Classic and elegant, with a rustic vibe, this Melhorn Manor wedding includes a sweet rescue dog, hilarious ceremony and a vintage pick-up truck…
Why Rhinehart Photography?
Billy shared, “We’ve known the Rhineharts for decades. I remember moving you guys into your new house and during breaks, I was always looking at your albums. I told my dad that day, if I ever got married that I already knew that I wanted you to be my photographer.”
Michelle added, “Yes, you were our first choice for a photographer from day one, so when you were available we were super excited! I love how you combine traditional photography with your creativity and capture moments. I am excited to re-live our day through your eyes.”
She added, “The planning process was definitely a crazy one with the pandemic, but being able to work through things together and explore all options that we had was great, especially when I felt like things were changing daily.”
Happy Tears
Michelle’s mother looks at her daughter in her wedding dress, and her eyes fill with tears…
What Billy Loves Most About Michelle…
Billy shared, “Michelle is absolutely the most beautiful soul I have ever met. She is joyful, strong, personable, and reliable. She is always thinking ahead and helps me to stay grounded when I lose focus. She makes me a better man.”
A Rustic Venue with Central Air 😉
It’s a unique barn venue because not only do you have the old wood ladders etc of a traditional barn but it is fully remodeled and air-conditioned, a real plus in the thick of summer
Here I shot through a rustic barn ladder as Michelle comfortably peeked out the window in the AC, haha– girl, the dress fits you like a glove, just stunning!
First Looks
I set aside time with each couple to plan the timing they’d like for the day. While Michelle and Billy were certain they didn’t want a first look with each other, they did have a few with others. Here Michelle’s maid of honor gave her a big hug, it was really sweet.
Her Mom’s wedding dress… take a closer look
Michelle shared, “Being able to have my mom’s wedding dress there was very special.”
I have a few different photos of this moment, but I love that if you look very closely you can see her mom in the reflection in the mirror…
Melhorn Manor: Such a Lovely Venue!
Melhorn Manor is a rustic, romantic venue in Mount Joy, which is located between Lancaster, York, and Hershey, Pennsylvania.
Michelle shared, “I loved that we didn’t have to re-use any spaces on our wedding day. Each part of the day had its own unique location and the fact that the main barn had AC was definitely a plus for our summer wedding…we needed that escape for sure. I also liked that there was space for people to use outdoors like the fire pit and a place for yard games. It really just brought everything that we love doing together into one place.” “Jess and Allory made sure that we had everything and anything that we wanted. I cannot say enough about how great they were and how perfect Melhorn Manor was for us.”
There were so many cool things that I could play with photographically all day long, from several large white barns to gardens and string lights, even a super cool vintage truck…
The Bridal Party
Michelle Shared, “My girls were the absolute best and I wouldn’t be where I am today without them.”
Michelle continued, “My bridal party was a mixture of high school and college friends that have stuck with each other through the years, no matter the time or the distance.”
Meet the Groom
Michelle smiled, “Billy is an energetic, charismatic, strong-willed, loving guy. When he commits to something he is all in and will do everything he can to make it happen. He always pushes me to reach for my goals and to be a better person. I love how much he truly cares for everyone he knows and his passion for life.”
She laughed “I sometimes joke that he talks to his coaching staff/wrestlers more than me, but that is because he truly cares and always wants everyone he is around to succeed. I am so excited to be finally married to this man!”
Man Cave
Billy shared, “I was pumped about the ‘Man Cave’ they had for the guys. Most wedding venues don’t have a special place for the guys but Jess and Allory put a lot of thought into what they created for us to enjoy while we relaxed waiting for the festivities to start. Between the awesome couches and recliners, the big-screen TVs, and the pool table we had plenty to keep us occupied.”
I felt like with everything we (mostly Michelle honestly) went through leading up to the big day, nothing went wrong. A group of us went golfing that morning, and then were able to just come back and relax in this perfect spot. Oh and the beer tankards we found on Etsy for the groomsmen’s wedding gifts, couldn’t have been more perfect!”
Billy smiled, “All of my groomsmen wrestled with me, (aside from Michelle’s, brother, Levi). It personified the “boys club” that wrestling creates as an extended family.”
He added, “They are a special group of people and all definitely have their own crazy personalities which is why I love them. Fun and laughter are never lacking when they are around and I couldn’t ask for better people in my life.”
I love Billy’s expression here, so classic! A fantastic shot, from my second photographer for this wedding, Priscilla.
Pre-Ceremony Prayer
I love documenting moments like this, and this was such an important moment for Billy. You could literally see the support around him and for him.
Billy’s First Look
Billy shared, “Honestly, I had to pull it together the moment I saw Michelle, or I was going to cry like a baby. She looked absolutely perfect… I am looking forward to all of the adventures ahead and trying to make the world a better place together. Watching her walk towards me was definitely my favorite part of the wedding day.”
Michelle added, “I wasn’t sure if Billy would cry or not but seeing him tear up definitely made me fight back some of my own.”
Traditional and Creative, Emotional “Storytelling” Photographs
Billy’s mom wipes away a tear during the processional in the image below. I did capture several more traditional images of the processional, so those will be in their full set, but I chose to post this one because it really shows the emotion in the room.
Finally 🙂
Michelle smiled, “When I first saw him on our wedding day, I was excited and couldn’t wait to FINALLY be married to him. Everyone always joked that it was never going to happen, but it did! And before the 10-year mark that he always talked about!”
Billy smiled, “I kept thinking, wow, this amazing woman is mine!” I think this look on his face says that!
A Different Perspective
I usually have a few people comment on how much I move during a wedding day, a guest who says, you better be wearing a fit bit! Or did I see you climb up all those stairs to the balcony twice during the ceremony?!? Yes, I move a lot and try to be as subtle as possible, not staying in one place too long. I”ve had quite a few people call me a ninja, haha!
Here I crouched low at the back of the ceremony space and was getting the golden light reflecting off of the barn floor and the gold light illuminating the stone wall behind them.
Whistles for the Coach
Michelle smiled, ” I loved how Garrett brought humor into his message! The whistles during the ceremony were a great touch from Garrett and I’m glad he provided me with them…because Billy definitely does talk….a lot!”
A twinkle in Billy’s Dad’s Eye
It was so nice to see Bill smiling throughout the day! He has worked with my husband for years, and has been a friend of our family for a long time. Here you can see Michelle and Billy in the foreground as well as Michelle’s bother. For me, it really gives the feeling of being surrounded by their family members.
Kiss the Bride!
Haaaa, the little girls watching! Their expressions are priceless!
Spencer!
Michelle shared, “Spencer, our rescue dog, is a huge part of our lives. We were so glad that he was there on our big day, too.”
The Bridal Party Was Ready to Party
“I’m so glad we decided to get the group picture on the stone wall…even if the girls had to be creative in getting up there. They are troopers. It turned out awesome and again, definitely showed the personalities we had in our group. We have some awesome friends.”
Balancing Each Other Out
Michelle stated, “I really think we balance each other out in the best kind of way. I would say on most things we are opposites but it works for us. Billy is definitely the energetic, talkative, and go-go-go person, whereas I typically just like to sit back and relax. We are both independent and can both be stubborn at times, but we both strive to help the other succeed in whatever they are doing and support each other in all our adventures and endeavors.”
Billy: “I agree, we are both independent but are willing and able to step back and let the other one lead if they are more comfortable in the situation.”
Shiney Ford Pick-up
Michelle shared, “Being able to get some pictures with Allory’s truck was a nice touch and just another reason why Melhorn Manor was top notch. We chose the truck because my grandfather had an old Ford truck and was a collector, so Billy thought it would be nice to incorporate that into our day.”
Billy shared, “I fell for Michelle because of her constant joy for life, strong independent desire to succeed, and because she makes me a better person.”
Michelle added, “While he appreciates me ‘keeping him inline’ when he needs it, I have to say that he encourages me to have fun because I can tend to be serious at times.”
An “Athletic” Entrance
Michelle smiled, “If it wasn’t for athletics, Billy and I would have never met! We are both very sports-minded with Billy being a coach and me working as an athletic trainer, so it was very fitting. The reception entrance was all Billy when it came to the planning, he literally played the Space Jam theme”
Toasts to the Happy Couple
I love that Lauren ragged on Billy and let out some of my secrets too but she truly was able to encompass what our relationship is and has been. She’s been there from the beginning. To be honest she’s probably one of the first people I told when Billy and I first started “hanging out”
Billy shared, “It meant a lot to me to have Garrett, who is a friend, marry us and instill in us that you need to not only have love in the relationship but also God.”
Billy added, “Also, my best man hates speaking in public, even though he was the Head Wrestling Coach of PSU for 12 years. We kept messing with him in the weeks leading up to it, but he did amazing. I love the idea of filling the Love Bank. And he made me laugh, hard.”
The First Dance
Michelle smiled, “I think my favorite part of the wedding day was just being surrounded by all our friends and family, especially because leading up to the wedding we didn’t necessarily know if that was going to be able to happen. Being surrounded by all that love and support just made it that much better.”
A Romantic Getaway at Sunset
Something I highly recommend, especially for couples not having a first look, is a romantic getaway at sunset. It gives you a moment to escape the craziness of the reception to breathe a bit, enjoy the beautiful scenery and take it all in.”
Michelle shared, “I look forward to our future together and whatever it may bring. All the love and joy we will have as we continue on this journey we have created and to continue to grow our family.”
Billy shared, “I am looking forward to all of the adventures ahead and trying to make the world a better place together.”
Michelle and Billy, thank you so much for choosing to have me by your side during your wedding day! Who knew that while helping Kris and I move into our dream home, you were secretly checking out our photo albums? Haaa love that story! So these are just like 10% of your wedding photos… many more coming soon!
If you want to see more of Michelle & Billy, check out their engagement session with their dog Spencer at Laurel Lake, here!
Wedding Vendors
“We truly can’t say enough about our AMAZING team of vendors. It was the perfect day and better than we could have ever imagined. We are so grateful for everyone for standing by us in this crazy and unprecedented time. WE DID IT….and we are so glad that you all were a part of our special day. We could go on for days about each and every one of you and you all received rave reviews from all of our guests too. We truly cannot thank you all enough <3”
- Melhorn Manor: www.melhornmanor.com, @melhornmanor
- WGC Catering: www.wgccaterer.com, @wgccatering
- Alison Delp & Salon Synergy (hair): www.salon-synergy.com @salonsynergy_brickerville @hair_byaliej
- Beauty by Khara (make-up): www.beautybykhara.com @beautybykhara
- Moving Memories Video: www.movingmemoriesvideo.com
- Tiffany’s Bridal Boutique: www.tiffanysbridalboutique.com @tiffanysbridalboutiquepa
- Fancy Peacock Events: www.fancypeacockevents.com, @fancypeacockevents
- Wedding Flowers by Cyndi: www.weddingflowersbycyndi.com, @weddingflowersbycyndi
- Shining Star Photo Booth: www.shiningstarphotobooth.com, @shiningstarphotobooth
- Rhinehart Photography: www.RhinehartPhotography.com @rhinehartphotography