Some of you may or may not know that our corporate headquarters are located in Pittsburgh. Sadly and for safety, we had to give up traveling for our upcoming lifestyle shoots due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When we were presented with the “Garden Party” theme we imagined we would be traveling to England to dance throughout pristine flower gardens, get lost in a hedge maze, have tea and picnic on the lawn of some grand estate … you get the picture. Instead, we looked to our backyards and decided we could create this magic right in Pittsburgh — yes, Pittsburgh.
Check out our locations to see how we brought this to life with the talent of the Pittsburgh Video team — senior photographer Andrew Buda, photographer Alex Albeck, videographer and editor Elizabeth Cayouette and video assistant Chris Cichra — and we hope you are able to explore these spots should you ever visit our fine city.
Hartwood Acres Mansion
200 Hartwood Acres, Pittsburgh, Pa 15238
www.visitpittsburgh.com
It is quite possibly the most English establishment we found near the city with its Tudor-style architecture and proper floral garden. Aside from being able to tour the historic home, the park is open to the public for walking, hiking, biking, horseback riding and even has a large off-leash dog park for you to frolic with your fur babies.
Pisarcik’s Flower Farm
365 Browns Hill Rd, Valencia, Pa 16059
www.pisarcikflowerfarm.com
A bit farther north of the city is this family-owned flower farm that is responsible for supplying much of the surrounding region with fresh cut flowers. It is soooo worth the drive if you want to marvel at blooms for hours! And if you fancy a gift for the plant parents in your life or YOU have the green thumb, I highly suggest a visit to the gift shop. So many pretty “homes” to choose from for your botanical friends.
We started this day in one of the larger flower fields full of peonies. It was an early morning in early June. The fog was gradually dissipating and giving way to a low sun that woke up the peonies, which quickly exploded into a spectacular background and transported us into a magical scene. We definitely stopped to smell the peonies and then quickly put our masks back on. =)
After this lovely morning, we moved into the greenhouses surrounded by hanging baskets of flora in every color imaginable. We then ended the day with an over-the-top (and socially distant) tea party … definitely channeling a little Alice in Wonderland.
Morning Glory Inn
2119 Sarah St, Pittsburgh, Pa 15203
www.gloryinn.com
Tucked away on the South Side of Pittsburgh, literally in our backyard and less than a mile away from our corporate offices, is a real gem. A quaint bed and breakfast with a cozy courtyard and an interior design that will please any sophisticated floral enthusiast! Flowers on the walls, flowers on the floors, flowers on the furniture and even flowers on the dishes … an embarrassment of riches at our fingertips.
Erin, Aerie director of styling, even enlisted her two new kittens, Chunk and Ferguson, to join our local cast at the B&B. It was also Jackie Watts’, our styling assistant’s, birthday so we celebrated with a unicorn piñata in the courtyard.
We really enjoyed experimenting with the Nisha 82mm 3R multi-image filter lens. It added to the whimsy and dreamy mood of the season. This unique treatment helped the flowers appear even more robust and put a unique spin on a “group” shot.
Garden Party at the Ranch
At the same time on the West Coast, we enlisted our photographer Ali Mitton to shoot a few looks with a small crew of friends. After all, variety is the spice of life and she is always finding amazing outdoor locations. This time it was the tail end of a poppy super-bloom at Lone Juniper Ranch in Southern California. She’s a master with natural light and appreciates all of Mother Earth’s wonders and landscapes.
