JEN & JUSTIN - 6.09.2023
GLEN SANDERS MANSION
Oh my goooooosh. What can I say about my sweetest, sweetest couple?
I first met Jen at the proposal of another HLP couple - Elizabeth & Jason. Throughout the years, we have kept in touch on Instagram, sharing messages, obsessing over various pictures and wedding aesthetics, and just overall hitting it off and being cute fun friends.
Jen has hooked so many of her friends up with Hannah Lux Photography (hi Bridget and Steven & Kerry and Chris, Kayla & Alex!) that at this point, I feel like the unofficial photographer of her friend group and honestly, I am here for it, I’m living for it, I’m thriving im vibing I’m obsessed & I never wanna let go of any of you.
On a beautiful Friday this past June... it was Jen & Justin’s turn to tie the knot 🥹
We started out with details & getting ready shots. I knew that The Yettos would bring their A-game, but DAMN I did not expect the A-game to start at minute 1. I was handed the bin of beautifully curated wedding details and immediately started hyperventilating. The stationary, the veil, shoes, watch, rings, dress, just EVERYTHING was chefs kiss. It was all SO Jen -- bright, bubbly, a little whimsical, and FANCY. Heaven.
For the getting ready shots, aside from the guys being awesome and having a great picture-perfect time down in the man-cave, Jen had PLANS. The girlies had cute matching PJs, a champagne pop, fun group shots with heart-shaped glasses, and a little break to jump on the bed in the suite and get LOOSE before the big moments started rolling in. I was totally living for the super fun, super thoughtful vibe. And the day had only JUST begun!
I knew this first look would be a beautiful, emotional experience. Jen & Justin saw eachother for the very first time on the river dock behind the Mansion while their crew watched and cheered from the balcony. There was so much excitement, some tears of joy, and heartfelt personal vows were exchanged.
After couples portraits, wedding party pictures with the amazing wedding party, and family formals, we headed inside to let the rain pass and enjoy the ceremony in the ballroom. The ceremony was SO full of love - and officiated by Jen's dad! Everyone was beaming, tearing up, laughing, and just soaking in the union of this couple who have so clearly touched the hearts of every single person in attendance.
After the rings were exchanged... party time. Jen & Justin wanted to be fully present for their cocktail hour and reception, so the rest of the night was spent orbiting our couple and their beloved guests, and capturing every fun moment that happened on the dancefloor.
J+J: From what I’ve experienced working with you and what I’ve heard from all of your friends, you are two individuals who care so deeply for all of the people in your lives, you are amazing friends and amazing family members who go above and beyond for the people in your circle. The two of you have the kindest, purest hearts, and it shows in everything you do. Your love for one another is so beautiful, and so obvious to all who are lucky enough to witness it. I loved seeing the two of you have the best time together on this special day - I know you are going to have the happiest ever after and I cannot wait to see what is in store for you for the future! It is truly an honor to have worked with two people as special as you. To know you is to love you, and witnessing your big day was so special to me.
Jen and Justin, I love you endlessly. Thank you so much for trusting me to be your photographer and to capture these important life milestones for you. It means the world to me to have the two of you as pals, and I am forever grateful for your kindness and friendship.
Congratulations to THE YETTOS🤍
PS: if you get to the reception portion of this post you'll see the most ICONIC moment ever aka a full HLP reunion feat. me being lifted for some reason??
XO & thank you to all the amazing vendors who collaborated on this day:
📍 @glen_sanders_mansion
🎥 @giffordvideography
💐 @surroundingsfloralstudio
🍰 @mazzonehospitality
👗 @alovestorybridal @pronovias
💇♀️ @alexandrias_beauty
💄 @erinmullermakeup
🎶 @platinumentdj
& a HUGE thank you to my amazing team:
Second shooter: @dyanholtphotography
Assistant: @lin_z_photography_
Jen & Justin's gorgeous 5-Star review:
"The best photographer (and team) EVER
Hannah is the best in the game. She was the first vendor we chose, even before we had a venue. I met Hannah while she was shooting my friends' engagement in 2020 and from that moment I knew if and when I got married she would have to be my photographer. Hannah is professional, she is courteous, she is kind and has a big heart. She LOVES what she does. She is a dream to work with. She makes you feel like you're her only client with 110% focus and attention on making you feel like the most special people ever. We did our engagement photos with Hannah, which we ultimately used for save the dates and Christmas cards. Then, because they were so beautiful, we hung almost all of them around our home. Our engagement shoot was a dream - Hannah was super flexible and helped us get creative when we were worried rain would ruin the shoot (the sun came out just in time!). Hannah was patient with us and suggested so many gorgeous shots we never would have thought of on our own. She was also just FUN to work with - laughing with us and making us feel at ease. Having your picture taken in a public setting can be nerve wracking and make you feel self conscious, but not with Hannah. She made us feel like we were the only people there and helped us let loose and feel free to be silly. Afterwards, Hannah delivered to us the most stunning gallery of photos that we will cherish forever. Fast forward to working with Hannah for our wedding. One thing I loved about working with Hannah is she is diligent and prepared - she sent us checklists and questionnaires before our wedding to help her get to know us and get to know what we are looking for on our wedding day. This helped us think of exactly what we wanted and what we were looking for, as well as ensure that we could get all of the special photos that we wanted. I thought this attention to detail and ability to prioritize what we want and need. Then she helped us develop the timeline for the day of, which in my opinion goes way above and beyond the call of duty - she helped US figure out how to structure our day, which is just a dream. The day of the wedding she was INCREDIBLE, as was her team (second shooter Dyan and assistant Lindsey). Everyone RAVED over how amazing they were to work with and how incredible they were just as PEOPLE. They were so fun and kind and patient with everyone. With a huge wedding party and a huge guest list, they made sure to be everywhere all at once and get amazing photos. Hannah knows what shots to get and made sure that we checked off our list of things that we wanted for photos. She was so attentive and such a rockstar on the day of our wedding, and we already have friends asking to call her! I have so many friends who have worked with Hannah and I would recommend her to EVERYONE. Now as far as Hannah's photos - they are a work of art. Hannah captures feelings and love in her photos, which is hard to do. Her photos aren't just these forced formal photos - they are filled with LOVE, JOY, and HEART. There are no "stock photo" type photos in Hannah's gallery. Her photos capture the love that you feel on your most important days and captures the details you didn't even notice before. A tear rolling down your face during vows, or a look from a guest seeing you walk down the aisle, or family members beaming with joy - she sees that and she gets it all. She gets the moments between you and your partner where you think no one else is looking, the whisper in the ear, or the laugh during cocktail hour. She SEES IT. Her photos are like seeing your best day through your own eyes, except they're through her lens with the most beautiful view. Hannah is exceptional, as a person and a professional. She is the best there ever was and she just continues to excel in her field. She loves what she does, she loves her couples, and she welcomes them into the HLP family. She is a special person and makes you feel like a million bucks. Do not wait to call her - call her before someone else beats you to it! :)"