Hannah and Joe’s Countrified Farm Wedding ~ mkPhotography, Pennsylvania Wedding Photography
Being asked to document a wedding for the family of one of my favorite colleagues is a true honor. When Sarah DiCicco approached me to capture the wedding of her sister Hannah and her brother in law to be Joe and mentioned there were real cowboys, horses, chandeliers, branded steaks involved, I just could not refuse. Not to mention mike and I have become close with Sarah and Tony and their loving family over the years. The design, planning and execution of the actual wedding day could not have been any more perfect. Thank you everyone involved for being a part of it :)
Another thank you goes to Sarah to putting together a photography team that she had a huge faith in. I loved Working with Svetlana and Elena of Svetlana Photography. Our styles are so different, yet compliment each other beautifully. I see our cooperation as a start of a great friendship.
Enough said, enjoy the images and the beautiful love story.
Jana
Joe is an actual real-life cowboy and a farrier and Hannah is a singer songwriter. Their romance is like something straight from a love song, and the wedding day itself reflected exactly that!
The party road as cowboys into their cocktail hour. At the reception, Joe presented his new bride with a brand new guitar as his gift to her, not knowing that her gift to him was a song that she had written! She took her new guitar and sang her gift to him.
The couple created a playlist of love songs together that they burned to disk as included as a part of their guests’ favors and Hannah slipped the song she wrote, sang, and recorded for Joe into the mix as the very first track on the c.d.
The Details:
Location: Huffs Church & Private Family Farm
Wedding Designer: Kimberly Fink of Styled Creative
Lighting: Eventions Productions (Brian Toner)
Bridesmaid Dresses: bhldn for Anthropologie
Videography: Lucky Productions Cinematography
DJ: Heart of Sound Entertainment Music Services
Make-up: The Bridal Hair Boutique
Musicians: Cocktail Hour- The Wallace Brothers Band, Reception- LA Williams, Lauren Haymore, Phil Pilorz, Lucas Mitsch
Horse-drawn Wagon Ride: Phillips Clydesdales and Shire
Cake: The Well Dressed Cake
Jewelry: Sorrelli Jewelry
Programs: Cicoria Advertising
Florist: Jackie and Daughter Flower Shop
Caterer: Cathy’s Creative Catering
Invitations: My Big Day Designs
Engagement Ring, Rental of Antique Chandelier: The Antique Store in Wayne, Pa
Sparklers: Sparklers R Us
The Branding Irons for Steaks was a gift.
Harvest Tables, Linens, vintage rentals: My Sisters Tables The sister and brother-in-law of the Bride made everything for the wedding and are going to be launching a vintage rental company soon!
The Vintage Blue Truck: Sister of the Bride drove by it one day and stopping in to see if it’s owner would mind renting it to the family for the wedding & he decided to swing over for a couple of hours at no charge.
The Vintage Green Truck & Tractor: Owned by family
Hardwood Floor: Custom built by Groom with supplies from family’s Sawmill Company, Solts Sawmill of Mertztown, PA
Portable Bathrooms: Johnny on the Spot
Take a look at this must see video by Lucky Productions HERE
OUR LOVE STORY; BRIDE’S VERSION
In high school Joe used to work at my Pappy’s sawmill and only one time I saw his pick-up truck drive off while I was cleaning windows at my Pappy’s house. I wondered who that guy was and wished I got a better look. Didn’t know it was Joe until we met and put the pieces together. Now, 3 months ago Joe sold that truck and I regret not taking pictures.
Basically, we fell in love new years eve 2006 into 2007. Joe previously got out of the Marine Corp and left California to move back to Pa in 2006, just in time to start rodeoing again and meet me before I left for Nashville Tn in 2007. The first time Joe came out to a gig at Pikeville I could hardly talk right when Joe’s sister Kellie introduced me to her brother. He was the handsome cowboy that was standing in the darkened corner looking very confident but humble and reserved and so gorgeous. I really gave forth effort to not stare at him. It was actually very distracting for me. It was the first time that anyone ever caught my eye like that. It turns out that same night, Joe turned to his Aunt Steph and said, “I’m going to marry that girl, she just doesn’t know it yet”. I think A. Steph said “ok Joe but maybe wait to tell her that “. Next time Joe came out to a Shorty’s bar gig and at the end of the night as I was wrapping chords and looking down, his boots appeared near mine and a warm western accent said “so when you gonna let me take you out to dinner?” I had to sadly say “sorry but I can’t, tell your grandparents I said hi though”. You know, Joe went home and said to his roommate “she didn’t say no!”. He already knew how to read me then.
Joe came to several gigs after that and always offered to help me pack up equipment, which I accepted with blushing cheeks. Then for new years my dad suggested playing music for the Phillips (joe’s grandparents), which was a first for me. I did not know his grandparents that well at that time but my dad played one of his first gigs at their farm years ago. So new years eve day 2006, Joe’s aunt Steph and U. Tim stopped in to hear the music for a bit and said that Joe was rushing back from the farm show to try and catch us. I was totally not expecting to see him and suddenly felt mortified. Dad and I were playing our last irish song “sir Englemore” and at the end there was Joe leaning in the doorway with a big smile. After inviting him out, Joe came out that evening to my new years eve gig, paid the expensive cover and sat alone just to hopefully talk with me. I went straight over and sat with him during every break and he talked my ear off from being so nervous. Which is not the norm if you know Joe. Then the “smooth Joe” quickly came out of him when he twirled me onto the dance floor for the very first time. Weeks later Joe came back out and later walked me to my car. I shocked him by saying “so, if you are planning on calling me you are going to need me number”. Joe fumbled with his phone and almost dropped it while trying to pull it out of his pocket.
The first time we hung out Joe invited me back to his house with friends and ended up slurring his words and having to resort to “spurring” me and pulling me in with his heels. What a cowboy! Joe then said enthusiastically, “Hannah Miller is in my house” with a huge smile. Turns out Joe remembered me in high school and said he once stood in the hallway and watched me walk down the hall in my black leather pants. I still can’t believe I even wore leather pants but I did and the right guy notice but never said a word to me until years later when the timing was right. Joe was a year behind me and we never met then. Actually we may have met when we were less than 5 years old when his aunt Steph used to babysit my sisters and I where Joe and I may have made candles together at his grandparents farm. His aunts remember better than we do, which is really fun. Later by the 3rd date I unfortunately had a lot to drink and did the number one “no, no” on how to pick up a guy. I was celebrating a friends birthday on a wine tour and by the end of the night Joe picked me up and took me to his house. I was laying down so he not only took my shoes off but also put new cowgirl boots on my feet that he had surprised me with. (3rd date!) As he was focusing on my feet, I was just in awe while watching him and the words came out, “Joe, if you’d ask me to marry you, I’d say YES!). If you know Joe, you can probably picture what is face looked like. It really is amazing he stayed. He thought he’d let me sleep that one off but lucky for us both, I have excellent insight and he has excellent patience with me.
GROOM’S VERSION
Well I just want to start out saying how lucky I am and how amazing Hannah is. There is so many times and places that we crossed paths so unaware and never spoke until about 5 yrs ago. I believe it was better that way because we both just knew it couldnt get any better than this when it finally did happen.
I remember making candles with her sisters at my grandparents and watching them gettin chased by the geese. We also went to high school together but I was a year behind and hannah was much more popular. I mean she was the homecomeing queen, junior miss, played sports, was captain, did band, chorus, and everything else she did outside school. With this said we didnt talk at all in high school haha. I almost did once although she doesnt remember. We passed in the hall and Hannah was wearing these leather pants. I swear i must have did the creeper stare, couldnt talk or anything just stared, I was that guy.
Years passed and when i came back home from CA where i was stationed in the USMC, I saw her again. My sister took me out to see her play and was just floored in how much i enjoyed not only her music but just looking at her. I knew I needed her in my life and Im real happy about that. I was apprenticing my uncle Tim shoeing horses about this time and I remember one day discusing Hannah and the situation, he said “shes a fox” I couldnt have agreed more. After missing a couple gigs because of rodeos a month or so passed and I finally got her number. You know its going to be good when you remember your first kiss, first dance, what song, first evrything even after all the concusions. Im real excited for the rest of our lives together and all the memories to come. She’s my best bud..
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So good to hear from you and we always hope to see you soon! Let me know if you need me to do anything with the story and if you need me to shorten it so it is easier to pull something from . Thank you and ttys! Have a wonderful week!
-Hannah
