Jenna Cole Photography-Chicago, IL » Lifestyle and Wedding Photographer

This shot was made possible by Nick and Rachel. Not only because they hosted an awesome wedding, but because they so deliberately paid attention to where I was at while shooting, and seemed to make it a point to dip while facing me.  I’m not sure if they took lessons (their dancing was pretty top notch) and had an instructor tell them to do this, but I appreciated it because it felt like they were letting me know that pictures are important to them, and they wanted something wall-worthy.

I’m feeling pleased as punch about how this one turned out, and I’ve got good news for the honeymooning couple… there is a lot more where this came from!

The reception!

A few of my favorite details…

The bride and groom supplied calling cards next to their guestbook with their new married address, phone numbers, etc. I’d never seen anything like it but I thought it was a brilliant way to spread their contact information to family and friends.

The toasts were sweet, just enough of a roast to get reactions like this from the bride and groom.

Who gave this kid a glass of champagne!?!?!?

No cake-smashing-in-the-face for this couple, but a little bit of encouragement from the crowd caused Jeramy to get a frosting tipped nose.

Natalie was so sweet during her dance with her dad, if you look close you can see the tears in her eyes and running down her cheeks. I had the “Butterfly Kisses” song stuck in my head for days afterward.

I can’t take credit for this shot… it was actually taken by the best man! He begged me to let him take a few pictures, and after interrogating him regarding the number of drinks he’s consumed and making him promise to wear the camera strap around his neck, I let him play for a bit. It was actually a great idea because the sight of his best friend playing wedding photographer really made Jeramy laugh!

Fierce competition for the bridal bouquet. The poor MOH never had a chance.

That tongue! Natalie knew Jeramy was going in with his teeth.

Jeramy removed the garter with his friends and family cheering him on, and stood up to celebrate with his teeth, only to find his new father-in-law staring him down from behind. Very funny moment.

To be honest, I’m really only including this picture because I like her necklace. Gorgeous right?

I took a break to switch lenses and eat some cake, and when I jumped back in the fray Natalie looked completely different!

The getaway car, which belongs to Natalie’s mom. Jeramy oh-so-conveniently sent his keys off with one of his groomsmen (haha, I know it was an accident Jeramy!) and so the couple were forced to take the car with them for the wedding night, when the original plan was just to use the car for the photos at the end of the night.

Happy marriage Natalie and Jeramy! I’m still a bit bummed you didn’t wear your new sunglasses down the aisle Natalie, but your eyes and smile were so radiant as you made your way toward your new husband that I can’t blame you for wanting to have the best view possible. Jeramy you have the best smile and I love watching you watch Natalie. It’s obvious that you adore each other and I loved spending your wedding day with you.

Best,

Jenna

Natalie and Jeramy were married on a sunny, slightly windy, Friday in June. You’ve seen them on Jenna Cole before, as they did an engagement session in Deep Ellum with me and brought their sweet puppy with them. They were married at Paradise Cove in Westlake, Texas, with a wedding day that can be described as wonderfully Texan in so many ways. What a delight it was to spend the day with them!

Venue: Paradise Cove

Officiant: Jim Dunn

Florist: Lakeside Florist

DJ: David Mayo

Cake: Elegant Cakery

When the coordinator delivered a gift wrapped in pink for Natalie from Jeramy I was expecting perfume, jewelry, you know something typical…

I did not expect her to pull these sunglasses out of this box! She said she was going to wear them down the aisle and I got excited (she didn’t though ).

This sweet junior bridesmaid painted her nails extra special in order of Natalie and Jeramy.

The moment when the bride slips on her dress is one of my favorites of the day.

Natalie stayed sequestered in her dressing room to make sure she wasn’t seen, but I was able to track down Jeramy and get him outside for some portraits.

This view is the reason why brides choose to marry at Paradise Cove (one other reason must be  the coordinators as they were particularly awesome!).

Natalie alternated between beaming and floating down the aisle.

One reason I loved the coordinators at Paradise Cove was how efficiently they handled the timeline and kept the day flowing. After the ceremony they ushered Natalie and Jeramy into this little alcove, and sent guests up toward the reception. It really helped us get to our portraits quickly which was extremely important as we didn’t have much time before the sun set completely.

The bridesmaids hate windy days because their hair and skirts fly all over. I like them because they make the photos exciting.

Ah, portrait time. Hooray! I’ve had some weddings with a very limited amount of time for portraits and I kept thanking Natalie and Jeramy for the amount of time they gave me. I also thanked them for how natural and relaxed they were in front of the camera. The secret to great wedding day portraits for the bride and groom is just forgetting that the camera is there and enjoying each others company.

I was in love with this majestic tree.

THAT SHOT! My favorite from the batch. Natalie, you’re smokin’.

Every wedding at Paradise Cove needs a  dramatic sunset shot.

The happy couple are due back from their honeymoon tomorrow and I wanted to have this post up for their return. Welcome back you two!

Pt II, the reception, will be posted on Monday.

I’m ending my recap of the past year with my favorite type of photos, wedding day portraits of the bride and groom! I personally think this is where you can most see the change and improvement in my photographic skills, and it is this set that has me most looking forward to the recap I’ll do next year, where we’ll hopefully be able to see an even more dramatic change!

Thanks again to all of my clients from 2009-2010!

The first dance is always a chance for me to play a little bit. I spend some time “playing it safe” making sure I get at least one shot that I know the couple will love, but once I know I have one of those, it’s time for me to play with my settings, the lighting, etc, to see if I can come up with something  unique for that couple to enjoy. I’m going for something wall worthy!