It was the day after their wedding and a text message came up on my phone, from Lauren. I thought something was wrong or they needed something but instead it was simply a message pouring out their gratitude for Savanna and I being their photographers at their wedding and how so many of their guests mentioned how impressed they were with us. What?! Go enjoy your honeymoon!! - but oh my gosh thank you for taking the time to even think about us after you JUST got married.
But honestly; that's just the kind of people they are. I responded and told Lauren and Jacob that (selfishly) I wish we would have been lifelong friends or buddies from college or something so that I could have *attended* it as a guest. It was seriously that amazing and the best word I can think of to describe it was, affectionate. And maybe that is a strange word to describe a wedding, but these two set this beautiful, warmhearted tone through out the whole day that left everyone feeling included and a key part of something intimate. Come to think of it, I think I'm more than honored to have been the fly on the wall capturing all these memories happen in front of me.
Thank you Jacob, and Lauren.
For your hospitality, your candor and for sharing your love so graciously.
All our best,
Jenn and the Studio girls
Such a beautiful day thanks to these sweet vendors!
"I loved my dress! I found it at Suzanne’s Bridal Boutique in Gilbert when I was shopping with my mom and sisters. My favorite part about it was the way the lace bodice transitioned into a tulle skirt. I wasn’t sure if I wanted more of a classic lace dress or one with a fun tulle skirt, and with this dress I didn’t have to choose! I also loved my veil. It was special because my mom and my sister picked it out for me." - Lauren
"Jacob gave me the sweetest gifts on our wedding day – As if getting to marry him wasn’t enough of a present! Before the wedding Jacob sent my brother, one of his groomsman, up to the bridal suite with a few wrapped packages. One of my most vivid memories from our wedding day is sliding the ribbon off the first box before I realized that the gift was addressed to “My Favorite New Mom.” I immediately handed the box to my mom, who was standing next to me and was just as caught off guard as I was. Inside the box was the cutest key chain that read “Thank you for raising the woman of my dreams.” I was so moved by this incredibly thoughtful and unexpected gesture. Jacob also gave me a pair of comfy Crocs shoes (his signature style item, much to my chagrin) in case my feet hurt during the wedding and a rose gold necklace that matches his wedding band. I put on the necklace for the wedding and haven’t taken it off since. Oh, and I did cave and wear the Crocs!" - Lauren
The First Look
"Jacob and I opened our gifts to one another right before the first look. I couldn’t wait to see him and tell him how much I loved my necklace, and how moved I was by his gift to my mom. The past week had been so full of running errands and visiting with friends and family that we hadn’t had much time for just the two of us. It was so refreshing to have those few minutes just to be with each other. We ended up laughing a lot!" - Lauren
"If I could re-live one hour of the day, I would go back to the pre-ceremony and ceremony. Getting married was such a surreal and powerful experience, and it all felt like the perfect dream coming true. Our pre-ceremony involved our close family and officiant in a small closed off room. We had selected a beautiful additional document to sign which stated our wedding vows in two languages, and also had our marriage certificate. Both were signed and our officiant, parents, siblings, and closest friends all gave us blessings, their support and words of encouragement. Our officiant signed both documents and then so did we." - Jacob
The Wedding Ceremony
"We looked at a lot of venues. Jacob and I knew we wanted to have the ceremony outside, surrounded by friends and family, but weren’t quite sure what else we were looking for. At the time we were both living in Tucson were I was finishing graduate school. We considered having the wedding in Phoenix where most of our family lives and even looked into some more exotic destinations. Nothing seemed like the perfect fit. One day we were driving through our neighborhood in east Tucson talking about how pretty the desert was in the spring and how we loved being close to the mountains and it came to us; this is where we should get married! I immediately got on my phone to start looking online, and lo and behold, there was a venue right down the street. The moment we walked onto the grounds of La Mariposa Resort we knew - This was our venue. We were taken by its expansive green lawn, beautiful mountain views, and welcoming patio lights. We immediately clicked with La Mariposa’s owner and director, and everything just felt right. Who would have guessed that by the time our April wedding date came around we would be living 2,200 miles from La Mariposa rather than right down the street? When a job offer spurred our relocation to North Carolina, our wedding ended up being a destination wedding not only for most of our guests, but also for us! La Mariposa and their vendors were incredibly understanding and easy to work with, fielding our calls and questions any day of the week. Despite having to do a lot of the planning long-distance, our wedding day could not have been more perfect. From the intimate ceremony in front of the gazebo to the night spent dancing under the stars, the experience wasn’t what we expected – It was better!" - Lauren
"We had visited many places, but when we went to La Mariposa, I instantly knew it was the right place. It's hard to really even put it into words, but as we looked at the venue inside and out, it really just sort of clicked. I felt kind of funny like someone from the tv show "Say Yes to the Dress", where they are really evaluating things and end up making a major decision and saying "I can totally see myself getting married in this dress", except I felt myself confidently feeling "I feel like this is the place where we should get married!"- Jacob
"Everything from the weather to my wife was beautiful and perfect at the ceremony. The groomsmen and I followed the officiant out to our places, and then we got to watch as our family, the bridesmaids, and finally my beautiful wife and her father walked down the aisle. Each moment something happened all I could do was smile and think about how lucky I am. The ceremony included singing, and many wise words. It was powerful, and then we were married. I'd like to re-live that hour every day, and in many ways think back to it still and continue to appreciate how great our life is together as husband and wife." - Jacob
The Reception
"Another vivid memory from our wedding day is the dancing. Jacob and I had so much fun practicing our first dance. I thought I would feel nervous when it came time to get up in front of our guests, but standing next to Jacob I immediately felt comfortable. We ended up having a blast! We added glow sticks to our dance party after dinner, and they were even more of a hit than we had anticipated. One thing the wedding confirmed – My husband has some sweet dance moves!"- Lauren
"I would like to repeat and re-live many portions, but my favorite part to tell people about is definitely the dancing. Lauren and I had taken some professional dance lessons and had a rumba dance fully choreographed. To be honest, executing our first dance perfectly in front of all of our friends and family was what I was most nervous about of anything in the whole wedding. We nailed our first dance, and it was super special. Watching Lauren dance with her father was special, and dancing with my mother was fun too." - Jacob
"After dinner, the DJ started cranking out tunes from our playlist, and everybody hit the dance floor. Lauren and I danced and had fun and socialized with just about every guest at the wedding, on the dance floor that night. My grandpa remarked "Jacob! This is the kind of thing everybody wants at their wedding but it never happens... Look at all the tables, not one has anybody sitting at it!" I was astonished when I realized he was right, and we were truly having an awesome moment living it up on the dance floor." - Jacob
Lauren and Jacob, I can't help but smile when I think about your day. I wish you both the very tip top absolute best as you navigate this crazy life, as hubby and wife.
All my best,
Jenn and the Studio girls
