Jen Kroll Photography - Couture Archivist » Weddings

What We’ve Been Up To

Jen Kroll — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 17:41:43 +0000

Hi there! It sure has been busy around here during the last couple of months! It’s hard to believe we’ll soon be crunching leaves under our feet and wrapping up in warm sweaters. Oh, by the way, my name is Susie. I’m one of Jen’s editing assistants, which means I get to see all of the beautiful images before the clients! You may see me posting on here from time to time. We hope do a more full blog post on the weddings shortly. But for now the cameras are busy clicking away and our first priority is getting the photos in the hands of our clients. So enjoy these sneak peeks!

First up is a sweet couple, Win and Kristen, whose engagement pictures Jen shot around the campus of the University of Michigan and the hospital where they met. They will be getting married next June!

A precious couple, Daryn and Kira, are pictured here with their firstborn girl, Emmry. Jen had the honor of shooting not only the maternity pictures but the birth and newborn pictures as well!

College sweethearts, Lauren and Reilly held a huge bash in Minnesota, surrounded by enthused friends and family; their modern style and warm personalities shining through the details, which were coordinated by Alicia Caldecott of A Day in May Events.

Walloon Lake was the backdrop to Jen and Chris’s nuptials; what a gorgeous day and lovely couple! This event was also designed and coordinated by Alicia Caldecott of A Day in May Events!

Lauren and Erwan’s wedding was held outdoors at the bride’s home on Grand Traverse Bay; the groom’s French heritage added a unique twist to the beautiful decor and spirited atmosphere. Alicia Caldecott was the mastermind behind this extraordinary event as well!

Here are some more peeks into some fun high school senior sessions with Lauren, Aleks, and Katelyn.

Enjoy a glimpse of the lovely new design of couture letterpress, Gwyneth Paige, by Jodi Bos.

And what’s a crazy summer without Jen’s two boys, Ethan and Carter being their goofy selves! These boys took time out of their busy schedules to help Jen test out her new light modifiers. They might be another reason why her hands have been full lately!

Chris + Joey (part 1)

Jen Kroll — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 05:00:04 +0000

Chris’ parents met each other in a dance class 40+ years ago, so it was only fitting that Chris, too, should meet his future wife while taking swing dancing classes in NYC. While working with Aletha of Pearls Events, Joey and Chris, along with Joey’s mother, Sheri, planned a beautiful celebration here in Grand Rapids at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel that perfectly reflected their personalities. For me, it was a joy walking into the wedding day as I had already had the great opportunity to get to know Joey and Chris’ friends and family beforehand when they contracted me to document the bridal shower as well as the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. Typically, I can figure out who the VIPs are rather quickly, but for those same people to have a comfort level around me at the beginning of the wedding brings a fantastic advantage. All in all, it was a wonderful day filled with happiness and lots and lots of dancing!

Special thanks goes to Ryan Prins for rocking the second camera!

Natalie with Stems Events did an absolutely stellar job on this bouquet

Julie Strating and Erin Brown of TreAvanti know how to make a woman feel and look beautiful EVERY time!

Meanwhile, the gentlemen were busy honing their dapper charm

A quick portrait before going downstairs to see Chris for the first time…

The Father of the Bride gets his first look too… Love this moment. Gets me every time.

Sweet part of the ceremony where they took a moment to honor those family members who had passed away.

Tom + Dominique (part 1)

Jen Kroll — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 07:11:31 +0000

THIS wedding defines why my passion lies in this specialty of photography. It was the perfect cocktail of all that is right with weddings. The bride and groom had spent the previous two weeks at a horse show in southern Michigan with friends who came from all over the country to compete. They opened up their home and driveway to many, many RVs and invited their friends to stay an extra two days for their wedding celebration… on a Tuesday. [In case you missed the memo, Tuesdays are the next big wedding trend. They haven't published it in a magazine, but rest assured, you'll see it. Remember you read it here first.] A small affair consisting of around 80 guests. The details consisted of wild flower bouquets, cowboy boots, and belt buckles. [Ryan was terribly disappointed we didn't know the dress code beforehand, otherwise he would have broken out his Texas-sized buckle. No, seriously.] Horses galloped in the fields surrounding the ceremony and reception site and the cows, well, they mooed. Honest hearts that were once broken and had been gloriously healed and were more vibrant as a result; laughter, tears, and overwhelming kindness surrounded this space. I was a witness to the beauty of the soul. Thank you, Tom and Dominique, for welcoming me and Ryan and for your kind words. They mean so much. Many blessings to you and your families.

Special thanks to Ryan Prins as my rockstar second photographer, Cheri Hall’s masterful hand with the event design and coordination (contact info available on request), and sweet Elizabeth Grzegorczyk with Posh Petals Floral.

Dominique’s Parents in the foreground

One of my favorite rings of all time… therefore, you get 3 photos of it.

Meanwhile, outside…

The gentlemen waited for the guests to begin arriving…

Tom, our handsome groom, was right there to greet each one and make them feel at home (he certainly did for me).

Pre-Ceremony adult beverages. Another benefit of having a wedding on a Tuesday. *Hint, hint.*

Dominique makes her grand entrance.

The horses in all the pastures were going nuts. Hooves were beating in stereo.

Dominique’s son walked her down the aisle.

Yup, love Tom.

To be continued…

Chris + Jill (part 2)

Jen Kroll — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 08:23:05 +0000

Too many lovely details and sweet faces to fit everything into one post…

Cocktail Hour Begins...

Forget the candy bar... bring on the Lucky Charms!!

Another joy -- I got to be a guest too!