The Root Photography Blog

Rachael + Matt : California Grill Wedding Reception and Epcot Dessert Party (Wedding Part II)

September 15, 2016 by Jensey 1 Comment

Before you read this, make sure you’ve read Rachael and Matt’s Wedding Part One!!!

Epcot wedding days are early wedding days. Most of our brides pull all-nighters before their wedding, because they’re drunk on wedding magic, pixie dust, and adrenaline! Well, that and their hair and make up team is showing up at 3am. ;)

We tend to set our alarms for 4am to start our day, get back home to take a nap after lunch, download cards, feed Huck, and head out for the dessert party. It’s not uncommon for me to wistfully tell Nate how amazing it’d be to have a room at the resort we finished at so we could just walk to our room and crash! Well, imagine my surprise when we left Rachael’s wedding and Nate pulled the car into the Boardwalk to valet! He told me he made lunch reservations (which I was a little peeved about because I just wanted to go home and sleep!!), but we checked in to our room instead. <3

It was so fun to just walk into the back entrance of Epcot a little early for the dessert party, grab a drink at the Rose and Crown, and shoot some fireworks!

But back to the wedding. ;) Their reception took place at the California Grill, probably my favorite Disney reception spot! I can never get enough of all that natural light and that view of my favorite park.

Rachael and Matt love dinosaurs. Like, LOVE dinosaurs. Rachael painted a bunch of little gold dinos to sprinkle around their tables, and she and Matt entered their reception to the Jurassic Park theme song! :) Rachael’s favorite movie is The Good Dinosaur, and their cake was themed to Pixar’s “Lava” short with characters from The Good Dinosaur around it. Juuuuuuust wait for the photos, y’all. <3

SO much love for this wedding. ENJOY!!!!!!

Kicking things off with my favorite ring shot of the year so far, a la Nate’s camera magic! <3

That viiiiiiiiiiew! <3

Sing it with me now!

“I have a dream I hope will come true
That you’re here with me and I’m here with you
I wish that the earth, sea, the sky up above-a
Will send me someone to lava!”

Just the best. :)

Just a little mid-toast dinosaur play time, nothing to see here! ;)

Happy, happy, happy, happy! :)

I. MEAN. <3

Sprinkles began as soon as we got out there, but I love this photo of Matt shielding Rachael! Swoooooon. <3

I’m not gonna lie: Poncho Illumination love is my favorite! <3

Then the rain mostly held out the rest of the show!

Faaaaavorite. Nate’s Illumination photos FTW. <3

Rachael and Matt, we can’t thank y’all enough for everything. Lunch on your next trip down, please!! <3

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Katy + Nick : Blackstone Country Club Wedding in Peoria Arizona

September 13, 2016 by Jensey 3 Comments

Katy’s parents and mine were friends long before we we were born.

Katy’s late father and my Dad first met as Marine fighter pilots. Katy’s Mom, my “Aunt” Martha, is my brother’s Godmother. When my mom went into labor with her first child, my brother Charlie, my Dad was panic stricken and unable to drive, so Uncle Bill drove my laboring Mom, Aunt Martha drove my dad. :) The past ~6 years Nate and I have had the complete honor of photographing Katy’s sister Brooke’s wedding, Aunt Martha’s wedding, and last year, it was Katy’s turn!

Katy and Nick were married in Peoria Arizona at the Blackstone Country Club, a venue I love so much I wish we could have brought it home with us.

I mean, look at this plaaaaaaaace ( of course, our couple isn’t too shabby, either!) <3

Katy with Brooke at her wedding ~6 years ago (which I never blogged! What!!!) and at her mom’s wedding in Jacksonville.

Confession: This was my first time to ever see real cacti!! I couldn’t get enough!!

Love these boys. <3

The photo on the left is Nate’s favorite. <3

Katy’s nephew, the charming William Otis!! <3

Still smitten with this wedding venue. <3

It’s so rare that we have place cards! <3

My favorite. <3

Katy and Nick, we wish y’all the happiest of ever afters. Now can one of the Rich girls please plan a vow renewal soon?! <3

Rachael + Matt : Epcot Wedding Ceremony (Wedding Part I)

September 12, 2016 by Jensey 2 Comments

I can’t believe this is my second wedding in a row with a two part blog post! Yikes!!

Rachael and Matt’s wedding was the first Epcot one we’ve had in months. It was also the first wedding with nice weather we’ve had since spring. Also, there were dinosaurs. But more on that in part two later this week!! :)

Hurricane Hermine was threatening to make this wedding day an interesting one, to say the least. While their dessert party got rained out and we fought some drops and crazy wind that evening, the wedding morning was actually pretty wonderful! Not only did they get to keep their ceremony outside, but it didn’t rain, and I sweat the least that morning than I’ve sweat since March!

If you’re looking for something to get me for Christmas, I want this fountain in my backyard, please. <3

Rachael got ready in one of the most beautiful rooms I’ve ever been in at the Grand Floridian! There was a little entry room with gorgeous wallpaper and a mirror, so Nate and I were in heaven photographing Rachael’s details. :)

First look time! <3

Uh, remember what I said about Hurricane Hermine? Our pal David of Trinity Wedding Cinema pulled this up an hour before the ceremony!

We rushed around the world for portraits in case the weather had other plans after the ceremony. Lucky for us, the clouds held out, and we enjoyed nature’s soft box of light from this overcast day. :)

Their wedding was officiated by the ever-magical Renee Silverman of A Lovely Ceremony!

Their ceremony had so many sweet moments, as all of Renee’s weddings do, but my favorite is always the ring warming ceremony. Rachael’s sister passed off their wedding bands at the beginning of the ceremony for their guests to take turns holding and praying over, sending positive thoughts to the bride and groom.

That ceremony view, though. <3

Fact : I cried every. single. time. I tried to take a photo of Rachael’s emotional sisters!! <3 The Chinese have a beautiful reason behind why we wear our rings on a specific finger. You can read more about it here, but I love that Renee added this to their ceremony! :)

I MEEEEEEEAN!!! <3

Those first few married seconds! <3

See why I had to split this post in two?! Check back for more from this sweet wedding on Thursday for dinos and castles and rain, OH MY! <3

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