Jonathan and Carleen are such a couple.

Carleen and her bridesmaids started their beauty prep at the Omni Salon. Hair and makeup came together on time thanks to some fabulous professionals. Carleen had one request: A dramatic look. And wow does she look perfect!

Carleen’s wedding details were fit for a queen. The veil, the ring, the jewelry, and of course the dress all fit together perfectly to complete the glam.

Making the Moment Photography is privileged to photograph some beautiful and wondrous weddings all across our nation.  Although we’re located in Cleveland, Ohio, it is such a sweet thing when couples ask us to handle destination weddings (or in this case – a travel wedding!) It was great to get to visit Pittsburgh and be a Pittsburgh Wedding Photographer for the day!

Jonathan and his groomsmen made their way to the gorgeous Omni Hotel in Pittsburgh just around noon. And the time came for Jonathan and Carleen to have their special “first look” before the wedding. Jonathan waited at the bottom of the lobby stairs as Carleen floated down like a dream. It was the perfect moment.

Everyone who had a role in the wedding party was ready to rock for pictures at the Omni. The guys posing for photographs around the Starbucks at the Omni, and the girls gracing the hotel floors. Jonathan and Carleen had so much support in their friends and family – it was quite a group.

The second location was stunning beyond imagination. The University Cathedral in Pittsburg was grand and artsy. The guys and the girls all put on their best smiles for memories of the good times.

The weather held out until finally, a typical Pittsburg thunderstorm let loose – but Carleen and Jonathan didn’t have to worry. It lasted only through the ceremony, which was held at the beautiful Calvary United Methodist Church.

Party time began back at the Omni William Penn Hotel for the wedding reception! Complete with a stunning cocktail hour, a live band, and bright fuchsia lights, this happening event was the perfect end to a perfect day – and a perfect beginning for the rest of Carleen and Jonathan’s lives.

During the morning of preparations, Angellica told her hair and makeup stylists “I want something with drama”. And as you can see, the dramatic look was perfect. She styled her look for the day with an Audri Hepburn-esque grace – and her details were no less breathtaking.

The wedding was early and went through a full mass at Our Lady of Grace. Close family and friends attended the service. They were so incredibly excited to be married!

The afternoon portrait session was incredible! Driving all over downtown Cleveland we discovered some beautiful docks, parks, buildings, and sky, creating some awesome fun & creative wedding photographs! Stunning cannot even begin to describe the outcome of our Cleveland portrait session!

The wedding reception was at the beautiful Windows on the River. Every detail was precisely chosen for an elegant and relaxed air. Family and friends came from all over the country – many whom had never before met the bride and groom – to celebrate in the festivities. After a full sit down dinner, the events got going – and not without some time for a few quick portraits.

Angellica and Jack are such a special couple. It was an honor to photograph their love story and be a part of their beautiful day!

I had the wondrous pleasure of serving their family this summer for Katy & Dan’s wedding – it was a sweetly sophisticated day, full of touching moments. I took such pleasure in being a storyteller, I loved every minute of silently snapping candids as the events of their day unfolded.
Like many weddings, my day as a cleveland wedding photographer began by spending some time with the ladies at the salon. So much fun – Katys Ladies (rhyming is fun) were a blast, and great to get to know throughout the day. With some careful pre-planning, we were able to organize the morning so I’d have time to pop in on the men a bit (dan’s manz?) for some candid photographs of their morning routine.


These Wedding Ceremony photographs are from St Raphael’s Parish in Bay Village. Watching Katy come down the aisle was so sweet – couple that with Dan’s reaction at her entrance, and you’ve got some tear-jerking moments.



This image of Katy hugging her grandfather after the nuptials is one of my favorites – and I know they’ll value for a lifetime. It was a sweet & tender moment for sure, with a ton of backstory. This family exudes love and care – and moments like these are evidence of their great heart for each other.

A sweet thing that Katy’s father chose to do during the wedding reception at the Union Club, was to have every guest scratch off a lottery ticket that was hidden in envelopes on their table. It was so fun to see the chaos and laughter that occurred as winners (and losers ) shouted from around the room in a frenzied craze of scratching.

I’m often touched by moments that transpire in the course of a wedding day – but I nearly weeped when Katy’s recently widowed elderly grandfather stole her from her father’s arms during the father/daughter dance. It was a moment of sheer class and love, and something that moved half of the room to open tears. It was so sweet – and being the type of photographer that’s always ready for an unplanned moment to occure – I was quick to capture every facet of it. I’m so thrilled for these photographs – I know that these specific moments will be treasured for years by their family.
The band was simply stunning – you can see it in these wedding reception photos of the Union Club – the party was lively and fantastic. Much praise and many thanks to The Bottomline Band – they made for an awesome show, and kept the dance floor hoppin’ all throughout the night.

Katy & Dan – thank you (times a million) for the honor and joy of being your wedding photographer. I had such a pleasure, and am so proud of the work we created together. Many congratulations and blessings to you in the years ahead – I enjoy you two SO much

I love it when couples plan their wedding to include special memories, whether it be the intimate settings or crazy church exits.

For Lawry and Brian the wedding could not have been more perfect. Probably because these two are very down to earth.  They were not too concerned about making sure the hundredth detail was finished, or making anyone happy other than themselves.

That being said, Lawry was an amazing bride who’s dress and wedding had a vintage feel.

The wedding took place at the Brecksville Methodist  Church in Brecksville, Ohio which had several small and unique venues, but it was fun bridal party that made the photographs great, and they love hamin’ it up for the camera.

After the guys got ready we did some cool rock star photos before heading to the church.

Lawry & Brian held their reception at the Embassy Suites Cleveland Rockside in Independence, OH and they had the placed deck out.  The signature drink was a hit, as was the live band and killer dance floor.  Speaking of the band – they rocked   And who was it you asked?  None other than Rick & The Cutting Edge – a 7 piece band that is well known for creating awesome wedding receptions!

It’s couples like Lawry and Brian and their families that make me wish that weddings could be a week long event.  Congratulations you two – I so enjoyed serving you for your wedding photography!  Much love for the years ahead.

I think that one of the most beautiful things about a wedding is the truth of two people choosing each other. Deciding that they want to understand that other person more than anyone else, they want to enjoy that other person, and they want to give all they have to that person. I think that Joel and Lisa had that spirit of love about them.

Not only was the spirit of their wedding beautiful, all of the little choices that they made to bring their day together ROCKED the HIZ-OUSE! It was indeed my privilege and honor to photograph such a beautiful couple so filled with love and kindness for each other and their friends and family around them.

There were some awesomely intimate and personal moments at their Cleveland Wedding – they chose to be wed at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Independance, Ohio.  St Michael’s is a gorgeous church and great Cleveland area wedding venue, and yielded some sweet and elegant wedding photographs!  A particular favorite moment of mine, was when Lisa entered the sanctuary – everyone was blown away by her radiance!

Our creative wedding photo session found us wandering and exploring some awesome urban locations in Downtown Cleveland, awesomely fun results!

That’s right – these two are simply geourgeous and photogenic – perfect for our fun style of wedding photography.  If you haven’t checked it out yet, make sure you see Brett’s Cleveland Engagement Session with these two from a few months ago.  You can’t help but feel the love when you put these two in front of the camera!

Their wedding reception was absolutely amazing – hands down wedding awesomeness.  Taking place at Cornerstone of Hope in Independence , I can’t tell you of all the fun that was had.  Mix in a little elvis, and lavish decorations, and you’ve got perfection.   The food was FANTASTIC – catered by A Taste of Excellence Catering in Parma, the meal was indulgent and wonderful.  The service these Cleveland wedding caterers offered was outstanding – gotta love it

Congratulations Joel and Lisa! I’m sure that even the King (Elvis) would admit that you guys rocked it out… big time!

Our day of wedding photography began with the the guys.  With a little inspiration, we broke out the 80’s rocker inside each one.  They were so great and had a blast rocking a wig and shades.

While the gentleman went to relax, I stopped by and found Nicki getting ready at her hotel room l.  The bridesmaids were furiously getting ready so that they could help Nicki get one more step closer to the big day.  She looked gorgeous in her wedding dress, and the netted veil was a unique touch!

As a creative Cleveland wedding photographer, we’re fortunate enough to see some beautiful wedding gowns and shoes – Nicki’s were insanely gorgeous – perfect for her personality and style!

Ben and Nicki chose to see each other and share a special moment before the wedding.  I placed Nicki in the hotel elevator, which was original to the building, and she took it down to the lobby.  Ben was waiting for her when the doors opened and the tears immediately began to flow.

Our creative wedding photography session in downtown Cleveland was a blast – we captured and created some really incredible imagery while exploring the city-scape.

I love the way this little photo-montage turned out – I’ve found taking a mix of fun & elegant photos during our creative sessions breaks things up a bit & gives couples a variety to their wedding photographs.

The House of Blues was an incredible venue to have a wedding ceremony and reception.  We had an opportunity to go up to the Members Only bar where I captured a cool image of them kissing down a dark hallway.

The YMCA song was particularly special – the wigs and sunglasses were rocked out once again!

Nicki & Ben – we had so much fun being your wedding photographers – thank you SO much for the great honor and privilege.  I hope you enjoy the sneak peak – the art we created together is wonderful – I can’t wait for you to get your Wedding StoryBooks!