The Root Photography Blog

First Look on the 1st : Carrie + Patrick

July 1, 2011 by Jensey 19 Comments

When it came time for me to decide who our first spotlighted couple should be for this month’s “First Look on the 1st,” there was no doubt in my mind that it should be Carrie! I mean, she’s literally written a book on Disney weddings (Which you can conveniently buy here!) Without further ado, here’s Carrie’s take on her own “first look.” :)

Our first look, which we’d planned purely for practicality, ended up being the most intensely emotional moment of our entire wedding day.

Because photography was so important to us, Patrick and I had no problem with the idea of seeing each other before the ceremony. It would allow us the luxury of a 90-minute portrait session in multiple gorgeous locations without making our guests wait around for us after the ceremony (always my least favorite aspect of a wedding). It would also mean that we could all travel together from the ceremony to the reception, which maintained the intimate feel we were going for that day.

But our first look turned out to be more than just convenient—it became a moment of pure emotional connection that grounded us in the true purpose of our wedding day.

As I rounded the corner into the hotel lobby, I was excited but anxious about a million little details that were already slipping through my grasp. Then Patrick turned toward me, and the rest of the world fell away. Tears welled up in his eyes as he took my hands and whispered, “You look BEAUTIFUL!” Instantly, the million little details didn’t matter anymore. This day was about the two of us in love, starting our marriage.

I cherished every moment we spent together before the ceremony launched us into the whirlwind of the day. Laughing and smooching and mugging for Jensey and Nate calmed us down and made us feel like ourselves again. And you know what? When I finally did walk down the aisle and lock eyes with Patrick, our hearts still skipped a beat!

Want to read more about Carrie’s wedding day? You can find her whole wedding and trip report here. :)

Inspiration Board : Coral Wedding

June 23, 2011 by Lorie 4 Comments

One of my favorite childhood memories was when my aunt bought a bikini that was too small for her, and she kindly altered it to fit me. This was before two-pieces were popular for little girls, so of course, the minute I put mine on, I loved it. :) It made me feel like a grown up, and the amused smiles from family and strangers at the beach were even more reassuring.

I would strut my stuff (as best a five year old could) looking for sand dollars and seashells on the shore. Unfortunately, I wore that coral colored bikini so often that by August the bottom started pilling, the top began to lose its shape, and I was forced to retire my summer love.

To this day, whenever I see a coral and azure color combo, I think of my favorite bathing suit and all the fun we had at the beach. As a tribute to those fantastic summer days, here’s a wedding board inspired by my first summer love :)

Beach Photo by Root Photography, Delphina gown by Diane von Furstenberg, Belt from Bergdorf Goodman, Arabelle Dress by J.Crew, Odette Crystal Bobbi Pin by ban.dō, Coral Earrings by Blake Scott, Coral Cuff-links from Etsy

Some of Lorie’s past inspiration boards :

Water for Elephants Wedding

Garden Wedding

Summer Lovin’ Engagement

Jennifer + Kristopher : Wedding Part II

June 22, 2011 by Jensey 10 Comments

Continued from Jennifer and Kristopher’s Wedding Part I

Shooting a wedding for someone you know has a very distinct feel to the day. It’s always fun to already know the key players and see how they are in the spotlight, how they act with their significant other… It’s even more special to meet their families and I’m 70% more likely to tear up during the ceremony and toasts. :)

Jennifer graciously allowed us to help with her wedding time line, so we had tons of time for photos around the Celebration Golf Club.

My favorite kind of light. :)

The second cutest couple at the party- These two were snuggling all night. :)

The most random, wonderful thing ever- We met Brian! Our first meeting went a little something like this: “Hi, I’m Nathan. No, wait, I’m Brian, you’re Nathan. Oh, crap, now you know I know who you are.” I was so over the moon that one of Jennifer’s guests is an avid blog stalker that my head nearly didn’t fit in the car on the way home. ;) Oh, and did I mention he specifically requested to be in our mirror shot?! I love this guy.

I love you guys. :)

I often suggest this to our brides: While their amazing DJ, Joe Magic, lined the guests up outside and distributed sparklers for the grand exit, Jennifer and Kristopher enjoyed a dance alone in their empty reception hall. It’s such a sweet way to soak in the last few minutes of your wedding day and have a moment alone… You know… Except me for part of it. :)