Up north in the Lehigh Valley, there’s a little town called Stroudsburg Pennsylvania. It’s a beautiful wooded area nestled in the mountains, and tucked away in there is a little church. This church, which has been headed by Emma’s dad for the last eighteen years, was the site where Emma and Joshua would finally get to marry one another. After a long time of waiting, planning, and hoping that everything would align for them to tie the knot. In their Lehigh Valley Orthodox wedding, they were finally declared husband and wife.
The Lehigh Valley Orthodox Wedding Ceremony
A traditional Orthodox wedding is a truly beautiful rite to witness. Emma and Joshua met each other at the top of the aisle for the betrothal ceremony. Several prayers were sung and prayed over them. They were formally pledged to one another and sealed with the rings they would use to seal their marriage vows. After the betrothal ceremony, they were both invited to the altar where there were more prayers offered and they were both crowned. Because of the coronavirus, the crowns were not placed directly on their heads, but rather were held suspended by members of their family and wedding party. We couldn’t help but notice just how emotional Emma’s brother Ben was. Such a sweet brother.
Once the crowning ceremony had been completed, they moved up to the altar and heard their wedding homily. A task which proved nearly too much for Emma’s father. There were points when emotion overcame him, but he powered through, though it did mean he shortened things a bit. Joshua and Emma then exchanged their traditional wedding vows, and sealed their covenant with rings and a kiss. It was a joyous moment for everyone there, but none more so than Emma and Joshua. They’d finally done it.
After family formals were concluded, the newlyweds were announced outside to their guests with a fantastic saber arch. Joshua is in the military and one of the obstacles they’d overcome was his getting leave to be home for their wedding day. It’s a time honored tradition for military weddings, and we loved seeing the syncopated snap of the sabers into position as one unit.
Portraits and Reception in the Lehigh Valley
Around the church, we found lots of little nooks for Emma and Joshua’s portraits. They’re so sweet together and it was so easy to capture them being happy and adorable. Even as the sun was getting low in the sky, they were snuggled up and excited for their new adventure together.
In the tent, dances were shared by the newlyweds and the groom and his mother. Then came the toasts. Joshua’s brother did a fantastic job honoring him and Oana, Emma’s maid of honor, did a lovely job for her dear friend. But the scene stealers came in the form of Emma’s two brothers. Niko and Ben had the whole tent roaring with laughter as they gave their energetic and banter filled toast to the bride and groom. Then Niko tore up the dance floor too. Multi-talented family.
After Their Lehigh Valley Orthodox Wedding
Emma took the time to write us a very sweet review, and we wanted to share it with you, along with her mothers.
“Beautiful photos and people“
“Ashley and Rachel photographed our COVID wedding in Stroudsburg, PA. They were so kind and flexible during the many changes we had to make due to the pandemic. They are personable and get to know you as a couple; they make you feel listened to. My father, who has been a priest for 18 years and did our wedding, said he has never had better photographers in his church. The photos came out beautifully, and my family still can’t stop talking about how much they loved both Ashley and Rachel and their photos.” – Emma Pscoylar
“Ashley and Rachel were beyond wonderful! They were respectful, patient, flexible and kind. We had proofs within a week! They got to know our daughter and her fiancé and exactly catered to their requests, needs and personalities. They were efficient and thorough. They captured all moments: serious, fun, poignant and personal. I can not say more about this wonderful team!” – Masha Solak
