Jude & Tabitha | Fall Wedding at Green Gables in Jennerstown, PA

I feel like most of the “how we met” bride & groom stories I hear take either one of two paths: the “I didn’t want to meet just anyone in a bar” line or the “We met at a bar” line. And Jude & Tabitha are no different: even though they both have quite a few mutual friends, their friend circles had never connected. That is, until that fateful day when they met on a bar crawl & both were placed on the same team.

You could say the rest is history. Just 6 months after they met, they attended a wedding together: and as we chatted, we realized that it was a wedding I photographed – Brad & Orion’s wedding from the summer of 2016!

So yes, if you do the math – that means that Jude & Tabitha have been together for over 3 years now. But, before you start thinking, “Yep, a proposal around this time sounds about right,” let me back up a bit. You see, back at the very beginning of their relationship, Jude had drawn a line in the sand with Tabitha. He had very very seriously explained to her that he would never ever get married. And he was so serious that any thoughts of a diamond ring, a romantic proposal, and a fairy tale wedding were all banished from Tabitha’s mind.

But, this is a wedding blog post – so you already know that somewhere along the line, at some point over the last 3 years, Jude’s mind began to change. It wasn’t an overnight change, but slowly he began to actually contemplate proposing to Tabitha. And just 5 months ago, he officially changed his mind, and ordered an engagement ring.

After about a week, the ring came in & Jude was so excited that he simply had to propose – and right away. He suggested to Tabitha that they take a ride up to Lake Erie – which is famous for having some of the very best sunsets in the entire country. He made them dinner reservations & before dinner, Jude took Tabitha for a walk along the beach – just as the sun was setting.

They walked & talked and after they had strolled quite a way, Jude suggested that they turn around so that they could get to their dinner reservation in time. Tabitha agreed, and as she turned to walk back, she heard Jude say one more thing: “I just have one more question for you before we go.” Slightly confused, she turned back around to find Jude down on one knee with a shiny diamond ring in his fingers.

Tabitha came right to the brink of passing out. She was so shocked & stunned & surprised. After being told so emphatically that he would never ever get married – here he was proposing that they get married. Overjoyed, speechless, and absolutely thrilled, she said yes.

That was this past June! And as they went to dinner & their engagement began to sink in, they decided: why wait? Tabitha has been dreaming of a wedding at Green Gables since she was a little girl – her Mom received something in the mail that mentioned it as a wedding venue with a few photos & she has wanted to get married there ever since. So, when they inquired with Green Gables & they had November 16th of this year open, they took it & plans fell into place for their wedding!

Tabitha & Jude – you both were literal champs on Saturday! It was quite cold up in the mountains of Jennerstown, Pennsylvania this past weekend – but with the sun shining and Tabitha’s smile radiating, nothing could chill the love between you two! Celebrating with you both was such a delight & I wish you both decades of happiness together!

I’ve been to Green Gables for a few weddings, but each of those ceremonies has taken place out on the lawn. With a mid-November wedding planned, Jude & Tabitha had their wedding ceremony inside Mountain Playhouse.

Did I mention that it was a big chilly on Saturday? It was freezing! Knowing that Tabitha has dreamed of her wedding in the gardens at Green Gables since she was a little girl though (and with that glorious golden sun setting behind us) we kicked it into high-gear for portraits!! And I’m obsessed with how these images turned out! Honestly: you’d never know that it was barely 30º outside & that we took all of these photos in less than 20 minutes!

I loved how they had the tables arranged in the Tuscany Room! A combination of long tables & round tables – the room was laid out so elegantly!

Jude & Tabitha brought in 2ndIINone Productions as their DJ for the evening & having worked with them in the past – I knew it was going to be an exceptionally amazing reception. And DJ Kool Breeze did not disappoint! He had the entire room dancing & laughing & having the absolute best time – I LOVE working with 2ndIINone DJs!

We ended the evening with a signature night shot under the twinkling lights of this incredible tree that Green Gables has. It was the perfect way to end the perfect day!

Huge shout-out and thank you to the amazing team of vendors, as well as friends & family, who helped make Jude & Tabitha’s wedding day absolutely perfect!

Ceremony Venue: The Mountain Playhouse in Jennerstown, PA
Reception Venue: Green Gables Restaurant in Jennerstown, PA
Catering: Green Gables Restaurant in Jennerstown, PA
Cake Bakery: Rizzo’s Malabar Inn in Crabtree, PA
Hair Stylist: Indulgence Salon in Latrobe, PA
Bridal Gown Retailer: MB Bride in Greensburg, PA
Bridesmaids Gowns Retailer: David’s Bridal in Monroeville, PA
Groom & Groomsmen Attire: Men’s Wearhouse in Pittsburgh, PA
Florals: Belak Flowers Inc in Irwin, PA
Invitations: The Print Shoppe in Irwin, PA
DJ: 2ndIINone Productions in Pittsburgh, PA
Assistant Photographer: Darcie Lindsay Photography in Pittsburgh, PA
Photographer: Kara Abbey Photography in Irwin, PA