International Wolf Center / Defenders of Wildlife / Wolf Haven

This was one of the funnest E Sessions I have done. First I just want to say it's always an honor when someone in the "biz" hires you to do their wedding. Kristina is a fellow photographer and owner of The Luna Blue Studio. So first I want to give a huge "thank you" for choosing me to capture your day! These guys are such a great couple. We were able to borrow an amazing vintage pick-up truck from Kristina's friend Tara who is also a fellow photographer. And it's always a good thing when couples have the pooches along since they are part of the family also! We spent the afternoon shooting in and around Allaire State park. It really was like hanging out with friends. Here are just a few of my favorites from the afternoon. Can't wait for the big day guys!

j

Our Story
Soul Mates - These two words are batted around so frequently when it comes to describing couples and weddings. In our case though, I have to say, it is true. We have always been meant to be. We met in the seventh grade. We had been good friends throughout the following years of school. We went to our senior prom together “as friends”, but the sparks flew during the 90’s playlist. We officially started dating the summer after high school at the tender age of 18, and here we are, almost 19 years later, we are still together. He is still the one for me and I am still the one for him.
Our families were over the moon that we were finally getting married. When Paul and I throw parties, we are known to go above and beyond. Of course our wedding would be no different. Paul and I had worked so very hard over the years. We each struggled long and hard to finish medical school and residency and finally be established in our careers. Even with all the joys of those accomplishments, nothing compared to marrying my best friend on April 27, 2013. On that day, with all of our friends and family present, love was a living, breathing, tangible thing. You could feel it in the air. It was truly magical. We had the wedding of our dreams. Yes, Paul is my soul mate, but now, I am proud to say he is my husband.

Veronica & Paul

Here are a few of my favorites from the day... :) -j

So many great details.

Veronica had some special photos attached to her bouquet including mom & dad and her pooch.

Relaxing having a drink while getting ready for the day.

Love the fun & excitement in this one as Veronica gets ready.

Paul received a pretty sweet watch from Veronica as a gift for the big day.

This was their reactions to their first reveal. I captured Paul and Dan was able to capture Veronica's reaction. Love it!!

So the story behind these images... Veronica is a podiatrist and when we were talking about the day and images she would like she asked me if I can do some kind of "foot" photo. I thought to myself "that's a new one. I don't think I've ever had a foot photo request" Well never one to back down from a challenge this is what I came up with. I think they turned out pretty well. :)

Veronica looked amazing and rockin' her poses after taking my "Bridal Bootcamp". :)

Their pooch Phineas giving his "bark" of approval. Being a dog lover myself I love it when couples include their pooches into the day.

Definitely one of my favorites from the day.

Some of the amazing decor by Melissa from Jenny Orsini Events, But the most important detail here is the "Unplugged" sign. At too many weddings these days guests are not present or aware of "the moment". Taking pictures with their Iphones or iPads. This is all fine but more often than not they get in both the videographer and my shot. And if we've all seen images from these devices usually they don't turn out so well especially in a dimly lit area. Please!!! Leave the photos and video to the professionals, enjoy the moment and go "unplugged"!!

The proud bro walking his beautiful sister down the aisle.

Little fun with technology!

The room as they entered Mallard.

Little taste of the dancing fun.

Yes that is a brain cake Veronica & Paul are sinking their teeth into. It was a special "grooms" cake Veronica had specially made for her surgeon husband.

HA!! I added this one to show the dedication by Melissa. She's helping Veronica get ready getting down & dirty all while 5 months pregnant!!

j

This is the doorway where they shared their first kiss at college.

This was the walkway under the train station that led to the NY train.

The bench at the station.

 UPDATE:
SOLD OUT!!!! Thank you everyone for sharing, posting and helping us make this special event such a success!! We have a wait list started as well if you would like to be added. THANK YOU!!!

Rebecca & Shawn had a windy but beautiful day for their wedding. We started at the Loews Hotel in downtown Philadelphia. Of course one of my favorite things is when the bride & groom meet each other before the wedding to do all the pictures and then get to enjoy the rest of the day and their entire cocktail hour. Want to give a plug to one of my favorite videographers, Peter from PF Films. It is so important to have a crew that work with each other and considerate of the other vendors around while working to give the bride & groom the best day possible. Here are some of my favorites from the day. But first. Here is their story:

Our Story:

So the thing I kept hearing over and over again leading up to and the weekend of the wedding was "Finally" or some version of that. And in a way that is fitting as we first met about 13 years ago at the University of Delaware. It was our freshman year and we were in the same english class. We walked home from class together one day and exchanged numbers and we tried to meet up a number of times, but the timing never seemed to be right. Until, Spring Break in Cancun our sophmore year of college. I was not even supposed to go on the trip and last minute decided to take someone's spot who had to back out. I guess it was fate because it was this trip where Shawn and I finally actually hung out. When we got back we continued to see each other - ironic because meeting someone on Spring Break in college is probably the last thing people expect!!

After school we both moved back home which was New Jersey for me and Maryland for Shawn, but we continued to see each other every weekend. We would take turns driving the New Jersey Turnpike to see each other. Not what many people or even us thought was ideal, but we made it work!! Then, we decided in 2007 to buy a house together. Fast forward a few years and as many people said we are "Finally Married!!"

The day itself was literally the best day of our lives!! Everything was absolutely perfect and there is not a thing we would change!! We just wish we could do it again, but since we can't :) We are so excited that Jeff was there to capture the day and all of the special moments we will want to be able to rememeber forever!

Jeff- The pictures are absolutely amazing!! Everyone keeps telling us how great they are and that they are the BEST they have ever seen!!Thank you so so much! Can't wait to see the rest!!

j

And it was... :)

Exchange of gifts with each other.

Grandma helping take care of their new niece.

Little fun with the personalized hangers.

Shawn getting ready for the big day.

Love the light and composition of this one.

Rebecca looking beautiful.

Their first reveal with each other.

Little creepy but fun. This was the restaurant at the hotel.

We took a cab to The Philadelphia Art Museum It was really windy but we were able to get this shot at the top of the stairs.

While heading back to the hotel I noticed the color of this wall and had the trolly driver stop. Always have your eyes open for a photo opportunity.

I remember when shooting this image noticing the woman in red walking by and quickly adjusting my camera and dragging the shutter speed and bracing my camera against a tree and yelling form across the street to Rebecca & Shawn to "hold the kiss!!". :)

Rebecca & her girls.

Shawn & the boys.

Another ring shot, why not? :)

The ceremony at Tendenza.

Different view of the cocktail hour.

Some fun on the dance floor.

Their first dance.

Everybody had a great time during this Hora!!

Love this one!

Now that's a packed dance floor!!

One of my all time favorite bridal portraits. These heads were on the bathroom doors at Tendenza. I saw them and thought to myself "there is a photo in there somewhere". Loved how it turned out!!

I want to start this blog off by saying how great Jennifer & Jackson are. They were really so much fun and easy going with all the images I wanted to do. And they gave me soooo much time for photos!!! Yesssssss!!!!! :) We started in Jennifer's room at Crystal Springs Resort. So many great spots here to capture. We then drove off to some locations and along the way finding a run down barn along the road. Love it when that happens. They had a beautiful early evening ceremony overlooking the mountains. Also please read about the amazing thing they did at the bottom of the post. Really special people!! :)

j

Here is their story:
“Maybe you’ll meet a girl there.” That’s what Jackson’s mother told him just before he went to his 10-year high school reunion. It seemed absurd because a reunion is about reconnecting with people you already know, not about meeting someone new.
I went to the reunion to meet up with a few old friends. When I walked through the door, I saw a handsome guy with an armful of colorful tattoos. I nudged my friend and said, “If this reunion gets boring, I’m going to be over there with him.” “That’s Jackson,” she replied.
It turns out Jackson and I went to the same high school, graduated the same year, and knew a lot of the same people; but we had never met one another until that night. At the time, I was living in Boston and Jackson in New Jersey. When the reunion was over, both of us thought that a long distance relationship between two people who were set in their ways and their careers and their locations was doomed to failure. That didn’t stop us from trying. We traveled back and forth to and from Boston and New Jersey for more than three years before I finally moved back.
We have been traveling together ever since. Jackson proposed to me in 2010 at the top of the Great Wall of China after carrying the ring all the way up to the top in that tiny, seemingly useless mini-pocket in the front of his jeans. I made a joke about being afraid I’d drop my camera over the side of the Wall. He pulled out the ring and asked, “Do you think you can hold onto this?”
Traditional romance was never our style. To be honest, the thought of planning a wedding was an exhausting nuisance to both of us. We decided to do it anyway. We did it not because we wanted to celebrate our love affair but rather because we wanted to celebrate our lives. This wedding was not about us. It was about family, and by family I mean relatives, friends, colleagues, acquaintances, loved ones, sinners, saints and all of the crazy and amazing people that give our lives so much meaning. Our wedding was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to get them in one room, at one time, for one big party.
It is true that Jackson and I are lucky to have one another. We knew that before we got married. Our wedding helped us to see, in one spectacular moment in time, that we are luckier still to be surrounded by so many people who make us who we are.
We thank you, Jeff, for capturing that spectacular moment in time. Your pictures are more than just images; they are memories. Your photos are breathtaking and working with you to create them was a blast. We are proud to now include you among the crazy and amazing people that we call family.

Jennifer & Jackson

Loved this tattoo on Jenn's side. Interesting side note: This will be the first time Jenn's mom see's this. It was Jenn's secret all these years.

I liked the way the wall almost looked like fire with the light highlights in it.

Jenn and her sister enjoying a moment together.

Love these guys!!

So many great spots here to capture.

Jenn and her girls.

Jackson & his boys. This was another great spot we went to.

Love texture!

One of my favs from the day.

HA!! Jenn was such a good sport.

Some great candids from the ceremony.

Love this angle for the kiss.

I loved the texture & feel from this one.

Amazing sunset & light. People often ask if my skies are real. Yes. They are 100% real. It's all lighting. If any photographers are reading this, learn off camera flash!! Your photos will ROCK!!!

And in color. Equally as cool!

Some of the fun.

First dance.

Jennifer & her dad had such a special relationship.

HA!!! :)

These guys couldn't cook marshmallows either... :)

I wanted to end it with this one. I swear this is a true story. As I was getting ready to leave for Jennifer & Jackson's wedding, my daughter Aurora says "wait, I need to make something for the bride & groom". I can't recall her ever doing this. So I said ok. She works on her project and says "make sure you give it to them". So I put it in my camera bag. I have to be honest I probably wouldn't have given it to them. Any way to the point. When I started doing my "detail" photos I noticed this framed picture. Not to get too personal but my daughter is battling Cystic Fibrosis. Aurora's Warriors is the name of our group to raise money for awareness and funding to find a cure. Instead of wedding favors for their guests the chose to make a donation to help our cause. It's almost as if Aurora sensed something. I know it sounds crazy!! When I stop to think about this it really is amazing. When Jennifer & Jackson decided to hire me for their wedding they didn't know me. It's just something really special to know there are people like these two in the world. Thank you so much guys!! Jenn is holding the picture of unicorns Aurora made for them. :)

Amy & Bradley had a beautiful early spring wedding. Bright blu skies and a cool afternoon. One of the interesting aspects of their wedding is the new home Amy & Bradley recently moved into is next to Bradley's parents farm. So as Amy was getting ready, Adrienne, my second shooter was next door capturing Brad & the guys. We spent some time on the farm getting a few great images with Brads collection of classic cars. After their ceremony we all headed to The Merion for a great evening.
Here is their story...

We met in August of 2007 at our towns local bar - we saw each other there frequently and i always had my eye on him but we never spoke. Come to find out an old friend of mine was dating Bradley's cousin (his best man) and they are actually married with a family now... So my friend is dating my crushes cousin - perfect opportunity for a double date right?! Bradley and I briefly dated in 2007 and things didn't work out then. We both went our separate ways but still saw each other because we had the same group of friends and I became close friends with his sister (funny how things happen). Fast forward to Labor Day Weekend 2010 in LBI (Bradley was actually dating another girl and he invited myself and his sister down to LBI for me to meet some guy that the girl he was dating was friends with- needless to say I wasn't interested) longer story short Bradley pursued me on the dance floor and I wanted nothing to do with him! Somehow a couple of weeks and a friendly bet later (that I won) turned $50 into our first date and we've been together ever since! We knew we were in love and our relationship was something incredibly special! Bradley purposed in December 2011 by pretending that the Christmas lights were out on the side of the house- (how we were supposed to fix broken Christmas lights in the dark ill never know)! So out to the side of the house with our flashlights we go and coming around the corner there is a huge sign in Christmas lights that asks "Will you marry me Amy?" The question mark was bigger than the whole sign because as Bradley said "it's a pretty big question" so here we are 15 months later husband and wife! Things happen when you least expect them too and we still say "who would have thought?"
It's hard to say what the favorite part of our day was... Everything was perfect we just cant pick one! I'd say standing up in front of our dear family and friends saying our vows that is a look in my husbands eyes ill never forget- first reveal was pretty incredible too! That feeling is just indescribable-just the two of you in that moment! And Sitting back at the reception watching everyone- they're there celebrating the two of us!!! And last but certainly not least taking all these BAD ASS pictures!!!! I can not wait to see the one of all of us on the porch at the Walnford House and the Rolls pic I was dying to take!!! You are truly one of a kind Jeff!! xo

j

Love this detail of Amy's ring.

Here is our story!

Sean and Christie's story began four years ago when they met each other through a mutual friend at a bar called The Cup in Linden NJ. Sean was playing guitar in a rock band at the time and Christie had showed up to the bar to meet her friend. Sean spotted Christie from across the room and the rest was history!
Since music is such a big part of their lives and their relationship, naturally there were a lot of musical touches, from their personalized guitar pick favors to their custom groom's cake made in a replica of Slash from the band Guns N' Roses hat. Christie's personal special touch is that she is a really big fan sugar skulls, so they had them as cake toppers and on her girls getting ready shirts, and Sean's personal special touch is that he is a huge NY Ranger's fan, so lieu of a traditional guest book they had fan's sign a personalized Basinger 2012 Ranger's Hockey jersey, and his cuff links were sliver NY Ranger symbols.
In the end, the day came together in a perfect mix of Sean and Christie's individual tastes to reflect the blend of their new life.

Here are some favorites from the day.

Christie was so much fun to photograph.

Beautiful!

Love this image.

When we arrived at this location it was bright skies and barely a cloud in the sky. Towards the end this is what rolled in. It started pouring rain as soon as we finished "the cloud" shots.

Christie and her gorgeous bridesmaids.

We snuck inside this playground. Christie even scaling the fence in her dress to get in. Now that's a rockin' bride!

Another great location. This was a rock quarry we passed along the way to the park. Love the texture and symmetry of the wall.

HA!!! Gotta' love the frogs.

Once again ask and you shall receive. First I asked Christie to scale a fence. Now I ask her to climb a jungle wall.(or whatever it was. Fact is some brides are worried about just walking in their dress and Christie is climbing in hers. Definitely my kind of bride! :)

Another fav. from the day!

Some of the details. Loved the custom made guitar picks. No comment on the Ranger jersey. :)

That hamburger & fries looking thing was actually dessert! The french fries are cake with strawberry glaze and the burger in an eclair. Pretty amazing food art!

Love when my brides growl at me. :)

Sean getting a lift from friends.

How cool are these cakes??!! Amazing!! That is an exact replica of Slash's hat made into a cake. WOW!!