The Root Photography Blog

Jessie + Jason : Bonnet House Museum and Gardens Wedding in Fort Lauderdale, Florida

April 7, 2014 by Jensey 6 Comments

So, my little sister-in-law is now a Mrs.! <3

I talked a bit about my love for Jessie when I blogged her and Jason’s engagement session here, so make sure you read that post first!

Nate and I have been privileged to photograph all of our family members and best friends’ weddings since we started shooting weddings, but this was our very first time sans camera bags, both of us in the bridal party! Nate has done the groomsman/best man thing at least 4 times I know of (who wouldn’t want that face in a groomsmen lineup?!), but this was my very first time as a bridesmaid. I was completely shocked when Jessie asked- I knew her sisters and Jason’s sister would make it to the “line up,” but me- The in-law?! !t made my heart so happy to stand behind my Jessie as she committed herself to the love of her life.

So yes, this was my first time playing octopus bridesmaid the week before the wedding: tying bows one minute, going to pick up a wedding dress the next, and doing everything I could to help my stressed out little sister make her wedding as stress-free as possible. :) I was so happy our schedule allowed us to be in town a few days before hand, so we didn’t have to fly in and barely make it to the rehearsal dinner.

Jessie and Jason were married at the gorgeous Bonnet House in downtown Fort Lauderdale, and this colorful historic catapulted its way to our dream wedding venues to photograph list! Just a couple quick photos from the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner:

Jason’s reaction to a surprise UM groom’s cake, while Jessie looks on with her token “yeah, I know I’m amazing” face. ;)

Sometimes I worry I love on him too hard!

I loved some of the photos Nate got hanging out with the guys on the wedding day…

… But this one’s my favorite. :)

This cannot be that four year old boy I met 10 years ago! I love that Jessie and Jason had all of their siblings and siblings-in-law as part of the bridal party. (Nate wants me to specify his 14 year old brother isn’t smoking a cigar here, it’s chocolate. But we *will* be recreating this photo on his someday wedding day!)

Nate’s first glimpse of his little sister as a bride. :)

Katarina, my mini-me. <3

Sister photo! :)

Nate’s grandpa, probably our favorite photo subject ever!

My mother-in-law looking gorgeous with her sister:

Faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaavorite. <3 Thank you, Sarah Bray, for my favorite photo of us!!

When I first met Austin he was 8, and now he has a girlfriend and leaves for college in the fall!

More gorgeous in-laws: Dad and Lisa. :)

Then it was ceremony time! I think the weirdest thing about being a bridesmaid was how fast it all went. I was expecting ~5 minutes of stressful waiting time in a line-up, but the second we got to our spot, we were queued to walk down the aisle! They had almost 200 guests and a loooooong gravel aisle to walk down, so I was thankful we got to walk two-by-two (and that I got to walk with my husband!) Since Nate and I eloped, that was our first time walking down an aisle together. We basically went twice as fast as we were supposed to and just kept smiling and repeating “Sooooo, this is weird…” to each other. :) The ceremony and cocktail hour flew by, and a couple glasses of wine later, we were being announced into the reception!

Loooove this one of my mothers-in-law watching the father/daughter dance.

Sooooo I’d say Jessie and Jason’s reception was one of my top 10 favorite memories of all time. I basically drank wine and danced with my beautiful little sisters to every song. Love. My. Family.

Pretty sure this was Nate’s view the whole night: Him trying to go talk to family and visit, and me leading him riiiiight back on to the dance floor. :)

Jessie, you were an unfairly gorgeous bride and Jason, we know you’ll provide a wonderful life for our little sister! We’re so excited to have front row seats to whatever adventures the future has for you, and please know we’re always here for you and love you to pieces. Yay for our new brother!!

Jessy + Bligh : Winter Park Racquet Club Wedding

March 19, 2014 by Jensey 5 Comments

We’re often asked if we get bored of shooting so many weddings. I mean aren’t they all, like, the same?

That statement could not be more false. That’s like saying to a parent, “Why have three kids and not just one? Aren’t they all the same?” Ok, maybe that’s a bit of a stretch, but you know what I mean! We could shoot the same venues back to back and they’ll be completely different. The people, the weather, the decor, the vendors- There are so many ingredients that go into a wedding and thankfully, I’ve never gotten to a place where I feel like they run together.

I love when weddings like Jessy and Bligh’s come around. So completely crazy and wonderful and out of the box that to say we were kept on our toes is an understatement. Hey, let’s go out on the balcony for some bridesmaid robe photos! turned into Hey, let’s do a flashing photo! We didn’t just pose them around a yellow float plane for photos, Bligh (a pilot) made his entrance into the ceremony by flying in that float plane. Wish lanterns being launched by a crowd who truly enjoyed the open bar at the reception turned into OK so do we call 911 now because a wish lantern is stuck in that tree and has been for a good 30 seconds or do we wait for the flames to- Oh, thank God, there it goes!

This wedding was fun, hilarious, and filled with wonderful, wonderful people (I’m a bit biased, but best of were our mutual friends, Jeffrey and Lisa!)

Jessy and Bligh’s wedding day began at the Embassy Suites in Downtown Orlando.

Four page love letter from the groom? Swoooooooooooooooooooon! <3

Then it was off to the Winter Park Racquet Club! <3 Bligh proposed to Jessy at Winter Park’s Kraft Azalea Garden, which sits on the same lake as the Winter Park Racquet Club!

Jessy, you were stunning.

Nate’s favorite!

Oh, just the groom landing for his entrance. No big deal. Whatev’.

For years, Jessy was Lisa’s right hand girl at her wedding planning and coordinating company, E-Events. Jessy is truly like a third daughter to Lisa, and I tear up seeing these photos of her holding back tears at the ceremony!

My favorite part of the ceremony was when Jessy’s brother sang while their parents joined them for prayer.

Faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaavorite! <3

Had to take a “Stoneroo” photo in the photo booth! <3

Past sister-of-a-Root-bride Allison! She announced she was pregnant a few weeks after Jessy’s wedding, so I think I know who her wish involved! :)

Jessy and Bligh, we had such a wonderful time at your wedding!!! Thanks for letting us be a part of the adventure. :)

Sarah + Nick : Butler Memorial Presbyterian Church and Butler Institute of American Art Wedding in Youngstown, Ohio

March 10, 2014 by Jensey 1 Comment

Sarah and I were in the first and second grade together.

It was the second grade when I decided I didn’t like her. No… I hated her, even.

You see, my elementary school had this sort of contest every year. Each student would draw a picture and in each classroom, one child’s work was chosen to hang as a banner outside the classroom. The child’s parents would then help make the picture come alive on fabric so it’d serve as a little flag. Super cute, right? Well, Sarah’s Wizard of Oz inspired piece was so good, the art teacher chose it to hang outside the main office! The same art teacher ripped my work to shreds, saying at my age I shouldn’t be drawing people looking like hot dogs. Isn’t it funny what you remember as a kid?

The worst thing I’ve ever done to another person was to Sarah. We were in the second grade and long story short, I tried stealing her adorable horse necklace and passing it off as my own. Of course I got caught, our teacher threatened to tell Mom, and yadda yadda yadda, Sarah asked us to photograph her wedding ~20 years later. :)

Obligatory first grade class photo! Ps, can I just point out how cute my childhood bff Kolby looked rocking that American flag dress?! Good on ya, Cheese! <3 Oh, and random fact: I was shooting a wedding at the Boardwalk Inn a few years back, and bumped into my first grade teacher, the beautiful lady in this photo! Small world, indeed. :)

You may remember Sarah and Nick’s engagement session around Memphis Botanic Gardens. She and Nick held their ceremony at the Butler Memorial Presbyterian Church in Youngstown, Ohio.

Love her momma.

One of our all-time favorite getting ready photos! So much going on in one frame.

Sarah has always loved color, so her floral was rainbow inspired. :)

Remember how I told you out of our huge elementary school, Sarah’s drawing was chosen to be the one representing our school outside of the main office? Well, lo and behold, she’s an artist today! Sarah couldn’t have picked a better reception venue than The Butler Institute of American Art. Besides the cool factor of having your wedding reception in the middle of this gorgeous art museum, there’s a walkway connecting it and the Butler Memorial Presbyterian Church where they got married. It was super convenient for their guests!