Villa Siena, Gilbert Arizona, Justin and Valerie Wedding!

I'm not quite sure what Valerie imagined when she pictured her wedding day, but I can't help but feel like her vision came together perfectly! From the color, to the girls standing next to her, to the amazing dancing at the end of the night. Not to mention the most elegant and *perfect* dress that Valerie wore! I could only dream of wearing a dress like that! So feminine and elegant and fit her perfect in all the right places! She killed it! Their day was an intimate, beautiful occasion where their friends and family celebrated the love and union between Justin and Valerie. These two have a devotion for each other that is passionate and deep. They truly have a heat between them that is like fire! Drawn to each other in the most beautiful way. It was such an honor to be there as they made the life commitment official to each other and we could not be more happy as they begin the rest of their lives together! 

We love you guys! Thank you so much for allowing us to capture this amazing part of your love story! We cannot wait to watch the rest of your life unfold before you! 

“If I could go back to re-live one hour of my big day, it would be the hour just before the ceremony. A lot of emotions and preparing that wasn't stressful...it was the most intense hour that I've had in a very long time. It was the first look, which tore me down emotionally and then immediately built me back up, preparing me to tell the woman I love that I am willing and ready to spend my entire life making her happy.” - Justin

The amazing vendors that helped make this day so gorgeous! 

Venue: Villa Siena

Dress: Martina Liana at Mariee Bridal

Groom Outfitting: Mens Warehouse

Flowers: I Do AZ

Shoes; Valentino

Cake: Piece of Cake

Makeup: Glamdollaz

Hair: Shear Bliss
Ring: Ganam Jewelers

DJ and Firworks show: Ray the DJ

Photography: Jenn Wagner Studiowww.jenn-wagner.com

“The thing about Valerie that I loved the most was how well her dress matched her personality.The dress didn't make the bride beautiful...the bride brought out all of the best features of the dress. The two complimented each other perfectly. The dress was classic and delicate and detailed. Valerie in her dress, the dress that was chosen by the one wearing it for the location the wedding was being held at, was about as completely happy as you can expect someone to be...and it was beautiful."-Justin

“As far as memories that stick out as the one's that I will remember forever, the first one that comes to mind is during the first look. The very first look. It was intense, and full of emotion, and one of the most fulfilling memories I have. Standing there with my eyes closed, full of excitement and anticipation, and opening them to the most beautiful sight I have ever put my eyes on. I will always remember the first look I had of my wife. Of course, the ceremony and reception was for the two of us, but Valerie was adamant about quite a few things...it made the process, like most wedding, a little on the stressful side...but Valerie is all about taking care of the people around her.”- Justin

“The first look was perfect.! I am so glad we decided to do it.  I loved that I got to see him first.  Did he ever look handsome!  When he turned to look at me, it was an instant rush of butterflies and hopes that I looked far better than he ever expected.  The expression on his face and in his eyes… He loves me!  What a feeling!  We didn’t really know what to say to each other and, to be honest; I don’t really remember much of what we did say.  I just remember the feeling, that and even though we promised we wouldn’t kiss before the ceremony we couldn’t help but do it.” - Valerie

“The colors and florals were difficult for me.  I’m not very savvy when it comes to all that.  I did know that I wanted a dark burgundy color! I have always loved that color and it just fit the venue so well. When I was younger, I actually wanted a burgundy wedding dress, but I wasn’t daring enough to actually go for it so instead I chose it for my bridesmaids. Our accent color, champagne/gold, happened entirely on accident when a trip to Tuesday Morning left my lovely wedding planner and I with a trunk filled with champagne colored items for decorating.  Flowers were fun.  I picked them simply by surfing Pinterest and consulting the florist.  I told her the colors I wanted, showed her a few pictures, and then let her choose the flowers.  She did a fantastic job!  I was hoping for an Italian vineyard villa feel, something elegant and timeless.  I believe everything came together beautifully! ” - Valerie

  
“I love love love my bridal party.  Each lovely lady was from a different part of my life.  My Maid of Honor, Ali, and I met in 2011. We were both bartenders and ended up relying on each other through several significant events.  I don’t think either of us realized how close we were until we didn’t live near each other.  Her personality is out of control wonderful and I love that our friendship has only grown stronger in the last year.  I cannot wait to be in her wedding in August! 

Rachel I have known the longest.  She was my brother’s friend to start and was so sweet to me in high school when I had trouble making friends.  I could always rely on her for a smile and a big hug.  I only saw her after high school when my brother would come in town to visit.  After I had my daughter, I just happened to move into her neighborhood.  Her daughter is now my daughter’s best friend and Rachel has become one of mine.  She is a wonderful mom and an amazing friend.  I am excited to watch our families grow together. Sarah is my newest friend and Justin’s sister.  She had a reputation for being a bad ass and was apparently not so great to Justin’s previous girlfriends.  I was afraid to meet her because I wanted so badly for her to like me.  After we met, I knew her and I would be close.  She is sassy with a huge heart and is not afraid to speak her mind.  Justin is lucky to have her as a sister, and now so am I!Nicole has been my friend the longest.  Her and I were both in choir junior year and became fast friends.  She was this tiny package of a person with a booming, beautiful voice and a sweet spirit.  We both earned the same full ride scholarship to the University of Arizona and were inseparable for all of college.  We pulled each other through so much.  I still miss our Domino’s pizza and movie nights.  I love that girl so much and having her as part of my big day was a no brainer!Melanie, dubbed my wedding planner, became a part of my world through work this last year.  I mentioned to her one day that I failed at being a girl, and this young sweetheart stepped right up to help me.  She did my make-up and helped design my outfits for my engagement photos.  From there, she rooted herself into our little family.  Suddenly, Melanie was at Sunday morning breakfast and working out with me at the gym.  She has become a little sister to me and I am so thankful for everything she has done to help me with the wedding.” - Valerie

"The big day" wasn't just about us; it was about everyone around us. It was about our family and friends. Valerie has one of the biggest hearts on the planet, and you could see it in the details of our wedding day. I love that she is always looking out for the rest of us. The biggest thing I took from working with Jenn Wagner Studios was how personal everything was. Jenn and the team were there every step and were as involved as we were. The effort was incredible, and the emotions and happiness was genuine. If anything, that is the perfect word to describe the way Jenn and everyone else took care of us; genuine.” - Justin

“I can’t help but look back and laugh at myself all the days before the wedding.  The stress of the wedding was ridiculous.  I wanted so badly for everything to be perfect and, of course, it was not.  I woke up sick the morning of our wedding, I forgot to bring glassware I had purchased specially for the bridesmaids, the wrong version of our first dance song played, an entire table did not show up, my hair went flat… but in the end, all I could do was laugh at myself for trying to control everything.  I was able to push everything aside and have a great time at the reception with my husband.  Though, it did take a couple days for me to really chuckle about it.” - Valerie

 

Thank you for letting us capture your beautiful day! 

www.jenn-wagner.com

Some advice for your best photos ever as you prepare for your dream wedding!

We've had the honor of capturing wedding days for 6 years now, and here are some of the most common questions we get from couples about their wedding day! Here for your help as you plan out your wedding day, top 7 question and answers about your photography!

What do you think makes the perfect wedding day photograph?

 - The best photographs are the ones where you are relaxed and genuinely enjoying their day together. The real laughs, the joking around and being natural with each other is the best and makes for the absolute best wedding day photographs.

First look or traditional aisle viewing?

That is such a hard one! I personally went the traditional route and waited until the aisle for my hubby to see me and I loved it! It was so special to me to have that big moment. However I do wish we would have had more portraits from our day together as the weather changed and we were freezing by the time our bride and groom portrait time came. I love love love the first look as it not only gives more time together at a totally different part of the day, but it is also such a personal and sweet moment between the bride and groom that I wish I would have had! Since I've seen and done both, I really don't have a preference and feel like its a personal choice for the couple and I support either way! If a couple doesn't decide to do a first look, I always recommend including a little more time before the wedding for photos with just the bride with her family and girls, and just the groom with his guys and family so that it saves time post wedding! : )

What makes a great wedding day?

Obviously a ton goes into a great day but here are a few things some people might overlook. 

1. A  great bridal party - people that keep you calm, make you laugh and start the dancing at the reception!  Never underestimate the power of a funny bridesmaid to keep the day light and FUN!! 

2. Receptions where the action moves along in a great flow. For example, buffets tend to slow up the evening and having every person in your family give a speech seems sweet, but can often drag out. Receiving lines are like totally a no no and such a thing of the past. Keep things fun and moving, people want to dance, drink and socialize, plus you want a chance to go around and see people that came to your wedding so give yourself time to have fun by keeping the events moving!

3. Incorporating "You" into your wedding. Guests and family LOVE when they get to know you as a couple during your day. Either through a pre-recorded video of you guys retelling your engagement story while they wait for the wedding to start, or personalized vows that tell your love story, or a cookie bar because you both just LOVE cookies. People dig things that are different and fun to you. 

4. Not having to rush. Seriously. Make sure you give yourself time and trust your planner/organizer when they build in some cushion time during your day. Not every line item will go as planned and its SO nice to have that breathing space and not feel rushed on what is supposed to be a fun day!

What would you say to a bride or groom who think they are not photogenic?

 I have had everything, from blinkers, to stiff Stanley's to " I HATE THE CAMERA"... and yet if you look through my blog you could never pick out who those people are. Photos aren't about being photogenic, its about being comfortable and being yourself. Make sure you hire a photographer that makes you feel YOU and comfortable from the get go, even at your first meeting and over the phone! If you don't connect, that's okay, but your photog is a key person on your big day that you want to have good reporte with! And that's it, the good photos will come!

Give one piece of advice to couples planning their wedding. 

Hire a planner. Unless this is your second marriage, then this is the first time you are probably ever planning a major event complete with a ceremony, processional, dinner, cocktail hour, clothing for yourself and your bridal party, venue, music, and 1000 other decisions that can get very overwhelming! Wedding planners are not only organized and can help you stress less about your day, but can also SAVE you money! Believe it or not they know tons of vendors and can actually find you the best deal for your budget as they know best prices, seasonal best picks and have hook ups with local companies! DO IT! Lots of planners do everythign from just day- of organizing, to complete planning of your day down to the napkin holder. I have recommendations for any brides looking to get help with their planning!

Why do you need a second shooter?

Two reasons; safety and candids. 

Safety: if anything goes wrong there is always a second person there to make sure everything is captured. 

Candids - So much is always happening right behind me as I take photos; sometimes its those candids that help tell your story best. Plus the obvious moments like when you walk down the aisle but we have to get his reaction of course! 

What’s your favorite moment to capture?

- My personal favorite moment to capture on a wedding day actually the one that they never knew I took. The one where a candid moment is happening, maybe laughing with a close friend at the reception, or a sweet moment with their mom while they are getting ready. I love going back through a bride and grooms day as I'm editing and think " oh they are going to love this one because they won't remember it even happened!!!". That is the best. I love when brides come back and tell me their favorite photo that they didn't know we took.