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!
One of the advantages to working in this industry is that one gets to know many different vendors on a personal level. Jill may argue that this also has it’s disadvantages. You see, Jill works for one of the most notable event planners in the midwest, Jodi Bos of In Any Event. So when Jill began publicly planning her wedding on In Any Event’s Blog, I know she struggled with vendor selection because the truth is, the talent pool in Grand Rapids is rather deep and the friendships run deeper. Saying yes to one person means she had to say no to someone else. I can’t imagine how hard that would have been. In the end, she chose the vendors that were right for her and her personal style. Jill and Chris’ team and details consisted of In Any Event for design and implementation, Modern Day Floral, Coastline Studios, MI Photobooth, Milkpod Studio (fabric bouquets), Handbags By Jen, Gwyneth Paige (for letterpress), Julie Strating & Erin Brown on makeup and hair, a stunning Rivini gown and Vera Wang bridesmaids dresses, Calvin Klein on the boys, Peter Spickenagel (classical guitar during cocktail hour 616-334-5712), MiraBella Confections, Grand Rapids Trolley Co, Cascade Hills Country Club, and Westminster Presbyterian Church. Also special thanks goes to the extremely talented, Ryan Prins, who was my second photographer on this wedding.
I’m truly honored and humbled to be a part of such an all star line up. The truth is, as artists, we’re all insecure when we’re brutally honest and it doesn’t help that the market is changing and becoming crazy saturated at a ridiculous pace. I’ve stayed off the trend bandwagon of textures and washed-out, overexposed images believing instead that reality is pretty darn beautiful and doesn’t need to be twisted to create visual or emotional interest. Nothing against those who shoot and edit that way, it’s just not my thing. With every couple that hires me, I am so thankful that being true to myself and my philosophy of photography still has a respected place within this industry. I’m reminded that trends are just that. Today marks my 11 year anniversary of the first wedding I was asked to photograph (and our dear friends John and Amy’s 11th wedding anniversary)! I’ve watched a lot of styles come and go, selective desaturation (black and white with flowers in color) and alien eyes (pure white headlights with crayola color) to name a few… I guess I say all this as many of us are in the height of our wedding season to remind my friends to be true to who you are and how you see the world. People respect authenticity and honesty.
Back to Chris and Jill… I love them. Lots.
Who needs a flower girl basket when you can have a purse??
In my effort to catch up on blog posts, meet four of my fabulous couples who have weddings approaching!
Reilly & Laura will be getting married in July in in Minneapolis with the reception held at this swanky, modern hotel! For their engagement pictures, we wandered around Ann Arbor and U of M’s campus — where they met. We followed the session with a lovely dinner with Reilly’s parents who were visiting from Canada and a previous bride and groom, Nick and Lindsey! Extra engagement shoot perk: chocolate chip cookies! I’ll let Reilly and Laura do the big unveil of those photos for their guests at the wedding. ;)
Jen and Chris will be getting married in August at the Walloon Lake Country Club (north of Traverse City). So honored to have been able to sit in on one of their planning meetings with Alicia of A Day In May Events. Gives me a whole new level of respect for how much work an event designer and planner puts in behind the scenes! Jen and Chris squeezed their engagement session in before a long drive back home to Pittsburgh. A drizzly, cold November day provided the opportunity for great color for about 1/2 hour before we got completely rained out!
Next up is Michael and Andrea who will be celebrating their wedding in Grand Rapids later this fall with the help of the talented team lead by Jodi Bos of In Any Event. Michael and Andrea flew in from NYC for a few days over Christmas — arguably the coldest days of the year! We took most of the photos in the unfinished (and unheated) fourth floor of my studio’s building and a record five minute shoot downtown. Seriously, it was that cold. To say there were troopers is an understatement. In addition to the relaxed, easy portraits, Andrea and Michael were totally up for a more stylized, high fashion set (second photo below)!
And lastly, Anne and Brian! They will be getting married in Leland in August. I have dreams of their country church and a white distressed wood Art Building that will host the guests for the reception! After having to reschedule for rain, we ended up with the perfect evening for an engagement shoot that was uniquely them and completely natural. Alicia will be setting the scene for their event as well!
I’m looking forward to all the moments these celebrations and new friendships hold! Wedding season begins in just 18 days for another full year! Thank you to so many who have invited us into these precious days!
Continued…
Flower girl #3 called it quits:
Max’s View:
Max:
Pretty classic if you ask me! One is picking her nose, the other needs to GO!
The Band (Max’s photo):
The Bridal Party (also Max’s photo):
Tracy Grant wrote: So beautiful Jen! Excellent work :>) (07/12/10, 12:24 pm)
Jay wrote: It's like they're straight out of a magazine...gorgeous photos fitting for a knockout bride! (07/14/10, 2:03 pm)
DAWN DAVIS wrote: Stunning Jen! I love your work. It makes my heart smile and so do you! xoxox ~ Dawn (07/17/10, 12:40 am)
Jen Kroll wrote: Thanks Dawn! You are missed dearly. (07/19/10, 1:27 am)
Jen Kroll wrote: She is a knockout, isn't she?? (07/19/10, 1:27 am)
Jen Kroll wrote: Thanks Tracy! (07/19/10, 1:28 am)