Teresa and AJ’s Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium Wedding

Teresa and AJ were destined for one another. Growing up in the same neighborhood as children, their friendship blossomed into romance over time. They are perfect for one another – both extremely caring, thoughtful and kind. They are also especially earth conscious, so they chose to have a very “green” wedding – incorporating lots of natural elements into their day.

Teresa is part Egyptian, so the couple chose wedding bands depicting sacred Egyptian symbols.

Teresa got ready at a neighbor’s house with the help of her cousins and friends.

Let’s just take a minute and talk about Teresa’s AMAZING wedding gown. It was a custom-made Chrissy Wai-Ching gown comprised of organically-spun silk. It was a photographer’s dream to photograph, and Teresa looked stunning.

Teresa also chose a very natural bouquet of wildflowers – most of which came right from their garden. The colors perfectly matched the layers of colored silk in her dress.

AJ got ready at his parents’ home just down the road, and spent some time hanging out with his closest friends before the ceremony.

Teresa and AJ decided to see each other before the ceremony, which makes for such a fun and relaxed day. Check out a few pictures from their “First Look.”

Even this couple’s transportation to the ceremony was unique – a neighbor drove them in style in his Meyers Manx dune-buggy.

The ceremony was held outside of the Community Presbyterian Church in Ben Avon.

The couple incorporated a butterfly release into their ceremony. One little guy landed on Teresa’s dress and hung around long enough for a few photos before flying away.

After the ceremony, we traveled with Teresa, AJ and a few of their closest friends to the sunken garden at the Mattress Factory on Pittsburgh’s North Side.