This rustic romantic wedding features an ice cream truck, a heartwarming memorial to the bride’s father and so much more … Anna and Mitchell, I’m so happy to be your Heritage Restored wedding photographer!
Why Rhinehart Photography?
Anna shares, “We chose you because we absolutely love your work! I have been following Lisa’s work since she first started Rhinehart Photography! I always knew that I wanted her to photograph my wedding. Lisa was the first vendor we reached out to. We were willing to do anything in our power to make this happen! We have zero buyer’s remorse, this was a worthwhile investment and a decision we would make over and over again!!”
Mitchell says, “Once I saw her previous work I was hooked as well. Working with Lisa as our Heritage Restored wedding photographer was incredible. She is very easygoing yet she will not let anything get in the way of making your vision happen. She uses lighting super well and we love how she captured our authentic personalities in the pictures.”
Anna continues, “On the wedding day, I was watching the clock, so excited for when Lisa would arrive. Lisa and her assistant were so easygoing and made me feel super comfortable in front of the camera. I appreciated how we went with the flow of things, and she also kept us on track- a difficult balance, I’m sure!”
She smiles, “I can’t wait to see our family and friends in the photos and all of the genuine moments Lisa is so great at capturing. You can really feel the spirit of the day through her photos and I know our wedding won’t be an exception. Our day was literal perfection – the weather, the ceremony, food, dancing, speeches, I don’t know how nothing went wrong, but literally nothing went wrong. It was good vibes all around and I know our photos are going to capture that feeling!”
Preparations
Anna says, “The time in the morning with the bridesmaids and my nieces was so fun- my nephew Henry snuck in there too! I had so many favorite parts of the day. One moment that sticks out is when I was alone in the getting ready room, and asked my Mom if she would come in and pray with me. We held hands and she prayed for me and for Mitchell, and we both cried. I was able to tell her how much she meant to me and how grateful I was that she was there with me on this day and that I didn’t take it for granted. My Mom has prayed for me since she was pregnant with me and I cherish her love.”
She continues, “We had lots of kids involved on our wedding day and we love those little cherubs. Alexander, Amelia, Henry, Josephine, and Emma. They are cousins and also best friends- seeing them learn and grow together is such a joy and they can’t wait to welcome our baby into the family as their newest cousin. I love their personalities and how they are so different and also have a core common thread- it really reminds me of the dynamic and relationship I have with my siblings.”
Bridesmaids!
Anna smiles, “I’m lucky because I grew up with 4 amazing sisters, all of who generously said yes to being bridesmaids, yet again– we have a lot of weddings in our family lol. I also asked my sister-in-law, Katherine, to be a bridesmaid, she is truly like the little sister I never had. Lastly, two of my best friends from Shippensburg University where I went to school, Denise and Kendra. They are like family too.”
Groomsmen!
What a great group of guys who really know how to have fun! Also, Anna mentioned Mitchell making a great kid’s soccer coach, pretty sweet that he happened to have a soccer ball with him on his wedding day– dude is prepared! They are excited for him to coach their own kids one day!
The Preacher’s Daughter
Anna smiles, “I appreciated slowing down to have a moment with my Dad’s suit jacket and cowboy boots before the ceremony. I probably wouldn’t have asked for it, but Lisa asked me if I’d like to, and it’s one of my favorite moments of the day. It was a moment to be centered and grateful and quiet, and the fact that I’ll have a couple of photos of that moment is just an added bonus.”
She shares, “My Dad was one of the most well-read people I’ve ever met and his vocabulary often sent me to the dictionary. Yet, he was a cowboy at heart. I love that he had both. The black, alligator-skin cowboy boots are a reminder of that for me. If he were here, he would have walked me down the aisle, and he would have married us as the minister. My gratitude is endless because although he wasn’t there physically, he made sure we were well taken care of in those ways (brother Paul walking me, our good friend Dave officiating, who also introduced us), and also sent some pretty spectacular weather our way.”
She adds, “I wasn’t posing with my Dad’s stuff, Lisa really just created the space for me to have a moment, disappearing into the background as I had this special time to connect with my dad.”
Here comes the bride!
Anna recalls, “Mitchell and I didn’t see each other from when we said goodbye at the rehearsal dinner, to when I walked down the aisle. I know this isn’t always ideal for photos, but Lisa was super supportive of our decision and never made us feel like it wasn’t the right decision. I’m SO glad we did it this way because the moment of seeing Mitch waiting for me at the end of the aisle was something I’ll remember forever.”
Mitchell smiles, “My favorite part of the wedding day was seeing Anna come down the aisle and us reading our vows to each other. Our vows were handwritten by us so they were very special and unique and I loved them so much.”
Anna shares, “On the wedding day itself, I felt so grateful. I soaked up every moment and tried to really be in the moment. I also spent some time alone with my older brother, Paul, before he walked me down the aisle. He saw me at probably my most nervous- after the bridesmaids had left to get lined up, and I was alone. We got to spend some quiet time together and it was really special. Paul walking me down the aisle was incredibly surreal and special. I’ve always looked up to Paul and he has always been my protector, advisor, tormentor lol, and friend.”
She adds, “My sister Whitney and little brother Joshua also sang during the ceremony ‘Pushing up Daises‘, which was beautiful.”
Heartfelt Vows, Sealed with a Kiss
Anna recalls, “Mitchell’s vows left everyone speechless. I tried my best, but Mitch just really has a way with words. He made me feel like the most important, unique, and special person on the planet. I’ve read his vows to me several times since the wedding and they are a beautiful reminder of his commitment to me. I’m grateful for his love.”
She adds, “In our vows, we both talked about being partners, lovers, and friends- something that’s core to our relationship and something we always try to come back to and remind each other of. It balances out all of the ways we want to be for each other.”
Mitchell smiles, “I fell for Anna because of her beauty inside and out. She is a person everyone can look up to. Anna brings out the best in people: she is kind, caring, honest, smart, funny, and loving. The thing I love the most about her is how she is unwilling to give up on the things she cares about. If she has a dream she is going to make it happen with hard work and a wonderful plan. We work well together because we communicate well. We’ll talk out the good and the bad and try to get to a place where we can move forward together. We also work well together because we are in awe of each other. The two of us think the other is the coolest person we have ever met and that helps keep us connected and on each other’s team.”
Anna says, “I fell for Mitchell because of his fun personality and all of the deep conversations we could have so easily. I love his brain, haha- the way he thinks, solves problems, his quick wit, and cares for others. His looks don’t hurt!! We work together because of the way we balance each other. We are partners and supporters of each other, we aren’t in competition. Our strengths complement one another. I tend to be more of an organized planner, Mitch tends to be more free-spirited and spontaneous. We bring out those sides in each other and life seems to be able to roll smoothly while we also have lots of fun.”
Mitchell adds, “I went on a mission trip with my church when I was a kid. I wasn’t sure about going but once I did I fell in love. I have gone back to that camp 10 different years and even worked there as a counselor. At this camp, I met the guy who officiated our wedding and introduced Anna and I. I also felt like I learned who my truest self was. In the end, God had a plan for me to meet and fall in love with Anna. She is truly my soul mate and the reason I am here on Earth.”
Strike a Pose!!
Anna laughs, “Our bridesmaids and groomsmen were the life of the party!!”
Personalized Wedding Decor
Anna says, “For our centerpieces, we actually collected glass kombucha bottles for many months, and used them as vases for all white and green flowers. It was very whimsical, natural, and beautiful. I love how it turned out!”
She continues, “We also used our engagement photos for the seating assignments and I absolutely loved how it turned out. We got so many compliments and it was nice to display our beautiful pictures. We also printed out sooo many photos of us throughout the years, which added something really personal to the venue. They were not all posed shots, many were just pictures we had taken on our many journeys and adventures.”
Anna says, “Some grooms just say yes to everything and sign on the dotted line, Mitchell was involved in pretty much every step, had opinions, and helped me execute on every part of the day. Part of the joy of having a wedding is the preparation- we have lots of great memories of planning the wedding over the course of a full year, and we spent lots of quality time together doing that. We tried to keep the main thing the main thing and limit the pressure as much as we could. I’m so happy with how it all turned out!”
Heritage Restored Wedding Photographer
Anna shares, “We chose our wedding venue for a couple of reasons. It was near my hometown, which was a nice nod to the beautiful countryside that I grew up in. My dad is buried just a few miles away, and this was also a way for us to be physically close to him. To anyone who hasn’t lost someone very close to them, that may seem odd, but for everyone else that will make perfect sense. We both love to be outside and enjoy the mountains and beautiful views, and Heritage gave us just that. We liked that we would have the blue mountains in the background and that the decor of the day would really be the natural beauty of the landscape. It was also nice to make the venue our own, we made all of our own choices about what kinds of vendors to bring in and what was important to us, so it was really cool to see our vision come to life.”
Mitchell says, “I would recommend this venue to anyone who wants a barn type of wedding. It was affordable yet it didn’t feel like we had to sacrifice on anything. It held a lot of people and it provided beautiful views. It was wonderfully simple but also provided a lot of depth and textures.”
Anna and Mitchell were lucky enough to have a gorgeous sunset and golden hour on their wedding day! Their photos are definitely some of my favorites… Those purple mountains are unbelievable!
Anna smiles, “Golden hour!!! Need I say more? This was a big priority for us and Lisa was all about it ofcourse– I’m so glad we carved out the time. The beauty of the landscape was unmatched.”
Toasts & traditions…
Anna shares, “The toasts and speeches were so special! I had asked my oldest sister, Angela, to give the ‘father-of-the-Bride’ speech, and she surprised us by wearing my Dad’s suit jacket, putting on a pair of glasses, and wearing her own pair of cowgirl boots. It was such a thoughtful touch. Every speech given, including Mitch’s stepdad Ernie’s prayer, was really special and something we cherish.”
Anna laughs, “The ex-arms thing was ‘throwing the bones’ which is something the Huskers do when the blackshirts are on defense. We love the ‘Skers!
She adds, “Dancing with my Mom was also really special, we had fun doing it.”
Getting Groovy
Anna says, “We love to dance and have fun!! I switched into a better dress for dancing, put on some sneakers, and danced my little heart out. The baby probably did not know what was going on, haha. I also treated myself to one glass of champagne, so the baby was definitely having a good time. If we could’ve, we would’ve danced the whole night long. At some point, my girlfriends all started stuffing dollar bills into my halter dress, that was also fun. Later, I found a Take 5 someone had also stuffed in. Some things you just can’t make up!”
She adds, “Our day was unique because of the amount of family there, as we are both very family-oriented. We had a total of 150 guests, and 80 of them were family members!”
Mr Softee?
Anna smiles, “My favorite thing about planning our wedding was realizing that there were no rules! We didn’t want a traditional meal and we really don’t care for cake, so we opted for things we liked. We did wood-fired pizzas, charcuterie, roasted veggies, and for dessert, cookies and ice cream. We also had a candy bar with all of our favorites for our guests to enjoy. Sharing an ice cream cone was cute and also delicious. Give a pregnant girl ice cream, she will be happy. It’s just a fact…haha!”
Behind The Scenes
I really enjoyed photographing Anna and Mitchell’s big day! I’m so happy to be their Heritage Restored wedding photographer!
Heritage Restored Wedding Photographer – More Here:
Vendors:
- Venue: Heritage Restored Farm
- Catering: Forno Bova
- Bartending: Bubbles
- Videographer: Sparkx Entertainment
- Hair & Makeup: Meraki Weddings
- Planner: That’s It! Wedding Concepts
- DJ: Klock Entertainment
- Ice Cream Truck: Antietam Dairy
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