favorite wedding

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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Jennifer + Damian : Benachi House Wedding in New Orleans, LA – Part TWO

September 4, 2016 by Jensey 1 Comment

Continued from Jennifer and Damian’s Part One post! <3

“The size and age of the Cosmos are beyond ordinary human understanding. Lost somewhere between immensity and eternity is our tiny planetary home. And yet our species is young and curious and brave and shows much promise. In the last few millennia we have made the most astonishing and unexpected discoveries. They remind us that humans have evolved to wonder, that understanding is a joy, that knowledge is prerequisite to survival. Our little planet floats like a mote of dust in the morning sky. All that you see, all that we can see, exploded out of a star billions of years ago, and the particles slowly arranged themselves into living things, including all of us. We are made of star stuff. We are the mechanism by which the universe can comprehend itself. The world is so exquisite with so much love and moral depth. We should remain grateful every day for the brief but magnificent opportunity that life provides. The sum of all our evolution, our thinking and our accomplishments is love. A marriage makes two fractional lives a whole. It gives to two questioning natures a renewed reason for living. It brings a new gladness to the sunshine, a new fragrance to the flowers, a new beauty to the earth, and a new mystery to life.” –Carl Sagan

As their officiant pointed out, you know two scientists are getting married when the ceremony begins with a Carl Sagan quote. <3 Also my favorite quote! :)

The green gazebo out front of the Benachi House provided such a unique ceremony space.

The best. <3

I love that Memphis weddings bring Elvis glasses to cocktail tables and New Orleans weddings bring handmade Mardi Gras masks. <3

Jennifer was determined to keep their guests cool at their August outdoor wedding. The solution? Handheld electronic fans at the ceremony and snow cones at the reception! <3

The best!!! Jennifer and Damian had a street jazz band perform at the reception! :)

First dance to what else? “The Puppy Song” by Harry Nilsson. <3

To my sweet friend and her amazing husband, thank you so, so, so much for letting us be a part of it all. We love y’all and Jensim, expect your next letter soooon! :)

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Jennifer + Damian : Benachi House Wedding in New Orleans, LA – Part ONE

September 3, 2016 by Jensey 1 Comment

This girl.

Jennifer is unlike any friend I have ever had. The best player on our middle school soccer team, salutatorian of our high school graduating class of over 600 students. Today, she’s a gorgeous, a real-life scientist who is actually changing the world, and the kindest soul I’ve ever met. She’s also incredibly humble, so her friends and family have to brag on her behalf.

When Jennifer and I graduated, she was off to Tulane and shortly after, I moved to Florida to start my Disney adventure. And for the past 14 years, we’ve kept in touch through letters.

Not emails, not phone calls, but letters. This girl knows my family dramas, juicy details behind some of our craziest weddings, and most importantly, which words I will never, ever learn how to spell. ;)

Friends, meet one of my favorite people in the world, Jennifer, whom I lovingly nicknamed “Jensim.”

Jennifer married the luckiest man in the world who knows he’s the luckiest and that just makes me love him more. This is the only man who can keep up with her wit, challenge her intellect, and make her happier than I’ve ever, ever seen. Their wedding comes off the heels of some of the most difficult times in their lives, and it was so wonderful to see them so happy, surrounded by people who appreciate how special these two are.

Their wedding took place at this magical New Orleans location, the Benachi House. We were looking forward to shooting at this venue since Jennifer first sent us the link, and it was a wedding photographer’s dream. I could have shot there for hooouuurs and still not hit every photo spot I wanted! :)

I. MEAN. <3

And then there was Barkley. <3

I love Huck. I feel like I need to preface my ode to Barkley with that. But Nate and I have never, ever left a dog so smitten after first meeting. I love Barkley because he’s calm, happy, fluffy, incredibly warm and friendly… He’s basically Jennifer. <3 I cannot think of a more perfect dog for my sweet friend!!

I normally say which photos are favorites, but there are waaaaay too many with this wedding, but this one’s way up there!! :)

And this one, too! <3

Jennifer handmade masks for some of us, and this was mine. Snow and a little Huck!!! <3

We love you, Barkley!!!! <3

Of every person I met on Jennifer and Damian’s wedding day, Kanako was the one I was most excited to meet. She was Jennifer’s roommate and best friend at Tulane, and for the past 14 years of Jensim writing about Kanako’s life, her wedding, her adorable daughter, opening her dream store in New Orleans (Kawaii Nola– GO THERE!)… Well, I’d never met someone for the first time and felt like I knew her so well!! It’s a beautiful thing meeting someone who means so much to someone who means so much to you and seeing how much they love that someone you love! Does that make sense?! :) Kanako was the perfect maid of honor!