Hello There- Meet Ryan our Lead Photographer!

-- A four part series introducing you to the Jenn Wagner Studio team--- and today, I am so excited to introduce you to one of our other Lead Photographers! We talked with Ryan to get to know her better and now ! Ryan is an amazing photographer and you will see her at weddings and engagement sessions! So thankful that this beautiful girl and the beautiful art she creates for our brides!  Without further ado, please meet our Lead Photographer, Ryan!


Hey Ryan! K, I love to eat, quick tell me your  favorite place to eat and what I should order!

Z-Tejas! I loooooovvvve that place. I always order Hector's Chile Verde as an appetizer and the chorizo stuffed pork tenderloin for the entree. If you ever go there, you have to try their amazing Chambord margaritas and their delicious cornbread. Geez, now I'm craving their food!


Mm that sounds amazing!! If you were given a chance, would you enter Big Brother?
No way! No one needs to see my wild morning hair!


Bahaha thats amazing. I really want to see you right after you wake up now! Anything funny happen on your wedding day?
Fifteen minutes after our wedding ceremony, my hubby and I stopped at a Carl's Jr drive through to grab lunch! Our first meal as a married couple was pretty classy...


If I came to your home and looked inside the refrigerator, what would I find?
What wouldn't you find?!? Ummm, I'd say right now I've got homemade mason jar pickles (they're super easy to make and yummy), leftover spicy italian sausage pasta, lots of cheese and yogurts, lunchables (yep, I'm that kind of mom), some veggies, and a bunch of barbecue, hot sauces and salsas. 


What are you wearing right this second?
Luckily I actually wore regular clothes today since it was my turn to carpool, so I'm in jeans and a white shirt. If you ask me tomorrow I'll probably tell you my work from home uniform of yoga pants and a tank top : )


What shoes did you wear on your wedding day? Did you regret it halfway through the day?
I didn't wear shoes since we got married barefoot on the beach in Maui! I totally didn't regret it!


Do you have a special voices you do for your dogs? be honest.  : ) 
Yes, I have a grumpy boy voice that I use to imitate my Boxer Yossarian since his face just makes him look like that would be how he'd sound, and I talk to my huge English Mastiff Lucy in a baby voice since she's the baby, even though she weighs more than I do.


If you could go back and change one thing about your wedding what would it be?
Without question, I would have been spontaneous when my photographer asked if I wanted to get into the ocean and do some pics. For some reason I was worried about my dress, but now all I wish for are some fun pictures of us splashing in the water. I realize now that the fun experience is so much more important than keeping a dress clean, I mean it'll just continue sitting in a box in my closet for decades to come anyway. I should have loosened up a bit and gone with my natural urge to go wherever life takes me.


More about Ryan!!

I'm Ryan! Yes you read that right, I'm a girl with a boy's name. : ) 
I'm a wife to a wonderful husband and mother to an absolutely adorable daughter and two silly doggy children. I'm a dreamer at heart who loves to smile and laugh. I enjoy traveling (Europe is my fave!), Netflix marathons while snuggling on the couch, good food and even better, wine.


I have had a camera in my hand since I was in high school and I feel privileged to be able to do what I love the most as my job. My goal is to add to the joy of your wedding day by capturing the love, excitement, and anticipation on one of the happiest days of your life, so you can look back on it throughout your long and happy marriage.






Hello There- Meet Cayla our editing Assistant!

I am so excited to do a series that introduce our amazing photography team to the world! We sat down with Cayla in a one on one interview to get to know her better! Cayla is our assistant and you are likely to see her at your wedding reception as she backs up your photos on the spot to make sure they are safe and sound! So thankful that this beautiful girl and how efficient she makes all of our post processing so that our brides get all their photos on time and even early!!  Without further ado, please meet our editing assistant, Cayla! 


Hey There Cayla!! What's the best dessert you've ever made? My families strawberry dessert! It is amazing. It has tons of strawberries, whipped cream, custard and a vanilla wafer crust. 

Umm I want that now! Sounds amazing! So, anything funny happen on your wedding day?
I guess the funniest thing would be walking out to the car after our family lunch between the ceremony and the reception. My uncle called me multiple times, very loudly. I even remember hearing him being really loud and it took about 5 times before I realized he was talking to me. He just kept saying Mrs. Gassaway, Mrs. Gassaway and I had no idea who he was calling. I guess after only 3 hours of having that as my new last name I wasn't quite used to it. 

What are you wearing right this second?
My brand new pair of jean capris which I love, and a red t-shirt. 

If you could go back and live one part of your wedding day again, what would it be and why? The one thing I wish I could go back and do again would be my reception. There were so many people there and so many things going on that I don't feel like I was able to fully enjoy every part. I would go back and spend more time with my friends and family and really take in all of the decorations that my family put together because it was beautiful. 

If the rest of your life were in one season (winter spring etc) which would you live in and why? 
Definitely winter! I love the cold and I love all the cute sweaters and long sleeve shirts you can wear. 

Winter is the best in ARizona! Still sunny with a side of chilly! : ) If you could sing one song on american idol what would it be? 
Well my answer shows the true kid in me, well maybe the mom watching so many sing-a-longs. The first thing that comes to my head is a song I sing all the time and love to sing all through the house. I'll Make a Man Out of You from the Mulan movie. 

Thanks for Sharing your love and skills with all of our brides!! 

More about Cayla: I've grown up loving to dance, sing and do anything crafty, but I’m also a girl who loves to be outdoors. One of my favorite vacations is a good camping trip with fishing and hunting.  It’s great to share all of these wonderful experiences with my husband and my two boys.

Weddings are such a joyful occasion and after every one,  I come home feeling a little happier having experienced two people start their lives together! I just love weddings and being  being able to share in such a special day. It truly makes me happy to spend my time helping others.  by helping and spending time with others. I am a firm believer that marriages can last an eternity and am so happy to be part of that. 

Lisa, Dom and Family!!

Lisa and Dom are trying the knot in the spring of 2015, but first we got some family photos of them! We had such a great time together and I loved how natural they all were in front of the camera, especially Alfred the dog! : ) 
I've known Lisa for years and i am so happy that she has found such a great guy and that sweet Maryana will soon be forever a part of her family! Thanks for everything! See you guys soon!











Book your session at www.jenn-wagner.com

Butcher Family | Now a family of 6!


The Butcher family recently became a family of 6 with the addition of little Josh to their family. I love their story so I asked his mom to share a little bit of their journey and its so sweet I just had to share with you all. Thanks Maren for sharing your heart and your journey with us! We are so excited that Josh has such a sweet and loving family full of amazing older siblings to love on him! : ) 

"Josh is literally a dream come true. The idea to pursue the adoption of a little boy from Korea started with a dream. This dream grew through prayer and conversation into more than just a nice idea. We became certain that there was a little boy across the sea that was meant to be our son. 

We were matched with a cute little five-month-old baby boy in November of 2012. As is common with international adoption, it took another year and a half and a flight to Korea to meet him in person. We flew to Seoul as a family and met Josh in June 2014. What a happy meeting that was! Our family sensed that he recognized us and we immediately felt that he was part of our family. Josh took turns sharing his snacks with us and we blew bubbles, played and sang songs with him. After a second trip to Korea, we were finally able to bring him home."

He is such a sweetheart!


"Upon arriving at the house, Josh gave the kids hugs and kisses and took the them by the hand and squealed happily as he entered. His toddler exuberance for life, his curiosity and his endlessly sweet spirit has filled our home with an extra measure of energy and joy. What a blessing!"

 





Thanks so much for sharing your heart and your family's story with us! 


Book your session at www.jenn-wagner.com

Tips for your best wedding photos possible! Part 1 of 3

As we gear up for the holiday season (and some proposals!) I wanted to share a few tips that we think are super helpful to brides! This will be a three part series this week and at the end of it we will be sharing a special Black Friday deal happening soon!

So here we go!!

As photographers, our goal is to help you get the best photos possible on your wedding day! Nothing thrills us more than when we are able to blow your mind with just how amazing your photos came out. But, here's the tricky thing; I have realized that there are some things that brides and grooms just don't even know to plan for on their big day! I mean planning a wedding is a lot of work and a lot of coordination and sometimes our amazing brides and groom just don't even know what to ask for.

So...from prepping timelines, to how to get that perfect light on your wedding day, here is my first round of tips of what to take into consideration when trying to get your best photos possible!

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1. Give yourself extra time on your wedding day for just about everything! Trust me on this! Your day is going to fly by and it is so nice to buffer in even an extra 5 minutes from what you plan each part to take. This will take a lot of the stress off of following the schedule and will allow you some time to grab a cocktail, hang out with your bridesmaids and even sneak in a few extra moments with you new hubby!

This shot was taken because we had planned in a few extra minutes after the wedding for photos of these two. It made for some of our favorite from the day! 


2. Book a makeup artist. You want to look your absolute best on the day of your wedding, and a makeup artist will help you do just that! Their one sole purpose is making you look fabulous, so make sure you include in your budget planning from the start! (if you need recommendations I can help you out!) And don't forget to keep your 'freshen up' items in a clutch or cute purse with you throughout the day. That includes a little powder, your lipstick of choice and of course mascara in case some tears cause a need to reapply.



Mariana and Syndey here taking their time to make sure she looks her absolute best! 

3. Look up sunset and plan your Bride and Groom photos around that time! One of the most important times of the day is that sweet time you have where it is just you and your hubby right after you slipped your rings on! Make sure this falls during a time when you aren't going to have horrible shadows and harsh light all up in your business! Golden hour people! Plan for it! Your wedding photos will thank you!



4. Don't let Pinterest be your end all be all for your wedding photos. Let the day unfold naturally! Sure there may be a shot or two that you love, but if you look through your photos that you pinned, I mean really looked at them, you will quickly realize that most of the elements that you love about the photos aren't feasible for your day! That person got married on a beach and your getting married in a chapel- not gonna work. You just LOVE that ring shot on the puppies nose... but your dog would probably swallow it - not happening! Sometimes being so glued to someone else's dream wedding only detracts from the spontaneity and uniqueness of your own day! The goal should be for your wedding to come up with all those Pinterest worthy shots, not copying everyone else! So put down the pins, step away from the board, and come get creative with us as we capture your wedding for its own glory.


Thanks for reading along! Part 2 coming soon!



Oertle Family | Portraits

I love this family. I remember the first time I met Katie and Danny, in a Starbucks, her finger sparkling with her new diamond as they had just gotten engaged. They dreamed about their Cali wedding and of all the friends and family that would be there on their big day. 

Well its been a two years of marriage and a little sweet girl later and these two are still so much in love and thriving in their marriage. I love watching this family blossom. Little did I know that these two would become friends of mine. Kindred hearts if you will and that our little girls would be just six months apart!

Danny and Katie, I'm so glad we met that day and am so thankful for your friendship! Love you guys! 
I love the thumb in her moth. So sweet! 

Book your session at www.jenn-wagner.com


Getting Away - Our Family vacation 2014~

It happens to everyone. You work hard day after day, month after month, and you start to get burned out. I could feel it coming on and I knew by the end of September I would need a break. We all did! After Kaiya was born I had about a month to recoup and enjoy being a new mom, and then everything flew into fast gear and business took off and with it, went a little bit of my sanity. 

So, to Telluride we went! I cannot begin to express how amazing this trip was for us. Even though we spend a lot of time together as a family, there is something so unique about being away, in the cool mountain air, away from work and the day to day responsibilities. It gave us a chance as a family to bond together, to spend all day together everyday, eating breakfast on patios, sipping coffee and walking arm and arm down the streets of the little town and dipping our toes in the riverbanks. We spent hours reading and relaxing, my hubby did sudoku while I journaled and ate. A lot. Like a lot a lot of amazing food. Ribs, ice cream (yes I ate some dairy on this trip), pancakes with strawberry glaze, steak and truffle fries... oh my the food was amazing. Like before the trip I was 2 pounds under my pre-baby weight, and now, 2 pounds above it. for real. WORTH IT! 

We stayed at the Inn at Lost Creek and enjoyed breathtaking views from our little studio each morning and hopped on the gondala each day for quick rides around Mountain village. 

Nine days away from Phoenix and the daily grind, and I have come back feeling refreshed and renewed. Taking photographs of my family that I now love and cherish gave me a great reminder of why I do what I do. I love how each little photo brings me back so instantly to a beautiful memory that I love reliving, and how I am so blessed to do that for brides and grooms every day. This vacay couldn't have come at a better time as today launches my fall season and we jump back into the swing of all the weddings and family sessions coming up in the next few months. 

Thanks for following our little journey! We love our sweet family!
 The first time our AZ baby had ever worn a jacket and beanie; I don't think she knew what to make of it! (thanks Baby Gap for making such cute baby clothes!)


The town of Telluride just below... 




She *loved* that water bottle. Like obsessed had to have it in her hands the whole trip. I dunno. :) 



 We love our happy girl!


We stumbled upon a farmers market one day and I was in heaven, Kai obviously loved the jam and sweet homeade baby bibs we bought her! 

Her first taste of a peach. This was the before, it got really messy fast. : ) 


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