#Sandrachile Pittsburgh Wedding Photographer

[sandrachile]

A Zero Waste Wedding in Pittsburgh

If you have been on Facebook lately, you have probably seen videos of turtles tangled in plastic, birds whose stomachs are full of plastic, and reports about Global Warming.

Whether your political inclinations deny or are against global warming, the truth is, our planet is polluted, and right now, you are either part of the solution or part of the problem, there is no middle ground.

But the problem is that when it comes to bringing environmentalist values to wedding planning, if you are not in California, or don’t have a 6 digit budget, it becomes a little hard, and you might end up giving up for the sake of the circumstances.

So I want to show you, where you should be focusing your energy and resources, but first, let me introduce you to the “Buyerarchy of needs” which will be inspiring our whole journey, and I hope you look at this, read it, meditate on it, and then apply it.

1: Focus on the things that don’t cost you anything, pick a vibe, a feeling as the guidance for your wedding day. 

If you look around for wedding day inspiration, everything is based on color palettes, flowers, or decor. However, since we are trying to be intentional and not use as many material things during the wedding day, it is better to base your inspiration on intangible things rather than material things, instead choose to get inspired by feelings, or the vibe you want your wedding to have. For example, the vibe for the image below was: contemporary, artsy, and fresh.

2: Focus on finding the core vendors for your wedding

(Yes, before setting up a date or even the location). Once you pick the vibe, you will need to gather the elements that will bring your vision together. But Unless you are working with the proper people, translating a concept to reality within a budget, can be hard. So, before even selecting the date for your event or the location, we highly encourage you to select the group of humans that will bring this to life. The core vendors are: Wedding Planner Venue Caterer Officiant Photographer Since the “ethical” journey begins before the wedding day itself, when reaching out to vendors, ask them upfront about what environmental practices they have in place. 

Asking this up front will set the tone for the rest of the planning process, and if this is something that is not present in their practices, your question will surely push them in the right direction.

3: Where and When?:

Choose the date and the venue.

Whether you decide to marry at home, or in a big space, there are some things that you need to take into consideration, such as accessibility for your guest, location of your party hub, weather, and of course, environmental practices. 

If you go for the most popular choice, a venue, ask them and yourself the following questions:

Does your venue send all the garbage to a landfill, or does it have any recycling practices in place? Do they offer furniture, or do you have to rent these items separately? Does the venue have decorative elements, or is it a plain room that needs a lot of stuff to look good? Does it offer in house booze/catering, or can you bring your own?

So many questions, right?

From the low waste perspective, it is a priority to choose a space that offers dishes, cups, and straws that are not plastic. 

(I doubt you want a turtle in the Caribbean to swim among the straws from your wedding day, right? … #justsayin)

4: Let’s tell the world: The stationery (Oh poop! When things get real)

Although an online invitation is often times more eco-friendly, in practice, not everybody is a fan of receiving an email, and being inclusive of older generations who are less e-literate, is a good way to honor them. So when it comes to papers, what alternatives are low waste?

The invitation is the first thing your guests see, it sets the mood for the day, it tells your guests whether joining is going to be worth it, and it announces what kind of party this is going to be. Once the invitations are sent, things get real, and telling your guest that this is an environmentally friendly kinda day deserves to be announced in an environmentally conscious way. Here is where the value of a designer that can custom work for you is a thousand times better than printing some DIY, but make sure the designer is open to working with eco-friendly papers. 

Have you heard about paper made out of elephant poop?

When it comes to being low waste, there is nothing better than options that ethically made, creative, and contribute to giving opportunities to economically and socially marginalized groups. So do your research in regards to papers, and if you are feeling like DIYing, you can DIY the envelopes from the newspapers at your grandma’s house.

PS: Oh! And forget about RSVPs! Nowadays everybody texts, so you can use an automated text message RSVP service which is the easiest way to gather replies from your guests, and automatically organizes and counts for you. SCORE!

(If you never saw paper made of poop, now you did | Stationary by the kick ass: Fresh Cut Prints )

5. Creating a wedding atmosphere: Decorations

One of the things about low waste, is that sometimes it might be a little on the plain side, so for a wedding, which we want to look special, we really have to put thought into what we bring in. 

Using what we have, or what you can realistically keep afterward is key. So, first, my biggest and probably most overlooked decoration element that is also functional is: LIGHTS!!! I’m not talking about regular light bulbs, but lighting can make an amazing decoration, which afterward leaves zero trace.

Another suggestion is to use real plants as a decorative item. Not only they will give you a decoration the day of your wedding, but will decorate your house for the years to come, and imagine having the same plants that witnessed you saying “I do”, witnessing your anniversary year after year!

"Did you know that glass can be recycled forever and ever?"  -- FUN FACT

Another element that is overlooked but it is quite easy to make, and to compost afterward is dry flowers. You can actually invest time in planting your own and meticulously dry. Finally, for any other need, hit your local thrift store! You would be surprised to see the amounts of linen available there.

Oh! And also… keep an eye on the dumpster! Someone else’s garbage always has the potential to be your treasure.

5. Time to get pretty

An element of your wedding that takes a lot of mental energy, a big chunk of your money, and it makes a massive statement in regards to the environment is fashion. And if you want to make a statement, the options for your outfit are: Ethically sourced. Wear your own. Make your own outfit. Or Vintage. This groom decided to wear his own clothes, and the bride opted for the vintage.

The statement piece for the bride was her earrings, which were upcycled. Altogether their outfits were around $30, which allowed more $$ to be allocated for other services.

As you can see, going this route is a great way to maximize your budget, but if you feel uncomfortable with the idea of wearing a vintage style of clothing, you can always purchase vintage garments and budget for the services of a seamstress that can transform your vintage piece and gives it a modern twist.

6. Beauty

I have to be the first in recognizing that zero/low waste and the beauty industry are not the best of friends. Beauty is perhaps one of the most forgotten subjects when it comes to thinking low waste wedding, maybe, because it is not you using that bottle of shampoo that will end up in a landfill, you don’t think much about it. Nowadays there are many makeup products companies using cruelty-free and vegan options (yay). But I learned from Becky, owner of the hair salon that does my hair, Tula Organics, that certain brands go to the extent of manufacturing products with 100% wind power, and they purchase carbon offset credits to balance any climate impact of their aerosol hairsprays.

She also told me about Dragon Master Foundation, a charity organization fighting to find a cure for cancer, and to whom you can send personal care and beauty containers to be recycled. This is an amazing initiative, to make the world greener and fight cancer at the same time.!

In summary:

A low impact, environmentally wedding is not unrealistic. Even if you don’t live in California, it is totally possible right here in Pittsburgh, and even with a small budget. All you might need, is to think through and plan with time, along with a good group of ethically minded wedding vendors.

Supporting Cast: Planner & Aesthetic designer: Devoted To You Events @devotedtoyouevents Florals: greenSinner @greensinner HMUA: Tula Organic @tulaorganic Venue: Kingfly Spirits @kingflyspirits Lightning: EF Lighting @eflighting Plants + Greenery: City Grows @citygrows Photographer: Sandrachile @sandrachilep Invitation Fresh Cut Prints @freshcutprints Paper Mr Ellie Pooh @mr.elliepooh Cake: Mediterra Cake House @mediterracakehouse Jewelry/Accessories Adaptive Reuse @christineterrell Calligrapher- Scarlet Day Calligraphy @scarletdaycalligraphy

[sandrachile]

Winter Photography Session with SNOW!

I'm going crazy.... er. The cabin fever is real, so last weekend when it snowed, I thought, what if I disregard the fact that is SUUUUPER cold and I go take pictures in the snow? Up to this moment, my only subject for snow pictures had been my dogs, so I turned to my Instagram to see if any couple would volunteer to be models for me that day. Sure enough, one did! This is Briana and Danny. Bri is also a photographer who follows Sandrachile on Instagram (thank you!). She said they are rarely in front of the camera, and that alone convinced me to welcome them immediately, with an open heart. I'll be honest, this was the shortest session ever. I was wearing 3 layers of pants and I could barely move, but in those 20 minutes these two ROCKED THE HELL out of their love <3 Thanks guys for being so brave and daring!

PS: If you don't follow my Instagram yet, do it now! I'll be sharing more opportunities and model calls there!  

[sandrachile]

Elopement in Schenley Park, Pittsburgh

The day we stopped our busy lives, to commit to a life together.

Jackie + David

Jackie and Dave had been together for ten years, so they were "due". They decided to get married, but money and personality were in between them and a traditional wedding.  There is where the elopement idea was born. Weddings are expensive, and not everyone is comfortable with the traditional thing, so Jackie and David decided to elope, right here in Pittsburgh. The day began with a haircut at the Humble Barber were beers for breakfast were in place. Then proceeded with a lunch at the Parador Inn, in the north side with subs from the deli for lunch. Finally, a ceremony with just the parents of the couple and 2 (really good) musicians at Schenley Park. And when the best man was too far, Facetime saved the day and he joined from far away to give an emotional speech. It was a beautiful day (thanks Pittsburgh's weather!) loaded with emotions for this introverted couple who found that committing to each other just in front of just each other was the best decision for them. 

Congratulations Jackie and David!

[sandrachile]

Wedding at the Hayloft, in Rockwood PA

Sometimes, you find your soulmate, and you get married. Some other times, you meet your soulmate, then you go on with your life, you marry other people, you have babies, the babies grow up, you get divorced, sometimes more than once.... and then you find your soulmate again and realize you are done wasting your life away. This is what happened to Ruth and Chris. They met over 20 years ago in high school, they even had crushes on each other, but it never went any farther. I met Ruth a long time ago. She is a saint. I know this because the poor thing was my supervisor back when I had a job aside from photography.  She is sweet, compassionate, smart, and her smile can melt your heart.

After some dirty paths, her and Chris reunited, both with grown up kids and both single. It was time to recover all the lost time and commit to each other knowing they were soul mates. In a simple but emotional ceremony, we laughed, and we cried, both in the same split second, and we celebrated in a simple way what weddings are all about: Love. Congratulations to this very dear couple. It was an honor to share such a special moment with you. Love you both.  

Take a look at Ruth and Chris engagement pictures HERE

[sandrachile]

Kicking off wedding season a week earlier than last year's, celebrating Hadi + Nick's wedding. This year with something that I'm sure no other photographer would volunteer for: The bride is riding with me. So let's keep our hands together in prayer, that may I not crush, or get lost, or be quintessentially latina and arrive an hour late 😬😂. Happy Wedding Day @not_jamberry ... and see you soon @morninggloryinn 🙌🏼♥️☺️ [PS: the rain can go home] . . . . —————————————————— 📸 #sandrachile #pittsburgh #WeddingPhotographer #PittsburghPhotographer #funphotographer #elopementphotographer #weddingpittsburgh #destinationphotographer #radcouples#hipsterbride #bride #worldchanger #fotografachilena #filltheheart #gotengaged #isaidyes #Livecolorful #loveandwild #radcouples #wildsouls #rockmywedding (at Morning Glory Inn)

[sandrachile]

About Weddings and elopements…

with Carly + Alex

You don’t need a reception. You don’t need a church. You don’t need a white dress. You don’t need a Tuxedo. You don’t need a gazillion people around you. You don’t need personalized napkins or cups. You don’t need makeup. You don’t even need shoes. What you actually need is:

To stop your lives for a day, to commit to each other. You need a deep understanding of love. The commitment with yourself first, that you will love your significant other despite their failures and mistakes, you will love them at their worse, even more than they can love themselves.

To express each other’s expectations and promises.

To make an effort to wear something that makes you feel special That can mean, a puffy dress, flowers, a tux, high heels, makeup, or no makeup, a big hair, or a shaved head. Feeling special will help you understand that you are indeed special, and acknowledging your worth in a relationship will help you through the tough times.

…And although technically, you could go without a photographer, I need to tell you that you totally one. The pictures will help you remember what love feels like, the day you loved the most.

[sandrachile]

Engagement Session or Excuse to Get Professional Pictures of the Cat?

Rachel + Sam

I like people who stand up against injustice. People who are proactive to create a better world. People who are able to step outside their privilege to empathize with minorities like myself. People who care about the things that truly matter. And this is pretty much the definition of Rachel and Sam, and I’m OBSESSED with them. Rachel and Sam met in college, and after traveling around the globe helping farmers, and strengthening impoverished areas, they decided to get hitched, right here where they live. But pictures make introverts like them nervous, so I suggested to do a test run with an engagement session where they feel more at ease: their home. Personally, I can’t empathize enough, how truly important taking pictures before getting married prepares you for the big day. I want all couples to do it, it really is a huge giant massive help, for them and also for me as the photographer.

I think Rachel and Sam ended up looking super cute, however, at some point there were doubts: Was it this truly an engagement session? or was this just an excuse to get professional pictures of the cat??? … Judge for yourself…

[sandrachile]

Love at first... bratwurst | Brookline - Pittsburgh PA

 Victoria + Josh

Victoria was living a pretty stagnant life in a small college town outside of Pittsburgh. She promised herself that if something amazing didn't happen within a year, she was quitting her job(s) and moving to the city.

A year went by and not much happened, so she fulfilled her own promise and moved to the Burgh.

When she got to Pittsburgh, she was underwhelmed by her first experiences, so he joined meetup.com, Tinder and various other Facebook groups, in hopes of meeting new people with fresh perspectives.

About a month in, her and Josh matched on Tinder.

He messaged first and was very clearly in love with the city he grew up in.

He offered up suggestions for places to go, food to eat, transportation tips, and eventually, they decided to meet up at a local hot dog shop.

Two (very) strong beers and a bratwurst later, it was the best "first date" both of them ever had.

After that that initial date, a handful more came along and it quickly transitioned into   more.

They moved in together after four months and became dog parents after six.

This past April, things got a little twist

when they bought their first home together!!!. (hashtag adulting!)

Josh finally proposed to her in October, right at home.

Because home is such an important element in their lives, I suggested we did their session there.

Often times engagement sessions take place outside, but I am a firm believer that it is always better to stay home :)

[sandrachile]

Fun and Love at Keystone Lake | Pittsburgh PA

Amber + Stephen

When you think about engagement photography, what do you think of?

If you are in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania like I am, you probably think of a couple with matchy nice outfits (meaning, a girl wearing a dress, and a guy wearing a collared shirt of some sort). You might also think of pictures of them in front of one of the gazillion bridges that are a characteristic of this city.

This is not wrong. However, I am ignorant, actually, super ignorant, and when it comes to set expectations for cultural events, I have no preconceived idea of what a couple is actually expecting. People in Chile don’t get engaged the way they do here, and they don’t have engagement pictures taken. The Chilean concept of “dressing nicely” is also different. So when it comes to engagement pictures, my expectations are different because, there are in fact, no set expectations, and lately, I have realized that now that I am a wedding and portrait photographer of couples, this plays to my advantage.

Every once in a while, there is a couple who is open to this lack of expectations and they roll with me and my ideas. This time it was Stephen and Amber.

This easy to laugh, adventurous, festival loving couple were completely open to what I had in mind. Thank God! because I told them: “what if we do your session in the water?”, and instead of running frantically away from me, they were on board!

(A year before, I had actually suggested the same idea to another couple, but the fiance was too afraid his pants would get ruined, so that was the end of my suggestion.)

Stephen’s pure, uncontrollable, excitingly overwhelming, romantic thoughts and feelings towards Amber were evident. He is one thousand percent obsessed with her, and Amber is one thousand percent obsessed with Steve.

So, this pre-wedding session, although different, was, in the end, the most magical representation of their relationship: Adventure, a little bit of nature, laughs, and lots of love.

[sandrachile]

Engagement / Pre-wedding session at Phipps, Pittsburgh

Katie + Matt

I am so grateful of the people that believes in what I do and the way I do things. So as a way to celebrate my followers and my 12th anniversary in the United States, this past July I gifted a photo session to a random person on Instagram. @katielawlson was the lucky winner, and what a coincidence! She was getting married at a Pop Up wedding this year too!. So we took a little walk by Phipps and the Schenley Park area and took some pictures. Katie who follows me on Instagram, and pays attention to what I say, knew that I get motivated by vegan food, so she showed up with a box of vegan goodies for me. How thoughtful of her! Thank you Katie and Matt for your generosity, and thank you for the opportunity to photograph your love.

[sandrachile]

Chinese-American Wedding in Pittsburgh

Jessica + Mark

The month of June was probably one of the most emotionally loaded months of the year, our country was divided as the president enforced the most controversial anti-illegal immigration strategy ever, separating undocumented children from their adults at the border. Meanwhile, in Pittsburgh, our calm and quiet Burgh entered the statistics of police brutality with the death of Antwon Rose, a teenager shot in the back during yet another “confusing” incident which resulted in multiple protests, and our calm city was divided with the ones against and the ones in favor... Personally, I am an active advocate of using the opportunities we have to make a stand that empowers others, and Jessica and Mark’s wedding was a vivid depiction of Sandrachile’s core beliefs:

"...walking into marriage with an attitude of gratitude, giving a little something back, taking care of the planet, and creating social impact. "  -- quote from my homepage

Jessica is originally from China and immigrated to California along with her parents when she was only 9 years old. Mark, meanwhile, is a quintessential American kid.

They met in college, and I remember during our first consultation Mark was spell-bound telling me how Jess was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

That same feeling set the tone for the wedding. Mark was taking care of every small detail, just so Jessica would be comfortable, Jessica would be happy, Jessica would be okay. Nothing mattered except her happiness.

The wedding of Mark and Jessica taught me many things, like how in the chinese culture it only rained for important fancy people, so if it rained on your wedding day it was a sign of good luck.

(Glad they believe that, because since this is Pittsburgh, of course it poured).

The ceremony was the perfect time to see this couple's love flow, and also the one thousand faces of Jessica, and her ability to go from tears to laugh on a split second 

After the ceremony came the speeches, and they were EPIC! I always enjoy when the best man is a brother of the groom, they always have the funniest insights.

I also heard the most beautiful and heart melting bridesmaid speech ever, that included the immigration story of Jessica’s family, and the struggles of living separated for 7 years, without visits, the internet, or communicating often. It was such an emotional moment. We all cried, especially me.

Perhaps, it is what encouraged Jessica and Mark to share their honeymoon funds with the ACLU, to help the current immigration crisis.  

I got to witness a tradition that I had not seen for a while, but since the wedding had many foreign guests, Jessica really wanted all the western traditions to be present during the day  

And did I mention how gorgeous was the cake?

I also learned how Jessica had their closest relatives come all the way from China, and despite that huge economical sacrifice, they insisted in preserving the red envelope tradition, which consists of the couple receiving a red envelope with a gift of money intended to help them pay for the cost of the wedding. The money inside the envelope has very strict number related rules, like no uneven numbers or no fours (among many others).  

and how squatting came natural and comfortable for chinese people, because they use that position a lot, so there was a lot of squatting done.

The reception was super fun too. Jessica and Mark were so joyful during their first dance!  

And the father daughter dance was so beautiful and emotional. Jessica said the song they danced was a song her dad used to sing to her when she was a child.  "The Moon Represents My Heart" by Teresa Chang 月亮代表我的心

Mark and his mom did a wonderful and choreographed job as well! I tried to record it, but I'm obviously a better photographer than videographer, lol.

Towards the end of the night, the third night of protests took place a block away from us, and we encountered the protestors on the way to our sunset portraits. We took this opportunity to give the protestors support, inviting them to take some pictures with us, while they taught us what signs to make that implied support and respect. We then hugged and went on our way. It was literally one minute only, but a minute we took to express that we do care, and in an aching world, caring is everything.  

And after all that rain, we got excited that the sun came out to give us a gorgeous sunset

OH.MY.HEART! It was such an empowering day!

Finally, and thanks to Jessica and Mark's generosity, plus the logistical support of Sausalido catering, and Chelsey from the Morning Glory Inn,all the leftover food was packaged and Nick and I drove around downtown looking for homeless people to feed. We ended up feeding 22 people that day!.  

Thank you Jessica and Mark for making me part of such an incredible day!

Venue: Morning Glory Inn Make Up by Shelby Dines Hair Stephanie Gardner from B Salon and Bar Jessica's dress Morilee purchased at Alison Bridal Mark's outfit: Suit by Theory   Bridesmaid's dresses by RenzRags Caterer: Sausalido DJ Jason Kendall Productions Flowers: DIY by the couple from Trader Joe's and Costco Favors: DIY with mini chinese take out containers with chinese candies provided by the mom :) Cake decor: butterflies by Uniqdots  Cake by Bella Christie and Lil Z's Sweet Boutique Wedding favor: DIY souvenirs from China, courtesy of the relatives :) Hair accessories by MADAMECICI

[sandrachile]

Dubrovnik, Croatia - Couple's Photo Session

I was able to visit the incredible coastal town of Dubrovnik in Croatia before attending The Fearless Photographers conference, a wedding photography conference that takes place every winter in a different part of Europe. I arrived to Dubrovnik at 2am, it was raining, and there were not many people around. I was not sure where I was, but the taxi left me far away and gave me instructions on how to get to my Hostel. WOW! What a treasure to my eyes it was to experience the immensity and the wonders of this place!. It was like a medieval city made out of brown shiny marble, full of small narrow passages, Dubrovnik is possibly one of the most impactful places I have visited.

Vildana + Davor

During my stay there, I had the luck to photograph a beautiful couple. Vildana and Davor, had a photo session that helped them reconnect with their romanticism after their first baby.  Vildana currently is a stay at home mom, who works from home for an American company based in Boston. Davor works in IT and is an ex-politician.  With them, I not only took pictures, but they shared with me a little of the story of the town, the best passages, and we also talked about the current economics of Croatia. It was so so cool, and I am so grateful I was able to do this!

[sandrachile]

Downtown Pittsburgh Proposal

Phillip + Keith

When I learned that in Pittsburgh, the city that I so proudly live in, there were vendors who still refused service to LGBTQ couples on the grounds of religion I got scared. What if one someday the alt-right becomes a religion and says "serving immigrants is against our beliefs"....? (I'm sure its coming) As an immigrant, I know what rejection feels, and as a woman, I know what it feels when someone makes you feel inferior.  I'm a Christian, and I know Jesus would never make anyone feel that way, so I chose the route of treating everybody with dignity and respect and I became an openly inclusive business.  As a part of that commitment, I did a gay/lesbian model call and it is how I connected to Phil and Keith.  After a little talking, I realized they were totally my tribe. Sweet, generous, hard-working, and committed to creating a better world through their career path.  So when Phill reached back to me a few months after, for the proposal, we decided to use the same excuse I used before: a photo shoot to portray inclusion.  I wanted to showcase iconic downtown Pittsburgh places, a protest from the heart of the city against an industry where so many are still discriminating.  We walked around downtown photographing them being in love, and we ended in a rooftop of one of the garages.  

Phil decided to bring the services of Vintage Alley, a company dedicated to styling through upcycling, and giving character to celebrations with vintage furniture and decor. The rustic lounge setup was the perfect complement to this surprise proposal that caught Keith totally by surprise. Once at the lounge, I told them I would take some pictures in the setup before asking them to stand up. Then I asked if they could make the hipster pose. To stand looking at me, then looking at each other, and finally, I told to pose, back to back, looking to opposite directions. Little did Keith know that at the other side,Phil was not looking to the other direction, but discreetly reaching out for a ring and getting ready for the speech of his lifetime....

Finally, their closest family and friends joined to hug them and congratulate them, putting an end to a day that I will never ever forget. 

Congratulations Phillip and Keith! 

[sandrachile]

Summary of 2017

The most important blog of the year

After the doctor gave me the bad news, I walked back to my car and I sat there in silence, staring at the steering wheel, letting it all sink in...

I was discombobulated and alone. No family, no friends around, Nick was traveling through WV and had no signal… it was just me, and my thoughts.

I gathered myself and thought, what if this is it? What have I done with my life?...

There I was juggling with a cancer diagnosis and realized that the answer to my question was:  

Not enough

I had given a life, I had a life to make a difference but I could not identify that difference, i felt ashamed. It was time to change.

Sometimes life gives us those moments to bring us back into purpose, and I am glad I got shaken last December because I walked into January of 2017 knowing exactly what I needed to do.

I became bolder and more daring in the things that truly moved my heart.

If I had continued on the same path none of the numbers I share below would be here. I would’ve never asked any couples to be ethical, to make donations, to pursue eco friendly, and I'm grateful that none of you fired me and that we can now share this.

Our impact

1- Donate $100 and get a $200 discount:

That is the offer I made to the couples. Most of them took this opportunity and though this initiative, $1150 were donated to “Too Young to Wed”, supporting the work against child marriage, and the victims.

Other couples donated to other charities instead.  Beverly’s Birthday, 412 FOODS, and Rabbit Wranglers were the beneficiaries; totaling $400

2- Change the world with your wedding day!

Most couples took my advice to weave a charitable activity into their wedding day and to give the money to a charity that meant something for them.

Thanks to that initiative $1900 were donated to different organizations, 80% of them local to Pittsburgh, leaving the money where your heart is.

3- Gimme your leftovers!

That is what I asked all the Pittsburgh couples who got married and had a caterer. I'm not gonna lie, this was probably the hardest thing to do. It required a lot of logistical coordination, and the collaboration of not only the couple, but also the venue, wedding planners, and caterers. Only the Duquesne Club refused to collaborate, but all the other caterers were glad to assist. Thanks to their willingness and each couple's generosity we impacted the planet reducing the carbon footprint of food waste, but more important yet, we gave the opportunity of a nice meal to 181 people and 2 dogs, impacting the direct needs of the Pittsburgh homeless population.

4- Repurpose!

One of the couples repurposed the beautiful flowers of their wedding day, and thanks to the collaboration of their florist Sapphire and Lace, these were delivered to a senior center nearby, brightening the day of the elderly residents, how great is this!

5- Go Vegan!

3 couples decided reduce their carbon footprint, and save animals by embracing a more vegetarian approach for their meal.  They hired wedding caterers who provided one or more vegan/vegetarian alternatives, and in the end, I was the happiest one about it :D

6- Support small businesses:

I have always supported small businesses, but during the last trimester of 2017, I stepped up a notch, by donating $100 of each package to Kiva. Only 2 couples have participated of this new initiative, but because they hired me, 2 small entrepreneurs were benefited.

In summary:

Approximately $3500 were contributed by 12 couples who decided to embrace their day with a more intentional approach to begin the journey together in gratitude, giving a little something back. We impacted our community with kindness, and as a result, we contributed to change the world, and it was all because of you, the couples who hired me!

Thank you so much for making this year AMAZING

FACT: YOU CAN CHANGE THE WORLD WITH YOUR WEDDING DAY! now it's no longer a theory, this blog proves it :)

"** And the best part is that in the end, it was not cancer. It was just my hormones having a party where no one knows what they were celebrating, but after a couple of surgeries, and some therapy they settled down. Maybe they were celebrating this all along. Cheers!"

[sandrachile]

Urban Winter Engagement in Pittsburgh

Tina+Josh

Photography is healing, whether you are the one taking pictures, or the subject. For me, photography has been a journey towards the healing of an unhealthy upbringing. It has made me see things from a different angle and has changed me. Where there was anger, now I find understanding. Where there was hate, now I find kindness. Where there was pain, now I find growth. The session of Josh and Tina was special. It was the first time Tina wore a dress in forever, and it was a big step for her.  Tina and Josh met when Tina was recovering from a painful train accident that left her with a prosthetic leg and emotional scars that she still deals with today.  The accident brings painful memories from the past and wearing revealing skirts is like digging in those painful memories... During the car ride I mentioned to Tina about my own painful past, living homelessly in Chile when I was 15 until I was 23, but if it wasn't for the strength I built during those years of survival I would not be where I am today.  At one point or another, we all walk through painful paths, but if it wasn't for these difficulties we wouldn't find growth. In my case, I found a career and a purpose, and in Tina's case, a wonderful fiance who loves her deeply and a companion to share these journey we call life.

Our gratitude to AC Miller who allowed us to take pictures at their facility, and to Mister Buchan for being helpful during this process.

[sandrachile]

Eco friendly Elopement at Phipps - Pittsburgh

Juliet + Tim

Does wedding planning stresses the heck out of you?

Well, you are not alone, this is why Juliet and Tim completely streamlined it and planned their wedding in ONE WEEK. Yup, I said one week. But if that wasn't enough difficulty, they added an even more fascinating detail: their wedding was planned in a week from out of state.

#LevelGod

Juliet and Tim are a young couple currently going to college in Indiana (the state, not Indiana, PA) They are barely 21 years old, and personally, I am beyond jealous of how they have their life so together (you don't wanna know what I was doing at 21 but you bet it involved large amounts of not knowing what to do with my life, lol).  

They have the cutest little boy, and are planning to eventually move to Pittsburgh, which is why they decided to get hitched right here in The Burgh. Their wedding day was full of "meant to be" events and intentional choices. From the venues, chosen to minimize carbon footprint, to Juliet wardrobe choices (second hand, the most eco friendly way to shop), to yours truly here, chosen because of my ethical approach. The happy couple promised each other love, friendship, and commitment to each other under the Quaker tradition and the Baha'i faith, in a meaningful ceremony surrounded by the 33 people who were able to attend on such a short notice, and the beauty of the Broderie room at Phipps Conservatory.  

"[Phipps is one of the most sustainable buildings in the city]"

During the ceremony I sent Nick (my assistant) to buy a lock, and after the ceremony we all walked in the rain to Schenley Bridge to put it on, giving us the opportunity to take some badass portraits. (Thanks Nick!) After that, the videographers and the couple all got into our van, and we headed to Pointbreezeway, where the perfect fall comfort food, courtesy of Bistro To Go, awaited for us. They chose this reception venue for its character, which did not required decorations, part of their commitment to minimize waste. It was a lovely dinner, with the most fun group of people, if you don't believe me, just scroll down below...  

At the end of the night, thanks to Bistro To Go who allowed us to repurpose the leftovers, we were able to feed homeless people who were getting soaked in the street. Not only a great way to extend the blessing of a wedding beyond the guests, but also an efficient way to reduce any potential waste from the day.  Thank you to Juliete and Tim for their generosity, but also thanks because they were the first couple who provided containers for the food, and these were compostable.  This was also the first time where wedding guests are seriously concerned about helping us pack the food. Between Bistro To Go, Eva from the videographer team, and Nick, we had the task down, but we truly apprecciate their support.

That night we fed 13 people, here are a few of their faces, real grateful individuals that we were able to impact with Juliet and tim's wedding day.

But that is not all! This couple also took advantage of my new and improved business model plan in which the couple can upgrade to a USB in exchange to a donation to charity, and they decided to benefit "Beverly's Birthdays" an organization based in Pittsburgh providing birthday experiences to children at social risk. And finally, $100 of the fee that this couple paid is going to Kiva loans, to support another small business under the category of  "Single parents", per request of Juliet. An amazing experience for an amazing day.

Congratulations Juliet + Tim (and little Kazimir)

Ceremony venue Phipps Conservatory,  Broderie Room Reception pointbreezeway.com Dress alwaysbride.com Shoes dsw.com Groom's outfit  josbank.com Flowers wholefoods.com Videographer MarieMarryMe.com Caterer bistroandcompany.com Cake Piebird piebirdpgh.com Cookie table piebirdpgh.com + gluuteny.com Musician Lisa and Perry Scott from the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra Favors  pghpopcorn.com Cake topper Made by Juliet's mom, inspired by this post HMUA julealashbeautybar.com Rings are family heirloom from Tim's side and one found at an antique mall in Ohio. Crown from Oleg Cassini & Leather jacket from Top Shop, but purchased at a consignment store. Guy's spotted mismatched sweaters from dad's collection.