It’s not every wedding we shoot where we start the day photographing an un-invitation on someone’s cell phone, but it was the reality of Lisa & Tony’s autumn wedding. It was the first time I’d actually get to really meet Lisa & Tony, too, since their planning meeting for their Cork Factory wedding had to happen over Zoom. But despite the curveballs thrown at these two with their 2020 wedding plans, one fact remained unchanged. Whether watched by fifteen or a hundred and fifteen people, they were incredibly excited to finally be getting married.
And we could not be more excited, too! It’s not too often we get to work our way towards Lancaster, but it is such an awesome area for unique wedding venues with an industrial bent. The Cork Factory is no exception and we were excited to be back!
When I arrived at Lisa’s mother’s home, where she was getting ready, it was a gentle flurry of activity, as the ladies were all getting ready in the upstairs. While hair & makeup were being done, I took a few moments to capture Lisa’s sparkling Betsey Johnson shoes, her gorgeous lace dress, the wedding bands, and their digital un-invitation.
Before long, it was time to start getting Lisa into her dress. Her mother, cousin, & sister in-law were all there to help with the little details while the daughters (she & Tony have three all together) buzzed around in excitement. The girls, all ranging from five to nine, kept the energy in the room playful while the enormity of the day started to creep up on Lisa. As the limo approached, she shuffled everyone out the door (as only a mom can do) and we were on our way to church.
At the same time, Rachel was with Tony, while he was getting ready at home. Tony had some very special watch details for her to capture, including a pocket watch that his grandfather had bought when he first emigrated to the United States. Tony wore this on him in honor of his family as he prepared to walk down the aisle and marry the love of his life!
As everyone arrived at the church amidst misting rain, the ceremony got off to a quick start as the handful of guests who wouldn’t be processing took their seats. Anthony was absolutely beaming as Lisa’s father walked her down the aisle for a tearful pass off.
With such an intimate crowd, the priest was able to share his message to the crowd with many personal touches. He even paused for a moment to talk to the girls, who were patiently sitting behind their parents during the message.
After the ceremony was over, we took the family & wedding party photos mostly indoors, as it was still raining slightly, but managed to sneak out for a few quick shots under an overhang leading out to the parking lot. Despite looking like just a parking lot to the naked eye, we were able to pull in some of the beautiful autumn colors in the background for a quick shot with the full wedding party.
At that exact moment, the rain started to slow and we sneaked off to an odd little edge of the parking lot to capture some photos of these two alone. We only paused for a moment, but the leaves were so vibrant & orange that we simply couldn’t pass them up! We think you’ll agree that these shots were worth a little bit of rain! Once the pictures were captured, it was time to hop in the cars and head along to Lancaster for their Cork Factory wedding reception.
Cork Factory Wedding Portraits
We beat Tony & Lisa to their Cork Factory wedding, so we were able to capture a few fun shots of the these two coming out of their limo before we wandered the “grounds” of the Cork Factory. We put “grounds” into quotations, because they’re basically just a big parking lot. But that’s perfectly fine – even if a venue isn’t the most picturesque, we can get some really awesome photos.
In the case of the Cork Factory, we love embracing the more industrial exterior of the hotel and bringing in some of the architecture surrounding it. Plus, there are lots of little nooks and staircases to explore. We didn’t have the chance to take many portraits inside, with Covid-19 protocols in place, but we love the shots of these two outdoors at the Cork Factory, nonetheless!
Lisa & Tony’s Cork Factory Wedding Reception
A wedding reception for fifteen isn’t all that different than a wedding reception for a hundred and fifty. These two still had thoughtful favors and a delicious cocktail hour, including a mac & cheese bar that was irresistible! And then, as all of the guests sat down at a farmhouse table together, Lisa’s father said a few quick words. After dinner, these two cut their cake while their closest family members cheered them on. Then, a little bit of magic happened!
The team at the Cork Factory opened up the door to the ballroom, where Lisa & Tony were originally supposed to be celebrating and played a little music so that the girls could get their groove on. When we found these three dancing, we were excited to see Tony join in. Then Lisa hopped in the mix and we were able to capture this new family of five dancing the night away. The music changed and Lisa & Tony were unexpectedly able to enjoy a first dance together. It wasn’t to a specific song or planned out on a schedule, but we know they will remember that moment forever.
