Phoenix Wedding Photographer - Jenn Wagner Photography

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!

www.jenn-wagner.com

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!)