows. Plus, if you think your pup may tire out, you could have a friend or family member take them back home.

A Fun Addition

Do you get nervous posing for photos? Bring your pup along to your engagement session to help you relax and have fun, which will help us get authentic and candid photos. Dogs happen to be great at providing endless photo ops.

While your wedding day is known to be the best day of your life, it can also be stressful! Having your dog in attendance can be a huge stress reliever for many couples, allowing them to take a deep breath and shake off those pre-wedding jitters. Your pup will know just what to do to keep you feeling calm and centered!

Guest Entertainment on Your Wedding Day

Music, dancing, and wedding day festivities provide lots of entertainment, but ultimately what is more entertaining than a sweet pup?! Your furry family member will have everyone smiling and running over to grab some cuddles. In return, your dog will love the attention. Raleigh provided some entertainment for this engagement session as well!

Playful Photos

Everyone dreams of gorgeous photos to treasure their engagement and wedding day forever! And what better way to enhance these memories than by adding your dog into the mix? Your sweet pup will make the photo shoot extra fun, adorable, and memorable! Be sure to bring some treats as well. I’ve found that holding a treat up next to the camera can really help get a pup’s attention—it works for some people, too!

Engagement photo sessions can be a fun way to celebrate and cherish this new chapter of your lives. And allowing your pet to join the session—or even your wedding—can provide extra excitement and giggles that lead to stunning, candid photos. I absolutely love the energy and personality that beloved family pets add to a session or wedding day.

Book Your Pittsburgh Engagement & Wedding Photographer

Ready to book your engagement session or wedding day photographer? I’m ready to go! Let me know if your four-legged friend will be in attendance so I can take that into consideration for location and session preparations. Drop a line here if you have any questions.