I STILL HAVE OPENINGS FOR 1-2 FALL/WINTER 2026 WEDDINGS & MY 2027 CALENDAR IS OPEN & FILLING FAST! LET'S CHAT SOON!
BASED IN IRWIN, PA
serving the Pittsburgh, PA area
EST. 2008
REAL MOMENTS, FULLY LIVED
Hi, I’m Kara!
Wedding storyteller and travel content creator -
equally at home on a wedding day or in the front row of a roller coaster.
I’ve been in the wedding industry since 2009 and have had the honor of documenting more than 250 wedding days.
What started as a passion for photography grew into something deeper: a love for preserving not just how a wedding looks, but how it feels.
Over time, that naturally expanded into wedding content creation, helping brides and grooms and fellow vendors capture the in-between moments and real-time memories that often go unseen.
Outside of weddings, my family and I travel to amusement parks across the country, riding and reviewing roller coasters on our YouTube channel.
Storytelling is the common thread in everything I do - whether I’m capturing a wedding day or planning out our next big adventure with my family.
I care about documenting joy, preserving memories, and creating content that feels honest, thoughtful, and lasting.
choose your own adventure
Kara offers wedding photography, wedding content creation, and publishes YouTube content surrouding her family's travels to ride roller coasters. Select one below to learn more!
My style is rooted in storytelling, connection, and the in-between moments that often go unnoticed. I’m there to capture the joy as it naturally unfolds, so your photos feel lived-in and timeless.
My YouTube channel is where I document our amusement park visits, review hotels and resorts across the country, and share the tips we’ve learned along the way. If you love thoughtful travel planning and a good front-row ride, you’ll feel right at home.
My style is rooted in storytelling, connection, and the in-between moments that often go unnoticed. I’m there to capture the joy as it naturally unfolds, so your photos feel lived-in and timeless. I love true-to-life colors, authentic posing, and skip out on trends that will label your wedding as having taken place in 2026.
MY VERY
LATEST
WHAT IS A WEDDING CONTENT CREATOR?
A wedding content creator documents your day in real time using short-form video and candid behind-the-scenes footage.
While your photographer and videographer focus on polished, long-form deliverables, I capture the in-between moments and deliver ready-to-share content within hours.
It’s perfect for couples who want to relive the energy of the day right away and have meaningful content to share with friends and family.
If you’re curious how it works and what it looks like in practice, you can learn more about my approach HERE.
In 2020, I began being very intentional about documenting not only my family's personal life, but our adventures in traveling and riding roller coasters as well. And thus: The Adventuring Abbeys was born.
SOME OF OUR
MOST RECENT ADVENTURES:
BUT LET'S BE HONEST..
IT ALL STARTED WITH A CAMERA
^^ ME CIRCA A LONG LONG TIME AGO..
"You have a nice camera, right?"
And that's how it all started.
My best friend had gotten engaged and she asked if I would take some engagement photos for her.
"Sure! I've never done that before, but let's do it!"
That was in early 2008 - and that experience spring-boarded me into seeking out any opportunity I could, taking classes at the local community college, shadowing any photographer who was willing to let me carry their bags, and finally landing an internship at Walt Disney World.
I photographed my first wedding (solo) in 2009 and well, the rest is history!
18
YEARS
SINCE I BEGAN LEARNING PHOTOGRAPHY
12
YEARS
SINCE I TOOK MY BUSINESS FULL-TIME
250+
WEDDINGS
I'VE BEEN A PART OF CELEBRATING
My husband gave me a panic attack the day before yesterday:
"Hey, my calendar says you have a wedding on Saturday - but you haven`t said anything about it?"
*insert moment of sheer panic*
And then I realized what the date was: August 1, 2026.
I was SUPPOSED to shoot a wedding today for sweet Alyse & Alex - but instead, I`m sitting at home, typing this.
See, life decided to throw Alyse a major curve ball a few months ago and she`s been fighting like heck to get back to "normal" ever since. Her amazing family has been keeping me updated as she`s been working so hard to recover from some absolutely insane health issues (the details aren`t mine to share, but I`ll just say: the story is absolutely bonkers!)
But as Alyse continues to improve and heal, the difficult decision was made to postpone their wedding celebration -
So, happy ALMOST wedding day Alyse & Alex - I`m continuing to cheer for you and can`t wait until next summer when we`ll be able to celebrate not only your wedding, but good health!!
I wanted to give a huge shoutout to the incredible team of vendors, friends, and family, who worked so hard to make Maddy & Ben`s wedding celebration perfect!! Seriously, these folks were amazing! Definitely, leave them some love!
(PS - if you missed it, the highlights of their wedding day were published on my blog! https://karaabbey.com/maddy-and-ben-wedding-reception-at-the-gathering-place-in-darlington-pa/)
Reception Venue: @thegatheringplacedarlington
Coordinator: @events143_
Invitations: @zola
Catering: @medurescatering
Bakery: @bethelbakery
Signage: @newlywedsdesignpgh
Bridal Gown: @mbbride
Hair and Makeup: @cassidyraesalonspa
Florist: @themayflowerflorist
DJ: @mymoxieevent @adambombdj1
Photographer: @karabbey
#TheGatheringPlace #FridayWedding
Not many brides and grooms get the opportunity to do it all twice.
After exchanging vows during an intimate beach ceremony in North Carolina surrounded by their closest family, Maddy and Ben returned home to Pennsylvania to celebrate their marriage with the people who couldn`t be there.
And to say it was a perfect day would be an understatement!
The highlights of Maddy & Ben`s beautiful wedding reception are live on my blog right now! #LinkInProfile
PS: I`ve never met a groom who took the time to cut himself a second slice of cake, just so he could enjoy it!
Reception Venue: @thegatheringplacedarlington
Coordinator: @events143_
Invitations: @zola
Catering: @medurescatering
Bakery: @bethelbakery
Signage: @newlywedsdesignpgh
Bridal Gown: @mbbride
Hair and Makeup: @cassidyraesalonspa
Florist: @themayflowerflorist
DJ: @mymoxieevent
Photographer: @karabbey
#TheGatheringPlace #FridayWedding
CONGRATULATIONS Maddy & Ben! Today was amazing! ❤
Reception Venue: @thegatheringplacedarlington
Coordinator: @events143_
Invitations: @zola
Catering: @medurescatering
Bakery: @bethelbakery
Signage: @newlywedsdesignpgh
Bridal Gown: @mbbride
Hair and Makeup: @cassidyraesalonspa
Florist: @themayflowerflorist
DJ: @mymoxieevent @adambombdj1
Photographer: @karabbey
#TheGatheringPlace #FridayWedding
LOCATION
Kara Abbey is based in Irwin, Pennsylvania and regularly works in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area, but she has her passport and is available for travel worldwide!