About
Hi! My name is Jo Mahaney. In addition to being a wedding photographer, I have become a professional boutonniere pinner, bonus bridesmaid, master timeline creator, manipulator of light, and emotional confidant. Primarily, I am there as your wedding photographer to ensure that--although your memory will fade with time--these photographs serve as vivid reminders of the joy in the season and the relationships that matter most.
Photography by Jo began back in 2014 when I shot my first wedding for my roommates, while still in college. That year, I fell in love with weddings and have focused on those and other major family milestones ever since. Every minute, we are changing and growing. We never get these seconds back, but great photographs tangibly preserve memories of this life's most important moments. The relationships I get to build with my couples are the most rewarding part of being a wedding photographer. Photographing couples and families feels less like a job and more like celebrating with friends every single weekend! Photos (especially prints!) are how we share memories, and I love that I get to give that priceless piece of family history to all my couples!
I am an Augusta County and Staunton wedding photographer dedicated to creating images that showcase the connection between each couple I get the joy of serving. There's nothing more personal than your wedding day. I consider it such an honor to be chosen to photograph these family moments. The instant they happen, the moment is gone. As much as we try to remember and cherish, our memories fade and our lives, families, faces, all change so fast. I want to preserve these memories and stories of your wedding day for you and your loved ones. My goal is to document the emotions and unique story of each wedding day as authentically and raw as the events unfolded. I specialize in documenting candid interaction and emotional expression. We spend our whole lives seeking joy and contentment, and I love that I get to spend my career celebrating and sharing love.
You’re here because you're a Virginia bride, groom, or are helping plan a really special wedding. I’m so glad you found me! If you didn’t know, I’m from the Roanoke area, but grew up in Staunton Virginia and started my wedding photography business there. In 2013, I moved out of state to attend Shepherd University in West Virginia. After college, I got married and landed in northern Virginia for a while. We have an adorable toddler together, and five crazy animals. Six years of NOVA, Washington D.C., and Baltimore weddings has me yearning for sweet southern ceremonies, small town sweethearts, and precious historic venues yet again. I moved home to Staunton n 2021, and am serving all of Virginia in 2022.
After dozens of weddings, I have come to cherish the emotion in the transitional moments and unexpected experiences of each wedding day. I used to look forward to sunset portraits with my clients the most. But now, I love returning wedding photos filled with sweet looks between mother and son, bridesmaids wiping a tear away, the awe on a groom's face as he first sees his bride, and the giggling flower girl taking her dress for that first twirl. I will give you great portraits to hang on your walls too, but these unplanned and unposed memories are the moments that make your wedding unique and memorable.
Whether you realize it yet or not, choosing a wedding photographer is a very personal choice. Staunton is full of talented wedding photographers, and our style, approach, perspective, and demeanor are all a little different.
Finding your wedding vendors should feel like finding your dream team. They should be supportive, informative, and encouraging, in addition to being great at their profession. It's a special honor to be chosen to photograph each couple's union, and it's not lost on me what great trust these brides and grooms have in my ability to handle documenting their wedding day with care.
