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DC Ranch Scottsdale Wedding : Stephanie + Stephen
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© Jasmine Star. This post cannot be republished without permission. Stealing makes me sad. |
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I t's not an old-fashion kind of love. Love brimming with carrying school books, walking her to the front door, or soda with two straws. No, it's more like old love. Love defined for what's said in between the lines, thoughtful, and pure. A love like this is most seen when an elderly gentleman kisses his wife on the cheek after cutting her medicine, reminding her the pills are on the kitchen counter. Old love. Stephen and Stephanie--though nowhere near graying hair and daily fiber drinks--share this type of love.
Throughout the course of their wedding day at DC Ranch in Scottsdale, Arizona, Stephen was so accutely tuned into what Stephanie wanted, needed, or wished for, it appeared they'd been married for fifty years. At least. The way they looked at each other was as if they hadn't seen each other for years and the love they shared could, quite literally, be felt throughout the venue. Nearing the end of a long night, while Stephen and a few others tore up the dancefloor, Stephanie paced the terracotta halls of DC Ranch asking people if they'd seen her car keys. She needed something from her car, but couldn't find the keys and no one could help. Almost on cue, as soon as Stephanie approached the dancefloor, Stephen turned and saw his newly-minted wife needed his help. Needed him. He touched her arm and apologized for her aching feet, and quickly took care of finding her keys. Because that's what old love is all about. Telling the woman you love to kick off her heels, dance like no one is watching, and leave her worries to the man who promised to love, honor, and cherish.
Stephanie and Stephen...I spent the good part of a year looking forward to your special day and praying for the best as you planned the wedding of your dreams. Lo and behold, you perfectly executed your hopes and ideas! I was so, so honored to be chosen as your wedding photographer and watching your love has been a testament to the notion of true love, soul mates, and kindred spirits. You both are some of the most beautiful people I've ever met, and I'm speaking about who you are on the inside. Thank you for the honor of documenting your first day as husband and wife, and I wish you a lifetime of joy! Much Love and Appreciation...J*
One of the best things about photographing weddings outside of California is working at a new venue and exploring new places to shoot details...DC Ranch is a gorgeous venue for weddings, so I explored a bit with the bride's Kate Spade shoes and amazing Jim Hjelm wedding dress... |
| One of my most favorite aspects of the wedding was the subtle mixing of vintage elements in a desert elements...everything was thoughtful and deliberate...which makes photographing things easier when there's a vision or theme... |
| Petal Pusher did a lovely job with Stephanie's gorgeous wedding bouquet...which included her grandmother's broach and grandfather's pin... |
| It was over 100 degrees in Scottsdale, but the light was amazing in every part of DC Ranch...here the bride is preparing in the clubhouse... |
| If you've followed my blog for a while, you know what I'm about to say. But I'm still going to say it anyway! :) When the bride and groom see each other before the ceremony, I feel like they are making the best choice for their wedding day. Hands down. Stephanie and Stephen weren't going to have a First Look, but after reviewing the timeline and prioritizing how they wanted to spend their day, they realized seeing each other before just made more sense. From a photography standpoint, this is music to my ears...especially when we could shoot wedding photos at a fabulous place like DC Ranch! This is one of my favs from their First Look...and I can admit it....I got all choked up and teary... |
| This set of wedding photos makes me feel so blessed. My photo is on the left and JD's photo is on the right. I love shooting with my husband because we see things so different and yet the same... |
| Stephanie, I'm just gonna say what everyone else is thinking: You're beautiful. Seriously. |
| As we continued wedding photos at DC Ranch, I was so hot my heels were melting into the ground (okay, I'm being a little dramatic here), so we ventured inside for a few photos for a different look... |
| One thing I completely adored about Stephanie was her focus and attention to detail. She--along with her mother and a couple other people--planned and decorated the entire wedding with such clarity and style... |
| A running theme throughout the wedding was vintage tea cups, all of which were procured by Stephanie at vintage and thrift stores... |
| JD captured this photo and it makes me feel warm and fuzzy... |
| Moments just after the ceremony... |
| The sun in Scottsdale, Arizona was kind to me... |
| Here's a random fact...when JD and I arrived to the airport to fly to Scottsdale, there weren't any chairs. When JD sat on the floor, I sat next to him, leaned my head on his shoulder, and wondered out loud if I'd ever be to able to pose clients that way. Wellllll, when Stephanie told me she was willing to lay on the ground, I knew EXACTLY what I wanted her to do! It's moments like this that make me feel so lucky to do what I love! |
| I love me some desert wedding photos... |
| Stephanie made the moss-covered chair... |
| Many thanks again to Petal Pushers for their thoughtful designs... |
| The wedding cake topper was a 100-year-old tea cup Stephanie bought for $1.00 at a thrift store...loved it! |
| The following two photos are JD's.... |
| The happy couple was comically serenaded by their brother and friend....and how fun is the light-covered tree in the background?! DC Ranch is seriously a photographer's dream... |
| The party was kept popping the entire night by California's Blu Note Party Band...yes, they drove to Arizona for the wedding! |
To see more of their fabulous wedding at DC Ranch, feel free to CLICK HERE for a slideshow!
And a special thanks must also go to Lyra for coming out and assisting me and JD...she's such a great friend! And major props to Serendipity Videography for being SO awesome to work with...Taryn and Jeff were awesome! |
    
A couple days ago, JD and I were talking about wedding websites. Specifically, how much I love them. When a prospective client emails me to inquire about my services and also provides a link to her wedding website, I'm thrilled! I love reading about their love story, seeing photos, and getting to know their personalities. They're kinda fab.
One thing, however, is that these websites don't grow or change with the couple. After the wedding, the website disappears and never visited again. JD and I started throwing around ideas and next thing you know, he designed a sample Showit site for a client (this is not Stephanie and Stephen's actual site, we just used their pictures...because we're shooting their wedding this weekend and we love them).
JD designed the site using a FREE Showit website to show how easy it could be for anyone to use, both clients and photographers... or anyone for that matter. If you'd like to check it out, click on the link to view www.StephanieAndStephen.showitsite.com.
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Another really cool addition I've seen is photographers adding client lounges to their existing website, which is so awesome! So, basically, if you have a Showit Pro subscription (for only $32/month using jstar as the promo code), you can simply build a client site within your own site as an added value for your services. Hollllla!
I love the idea of clients using Showit on their own because they can change their website as their lives change and add photos as they see fit. And, let's be real, having your own website is just plain cool. Oh, just admit it! ;)
If you'd like more info on FREE Showit Sites, CLICK HERE to read more about it, and if you'd like to read my review and FAQs regarding Showit, CLICK HERE.
Happy Wednesday! |
A couple weeks ago, my good friend and fabulous videographer, Julie Hill, joined me at Stephanie and Stephen's engagement session. Julie's award-winning videography company just started a fabbbbbulous new company, TheFusionPost.com. You can read more about her services on her custom website (created using a tres chic Showit Site), but it's basically a company a photographer outsources their 5dMarkII video footage to and professional video editors will create a custom video promo for you. It's brilliant! Now photographers can easily have a professional promo video made at a fraction of the cost...I love it!
You can see more more sample videos on TheFusionPost.com, but simply click on the image to get a sneak peek at my video...
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Stephanie and Steven : Engaged
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O n the campus of Point Loma University. That's where it happened. He saw her from a distance, and perhaps it was her smile, glow, or beautiful soul that drew him into Stephanie's gravitational pull. Because she has that. A gravitational pull. The ability to lure people into her kindness and joy, each maintaining a happy orbit. Stephen and Stephanie hit it off immediately and they bonded over their love of golf. The Buick Invitational...in San Diego...really...you have tickets...of course we'll go together! And that was that. They spent their first weekend together as teenagers at a golf tournament, and have remained by each others sides ever since.
And that's where they were headed a few days ago. Stephanie and Stephen enjoyed the ride from Phoenix, Arizona and made their way to San Diego, California to the place of Stephanie's first incident of the gravitational pull occurred. Before arriving, however, they paused in Orange County long enough for their engagement session.
The day was spent in a blissful state of laughter and joy...and kissing. Stephanie and Stephen are two of the most loving, kind and genuine people and their love is simply a manifestation for their care of others. I'm beyond thrilled to be shooting their wedding later this year and I know it's going to be nothing short of fabulous! Here are a few of my favorites, as well as a slideshow... |
| Stephanie owns Tunnel Photography in Phoenix, Arizona, so she brought along her grandparents' vintage cameras as a way to incorporate her style and personality...and I was in LOVE! |
| One thing about Stephen....when I arrived to the engagement session, I was him sitting alone under the shade of a nearby tree. We'd never met before, but he gathered who I was from my camera (and my annoying laugh, I'm sure). He waved from a distance and greeted me with a big hug. We were virtually strangers, but he gave me a hug and made me feel like an old friend. Stephanie...you're one lucky girl to be marrying such a kind man! |
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