Jenna Cole Photography – Palo Alto, CA

I was going to Benita’s wedding in San Diego no matter what. We lived together for close to 5 years in college, and she will forever be one of my favorite people in the world. When she asked me about the possibility of me shooting her wedding, I made it very clear that I only wanted her to hire me if she loved my work. I knew I would work harder than anyone else to give her something she would love for forever, but I wanted to know that she felt that way as well. Sometimes when friends work together with unrealistic expectations, the friendship doesn’t survive, and that would be too much for me to handle. I always need to have  a little bit o’ Benita in my life!

We worked all of the details out, I packed up my stuff, left my baby and husband behind, and headed out to California for a weekend with the girls(if you’re wondering, yes, I had several mix CDs in the rental car that included songs like Ocean Avenue). On Thursday night we threw Benita a mini-bachlorette party, which included tasks assigned to the bride-to-be (yelling out into the street “I’M GETTING MARRIED!” and such) as well as some cupcakes from Babycakes.

On Friday Benita went through the LDS Sand Diego temple for the first time.

That night we dined at Pizza Nova and heard some really touching speeches from Scott’s dad and step-dad (I cried, I loved them so much).

That weekend I was checking my phone constantly for weather updates. Before I flew out I had assured Benita that the forecast would improve, and that we wouldn’t have to worry about rain. But things weren’t looking better that morning, and I didn’t have a backup plan. I had gone out scouting on Thursday and Friday, and I knew the perfect spot for their first look and portraits, but it wasn’t going to work if the rain was pouring down. Were we going to have to take all of their pictures under a random awning somewhere? San Diego doesn’t see weather like that very often (multiple residents assured me that the weather that weekend was unique) and so there isn’t a lot of rain cover. The hotel rooms at the La Jolla Residence Inn Suites Hotel by Marriott were really dark and things weren’t looking good.

I told Benita that it was my job to worry about those things though. The night before at the rehearsal dinner I asked her to please let me worry about the rain and the pictures so she could enjoy herself and relax throughout the weekend. The next morning she was surrounded by friends, getting pampered, ready to take on the day!



Beni, you’re gorgeous.

As Scott and Benita finished getting dressed, I looked out and saw that it was still raining. I turned to Scott and said “I think we should try to do the First Look outside. I think that you will never, ever regret going to this location I scouted, even with the hiking and the mud.” He decided to trust me and go for it. I would never, ever make my clients do something they aren’t comfortable with, but so far I’ve found that people are willing to trust my vision, which always results in something powerful.

Thank you Scott for trusting me. I don’t think I’m ever going to be able to top these pictures! All of the portraits you’ll see below were done in the La Jolla Farms area. We did their first look on a path where surfers hike down to the water (I would have loved to go all the way down to the beach, but there was no way that was happening!)

Benita is absolutely crazy. She hiked down a moderately steep freshly muddy incline in her brand new heels (that she had never worn before that day), and then up a very steep portion to get to Scott. We were lucky that her mom came along and had paper towels in the car! I was dashing around taking pictures and of course fell down, covering my left leg in mud.

So worth it though. So, so worth it.

They wanted to have their wedding bands on for the portraits, so we did a quick little ring exchange.  read the rest of this entry …

I’ll be ordering this as a 16×20 canvas in the next few minutes. My friends are so pretty!

I love ordering products for my clients, especially when I get to see them before I hand them over. It’s like Christmas every time I open the package from my print lab!

Would you believe that this post is full of photos I agonized over in an attempt to narrow things down? This wedding was bursting with details, but due to an upcoming feature on Southern Weddings Blog I decided to let the editors over there take care of showcasing the details and I would instead focus on narrowing things down to my favorite shots from the weekend. This wedding took place on and around an island in Maine, called Isle of Springs, and Kate and Cormac worked hard to pack it full of events that would create a memorable weekend for their guests. I posted a SOOC teaser the weekend of the wedding, and another one with a gorgeous board showcasing some of the details that really set their wedding apart from others I’ve attended, and I wanted to do yet another, longer, post to showcase the photos that really make me smile when I look through their proofing catalog.

These two really have something special.

Wiffle ball got a little competitive with a baseball-playing groom (and several groomsmen too!)

Bunting was everywhere. This was a lucky shot, with a relative leaning out to wave at a friend at just the right moment.

On the right you see the father of the bride. I was giddy when he showed up to the rehearsal dinner looking like I stepped straight out of a sailing magazine! They just don’t dress like this back home on the farm.

Kate’s dad gathered everyone around and presented her a book of all of the drawings she had given him as a child. Through the years he had collected them, dated them, and written a little note explaining what it was supposed to be if it wasn’t obvious. Then arranged them in chronological order. I’m tearing up a little as a type this because it’s such a thoughtful, personal gift for a father to present to his daughter.

I did not take this picture! When I learned the groom would be showering outside on his wedding day I handed my camera over to a groomsmen (it might have been Chip, thanks Chip!) and asked him to please take a picture for me, and not to pull any funny business and give me back something x-rated. Cormac was very good natured about the whole thing.

These are the kind of family pictures I want to give back! With real emotion and no forced smiles. I guess having beautiful homes in the background doesn’t hurt either.

The attire for the guys worked so well for an island wedding.

And no socks!

Kate waving her arms in the air like a plea for help, with her sisters assisting.

Technically imperfect? Certainly. But the emotion here just kills me. I love this family so much.

Beaming, blushing, beautiful bride.

Kate’s sister, Emily, posted on her blog about how important relaxed and natural family portraits were, and so I really pushed myself hard to come up with family portraits that would help them feel like they were looking at photos of themselves as they actually are.

The irony here made me laugh. I think dad wanted to take his underwear down when I said I wanted to pose next to the yellow bikini but I said we should leave it up. I like how it juxtaposes the formality of a wedding with the casualness of spending time on the island.

What gorgeous ladies! They most certainly outshine the men. Sorry guys.

The ceremony arch was made of driftwood collected on the beach. Bunting lining the aisles not only looked cute, it kept people from crouching or standing in the aisle when I was trying to take pictures so I doubly appreciated it!

Someone suggested that we take pictures on this porch (everyone on the island known everyone else, so we were free to go where we pleased), but the light really wasn’t that great. As we were walking away a cloud covered the sun in the perfect way, helping me create my favorite portraits of the bridal party (if only Chip wasn’t looking so grumpy in the background in the one on the left…)

Credit for the picture on the right goes to Meredith, my beyond fabulous second-shooter for this wedding. I’m quite sad that we don’t live closer together because I would love to collaborate with her in the future. Her work is just stunning.

Most certainly THAT SHOT for me (those shots?), I think Kate looks so graceful and straight out of a fairy tale as she floats into Cormac’s arms. I know I’m getting cheesy, but you kind of agree, right?

Beach pictures! I took my shoes off and worked barefoot, that’s how excited I was to be near the sand.

I don’t have many pictures of me at work, so a big thank you to Meredith for taking this for me! It must have been a really good pictures because I’m smiling with excitement.

A few details.

Stripey straws!

Sliders!

(Ribbon drink stirrer which I used as a skewer can be found here.)

The cake buffet! Oh my how I loved this cake buffet.

(Cake flags found here.)

They had a swing set up off to the side (as well as lawn games), and I asked Kate to swing back and forth for me while I got right up in her face trying to take pictures. This caused her to kick me in the gut, which made both of us laugh. I certainly had it coming! Worth it for the picture though, right?

Chip again (I swear I don’t have a Chip bias). He really rocked the tent with his toast.

After the reception I had a short break, and then we loaded up on a ferry and sailed around the island. I imagine it’s nothing new, but I thought putting the life jackets on the ceiling was absolutely brilliant.

This is Emily, she is the one suggested me to Kate and Cormac and I owe her a great big thank you for that. She is one of the big guns at Southern Weddings and I confess I felt a bit  like I was meeting a celebrity when I hugged her for the first time. She knows, and has worked with, a lot of really phenomenal photographers and I’m incredibly honored that she would recommend my services for her own sister’s wedding. Thank you Emily!

Kate and Cormac,

I’ve told you several times how much I love you, loved your family and friends, and loved your wedding. I can understand why you put in so much work to make your northeastern island wedding a reality. I think it was worth it.

Come to Chicago soon, okay? I want to see you again.

Best,

Jenna