A Wedding That Didn’t Look Like Everyone Else’s | Ainsley + Dylan
I’ve photographed a lot of weddings over the years, and every once in a while I walk into one and immediately think, Ohhhh…this is going to be fun. Ainsley and Dylan’s colorful wedding at Indiana Country Club in Indiana, Pennsylvania was exactly that kind of day.
There were flowers EVERYWHERE. Jewel tones and textures and color layered on top of more color. Bridesmaids in dresses that weren’t meant to make them all look the same. A dog with a pink mohawk. A putting competition. A golf cart getaway. A cookie table with a line approximately 14 miles long. Okay, maybe not actually 14 miles. But listen…Western Pennsylvania people take their cookie tables seriously.
Ainsley and Dylan’s wedding at Indiana Country Club in Indiana County, Pennsylvania was beautiful, but what I loved most was that it wasn’t beautiful because it followed some wedding formula. It was beautiful because it had personality. And there wasn’t a cookie-cutter thing about it.
Color, Texture + So. Many. Flowers.
Can we please talk about the flowers? Because GOOD LORD. The sheer amount of color and texture throughout this wedding was incredible. The florals weren’t simply something pretty sitting on the tables—they were part of the entire feeling of the day. Rich jewel tones, different shapes and textures, little explosions of color everywhere you looked. Even the bridesmaids contributed to that layered, collected feeling. Instead of putting everyone into the exact same dress, each woman wore something different that suited her own personality. It all worked together without looking like it was trying too hard to work together. That’s my favorite kind of design.
An Outdoor Ceremony by the Pond
And then there was the ceremony location. Indiana Country Club has this beautiful spot tucked away near the pond that guests are shuttled to by golf cart, and Mother Nature absolutely understood the assignment that day. Blue skies. Beautiful light. Water in the background. The kind of Western Pennsylvania day you hope for when you decide you’re brave enough to plan an outdoor wedding. Ainsley walked down the aisle with her dad, Bryan, toward Dylan with their family and friends gathered around them. For all the personality packed into the rest of the day, this part felt wonderfully simple. Just the two of them, outside, becoming husband and wife.
The Details Weren’t Just Pretty…They Meant Something
This is probably what I loved most about their reception. There were plenty of gorgeous details…the cake alone deserves its own moment because the detailing was insane, but some of my favorites were the things guests could actually participate in. At the tables were anniversary cards meant to be signed by guests and saved for Ainsley and Dylan to open on future anniversaries. Which I LOVE. Imagine opening one years from now and reading something written by someone who was sitting in that room on the very first day of your marriage. That’s the kind of wedding detail that gets better with time.
They also placed little bouquets at the settings of couples who were next in line to get married. It was such a small thing. And such a thoughtful thing. Those are always the details I remember.
Cocktail Hour Included a Little Competition
While we were off taking portraits around the golf course, their guests weren’t exactly standing around checking their watches. There was putt-putt. And apparently we weren’t playing recreationally. There was a competition. I fully support incorporating mild competition into cocktail hour. 😂
Between that and the infamous cookie table, there was plenty happening before the reception even officially started. And speaking of that cookie table… THE LINE. If you’ve ever attended a Western Pennsylvania wedding, you already understand that the cookie table is not a decoration. It is an EVENT. People had priorities. I respect it.
They Actually Spent Their Wedding Day Together
This sounds ridiculous because obviously a bride and groom are together on their wedding day. Except… Not always.Wedding days can become such a blur of timelines, photographs, greetings, traditions, speeches and people pulling you in twelve different directions that couples can somehow spend an entire day celebrating their relationship without actually getting much time to simply be together. I noticed Ainsley and Dylan making space for that.
Little moments alone. A conversation here. A few minutes together there. And one of my favorite things? They danced together. Not just when everyone was watching during the formal dances. They actually got on the dance floor during their reception and danced with each other. I know that sounds like such a tiny observation. But those are exactly the things I notice.
We Snuck Away at Sunset
Later in the evening, we stole them away from the reception for a few minutes. No wedding party. No family. No audience. Just Ainsley and Dylan. The views around the golf course were already beautiful, but once that evening light started showing off… Chef’s kiss.
These little sunset escapes are some of my favorite parts of a wedding day, not only because the photographs are beautiful, but because I think couples need them. For ten minutes, nobody needs anything from you. You aren’t greeting a table. You aren’t listening for the DJ. You aren’t wondering where you’re supposed to stand next. You get to walk away from the noise with the person you just married and realize:Oh yeah. We did this today. And then I creep around nearby with a camera. Romantic, I know. 😂
And Then…They Threw a Party
When Ainsley filled out her wedding questionnaire, I asked what she was most excited about. Her answer? The reception. She knew what was coming. Because these people knew how to throw a PARTY. The wedding party brought the energy, the dance floor brought the energy, and Ainsley and Dylan were right there in the middle of it. This wasn’t one of those receptions where the bride and groom disappeared after all the formalities were finished. They were part of their own party. Exactly as it should be. And when your getaway vehicle is a decorated golf cart, I feel like you’ve already won.
Ainsley + Dylan’s Wedding Vendor Dream Team
A wedding like this doesn’t magically appear, and Ainsley and Dylan had one heck of a team behind the scenes.
Venue + Ceremony: Indiana Country Club — Indiana, Pennsylvania
Wedding Coordination: Tara, Sparkling Pines
Wedding Dress: Anthropologie — Gigi Dress
Florals: Twig and Vine Floral Design
Makeup: JL Makeup Studio
Hair: Erin Kirsch + Brandon Pfizer, JCPenney Salon
Cake: Alex Robba Cake
Entertainment: Boomerang Sound & Lighting Co.
Videography: Bridge Perspective
Photography: Jen McKen Photography
Make It Feel Like You
If you’re planning a wedding in Blairsville, Indiana County, Pittsburgh, or anywhere throughout Western Pennsylvania, here’s my unsolicited photographer advice: Pick the things you actually love. Wear the dress. Use all the flowers. Serve the cookies. Sneak away at sunset. Dance with the person you just married.
Twenty years from now, you aren’t going to care whether your wedding perfectly matched whatever was trending in 2026. You’re going to care how it felt. And that is the part worth photographing.
If you love these images, be sure to check out their engagement session!
Jen McKen Photography | Wedding Photographer serving Blairsville, Indiana County + Western Pennsylvania
Frequently Asked Questions About Indiana Country Club Weddings
Where is Indiana Country Club located?
Indiana Country Club is located at 495 Country Club Road in Indiana, Pennsylvania. The venue offers both ceremony and reception options, with golf course scenery that provides a variety of locations for wedding portraits without leaving the property. Ainsley and Dylan held both their ceremony and reception at Indiana Country Club.
Can you have an outdoor wedding ceremony at Indiana Country Club?
Yes. Ainsley and Dylan held their ceremony outdoors near the pond on the golf course. Guests were transported to the ceremony area by golf cart, which made it possible to have a more secluded outdoor ceremony while keeping the entire wedding celebration at one venue.
Is Indiana Country Club a good location for wedding photography?
From a photographer’s perspective, one of the advantages of an Indiana Country Club wedding is having several portrait locations available on the property. We were able to photograph Ainsley and Dylan around the course after their ceremony and then sneak away again during the reception for sunset portraits without having to travel to another location.
When should we schedule sunset wedding photos in Western Pennsylvania?
I typically recommend setting aside about 10–30 minutes near sunset, depending on the wedding timeline and location. It doesn’t need to become another huge portrait session. I actually prefer using it as a chance for my couples to sneak away from the reception, spend a few minutes alone together and let me document that little breather while the evening light is beautiful.
Do you photograph weddings in Indiana, Pennsylvania?
Yes. Jen McKen Photography is based in Blairsville, Pennsylvania and photographs weddings throughout Indiana County and Western Pennsylvania, including Indiana, Pittsburgh and surrounding areas. My approach focuses on sentimental, documentary-style storytelling alongside beautiful portraits—photographing not only what the wedding looked like, but the interactions and in-between moments that show what it actually felt like.
Do we need to leave Indiana Country Club for wedding portraits?
Not necessarily. Ainsley and Dylan planned their portraits entirely around the country club and golf course, which meant they didn’t have to spend cocktail hour driving between locations. When a venue offers enough variety, I generally prefer keeping portraits on-site because it gives couples more time with their guests and less time sitting in a vehicle on their wedding day.
Is a wedding planner worth hiring for an Indiana Country Club wedding?
A great planner can make an enormous difference, especially when a wedding includes multiple locations or activities happening across a property. Tara from Sparkling Pines coordinated Ainsley and Dylan’s wedding, and she was fantastic to work alongside. From my perspective as their photographer, the day stayed organized and flowed smoothly without ever feeling overly managed. That’s exactly what I want for my couples—a strong vendor team handling the logistics so the bride and groom can actually experience their wedding.
What makes a wedding photograph well?
It isn’t about following a specific trend or making every detail match. Ainsley and Dylan’s wedding is a perfect example. Different bridesmaid dresses, abundant colorful florals, a dog with a pink mohawk, putt-putt during cocktail hour, anniversary cards for future years and a decorated golf-cart getaway gave their wedding personality. The weddings that photograph best are usually the ones where couples choose details and experiences that genuinely feel like them.
