Benvy + Nick | married at Brookside Farms

Benvy + Nick are two incredible people, individually, but also have an incredible story. They've spent the majority of their time together living (far far) apart, doing great things. It was wonderful to have been a part of the celebration that is the start of their lives together, and together. Welcome back to the U.S., Benvy! Thank you so much for trusting me with your wedding memories! Enjoy reliving their wedding day below:

Cheyenne + Josh | wedding in the woods

The best weddings are those that bring together the bride and groom's family and friends in the most meaningful way. Cheyenne + Josh's wedding on her grandfather's land did just that. Friends and family spent the year previous building, clearing land and working incredibly hard to help create a vision of Cheyenne + Josh's dream day. I betcha that vision did NOT include rain, upon rain, upon rain...but I hope (know!?) that the lasting memories for Cheyenne + Josh of this beautiful day include dancing, laughing, and enjoying themselves with their people. Enjoy what we saw that day. Have to give a giant THANK YOU to my second shooter, Savannah, for sticking out the rain and capturing some great cocktail hour shots!!

2015 Columbus Fall Mini sessions!

Mini sessions are my favorite. I absolutely love LOVE shooting family sessions...and simply don't have enough time to do it as much as I'd like throughout the year. In the fall (and sometimes spring, but not always, so don't hold off for it, because it might not happen!), I always try to offer at least two days of mini sessions for my families to let me update their family photos.

This year I'm offering two dates, with two distinct styles to the photos. The first day, September 27th (Sunday) I'm calling The White Wall sessions. They'll have a really clean and great studio feel, but still be out in the world: I'll shoot them against a white brick wall during the magic hour light, and they'll be absolutely glorious. The second day, October 18th, will be traditional fall foliage at a local park. I'm so so excited about both sessions, and love seeing the different interest in both sessions. I have to say, if it was my family, and I'd already done fall sessions in the past, I would for sure do the White Wall sessions - totally timeless, and clean, and a little different from what I am used to doing. 

See a few examples of what your White Wall could look like: we took these in about 3 minutes, I can't wait to get full families up in front of the wall. There's also a part of it that can be parking lot, not grass, for a little variety.

The info:

September 27th: White Wall Sessions - 25 minute session, $250, digital images delivered digitally

October 18th: traditional fall foliage session - 25 minute session, $250, digital images delivered digitally

email: jessicalovephoto@gmail.com

I have about 3 slots open for both days, so email right now!

and, of course, some examples of last Fall's minis. Love these families!

(and, Cleveland area mini sessions to be announced soon!)

Kathy + Jason | married!

Kathy + Jason were married at St. Francis of Assisi church in Victorian Village, and then had their reception at the High Line Car House in the Brewery District of Columbus, Ohio. Their day was just...easy. (ahem, after the torrential down pour that happened as their ceremony ended. A common trend this June!) They have an easy kind of love that welcomes, and brings everyone around them together in the most natural way. Their time at the reception was filled with warm embraces, welcoming friends and family who had come to celebrate with them. 

Enjoy a few favorites from their wedding day!

welcome to Ingrid! | in home newborn session

Look at me blogging, like this is really my job or something (some time management, and adding a babysitter to our lives will allow for things like that, but that's a different post for a different time!). I'll often get emails, "do you still shooting lifestyle/family sessions?" YESSSS! I most certainly do. 

Most recently I was able to meet little Miss Ingrid, little bebe of Signe and Drew, who's wedding I shot in 2013. I loved them back in 2013, and now I am happy to report I love them as parents, too. They were so calm, so natural with Ingrid, and it was wonderful to get to spend some time with all three of them!

I won't shoot newborns super posed, but I think, as you'll see, a lifestyle session works just perfectly. 

Like I talked about in my intro post, getting to make my own schedule and all, I have much more time for these type of in home, true lifestyle sessions this winter.  If you're expecting this fall, don't hesitate to get in touch, I would love to capture these precious moments for your family as well!

Enjoy!

another new blog. another new intro!

Every few years, I get this wild idea that I need a new style. A fresher, and cleaner way to display the love and stories I get to capture....and when I do that, it means I lose everything I have posted over on any other blog. And, that sucks. A lot. 

So today, I'm here, to say hi! Here's a bit of a formal introduction, as well as a start to this blog, and the way I hope to be able to tell wedding stories to the world. 

Here we go! 

HI! HEY! HI! I'm Jess, the one who's always doing the writing. Normally it's my husband, Mike, and me as your photographers, but this year has been a little bit different. I've taken on an amazing, talented associate, Savannah (if you follow me on Instagram (@_jessicalovephotography), then you already saw Savannah when we took over livecolumbus's instagram feed back in July!). The timing with bringing on Savannah worked out perfectly, as we welcomed our third baby, little Miss Colette, this January, and she's been a bit difficult - (she refused a bottle until about 5 months old), and we just wanted Mike to be able to stay home with her when I wasn't able to. 

Fast forward to now, Colette is 7 months old, Sawyer 3 years, and Finn 5 years old. My number one job in life is to be mama to my babies. Life is starting to get easier again, and you've largely not seen much wedding work blogged over here, yet, because I decided to take action this year, and book my wedding schedule to give us some time to be together as a family this summer. A big perk, besides the obvious (GETTING TO BE A PART OF PEOPLE'S BEST DAY'S EVER!!) is that I get to make my own schedule, and in that, I've definitely learned the power of just saying no sometimes. This is normally time,  in a wedding photographer's life, that is just absolutely insane. Well, I chose to book 2 weddings (instead of the typical 4-5!) in each July and August, and it's been amazing! I feel so lucky I get the option to make my own schedule, and make my kids, and my family my #1.

Why am I writing all this? I want my potential clients to know me. And, the things that are important to me. I'm passionate about everything that matters in my life. I work hard to make your memories as natural, candid, and emotional as I can, and I also work equally hard to make my own life full of what I want to look back on and be proud I was a part of. I won't spread myself too thin, and as a result I'm able to fully devote the time I'm away shooting to being fully present of what I'm doing, and completely immerse myself in your day. It's a great balance, and it's taken years to realize how important this is to me, and how much it helps me be so happy in both work and home life!

Without further ado, meet me, and my family, in photos. And see some of the awesomeness why I chose to take a few extra weekends off. (it's a slider gallery, click and it'll slide to the next photo)

Now onto the business side of things. I'm absolutely loving all that I'm shooting this year, and the direction that my business is going. Bringing Savannah along has opened up some new opportunities for next year - including allowing someone who shoots "like me" to take on weddings on weekends that I'm already booked for. I can confidently send along potential couples to Savannah, and know that they'll be treated just like I would treat them, and come away with amazing photos that they'll treasure for forever. As far as MY 2016 goes, I'm about half way booked, and really really  stoked about all the weddings I have. I need to get better about blogging all the awesomeness - but you can find ways around my site to see some previews. I have many of my current images on my portfolio page. But here's to public pronouncements that I'll be better at this whole blog thing (see above: I'm kind of stuck in family mode right now ;) . 

For now, here, I'll leave along some little teasers so you can get a great look at lots of goodness 2015 has brought to me!

thank you for being here, whatever reason brings you here. I'm excited for this space to fill up with personal stories, as well as stories of the lovely couples I get to photograph, AND the families who allow me to freeze time for them. Come back often! I have LOTS to share and LOTS to say!