When I first sat down at a little coffee shop in Mesa to meet Jen and her mom Susanne, I was pretty much sold. We were meeting to see if I would be a good fit as their wedding photographer, and on my end, I knew from the start that it was a perfect match :)
I instantly fell in love with their warmth and laid-back style. Jen is stunningly beautiful, but there is an ease about her that makes her really approachable. A dream client for any wedding photographer!
Jen’s mom told me they had looked through lots of different wedding photographer storefronts on WeddingWire and that my images “stood out” among the crowd! Since her father is a bit of a shutterbug himself, I was really honored that they decided to trust me with capturing her big day at the Mesa Art Center.
Jen was marrying Greg. Greg is a mellow, kind and beyond accommodating dude :) Another photographer’s dream! Greg is so sweet and “go-with-the-flow” that Jen and her mom actually played a little practical joke on him right before the ceremony.
Since they knew Greg would do absolutely anything to make Jen happy, they put together a little prank for the poor groom-to-be. The groomsmen were all wearing white boutonnieres with baby’s breath. Susanne brought Greg a huge sprig of flowers and said, “Here you go, here’s yours.” Greg’s reaction was priceless, as he quietly agreed to wear whatever Jen wanted :)
In all seriousness, the guys looked super dapper in their grey suits. Greg wore fantastic little “doggie” cuff links as a personal touch.
Jennifer was Helen of Troy in a stunning, elegant empire-waist gown, with a floral shoulder strap. Her hair was pulled back from her face, showing off her amazing cheek bones, in a loose tuck with curled framing strands.
Jen was also well into her pregnancy on the day of the wedding. And such a trooper! Nausea, hormones, and walking down the aisle!? Jen rocked every moment of the day with her laid-back attitude. Even when someone actually forgot Greg’s ring during the ceremony. I think a lot of brides might have panicked during a moment like that, but Jen saw the humor in it and it actually made for one of my favorite shots of the day.
After the ceremony and formal family shots, I whisked Jen and Greg all around the grounds of the Art Center. There are so many stunning backdrops at this venue, that I could literally shoot there all day and well into the evening. From the bright orange stucco to the cactus garden and the purple Juliet balcony, this venue should be on your short list if you are planning a wedding in the East Valley.
The newlyweds capped off the evening cutting into their wedding cake, as most brides and grooms do. But this one was special. While their family was well aware a new edition was coming to the family soon, very few knew whether or not the new arrival would be a boy or a girl. So Jen decided to make her wedding cake into a reveal cake! How beyond fantastic is that!? Another phenomenal, personal moment I was able to capture for these two lovebirds :)
Jen and Greg welcomed their little man, Dean, into the world earlier this year and I couldn’t be happier for the two of them. Thanks again, you two, for inviting me along for an epically wonderful wedding day full of joy, laughter, love, and beauty.
