(0 people love this)

Jessie and Nels tied the knot in the backyard of Jessie’s parents beautiful home in Phoenix. You might say that their big day was a long time in the making … and I’m not just talking about the year they spent planning the wedding or their dating relationship leading up to that. These two have pretty much known each other their whole lives. Growing up, Nels was known around the Strunk house as a friend of Jessie’s brother.  During his reception toast, he actually told a story about a time when Jessie’s dad was his childhood soccer coach. The team was in a tie game against one of their arch rivals. He told the boys that whoever scored the winning goal could marry one of his daughters! Any guesses who took home the MVP trophy that day? LOL!  (Jessie’s dad never actually said that, but it was just too great not to include!)  I doubt that Mr. Strunk realized way back then that he actually would be awarding Nels with that prize one day!

(Please click here if you’d like to be notifed when the rest of their photos are online.)
AND don’t forget to click “love” under your favorite images along the way!

Their wedding was truly a wonderful day, overflowing with laughter and beautiful memories.

(0 people love this)

Miss Jessie was cool as a cucumber as she got her hair and makeup done at the house.

(0 people love this)

(0 people love this)

Love this shot of her jewelry on the family piano :-)

(1 person loves this)

And of course, Ryan was hanging out with Nels and his guys.

(0 people love this)

(0 people love this)

Since the guys were at Jessie & Nels house, their sweet pup Dierks got to be in on all the action. He got a little up close and personal with Ryan’s lens. LOL!

(2 people love this)

Love this shot of Jessie’s mom, sister and a couple of her girls helping her get into her dress. Such a fun and happy group!

(0 people love this)

Gorgeous with a capital G!

(1 person loves this)

And Nels was looking pretty sharp himself as he waited to see his bride for the first time.

(1 person loves this)

(2 people love this)

Too cute!

(0 people love this)

Love Ryan & I’s different takes on this shot.

(0 people love this)

These two laughed a TON while we were doing their portraits. It was so much fun to watch them having so much fun together!

(3 people love this)

(1 person loves this)

(1 person loves this)

Did I mention how absolutely beautiful this house was! This door way was AMAZING!

(1 person loves this)

Not only was this a great looking bridal party, they were a total blast to work with to!

(0 people love this)

(1 person loves this)

(1 person loves this)

Rather than have to move the entire set up around between the ceremony and reception, Jessie & Nels opted to have their ceremony on the dance floor and let their guests relax and enjoy the reception seating inside the tent. The details were stunning and we just loved the way the color scheme and florals were weaved throughout all of the decor.

(0 people love this)

Time to make things official!

(0 people love this)

(1 person loves this)

After the ceremony, the guys switched into these awesome red vans and shades. AWE-SOME!

(2 people love this)

And the ladies were rockin’ their red shoes too!

(1 person loves this)

Workin’ it.

(3 people love this)

As the sun set and the weather cooled down, the party was heating up inside!

(1 person loves this)

The first dance :-) I absolutely loved the gorgeous chandeliers in the tent – they added such a wonderful ambiance.

(0 people love this)

(2 people love this)

The mother-son dance was absolutely hilarious! Nels and his mom had an entire routine worked out that even included his & hers “lifts!”

(2 people love this)

And let me tell you, this was one crazy fun party! The dance floor was packed all night. In the words of Ryan’s twitter page that night, “If this party had a hook, it would be off it.”

(1 person loves this)

The newlyweds having some good clean fun with the cake cutting :-)

(0 people love this)

Have to close with one more of Nels on the PACKED dance floor. LOVE IT!

(4 people love this)

Check out Jessie & Nels PERSONALIZED WEBSITE to view LOTS more images from their day!

To the Newly Established Van Peursems: Can’t tell you enough how much we enjoyed getting to know you guys and being a part of your wedding! Thanks so much for choosing us – you guys ROCK!

A big thanks to the awesome team of vendors that made their day possible:

DJ: NDK Professional DJ Service
Florist: Melissa Van Peursem
Catering: Dad’s Catering Service
Tent & Rentals: Party People Rentals
Hair: The Root Salon
Makeup: Kristy Brown

Here’s a little sneak peek of this weekend’s AWESOME wedding!  Gorgeous couple, beautiful details and a fabulously fun bridal party to boot – stoked to share many more soon!

(Please click here if you’d like to be notifed when the rest of their photos are online.)

(4 people love this)

(2 people love this)

(4 people love this)

(6 people love this)

When we chose Becca & Danny as the winner of our “Your Love Story” wedding give away last year, we had no idea what a special couple they truly were. We thought that they were a cute pair with a sweet story and we were looking forward to shooting their wedding. Well we’ve been thanking our lucky stars ever since! We had a blast shooting their engagement photos back in March and then hanging out with them to plan out all photo related details of their day. We’ve truly enjoyed over these past few months finding out what wonderful, thoughtful and selfless people they really are. Not only are they perfect for each other, but they are incredibly loved by their family and friends. Being a part of their wedding was a joy and we were treated with so much kindness and welcomed by everyone. It was such a fun and beautiful day honoring two incredibly special people. We feel blessed that we got to be there to capture it.

And of course, it all began with a love story :-) They met at a party, where they barely even spoke. Danny did notice Becca was pretty cute of course. And he also noticed that she somehow ended up dancing on a table top with his mom. Two years later, they met again – at another party. A few rounds of guitar hero later, there was a spark. And that little spark would become a lasting flame. One that would continue to burn through living in separate states, countless road trip visits and baseball games, happy times and sad times. All leading up to June 11, 2011.

(Please sign the guestbook if you’d like to be notifed when the rest of their photos are online.)
AND don’t forget to click “love” under your favorite images along the way!

The day began at Val Vista Lakes where both sides of the bridal party were preparing for the day. Right from the start, Becca looked stunning :-)

(3 people love this)

I was totally in love with her cute yellow shoes! Adorable on top and even more adorable on the bottom!

(7 people love this)

(4 people love this)

Becca was all smiles as her girls helped her get into her dress.

(3 people love this)

Before she headed out to see Danny for the first time, she made a trip downstairs to where her mom was getting ready. It was such a special moment – full of emotion and happy tears.

(4 people love this)

Then it was time to see her groom! I love that she’s biting her lip as she walks up behind him – too cute!

(11 people love this)

Danny was quite theatrical about turning around to see her. I totally love how much these two make each other laugh!

(6 people love this)

(6 people love this)

We grabbed a couple quick portraits before bridal party photos.

(6 people love this)

The lovely ladies.

(8 people love this)

Love this candid shot Ryan grabbed of some bridesmaid silliness.

(8 people love this)

Complimentary shoes – YES PLEASE!

(6 people love this)

The handsome men.

(5 people love this)

There was no stopping this group from having a great time!

(6 people love this)

Off to Tempe First United Methodist Church to make things official!

(6 people love this)

This shot of Becca’s Dad & Mom walking her down the isle feels extra special. Just a few short months ago, Becca’s Mom wasn’t able to walk after having a very serious stroke so it was a wonderful surprise to see her able to walk beside her daughter on her big day.

(7 people love this)

Their ceremony was so sweet and special – filled with lots of laughs and even a few very happy tears.

(3 people love this)

(3 people love this)

Mr. & Mrs!

(3 people love this)

Then it was back to Val Vista Lakes! We snagged the newlyweds for some portraits around the grounds before the headed to the reception.

(3 people love this)

(4 people love this)

You’ve probably all seen this one before since it was featured on the blog for their Sneak Peak, but I couldn’t help posting it again. It’s my fav!

(4 people love this)

(7 people love this)

(3 people love this)

We were feeling like pretty lucky photographers that day! Check out this gorgeous couple.

(11 people love this)

(11 people love this)

These guys did an amazing job making their day feel personal by adding tons of incredibly charming DIY details. They even served brick oven pizza and had pies instead of wedding cake! Loved it!

(6 people love this)

How sweet is this shot of the father daughter dance? You can just see the pride and emotion on her Dad’s face.

(10 people love this)

Though feeding each other a piece of apple pie wasn’t quite as simple as cake, they made it work and had a great laugh about it too!

(3 people love this)

(5 people love this)

Check out Becca & Danny’s PERSONALIZED WEBSITE to view LOTS more images from their day!

To the “Love Birds”: when we picked you guys, WE got lucky! We can honestly say that we’ve never had a moment of regret and we’re so honored to have been a part of your day. We feel truly blessed to know you both and to be able to call you friends. We heart you guys!

Here’s a little preview of the incredibly adorable Becca & Danny!  We shot their wedding on Saturday at Val Vista Lakes in Gilbert.  Keep a close watch on the blog because you’ll be seeing more of this awesome pair very soon!

(23 people love this)

(5 people love this)

Joana & Joe tied the knot last weekend at the beautiful Westin Kierland Resort & Spa in Scottsdale.  We’ve been pretty psyched about their wedding ever since their engagement session a few months back.  They are such a sweet couple, with a great sense of style.  They put a lot of thought into making their day both beautiful and personal and it was a ton of fun to see it all come together.  And on top of that, we had the pleasure of shooting alongside “frienders” (friends/vendors) Todd & Krisanna of NoBox Films!  Gorgeous couple, beautiful venue, awesome vendor team – it was the kind of wedding we love!

Joana & Joe met and fell in love at work.  It was all very “Jim & Pam”, except that their “office” has a lot fewer desks and a lot more hospital beds.  They’re both nurses so their jobs are pretty serious stuff.  It’s the kind of job where you really get to see what a person is made of.  It was in this environment that Joe first set eyes on his future bride.  He was instantly smitten, impressed with her dedication, her calm under pressure and, of course, her beauty.  ”She’ll never go for me”, he told himself and settled for watching from afar.  Until one day they got a chance to hang out outside the halls of the Scottsdale Healthcare world.  To his surprise, they clicked – and it was the beginning of the rest of their lives.  The “tall guy” ended up married to the “office” beauty he’d been pining for after all.

(Please sign the guestbook if you’d like to be notifed when the rest of their photos are online.)
AND don’t forget to click “love” under your favorite images along the way!

The day began at the home of Joana’s parents, where the gals were preparing for the day.  Check out Joana’s Miu Miu shoes!  Seriously, they were A-MA-ZING!

(8 people love this)

The beautiful gown.

(4 people love this)

And of course, the gorgeous bride :-)

(2 people love this)

Joana was writing a note to Joe when Ryan grabbed this image of her.  I just love her calm, thoughtful expression.   Absolutely beautiful.

(5 people love this)

Next it was off to the Westin!  The gals were hard at work on the final preparations.

(1 person loves this)

Meanwhile, Joe and his guys were making their own “preparations.” LOL!

(2 people love this)

Joe patiently waiting to see his bride for the first time.  His excitement is totally written all over his face :-)

(4 people love this)

Happy tears!  I couldn’t choose between these next two.

(4 people love this)

(6 people love this)

(2 people love this)

Loved the Peony bouquet – so delicate and pretty.

(7 people love this)

They had two officiants for their ceremony – one who spoke English and the other Romanian.

(7 people love this)

(2 people love this)

Mr. & Mrs. at last!

(4 people love this)

The lovely ladies.

(6 people love this)

The guys requested a “Reservoir Dogs” style walking shot.

(6 people love this)

Joana – you looked stunning!

(15 people love this)

The newlyweds were glowing with happiness when they arrived at their reception.

(5 people love this)

I think I hear the clinking of glasses . . .

(3 people love this)

After feeding each other their first bite of cake, they stuck around to finish the whole piece together!  So cute :-)

(3 people love this)

Their little ring bearer wasn’t up for any formal portraits, but we managed to snag this cute shot of him peering out the window during the reception.

(3 people love this)

Their lunch time reception wrapped fairly early, giving us plenty of time to head out to the golf course for some sunset portraits.

(4 people love this)

These two can totally work it!

(10 people love this)

(11 people love this)

A perfect ending to a beautiful day :-)

(14 people love this)

Check out Joana & Joe’s PERSONALIZED WEBSITE to view more images from their day!

To Joana & Joe: Thank you so much for choosing us to document one of the best days of your lives!  We’ve had such a blast getting to know you guys :-) You’re such an awesome couple and we wish you guys a wonderful life together filled with all of God’s blessings.

(10 people love this)

“I’m getting married today!” was one of the very first things we heard when we arrived to greet our bride on Sunday.  Renate was one of those bride’s that just oozed with excitement and happiness about marrying the love of her life, Carlos.  Which of course, made shooting their lovely wedding at The Raven Golf Club at Verrado such a joy.  These two are a wonderful pair and we’ve been super excited for their big day ever since their super fun, Chick-fil-A themed engagement session a few months back!

(Please sign the guestbook if you’d like to be notifed when the rest of their photos are online.)
AND don’t forget to click “love” under your favorite images along the way!

We’ll get started with a few details.  You’d never know by looking at it, but there was a problem with Renate’s dress alterations the week before the wedding and her mom ended up having to make the dress she ended up wearing in less than a week!  Very impressive.  It’s sure great to have a talented mom around in a pinch!

(5 people love this)

Loved the rhinestones on her cute shoes :-)

(3 people love this)

(3 people love this)

(3 people love this)

After the dress was on, it started to look like a Nascar pit crew at work!   There were two gals working on both her finger nails AND toenails while her mom was sewing the beaded belt onto her dress.  Go team Renate!

(14 people love this)

Their first look was super sweet :-)  Love how these next two shots show off each of their expressions in the same moment.

(4 people love this)

(6 people love this)

(5 people love this)

When you’ve got a dress that you can “twirl” in you just have to show it off!

(26 people love this)

The groomsmen “borrowed” this street sign as a present for Carlos!  They even signed it to commemorate the day.  So fun!

(11 people love this)

The lovely ladies.

(11 people love this)

Ceremony time!  Their ceremony was in both Spanish and English – such a nice touch so that all of their guests could feel included in making their marriage official.

(8 people love this)

(20 people love this)

Carlos & Renate wrote their own vows and read them off their iPhone 4′s during the ceremony!  Got a great laugh when they pulled these puppies out :-)  Love it!

(11 people love this)

Mr. & Mrs. Estrada!  Isn’t Renate’s reaction priceless?

(18 people love this)

Showin’ off the new bling. Renate Estrada – perfect!

(7 people love this)

(14 people love this)

(5 people love this)

Yep, they’re workin’ it.  Kinda makes you want to go buy sunglasses, doesn’t it?

(14 people love this)

The grounds at the Raven Golf Club are full of scenic places to shoot including this gorgeous bridge.

(17 people love this)

(14 people love this)

(16 people love this)

As the sun went down, the party was just getting started!

(6 people love this)

Check out their awesome cake topper!  And (to my delight) it’s sitting on top of a stack of incredibly delicious cheesecakes.  We rarely indulge in dessert at the weddings we shoot, but it’s a major no-no in my world to pass on a piece of cheesecake. Yummy in my tummy :-)

(7 people love this)

Carlos & Renate are  fantastic dancers!  They did a beautiful waltz for their first dance, and showed off a bunch of other awesome moves throughout the night.

(8 people love this)

(17 people love this)

(8 people love this)

And man did this group know how to party!  The dance floor was packed all night long!  How low can YOU go?

(12 people love this)

A sparkler exit was the perfect way to send off the newlyweds!

(11 people love this)

To check out more photos from Carlos & Renate’s wedding at the Raven Golf Club at Verrado, click on the slideshow button below.

Congratulations Mr. & Mrs. Estrada!  You guys are such a fun loving and super sweet couple.  We have really enjoyed spending time with you guys and having the opportunity to witness your deep love for each other and strong faith.  Can’t wait to see the many ways that God will bless your marriage.  Hope you’re having a blast in Cali!

(9 people love this)

Everybody knows that “Aloha” means hello and goodbye in Hawaiian, but it can also be translated to mean love and affection. This dual meaning makes it the perfect word to introduce the wedding day of Jessi & Alex. This sweet pair said their “I Dos” in the back yard of Alex’s parents Mike & Liz on Saturday. Their day had a hawaiian theme that perfectly captured the spirt of “Aloha” – it was a welcoming together of their family and friends in celebration of their love for each other. It was one of those great wedding days when we felt a little less like “the photographers” and a little more like members of the family.

We first met Liz at Meghan & Matt’s wedding back in 2009 – their families have been close many years so it was no surprise that Meghan also ended up playing an important role on Jessi & Alex’s wedding day. They asked her to officiate their ceremony! It was super fun to reconnect with everybody – thank you for making us feel so welcome!

(Please sign the guestbook if you’d like to be notifed when the rest of their photos are online.)
AND don’t forget to click “love” under your favorite images along the way!

Alex asked Jessi to marry him during a picnic by the “LOVE” sign at the Scottsdale Civic Center so that exactly where they wanted their first look to take place. We had to fight quite a crowd of other photographers on such a lovely Saturday afternoon, but we made it happen!

(9 people love this)

On to some portraits around the Plaza!

(9 people love this)

(10 people love this)

Just love this one. They look so sweet and comfortable together – perfect companions :-) Can’t you just picture them sitting side by side on a park bench 60 years from now, still gazing lovingly into each other’s eyes?

(16 people love this)

(4 people love this)

A little silly laugher courtesy of my hubby’s stand up comedy act . . . which consisted of a joke I’m pretty sure he read off a Popsicle stick. LOL!

(10 people love this)

The awesome bridal party, struttin’ their stuff.

(11 people love this)

Such a fun group! And no, we didn’t ASK the guys to climb up there – they did that all on their own!

(19 people love this)

Mike & Liz did a fantastic job of transforming their home into a tropical wonderland! We’re friends with Liz on facebook so in the weeks leading up to the big day, we saw lots and lots of updates about all the preparation – painting Hibiscus flowers on the block walls, baking nearly 300 cupcakes, lighting dozens of tiki tourches – it was quite the undertaking. Luckily, they had a whole slew of awesome family and friends to help make it all happen. It was so much fun to see the whole thing finally come together and to document how wonderfully everything turned out. Such a special event in honor of two very special people!

(8 people love this)

How great is this? They had even had their guests sign a surfboard as a guestbook!

(6 people love this)

Time to get these two kids married! Love this shot of the bridesmaids looking on as the sweet little flower girls made their way down the isle.

(7 people love this)

Here comes the bride! (Escorted by her proud Papa of course.)

(7 people love this)

Alex was filled with emption from the moment he saw Jessi coming down the isle. So sweet :-)

(10 people love this)

(11 people love this)

Meghan gave the happy couple this piece of advice, in the immortal words of the Beatles of course, “All you need is love.” (She just may have inspired our song choice for the slideshow at the bottom of the post too! Although it is little a more tropical, ukulele version :)

(7 people love this)

Woo-hoo! Mr. & Mrs!

(11 people love this)

First Dance :-)

(8 people love this)

Father-Daughter Dance

(7 people love this)

Mother-Son Dance.

(15 people love this)

And a sweet moment between Jessi & her Maid of Honor during the toasts.

(7 people love this)

Love these fab ladies!

(13 people love this)

A local Hawaiian group volunteered to help out in the kitchen and also provided some awesome entertainment. One of the flower girls was so cute and mimicked the dancers moved the entire song!

(8 people love this)

The Ukulele made a perfect backdrop for a shot of their rings.

(5 people love this)

To view more photos from Jessi & Alex’s tropical wedding, click on the “view slideshow” button below!

To the newlyweds: we had so much fun capturing your day! Thanks for making us feel like a part of the family :-) Best wishes on your new and exciting adventures ahead!

(4 people love this)

Some people have to wait longer than they’d like to find love.  They search high and low, but somehow, they never seem to get their grasp on it.  But then, one fateful day, everything changes . . . just ask Tracey & Marty.  I’m 100% sure they would tell you that it’s absolutely, without a doubt, worth the wait. When you see these two together, you just get the sense that they’re a perfect fit.  Both outdoor types that love to hike and share a mutual love for the Steelers . . . they make each other laugh and finish each others sentences.  Unlike many of our couples, whose greatest wish is to avoid having any cactus in their wedding photos, Tracey & Marty love the beauty of the Arizona desert.  So it was only fitting that they say their “I Do’s” at Papago Park in Phoenix.  Last Saturday, almost exactly one year after their very first date, they became man & wife. And it couldn’t have come at a better time!  Marty is in the Air Force and he is leaving for 1 year in Korea in a few weeks, so a new kind of waiting will become a part of their lives very soon.  But this time, they will have the warm glow of true love to keep them company on their journey.

(Please sign the guestbook if you’d like to be notifed when the rest of their photos are online.)
AND don’t forget to click “love” under your favorite images along the way!

The day started out with what is always one of our favorite moments – the first look!

(8 people love this)

(9 people love this)

Tracey was such a a fabulously laid back bride!  Since the whole wedding would be outdoors in a somewhat dusty desert environment, she opted for comfy shoes.  Nothing could have suited her more than a pair of awesome soccer shoes :-)  And she totally rocked them, of course!

(16 people love this)

(12 people love this)

Marty & Tracey have a running joke about searching for the picture “perfect Arizona cactus”.  You know the kind . . . tall and skinny, two equal arms on each sides?  Just like the cactus you see in your imagination.  Luckily, they had already scouted one out at Papago Park for a few photos on the big day.

(8 people love this)

A bit of snugglin’ in the shade :-)

(13 people love this)

A few sweet shots from the ceremony – both of them were grinning from ear to ear the entire time! Adorable!

(9 people love this)

(7 people love this)

Mr. & Mrs. at last!

(8 people love this)

After the ceremony and a quick change, we took a short hike up to the “Hole in the Rock” for some more photos.  It’s a pretty popular tourist destination, but we got lucky and didn’t really have to fight the crowds.  Just love how the shots up there turned out!

(16 people love this)

(8 people love this)

Love this little candid moment in between shots.  Doesn’t Marty look at his bride with such a sweetness and affection?

(16 people love this)

Another view of the “Hole in the Rock” from below.

(7 people love this)

Party time!  The reception was a relaxed and casual hangout – exactly what this couple wanted for their celebration.  Guests sat at tables and under the park’s ramadas near where the ceremony had taken place.

(4 people love this)

Can I get a “Woooooooooo!” anyone?

(5 people love this)

(6 people love this)

The sign says it all – soccer chicks ROCK.

(5 people love this)

This cute little dragon has been a traveling buddy of Tracey’s for many years.  (Kinda like the Gnome from those Travelocity commercials.)  He just had to make an appearance at such a special event.

(11 people love this)

The rings :-)

(14 people love this)

There are a lot more photos of this awesome couple – make sure you click the slideshow button below to check them out!

To Tracey & Marty: we’re so glad you guys decided not to shoot your own wedding :-) LOL!  We really enjoyed being apart of your day and getting to know you both.  Best wishes to you on a wonderful life together.  It breaks our hearts to know that you guys will be so far apart so soon – we truly hope that looking back at the photos of such a wonderful day will be a sweet memory and a constant reminder of what’s waiting for you at home.  Lots of love – Ryan & Denise

(10 people love this)

Some “love stories” start long before a couple ever meets.  Lauren & Eric gave away their hearts to someone else before they had ever set eyes on each other.  And it was the best decision that they’d ever make.  That someone taught them what love was.  He gave them each a purpose and made them into the people that they needed to be.  And eventually, when they were both ready, God led them into each others lives and showed them what he had in mind all along – for them to be a perfect match for one another.

We were truly blessed to be able to capture Lauren & Eric’s wedding day this past Sunday at beautiful Villa Siena in Gilbert, Arizona.  It was also extra special to us because we had a chance to see a lot of old friends.  They met at Grace Community Church where Ryan and I used to attend and served in ministry for many years.  I was actually Lauren’s 6th grade small group leader!  Man, that makes me sound old ;-)  Lauren is and has always been such an incredible young woman and it was such a joy to watch her marry the man of her dreams.

(Please sign the guestbook if you’d like to be notifed when the rest of their photos are online.)

AND don’t forget to click “love” under your favorite images along the way!

The day began at the Dolce Salon in Chandler where Lauren was getting her hair and makeup done.

(4 people love this)

Such a laid back bride!  She was so calm and relaxed the entire day, just taking it all in.

(6 people love this)

Love, love, love both of these next two. Lauren was the most gorgeous bride!

(14 people love this)

(14 people love this)

Mom & daughter shared the same happy smiles as they left Dolce to head to the venue.  So cute :-)

(6 people love this)

The dress :-)  Don’t the columns and lines frame it perfectly?

(8 people love this)

(8 people love this)

All of Eric’s groomsmen were there early to help him get ready to see his bride for the first time.

(3 people love this)

(4 people love this)

Eric & Lauren chose to see each other before the ceremony so they could share a few quiet moments together.  Their first look was super sweet and so filled with love and joy :-)  Ryan and I were getting pretty misty eyed just watching them interact!

(12 people love this)

Lauren gave Eric a journal with a love letter written on the first few pages.  After they had seen each other the two sat down and read it together.  They took full advantage of their private time and even spent a few minutes praying together and asking God to bless their marriage.

(17 people love this)

A-dor-a-ble!

(23 people love this)

The other advantage of a first look is that we got to shoot some of their portraits in advance.

(12 people love this)

These two are made for each other!

(13 people love this)

We have tons of shots of Eric smiling, but I have to say, I’m totally digging him rockin’ the serious look!

(3 people love this)

(8 people love this)

They had quite the good looking bridal party, but I think my favorite part of this image is the expression on the little ring-bearer’s face!  ”Ewwww!  Their kissing!”  Ha ha – love it!

(“Like” our Facebook Page to tag yourself in this image!)

(20 people love this)

I don’t usually gush over kids in tuxes, but come on . . . this kid’s a stud.

(17 people love this)

Just before the ceremony, Ryan grabbed some awesome shots of Eric’s guys praying for him – such a special moment.

(7 people love this)

Time to make things official :-)

(11 people love this)

(8 people love this)

Mr. & Mrs. Johnstun!

(8 people love this)

After they signed their marriage license, their was only one thing left to do . . . they updated their relationship status on Facebook!  How awesome is that?  Totally a couple after our own hearts :-)

(8 people love this)

CONFIRM!!!!

(4 people love this)

A few more post ceremony portraits.

(5 people love this)

(7 people love this)

We really enjoyed shooting at Villa Siena.  Such a beautiful venue with endless photo possibilities.  Love the vines and the great Tuscan inspired details in these next shots.

(9 people love this)

We saved most of the reception stuff for the slideshow, but couldn’t pass up this super sweet moment from Lauren & Eric’s first dance.

(10 people love this)

Click the button below to check out more great photos of this super sweet couple!

A big thanks to the great team of vendors who helped make their day possible:

Venue: Villa Siena
Officiant: Chris Gonzalez
Hair & Makeup: Dolce Salon, Chandler
Florals: Events by First Rose
Catering: Park Avenue Catering
DJ: Jordan Haugan

(10 people love this)

Jennie & Scott tied the knot last week at Chaparral Suites in Scottsdale.  It was one of those weddings where we never felt like just “vendors” that the bride & groom had hired to document their day.  We felt like we were a couple of friends that just happened to have a backstage pass to the festivities :-)  Jennie & Scott are two of the sweetest, most gracious people you will ever meet.  Their biggest goals for the wedding day was to keep things simple and for everyone else to have a great time.  They definitely succeeded.  It was a beautiful day, filled with laugher and celebration of a couple that truly deserved to be celebrated.  We were so honored that they trusted us to capture it.

(Please sign the guestbook if you’d like to be notifed when the rest of their photos are online.)
AND don’t forget to click “love” under your favorite images along the way!

Hanging out with the girls while Jennie was getting ready was such a blast!  Everybody was laughing, telling stories and having such a great time together.  It was a pleasure to work with such a stress-free and genuine group.

(7 people love this)

I just love this cute shot of Scott’s mom!  She totally started to cry when Jennie’s hair was done.  Adorable :-)

(5 people love this)

Jennie, a fellow shoe lover, had two pairs of cute shoes to go with her dress!

(6 people love this)

The lovely bouquets.

(5 people love this)

Jennie’s “something blue” was this little framed photo of her cat “Blue” that she tied on to her bouquet.

(8 people love this)

Ryan was in another part of the hotel hanging out with the guys.  Love this great candid of them all laughing together.

(5 people love this)

(5 people love this)

Scott & Jennie each wrote each other a card to read before the ceremony. Love these two shots that we got of them reading each other’s special message.

(8 people love this)

As you can tell, Jennie & Scott’s pets are a very important part of their lives.  They even decided to have their sweet little dog Theo as an honorary groomsmen!  He was so good the whole day too.  We were very impressed.  How could you not love this sweet face, right?

(14 people love this)

We got some great shots of the guys (and Theo!)

(9 people love this)

Love this one of Jennie & her bridesmaids.  They look like they’re having so much fun!

(11 people love this)

Before we knew it, the ceremony was about to begin.  Scott looked so happy and proud as he watched his bride walk down to isle.

(5 people love this)

(15 people love this)

Sweet moments between Dad’s & daughters always get to me.

(9 people love this)

(8 people love this)

Under each guest’s chair there was a bag with party poppers and noise makers.  When the officiant pronounced them man & wife, it felt like New Year’s Eve!  So fun!

(11 people love this)

High-Five! We’re married!

(12 people love this)

A few sweet portraits of Mr. & Mrs. Gilbert :-)

(16 people love this)

(10 people love this)

(13 people love this)

(7 people love this)

We ran out of sun light pretty quickly, but the twinkle lights in the trees made for some fun ambient light for a few final shots.

(12 people love this)

Jennie & Scott are big fans of the Phoenix Suns.  (WOOOOO!  GO SUNS!)  They decided that the grand entrance would be themed after their starting lineup festivities!

(9 people love this)

(6 people love this)

Probably the most highly anticipated event of the night was the first dance.  Scott & Jennie have been taking dance lessons together at Dance FX in Tempe since they first started dating.  They have been working with their fabulous instructor Rachel on a choreographed number for their wedding for over a year!  It-was-AWESOME!  There were so many great shots it was so hard to choose which ones to share.  So much fun!

(15 people love this)

As much as we LOVE photography, we are the first to admit that there are some things that require more than just still images.  Luckily, Todd & Krisanna, the husband and wife duo behind NoBox Films, were on hand to capture it!  Can’t wait to see the wedding trailer coming to their blog on December 5!

(6 people love this)

The bouquet toss rarely makes the blog, but this one was pretty epic.  It started out like any other one, but . . .

(4 people love this)

It ended like this!  Hilarious!

(10 people love this)

Don’t miss more photos of this super sweet couple!  Check out the slideshow by clicking on the button below.

Thank you to the awesome team of vendors that made their day possible:

Venue: Chaparral Suites
Videographer: NoBox Films (Todd & Krisanna)
Florals: Flowers by Jodi
DJ: Just Weddings

To Jennie & Scott: You guys rock.  Plain and simple :-)  We have had so much fun getting to know you this past year and we are absolutely honored that you chose to include us in your big day.  Thank you for being such wonderful and gracious people.  Hope you’re enjoying your AMAZING honeymoon!  Can’t wait to hear all about it when you get back.  Hugs from the Gotchers!