The Willows at Ashcombe Mansion Wedding | A Romantic Pennsylvania Elopement | Pennsylvania Wedding Photographer | Melody Joy Co.

This elopement weekend was such a beautiful one, snow storm and all.

It started with me flying to Harrisburg, PA a few nights before because of a snow storm rolling in and flights were starting to be canceled. I thankfully, with getting there a few nights before we were able to to get dinner and catch up over a solid Italian meal. Briana and Taylor were so welcoming and fun to hang out with! What started as a casual meal, ended with a lively night of Taylor teaching me how to properly hold a sword and move my feet while fencing at their apartment, as he is a legit fencer and even is a part of a local swordsmanship fencing chapter and takes classes!

On the morning of their wedding day they got ready in their beautiful apartment that overlooks the capitol building in the center of the historic downtown of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. They got ready with their two cats, in separate rooms while Taylor made drinks for them and they listened to their favorite playlists. When Briana walked into her living room to have Taylor see her in her dress for the first time, she wanted me to surprise him and put on the theme to Outlander just before she walked out, which always makes him emotional, and it definitely worked.

We then drove in the snow storm (“we” as in Taylor) to The Willows at Ashcombe Mansion for bridal portraits. They knew they wanted somewhere beautiful to commemorate their special day and The Ashcombe Mansion could not have fit their aesthetic any better. Taylor and Briana even brought their favorite swords from their collection, to have in a few of their images with them. When walking around The Ashcombe Mansion we found a room with wallpaper of knights riding on horses…with swords! It was the perfect backdrop to document them with their swords. I just love that they both fence and both can share in such a unique and historic hobby together.

On the fencing note, after we left The Willows at Ashcombe Mansion, we returned to their apartment where they surprised their fencing class on Zoom, and got legally married in front of them! One of their classmates was ordained and married them before their fencing history class started. They read their vows in front of their swords that were surrounded by candles. And in the candlelight, they were finally married and ended the day with port and sharing in their passion for fencing with friends.

I love that they found a way to take portraits somewhere beautiful, without having to have a formal wedding there. I think that during this season of life, as elopements are becoming a more regular occurrence, I think everyone should consider going to a venue for portraits, even if just for an hour! I thought it was a lovely idea and in the end, even with endless snow coming down on their wedding day, it ended up with them as husband and wife, and lifelong memories documented to remember this special day with! x