sandrachile

[sandrachile]

Punching patriarchy in the face

…with your wedding day.

The first recorded evidence of a wedding dates back to 2350 B.C, in Mesopotamia, and it was a union between a male and a female. Back then, getting married wasn’t so much about love, traditions, or religion, it was about binding a woman to men in order to guarantee that his biological children were in fact his. Through the marriage, the woman became the property of the husband, and if the wife (or wives) failed to produce offspring, the wife could easily be returned. As you can see, the beginnings of our beloved rite are deeply rooted in patriarchy, and later when got mixed with Christianity, it got even worse, as a wedding became an important sacrament, changing the nature of marriage altogether, and giving men authority over their wives and sovereignty over their bodies. When colonists first came to the US, the husband’s dominance over the wife was officially recognized under a legal doctrine called “coverture” in which the bride gave up her name to symbolize the surrendering of her identity, and the husband became more important as the only representative of both: [yes, insert my atonal breathing here].

Thank god! things have changed, right? …. but have they? …

It is 2021, but…

In most countries, women still don’t have reproductive rights.

Gender inequality is at the heart of world hunger, out of the estimated 820 million chronically undernourished people worldwide, 60 % are women and girls.

Today, 33.000 girls will become child brides (versus ZERO boys).

Only 67 countries around the world have laws against gender discrimination, and in 18 countries husbands can legally prevent their wives from working.

Only 28% of employed women worldwide enjoy paid maternity leave.

We still have a wage gap, a pension gap, street harassment, sexual violence, gender discrimination in the workplace, less access to education…

… and we well know that I could spend a week here adding more and more to this list >_<

Perhaps patriarchy is the last thing we think about when wedding planning, but I think we should change all aspects of the world in order to bridge the gap of gender inequality. This is why I encourage couples to be intentional about keeping the traditions that are most rooted in patriarchy out of their wedding day, as:

A statement (so future generations don’t have to cringe when looking at your pictures). As a commitment to yourselves (to fight for gender equality, even if you are a gay couple, because you still have a mom, sisters, aunts, and might have a daughter). As proof to yourself, so down the road you know that you were part of the change. 

[sandrachile]

About Weddings and elopements…

with Carly + Alex

You don’t need a reception. You don’t need a church. You don’t need a white dress. You don’t need a Tuxedo. You don’t need a gazillion people around you. You don’t need personalized napkins or cups. You don’t need makeup. You don’t even need shoes. What you actually need is:

To stop your lives for a day, to commit to each other. You need a deep understanding of love. The commitment with yourself first, that you will love your significant other despite their failures and mistakes, you will love them at their worse, even more than they can love themselves.

To express each other’s expectations and promises.

To make an effort to wear something that makes you feel special That can mean, a puffy dress, flowers, a tux, high heels, makeup, or no makeup, a big hair, or a shaved head. Feeling special will help you understand that you are indeed special, and acknowledging your worth in a relationship will help you through the tough times.

…And although technically, you could go without a photographer, I need to tell you that you totally one. The pictures will help you remember what love feels like, the day you loved the most.

[sandrachile]

A Zero Waste Wedding in Pittsburgh

If you have been on Facebook lately, you have probably seen videos of turtles tangled in plastic, birds whose stomachs are full of plastic, and reports about Global Warming.

Whether your political inclinations deny or are against global warming, the truth is, our planet is polluted, and right now, you are either part of the solution or part of the problem, there is no middle ground.

But the problem is that when it comes to bringing environmentalist values to wedding planning, if you are not in California, or don’t have a 6 digit budget, it becomes a little hard, and you might end up giving up for the sake of the circumstances.

So I want to show you, where you should be focusing your energy and resources, but first, let me introduce you to the “Buyerarchy of needs” which will be inspiring our whole journey, and I hope you look at this, read it, meditate on it, and then apply it.

1: Focus on the things that don’t cost you anything, pick a vibe, a feeling as the guidance for your wedding day. 

If you look around for wedding day inspiration, everything is based on color palettes, flowers, or decor. However, since we are trying to be intentional and not use as many material things during the wedding day, it is better to base your inspiration on intangible things rather than material things, instead choose to get inspired by feelings, or the vibe you want your wedding to have. For example, the vibe for the image below was: contemporary, artsy, and fresh.

2: Focus on finding the core vendors for your wedding

(Yes, before setting up a date or even the location). Once you pick the vibe, you will need to gather the elements that will bring your vision together. But Unless you are working with the proper people, translating a concept to reality within a budget, can be hard. So, before even selecting the date for your event or the location, we highly encourage you to select the group of humans that will bring this to life. The core vendors are: Wedding Planner Venue Caterer Officiant Photographer Since the “ethical” journey begins before the wedding day itself, when reaching out to vendors, ask them upfront about what environmental practices they have in place. 

Asking this up front will set the tone for the rest of the planning process, and if this is something that is not present in their practices, your question will surely push them in the right direction.

3: Where and When?:

Choose the date and the venue.

Whether you decide to marry at home, or in a big space, there are some things that you need to take into consideration, such as accessibility for your guest, location of your party hub, weather, and of course, environmental practices. 

If you go for the most popular choice, a venue, ask them and yourself the following questions:

Does your venue send all the garbage to a landfill, or does it have any recycling practices in place? Do they offer furniture, or do you have to rent these items separately? Does the venue have decorative elements, or is it a plain room that needs a lot of stuff to look good? Does it offer in house booze/catering, or can you bring your own?

So many questions, right?

From the low waste perspective, it is a priority to choose a space that offers dishes, cups, and straws that are not plastic. 

(I doubt you want a turtle in the Caribbean to swim among the straws from your wedding day, right? … #justsayin)

4: Let’s tell the world: The stationery (Oh poop! When things get real)

Although an online invitation is often times more eco-friendly, in practice, not everybody is a fan of receiving an email, and being inclusive of older generations who are less e-literate, is a good way to honor them. So when it comes to papers, what alternatives are low waste?

The invitation is the first thing your guests see, it sets the mood for the day, it tells your guests whether joining is going to be worth it, and it announces what kind of party this is going to be. Once the invitations are sent, things get real, and telling your guest that this is an environmentally friendly kinda day deserves to be announced in an environmentally conscious way. Here is where the value of a designer that can custom work for you is a thousand times better than printing some DIY, but make sure the designer is open to working with eco-friendly papers. 

Have you heard about paper made out of elephant poop?

When it comes to being low waste, there is nothing better than options that ethically made, creative, and contribute to giving opportunities to economically and socially marginalized groups. So do your research in regards to papers, and if you are feeling like DIYing, you can DIY the envelopes from the newspapers at your grandma’s house.

PS: Oh! And forget about RSVPs! Nowadays everybody texts, so you can use an automated text message RSVP service which is the easiest way to gather replies from your guests, and automatically organizes and counts for you. SCORE!

(If you never saw paper made of poop, now you did | Stationary by the kick ass: Fresh Cut Prints )

5. Creating a wedding atmosphere: Decorations

One of the things about low waste, is that sometimes it might be a little on the plain side, so for a wedding, which we want to look special, we really have to put thought into what we bring in. 

Using what we have, or what you can realistically keep afterward is key. So, first, my biggest and probably most overlooked decoration element that is also functional is: LIGHTS!!! I’m not talking about regular light bulbs, but lighting can make an amazing decoration, which afterward leaves zero trace.

Another suggestion is to use real plants as a decorative item. Not only they will give you a decoration the day of your wedding, but will decorate your house for the years to come, and imagine having the same plants that witnessed you saying “I do”, witnessing your anniversary year after year!

"Did you know that glass can be recycled forever and ever?"  -- FUN FACT

Another element that is overlooked but it is quite easy to make, and to compost afterward is dry flowers. You can actually invest time in planting your own and meticulously dry. Finally, for any other need, hit your local thrift store! You would be surprised to see the amounts of linen available there.

Oh! And also… keep an eye on the dumpster! Someone else’s garbage always has the potential to be your treasure.

5. Time to get pretty

An element of your wedding that takes a lot of mental energy, a big chunk of your money, and it makes a massive statement in regards to the environment is fashion. And if you want to make a statement, the options for your outfit are: Ethically sourced. Wear your own. Make your own outfit. Or Vintage. This groom decided to wear his own clothes, and the bride opted for the vintage.

The statement piece for the bride was her earrings, which were upcycled. Altogether their outfits were around $30, which allowed more $$ to be allocated for other services.

As you can see, going this route is a great way to maximize your budget, but if you feel uncomfortable with the idea of wearing a vintage style of clothing, you can always purchase vintage garments and budget for the services of a seamstress that can transform your vintage piece and gives it a modern twist.

6. Beauty

I have to be the first in recognizing that zero/low waste and the beauty industry are not the best of friends. Beauty is perhaps one of the most forgotten subjects when it comes to thinking low waste wedding, maybe, because it is not you using that bottle of shampoo that will end up in a landfill, you don’t think much about it. Nowadays there are many makeup products companies using cruelty-free and vegan options (yay). But I learned from Becky, owner of the hair salon that does my hair, Tula Organics, that certain brands go to the extent of manufacturing products with 100% wind power, and they purchase carbon offset credits to balance any climate impact of their aerosol hairsprays.

She also told me about Dragon Master Foundation, a charity organization fighting to find a cure for cancer, and to whom you can send personal care and beauty containers to be recycled. This is an amazing initiative, to make the world greener and fight cancer at the same time.!

In summary:

A low impact, environmentally wedding is not unrealistic. Even if you don’t live in California, it is totally possible right here in Pittsburgh, and even with a small budget. All you might need, is to think through and plan with time, along with a good group of ethically minded wedding vendors.

Supporting Cast: Planner & Aesthetic designer: Devoted To You Events @devotedtoyouevents Florals: greenSinner @greensinner HMUA: Tula Organic @tulaorganic Venue: Kingfly Spirits @kingflyspirits Lightning: EF Lighting @eflighting Plants + Greenery: City Grows @citygrows Photographer: Sandrachile @sandrachilep Invitation Fresh Cut Prints @freshcutprints Paper Mr Ellie Pooh @mr.elliepooh Cake: Mediterra Cake House @mediterracakehouse Jewelry/Accessories Adaptive Reuse @christineterrell Calligrapher- Scarlet Day Calligraphy @scarletdaycalligraphy

[sandrachile]

We have our very own charity!

Ladies and Gentleman: we have a massive announcement:

WE HAVE OUR VERY OWN CHARITY: WORTH MANIFESTO

After years of delivering leftover food from weddings among the homeless in Pittsburgh, I decided it was time to increase our help, and to offer an additional type of help, exclusively to women. 

With the same idea of repurposing what we already own, I am collecting unwanted makeup bags (such as Ipsy), travel size toiletries, and makeup, and I delivers these items, along with a personal, handwritten note, to marginalized women. The name of this new project is Worth Manifesto, and I am hoping that this unrequested yet intentional gift helps the most vulnerable women by uplifting their spirits and reminding them of their self worth. 

I announced this project a few weeks ago on Instagram, and during the first month of Worth Manifesto, hundreds of donations were received and are now being distributed among homeless women in South Side and Downtown Pittsburgh. The outpouring of support encouraged me to launch a website and a new campaign, which is to gather 1,000 bags to send to help the women at the border crisis: BOOM!

The first batch of bags is going to the respite center in McAllen, TX, where countless men, women, and children refugees stop to rest, have a warm meal, shower and change into clean clothing. According to the director of the respite center, an average of 300 women go through this center daily.  Donations for the border crisis will be received for one month, until August 1. Whatever is received after that date or beyond these 1,000 bags will continue to be distributed among other women, locally and across the country.

I am motivating all my wedding vendor friends, my clients, fans, friends, and all the community, to help reach the goal of gathering 1,000 bags by the end of July.

But I am especially looking for volunteers who can donate personal notes in Spanish, handwritten with encouraging messages of hope, to women who currently might be downhearted. Donations can be dropped at my house: 932 Mirror Street, Pittsburgh PA 15217. Thank you everybody! All of you have encouraged me to dream this big, and to pursue those dreams, and I couldn’t be happier, and more fulfilled to know that we are truly changing the world with our love stories!.

To learn more about the types of donations that are needed for this campaign visit www.worthmanifesto.com/bordercrisis. 

Please share about this as much as you can! I really count with your support for this!

Worth Manifesto is a project that seeks to empower marginalized women through acts of kindness and words of encouragement. To learn more, people can visit online at WorthManifesto.com and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

For more information you can contact me directly, Sandra Villarroel, at worthmanifesto@gmail.com 412.444.5268

[sandrachile]

Engagement Session or Excuse to Get Professional Pictures of the Cat?

Rachel + Sam

I like people who stand up against injustice. People who are proactive to create a better world. People who are able to step outside their privilege to empathize with minorities like myself. People who care about the things that truly matter. And this is pretty much the definition of Rachel and Sam, and I’m OBSESSED with them. Rachel and Sam met in college, and after traveling around the globe helping farmers, and strengthening impoverished areas, they decided to get hitched, right here where they live. But pictures make introverts like them nervous, so I suggested to do a test run with an engagement session where they feel more at ease: their home. Personally, I can’t empathize enough, how truly important taking pictures before getting married prepares you for the big day. I want all couples to do it, it really is a huge giant massive help, for them and also for me as the photographer.

I think Rachel and Sam ended up looking super cute, however, at some point there were doubts: Was it this truly an engagement session? or was this just an excuse to get professional pictures of the cat??? … Judge for yourself…

[sandrachile]

Fall Wedding at Spirit | Lawrenceville Pittsburgh

Ashley + David

Pittsburgh is an awesome city. I have traveled quite a bit, and I can assure you that Pittsburgh is indeed the best kept secret in America. And I think the pictures from Ashley and David’s wedding portray the amazingness of the city I call home. The contrast of the urban landscape and the yellow bridges, its beautiful kind people, the local art display, the food heaven, I mean, everything it’s pretty awesome here. Today, a few months late, I am finally sharing the pictures of one of the coolest and sexiest weddings I have photographed. Ashley and David got hitched at Spirit this past fall, on a day with the most Yinzer weather ever, where it was cold, rainy, windy, warm, and then again cold; all at the same time. Their reception took place at the same time the installation of Ian Brill covered the walls of Spirit’s second floor. I think EVERYBODY needs to get married here during his art show. PERIOD! A killer party with one heck of a DJ. The most delicious food served in compostable banana leaf papers. Flowers were on point, and the quotes from The Office and Gilmore Girls were just the icing of a beautiful day. Overall, the most supportive atmosphere embodied the day with love, and I was happy to witness this relationship of ten years get a beautiful upgrade :) Cheers!

A wedding with purpose

At the end of the wedding, and thanks to the generosity of the couple, and the collaboration of Blue Sparrow catering, the leftovers were boxed and distributed in among 24 homeless people in downtown Pittsburgh. Nothing better than comfort food during a cold, windy, and rainy day like we had that day. And nothing better than to start your life as a married couple keeping generosity and compassion in the center of your hearts. High five to Ashley and David!

[sandrachile]

Elopement in Valparaiso, Chile

Vivi + Rodrigo

Chile is amazing. But there is a town in the middle of the country that is my refuge when I feel tired, when I feel I lack creativity, but most of all, It is the only place that makes me feel home. 

Let me tell you about my Valparaiso: 

Only two hours from Santiago, the capital, Valparaíso spreads across a series of hillsides that form a natural amphitheater overlooking the sea. 

With houses climbing Its hills like in kaleidoscopic colors, for years has welcomed poets, artist, singers, and every possible bohemian soul. This is what makes Valparaíso the lively, hip, artsy, and inspiring town it is. The culture comes out through the architecture, style, street art, night life, and live music.

Rodrigo and Vivi grew up there. 

So did I. In fact, Vivi’s mom was classmates with my own mom all through high school. 

Vivi met Rodrigo through her brother. 

You know, the little nosy sister that shows up when the friends of the brother come to visit. 

Well, one day the little sister was not so little anymore, and when that happened, love exploded between these too, and with that, some drama rolled on, as Vivi’s traditional parents were panicking that their little daughter was dating a guy almost 10 years older! 

Luckily, time made Vivi’s family realize these 2 loved each other. 

They now share a life together, a business called Portales Fit, the first outdoor Functional Training (aka Crossfit) and a love stronger and tougher than the marathons they like to run.

They decided to have this bridal session to make their parents believe they had eloped. 

I heard there were at least 2 heart attacks after the pictures arrived, ha!. Just kidding … nobody got hurt ;) Take a look below to “my hood”…

[sandrachile]

Same Sex Home Session In My Hometown | Viña del Mar, Chile

Isaac + Coke

[bilingual tex at the end of the page | Texto bilingüe al final de la pagina]

Birdhome 882

I spent the beginning of the year visiting my people in Chile, and during my trip I got to witness my country and what it has become… Chile is a country with Catholic roots, which makes it quite conservative. Thanks to the media, the LGBTQ community has gained some visibility but Chile continues to be a homophobic country, where gay folks have to remain in the closet to keep jobs and make a living.... or simply to be safe. Perhaps this is why Coke and Aisak are creating their own entrepreneurial adventure, and inspired by the Netflix show Stay Here by @genevievegorder and @peterlorimer they decided to transform their house into a hip AirBnb called @birdhome982  I bet Airbnb never imagined that through their platform they are giving minorities, the opportunity to make an income in places like my beloved Chile, and I bet @netflixlat never thought that by making their service available, they are literally transforming lives.

Comencé el 2019 visitando a mi gente en Chile, y quiero compartirles algunas de las fotos que tomé, y lo que observé durante mi viaje. Chile es un país de raíces Católicas, lo cual lo hace conservador. Aun cuando la exposición mediática ha contribuido a la visibilidad de las minorías sexuales, Chile continúa siendo un país homofóbico, en el cual las personas LGBTQ continúan teniendo que permanecer en el closet para realizar tareas normales, como conservar su trabajo o permanecer seguros. Quizás esta fue la motivación de Coke y Aisak que decidieron lanzarse con su propio emprendimiento, e inspirados por el show de Netflix Stay Home, de @genevievegorderer y @peterlorimer  decidieron crear un alojamiento airbnb llamado @birdhome982  Creo que @netflix nunca imaginó que llevando sus servicios a lugares tan remotos como mi querido Chile, lo que en realidad estaban haciendo era transformar vidas.

[sandrachile]

Ethical, Christian, and unpredictable Destination Wedding | St Louis MO

Pua + Corey

I started 2018 writing down a business bucket list.

There were a few things I wanted to accomplish, and every year I feel like materializing these wishes on a paper. It somehow helps me remain focused.

The bucket list included weird (for you) things:

A Christian wedding.

A destination wedding (hopefully at the beach).

A shoot or wedding in Miami.

And a shoot with someone whose first language was not English.

I was blown away when, the following week, someone contacted me for an engagement session in Miami and I shot their engagement in my most favorite urban place in the world: Wynwood. And as an amazing bonus, I also shot a photography session at the Miami ice Cream Museum, which was in their last week (ever!).

While in Miami I received an email from Pua and Corey.

Pua is the youth pastor at a church in the suburbs of St Louis Missouri, while Corey worked at the Dream Center, a Christian ministry in the heart of Saint Louis Missouri, bringing hope to one of the poorest neighborhoods in the country. Their intimate destination elopement in Florida sounded amazing! and was answering to 2 of my bucket list goals at once. WOAH! Lucky me!. And as I began to learn about Pua and Corey, I fell in love with them more and more.

Their passion for social justice and their ethical heart… The secluded private residence where the wedding was going to be, with a ceremony right in the sand!? Oh em gee! This was going to be the wedding of my dreams!

But Michael had another plan….

Hello I’m Michael, and I’m here to wipe everything down…

A month before the wedding, the panhandle area of Florida, where (for a year!) Pua and Corey had made arrangements to get married, got a non pleasant visitor: Hurricane Michael, leaving all their planning in ruins on the beach.

[insert all the crying face emojis here]

Now, they were faced with a new decision:

To move the wedding to their hometown? (and therefore to plan a whole new wedding in a month!)

or

To move the wedding date? (which involved postponing all their upcoming plans, including the honeymoon)

[I swear, I witnessed this part of their journey with panic attacks….]

But there is a bible quote that says

"“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.”"  -- Philippians 4:6-7

This piece of the Bible has nothing to do with God himself, but more with our attitude and how we behave in relation to God. It calls us to be positive and optimistic, to have an attitude of thanksgiving despite the circumstances.

And it reminds us to be faithful, that nothing is too big or small to ask God for. And to acknowledge that God cares for us, and will help us feel at ease.

Pua was freaking out, and rightfully so! To put together another wedding in 30 days was nuts! And not to mention, expensive! But her and Corey faced this challenge by practicing their religion, and did what their beliefs commanded: they prayed.

There were safety concerns in regards to getting married at the original location, so Pua and Corey decided to move the wedding to St Louis instead, and here is where their people said “we got ya” and their community stepped in to help. Meanwhile, I re-routed our airline tickets to the Bible Belt, and recruited my good friend Jenni to help me in a wedding with a whole different scenario.

Wedding in St Louis:

The ceremony ended up being at Pua & Corey’s church, run by none other than the teens Pua is a pastor for. The ceremony was performed by a (really funny) relative. The dinner was held in the church basement. And then everybody moved to a barn that someone from the church let them borrow so they could all go dance, and long story short, everybody offered what they could to make the wedding happen.

The night that changed my life….

At the end of the night, Pua and Corey themselves helped us pack leftovers for homeless (first time a couple engages personally with this process), and let me tell ya, that night changed my life…

After every wedding, Nick and I averagely distribute around 20 to 24 meals in downtown Pittsburgh, but St Louis was different, and the reality I witnessed there shocked me.

On our first stop, I shared over 60 plates of food. Corey and Pua were nice enough to not only donate the wedding day leftovers, but they also went above and beyond to save the extra food from the rehearsal dinner.

The homeless situation in Pittsburgh, is way different than St Louis. Here I usually get asked for a cigarette, but in St Louis I got asked for basic things, such as water and blankets.

I saw so many homeless people there, it was heartbreaking. People of color, Asians, and white people. Women, teenagers, elderly, and disabled people.

I’m not gonna lie, I felt disappointed in St Louis….

In Pittsburgh, homeless people are a direct result of the opioid crisis, but in St Louis, it seemed different (out of the 80 people we fed and saw that night, I did not see one who was intoxicated or visibly high). My short stop through St Louis changed my perception drastically. There is so much need around us, and we are so so privileged, but I feel lucky that out of all the weddings that take place in the world, I get to serve people like Corey and Pua, who took time out of their own wedding to share what they had and how they could.

How did this wedding produced social impact?

The wedding of Pua and Corey was crazy, it was beautiful, ethical, full of intention, spiritual, and impactful.

Pua gifted her bridal party leggings from Girlfriend Collective, a size inclusive brand that, through ethical manufacturing, uses post-consumer water bottles extracted from the ocean to produce their leggings.

Corey and his wedding party opted for to use something they already owned (and will continue to wear).

The couple skipped on the favors, instead, they donated that money to the relief efforts of the Hurricane Michaels.

They intentionally payed to rent real plates/glasses at the reception to avoid generating plastic cups/paper waste.

Avoided straws.

The leftovers from the wedding day fed 45 people, while the leftovers from the rehearsal fed 40 to 50 more, giving us a grand total of almost ONE HUNDRED PEOPLE, whom 4 days before Thanksgiving were in the streets, hungry, cold, and trying to sleep under the rain, but we reminded them that THEY MATTER TOO. Overall, this wedding changed my life and pierced my heart like no other before, and it was the perfect reminder that no matter how much we want to stay to ourselves, we are meant to live in community, we need them, and others need us as well.

Special Acknowledgement:

[sandrachile]

Coffee and laughs, family session in Johnstown PA

Ruth’s Family

"The journey to truly becoming a great photographer is the exploration of who you are as an individual and then being brave enough to allow those findings to influence your photographs. "  -- Kirsten Lewis

Christmas in Chile takes place in the summer. Yes, while over here we are lighting candles that smell cinnamon pinecones, and mulled cider, the southern hemisphere enjoys summer, the beach, and to me, nothing triggers christmas memories more than the smell of tanning lotion. If you asked me about Christmas, I think my happiest memories all point towards one specific event: “La Sobremesa”. The moment after dinner, when you bring the dessert wine or coffee, and the sweet pastries out, to simply hang out and talk around the table. It is such a quintessential moment in hispanic culture that there is even a word that describes it. Sobremesas during the holidays are always the best. The whole family reunited together! grandparents, aunts, cousins, uncles, family friends, and all the extended family in the world, including great aunts and uncles. Everybody full, laughs and happiness all over. My grandma serving everyone. My mom getting the bottles of Colemono out of the fridge (an alcoholic drink similar to Baileys that we only drink at the end of the year). My aunt setting up the plate with pan de pascua (a Christmas sweet bread similar to Panettone). Most of those relatives are now dead, but I treasure those memories tight in my heart. So when Ruth hired me this year for a Christmas family session that would include her parents and uncle, I suggested to do it there, at her parents home, where so many memories have been created through the years. One of the things I learned this year, is how important it is for photographers to keep ourselves connected to our family memories, and how much our relationships can come through in the work we produce, and Ruth’s family session was such a confirmation of that: Lack of formality, the dining room table, cookies made at home, favorite coffee mugs, blended families, happy kids, beloved uncles, laughs and old stories, at a house well lived.

There was such a strong resemblance to the family dynamics that I witnessed growing up. My goal is to always capture families the way they are, truth to their heart, and this session reminded me that every session is a reflection of who I am.

Feliz Navidad!

[sandrachile]

Love at first... bratwurst | Brookline - Pittsburgh PA

 Victoria + Josh

Victoria was living a pretty stagnant life in a small college town outside of Pittsburgh. She promised herself that if something amazing didn't happen within a year, she was quitting her job(s) and moving to the city.

A year went by and not much happened, so she fulfilled her own promise and moved to the Burgh.

When she got to Pittsburgh, she was underwhelmed by her first experiences, so he joined meetup.com, Tinder and various other Facebook groups, in hopes of meeting new people with fresh perspectives.

About a month in, her and Josh matched on Tinder.

He messaged first and was very clearly in love with the city he grew up in.

He offered up suggestions for places to go, food to eat, transportation tips, and eventually, they decided to meet up at a local hot dog shop.

Two (very) strong beers and a bratwurst later, it was the best "first date" both of them ever had.

After that that initial date, a handful more came along and it quickly transitioned into   more.

They moved in together after four months and became dog parents after six.

This past April, things got a little twist

when they bought their first home together!!!. (hashtag adulting!)

Josh finally proposed to her in October, right at home.

Because home is such an important element in their lives, I suggested we did their session there.

Often times engagement sessions take place outside, but I am a firm believer that it is always better to stay home :)

[sandrachile]

Vicky + Sheri | Real Life Family Session Pittsburgh

Vicky and Sheri are artsy. You can tell as soon as you set foot into their house. The big piano takes up a big space, and it’s not pushed into a corner, it’s there to remind you that music is at the center of their hearts, and that their hearts are filled with art in all its forms. The house is ruled by the fur babies the ones that greeted me as soon as I crossed the door. Laughs, licks, and love where everywhere. Vicky reached out to me while I was attending the Fearless Photographers conference in Puerto Rico, and she said “I need family pictures for my wife, pictures that aren’t boring”. Last year I decided to stop offering the typical family sessions that other photographers are offering. I am not sure if my pictures are “not boring”, but I like real life. The fun, the chaos, the intentionally decorated corners of my house, the spontaneous laugh, the dog photobombs, the visitors, the walls that tell stories. I like them all. So I decided to only do what I like (the perks of owning the circus), and focus exclusively on families who appreciate that like I do. So, on Thanksgiving day, I showed up before the turkey and the fat pants, to photograph this couple and their family. There was a lot of photobombing but I couldn’t get mad, can you guess why? Hint: is related to “the welcome committee that greeted me at the door”. Scroll down so you can take a look why :D

[sandrachile]

Kara and Austin | mcconnells mill state park, pa

In the whole wide world, I don’t think there is anyone who loves his wife more than Austin loves Kara. He stares at her with the same devotion that whoever wrote the Song of Solomon 4:9 in the Bible, talks about his wife: ”You have captured my heart, my treasure, my bride. You hold my heart hostage with one glance of your eyes” Austin knows that Kara loves pictures, so he hired me to give her a surprise photo shoot the day of her birthday. He suggested a place I had never been before, so I drove over an hour to find the most beautiful park in all the Pittsburgh surroundings. Thanks to Austin for thinking of me to execute your birthday surprise! And Kara, you are one lucky birthday girl <3

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Fun and Love at Keystone Lake | Pittsburgh PA

Amber + Stephen

When you think about engagement photography, what do you think of?

If you are in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania like I am, you probably think of a couple with matchy nice outfits (meaning, a girl wearing a dress, and a guy wearing a collared shirt of some sort). You might also think of pictures of them in front of one of the gazillion bridges that are a characteristic of this city.

This is not wrong. However, I am ignorant, actually, super ignorant, and when it comes to set expectations for cultural events, I have no preconceived idea of what a couple is actually expecting. People in Chile don’t get engaged the way they do here, and they don’t have engagement pictures taken. The Chilean concept of “dressing nicely” is also different. So when it comes to engagement pictures, my expectations are different because, there are in fact, no set expectations, and lately, I have realized that now that I am a wedding and portrait photographer of couples, this plays to my advantage.

Every once in a while, there is a couple who is open to this lack of expectations and they roll with me and my ideas. This time it was Stephen and Amber.

This easy to laugh, adventurous, festival loving couple were completely open to what I had in mind. Thank God! because I told them: “what if we do your session in the water?”, and instead of running frantically away from me, they were on board!

(A year before, I had actually suggested the same idea to another couple, but the fiance was too afraid his pants would get ruined, so that was the end of my suggestion.)

Stephen’s pure, uncontrollable, excitingly overwhelming, romantic thoughts and feelings towards Amber were evident. He is one thousand percent obsessed with her, and Amber is one thousand percent obsessed with Steve.

So, this pre-wedding session, although different, was, in the end, the most magical representation of their relationship: Adventure, a little bit of nature, laughs, and lots of love.

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Engagement / Pre-wedding session at Phipps, Pittsburgh

Katie + Matt

I am so grateful of the people that believes in what I do and the way I do things. So as a way to celebrate my followers and my 12th anniversary in the United States, this past July I gifted a photo session to a random person on Instagram. @katielawlson was the lucky winner, and what a coincidence! She was getting married at a Pop Up wedding this year too!. So we took a little walk by Phipps and the Schenley Park area and took some pictures. Katie who follows me on Instagram, and pays attention to what I say, knew that I get motivated by vegan food, so she showed up with a box of vegan goodies for me. How thoughtful of her! Thank you Katie and Matt for your generosity, and thank you for the opportunity to photograph your love.

[sandrachile]

An Intentional Wedding At Riverfront Park | Aspinwall, Pittsburgh

Adriana + Sam

When I first met Adriana and Sam, they were at such an early stage of their wedding planning that the date for their wedding wasn’t even set. Sometimes when I see couples at this early stage I fear for them. Planning a wedding is like walking into the Amazon rainforest, at night, and blindfolded. There are predators, dangerous trees, insane bugs, and deadly spiders; yet it is one of the most gorgeous places on the planet. Everybody in the wedding world wants to sell you something, and everyone around you has an opinion. So when couples are really really early into the planning, I tell them to sit down and write their priorities for the wedding before the influx of opinions and suggestions overwhelms them. In Adriana’s case, I also gave her my favorite wedding planning book . It seems like the book helped, because Adriana and Sam’s wedding was a paradise from my dreams, so so so intentional that I could cry from love. Adriana is one of the smartest people I know. She made around 95% of the wedding items herself. From growing the flowers, making the bouquet, making Sam’s boutonniere, making her belt, making her headpiece, to designing the space; and ALL of that while going to school, and fully redoing their bathroom!!!. The wedding itself was one of the best ones I have been a part of. It was meaningful, intentional, minimalist, eco-friendly, intimate, simple, timeless, and full of laughs and love. Since Adriana is from Boston, and Sam from Long Island, most of their friends and relatives came from that area, and it was so special to see everybody gather around the city they have made their home. My favorite element of the wedding ceremony was the “backdrop” where they stood, and I love it because it was their own plants that they have at home, and at the end of the wedding they took the plants back, so now these plants that witnessed their commitment will witness their love grow with the years. So mindful! So intentional! So eco-friendly! Sooooo cute!

"This wedding reduced carbon footprint, minimized landfill waste, benefited a charity in the medical field, and planted 10 trees in Haiti. "  -- How did this wedding produced social change?

My second favorite part of the wedding was the fact that Adriana was her own DJ with one of the best playlists ever. Needless to say, I have no shame to admit that I was the first one on the dance floor.

And finally, my favorite element was the party! with one of the wildest dance floors there could be, spin the bottle included! Adriana changed into her comfy shoes and ended up tying her dress to keep dancing the night away. It was such a fun night!. I had so much fun just watching everyone!

BUT THAT’S NOT ALL!…

The love between Adriana and Sam is infectious, contagious, and cannot be contained; so it spread out beyond their wedding!

This wedding fed 11 homeless people!

Thanks to their generosity, and the logistical support of JPC Events, the leftover food was packed and distributed among homeless people in downtown Pittsburgh.

This is why I am always immensely grateful of caterers, who despite the fear of liability, roll with me to do this! The night of Sam and Adriana’s wedding, 11 people were fed with their leftovers!

One story that night was particularly impactful to me, and I shared it on my instagram…

I asked this gentleman if he wanted food.

Uninterested and without much faith in the box I was holding he asked what it was.

‑  “BBQ ribs and whipped potatoes, I said”.

(His eyes opened like fried eggs).

― “You joking!” he said,

(I smiled, nodded my head and extended my hand with the plate towards him.

He grabbed the heavy container in his hand)

― Oh my god miss! OH! OH! You are not joking!

You know how long since I haven’t eaten this!?”

(He kept smiling, thanking me and laughing.)

― The food doesn’t come from me, I said.

I told him Sam and Adriana had just gotten married and wanted to share their dinner and happiness with the people in the streets.

He was really happy. Sometimes we take simple things for granted, simple things like a meal, like mashed potatoes, or the opportunity to celebrate, and this gentleman here is a good reminder to all of us to be grateful for everything we have, even the opportunity to have a wedding. Sam and Adriana are such an example of how to extend the happiness and love of a wedding day and make it reach beyond.

So happy to have taken part of their wedding journey ♥️

Cheers to Adriana and Sam!

Supporting Cast Venue Riverfront Weddings Food by JPC Event Group Wedding Dress by J Crew Tailoring by The Iron Horse Bride’s shoes by Emma Go Groom’s outfit by Bonobos Tailoring by Alberto & Pasquale Cupcakes instead of cake from Prantl’s Bakery Wedding rings by Catbird NYC Planning + Styling + DJ + Flowers + Makeup + Hair + Decor + Headpiece + Belt by the most talented bride

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My favorite Engagement session ever, in Lawrenceville

Adriana + Sam

Adriana and Sam are an incredibly smart couple. I’m sure in a few years it will not shock me to find their names in some fancy magazine or in the New York Times. Adriana is a multi-talented scientist from Boston, and Sam is a warm and mellow, recently graduated, social worker from Long Island. They met during their first week in college and have been together ever since [insert my awwwws right here]. When it comes to pre-wedding photo sessions, it’s me the one who usually pick the location of the session, and I do it by choosing an area that I think it’s most representative of the couple’s relationship and personality. But for Adriana and Sam, it was different. They decided to take me to their favorite spot instead. I would have never guessed that this amazing spot was right in Lawrenceville and despite having to cancel in three occasions because of Pittsburgh’s unpredictable weather, we finally managed to catch a gorgeous sunset. This is one of my most favorite sessions. Not only took me out of my comfort zone and pushed me to work with my fear of heights, but it shows Sam and Adriana’s playful and adventurous relationship in every one of the pictures :)