Shannon & Morgan officially tied the knot two weeks ago at Sassi in North Scottsdale. Sassi is such a great wedding venue here in Arizona because it’s beautiful and unique, with sweeping views, excellent food and an intimate and warm reception space. Shannon and Morgan have been together since they were 15! They met in high school and are such a calm and sweet couple. Their close friends and family helped them celebrate and the day was just beautiful.

The day started with everyone getting ready at the nearby Marriott McDowell Mountain before we headed over to Sassi for the rest of the day.

Kasia took the next two images of Morgan while he got ready

My assistant Nicolle captured this reflection shot below.As Kasia, my second shooter took from this angleBelow: far right image by Nicolle

Sassi’s ceremony grounds are so beautiful

Below: left shot by Kasia

Elegant pink and champagne colored detailsThe ballroom looked so warm and lovelyThis shot just cracks me upAt the end of the night, Shannon’s Mom planned a big secret surprise – even for the bride and groom!

And then after the fireworks send off, they rode away in a horse drawn carriage.

Awesome Vendors who made this wedding beautiful::

Wedding Design & Event Planning: Imoni Events
Venue: Sassi
Florist: Your Event Florist
Fireworks: Fireworks AZ
Carriage: KC’s Carriage
Videography: My Wedding Film
DJ & Ceremony Musicians: Mancini Entertainment
Officiant: Mike Kennedy, Arizona Wedding Ceremonies
Photographer: Jennifer Bowen Photography

Thank you Shannon, Morgan & Erin! It was wonderful to work with you all and capture your wedding day. I wish you a lifetime of joy, laughter and love.

Thank you Kasia & Nicolle :)

Associate Photographer Jenny Bishop, along with our newest associate Suzanne Searle, knocked another wedding out of the park this past fall! Angela and Paul held their destination wedding here in Scottsdale, Arizona at the newly redesigned El Chorro. El Chorro is a well known Arizona landmark– and a favorite gathering spot among locals– and it provides couples an intimate wedding experience with exceptional views of another famous Scottsdale landmark, Camelback Mountain. Their beautiful wedding was designed and coordinated by the very talented Amy Mancuso.

Angela and Paul both looked so happy and in love. Here are some favorites from their day:

Associate Photographer Jenny Bishop photographed several beautiful weddings this fall for Jennifer Bowen Photographer, including Brittany & Scot’s at the exclusive Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain Resort and Spa in Paradise Valley, Arizona. Brittany and Scot are from Canada but planned their destination wedding here in Scottsdale where their intimate group of family and friends were able to enjoy the warm fall weather and scenic backdrop that the Sanctuary Resort affords for wedding ceremonies.

Wedding coordination and event design provided by the amazing Jennifer Thye of Imoni Events

Florals: Table Tops Etc

Kiri and Brian’s wedding at the Arizona Biltmore was my last of 2011, and it was such a great one to end my season on. Gorgeous, fun, high energy, lots of laughter, warmth and touching moments best describe their wedding day AND Kiri and Brian as a couple and individuals. They each exude such joy and gratitude, intelligence and humor, and a genuine respect and love for one another that it was abundantly clear that these two were destined to be together. While they currently live (and play) in San Francisco (Brian grew up here) I was so glad they chose Phoenix as they place to marry, as they were an absolutely joy to work with and be around. Here are several of my favorites from their day:

We started the day at the Arizona Biltmore while the bride and groom got ready and had their first look with plenty of portrait time:

I LOVED Kiri’s two piece Monique Lhuillier gown and Jimmy Choo’s

Kiri, you are STUNNING.

Fellow AZ photographer Katina Patriquin agreed to come along and second shoot with me, despite being VERY pregnant, and she got some killer images of the guys and Brian getting ready. (On a side note about Katina, she recently had her baby boy who is seriously one of the most beautiful babies I have ever seen.)

LOVE love this one of Brian she took

Brian has such great style. He should be a model for Ralph Lauren.

Croquet anyone? Yes please!

After portrait time, the wedding party headed over to Brophy Chapel on Ollie the Trollie. A very good looking group of men, dont you think?

Because these guys are such a fun group and they were working the Ray Bans, we decided to recreate a cheesy group “prom” picture. Gotta say, they rocked the 1980′s posing standards for group proms :-)

Another one below by Katina that I love. Kiri’s flower girl SO adorable and sweet – and took her role very seriously. I love the tenderness here.

I sent Katina up in the rafters to get the money shot. Sometimes I want to second shoot my own weddings. (Left image below by Katina, right image below by assistant Nicolle Moshiri – another great one.)

After we left the chapel, we headed back over to the Biltmore for the cocktail hour and reception, and a few more portraits.

The gold room looked stunning. White orchids and flowers everywhere. (Florals by Angelic Grove) They had a seriously rocking reception. After the band The Hampton’s left, a DJ took over for the after party.

Thank you to all of the fabulous vendors:

Ceremony Venue: Brophy Chapel
Reception Venue: The Arizona Biltmore
Wedding Coordinator: Victoria Canada Weddings and Events
Photography: Jennifer Bowen Photography
Videography: Simply Cinema
Florals: Angelic Grove
Ceremony and Cocktail Musicians: String Serenade
Band: The Hamptons
Photo Booth
Trolley: Ollie the Trolley by Dunn Transportation
Rolls Royce: Aries Limousine
Hair: Julia Hernandez and Mandy Samford
Makeup: Kayla Kellar and Jovita Campbell
Gown: Monique Lhuillier
Shoes: Jimmy Choo

Brian and Kiri, thanks for being so amazing to work with! You guys ROCK. :-)

Katina & Nicolle, thank you thank you for everything. xoxo

You may remember Lindsay and Brian from their engagement session shoot in New York City last fall. I had an amazing time with these two and have been looking forward to their wedding at Paradise Valley Country Club all year. To say it did not disappoint would be an understatement. While it poured rain the night before (and I mean poured), the morning of their wedding, the skies opened up and it turned into a stunning day. Everything came together seamlessly, thanks in large part to event planning and coordination by Sandy Walker of In Awe Events. But also in part because of Brian and Lindsay themselves and their joyful and easy going personalities and the fact that they both seemed to thoroughly enjoy themselves the entire day. These two compliment each other so well, and I loved seeing how thrilled they were to finally marry each other and how happy everyone was to be there celebrating. I started the day with Lindsay and her crew of girls (fun and funny girls) at the DoubleTree Scottsdale Resort, while Omari hung out and photographed Brian and the groomsmen getting ready a few hotel rooms away.

Dress and Shoes #1

Dress and Shoes #2 – for the late night party. Lindsay rocked these sexy red Christian Louboutains and back-zip lace dress

Makeup by Allison Pynn with hair styling by Antoinette DiCarlo

Lindsay looked gorgeous!

Omari Dickens hung with the guys and got some great images

And then we all headed over to the beautiful Paradise Valley Country Club

LOVED their first look and Brian’s reaction

Lindsay’s sister and maid of honor – hanging out right before the ceremony started

The decor, flowers and room looked beautiful and elegant
Party time! Loved Lindsay’s shorter, sexy dress & shoes for dancing

Thank you to all of the vendors who made this such a beautiful wedding:

Venue: Paradise Valley Country Club
Wedding Consultant: Sandy Walker- In Awe Events
Photographer: Jennifer Bowen
Videography: I Do Films

Speaking of, check out this amazing video trailer I Do Films did of their wedding.

Band: The Instant Classics
Makeup & Hair: Allison Pynn and Antoinette DiCarlo
Invitations and Paper Products: Kelsey Murrietta/Flossy Stylish Design
Flowers: Avant Garden
Photobooth: Arizona Photobooth
Officiant: Scott Swanson
Transportation: Motor Coach

Me and my 3 loves at The Polar Express a few weekends ago (image taken by a friend):

Studio Coordinator Kelly Gill and her beautiful family (we’ll share their c-u-t-e family session on the blog soon after holidays):

Associate Photographer Jenny Bishop below and her adorable family (image taken by their family on Thanksgiving Day):

Intern/Newly Hired Assistant Nicolle Rein Moshiri and her equally adorable family (image by family friend):

And last but not least, announcing our newest associate to join the JBP team Suzanne Searle and her beautiful boys :-)

I consider myself very blessed to have such an amazing team and appreciate all that they do!

Jessica and Zac’s wedding on October 29, 2011 was one of the more emotional weddings I’ve photographed. These two are equally as beautiful on the inside as they are the outside; just two incredibly sweet, kind and fun people who make a perfect couple. Their wedding day at Grayhawk Golf Club was pretty much perfection too. Rhonda Rush and team coordinated everything flawlessly and the weather, decor and setting could not have been more idyllic. I think the icing on the cake however, especially for Jessica and her family, was that her brother Scott was released from his military duty for a leave of absence to be a part of her wedding day. Just three days before the wedding, it looked as though he would not be able to come in from Seattle, and then, in the eleventh hour, they agreed to let him off duty to attend. When I walked into the hotel room to start preparation coverage and came around to see Jessica, she told me that he was here, and immediately started crying – which made me majorly tear up in return. I knew how close Jessica is to her brother and how much it meant to her that he was there, so I appreciated that aside from the fact that she was marrying her best friend in a few hours, she was very very thankful to also have her brother by her side.

Once the tears were wiped away, the makeup team of Chanel Warwick got right back to business.

Above: Jessica’s grandmother carried that fan on her wedding day and passed it down to Jessica’s Mom and now her, so Jessica was telling her younger cousin about her and how she too one day could carry that if she wanted.

Kasia second shot with me and hung out with Zac and the guys – and got some great images of them…

Their first look

I loved these ceremony moments when Jessica rested her head on Zac’s shoulder and then when Zac wiped a tear away from Jess below.

Thank you to all of the wonderful vendors who made this wedding so special:

Venue: Grayhawk Golf Club
Wedding Consultant: Impact Events- Rhonda Rush
Photographer: Jennifer Bowen Photography
Videographer: Simply Cinema
DJ: Mancini Entertainment
Florist: Flora Bella
Makeup Artist: Chanel Warwick
Hairdresser: Wish Salon- Taryn Seseman
Wedding Gown Boutique: Lillian Lottie Couture
Cake: Classic Cakes & Confections

Kasia – thank you thank you for always being so great to work with and for all your help

Jessica and Zac – thank you for being YOU. I loved being a part of your day and getting to capture for you. I know we will stay in touch and I can’t wait to meet those babies someday :-) xoxo

We just wanted to take a moment to let you know that we will resume the normal blog publishing schedule soon (with some ah-ma-zing weddings & adorable family photos) and provide you with some deadlines for when all orders need to be in:

Print Enlargement Orders: December 14th

Disc of Images: Dec 14

Holiday Cards: Dec 9 (these will be drop shipped directly to you)

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New Portrait Bookings: We are booked for all shoots through the end of the year now and will be accepting new session bookings starting in January 2012. Jennifer Bowen has a few limited openings still in January (all 4 weekends are already booked), but is more open in February. Associate Jenny Bishop will have some session slots available that can be reserved in January and February. Plus we will be announcing a new associate who is joining the team as well soon! {For planning purposes, please keep in mind that we typically book sessions 1-3 weeks out in the early part of the year.}

New Wedding Bookings: Yeah for all the Christmas proposals coming! If you are considering us for your wedding photography, we would love to hear from you. Please know that we are mainly accepting fall 2012 weddings. Jennifer Bowen is fairly booked up March-May, however Jenny & Suzanne (stay tuned!) will have available spring dates. Be sure to check with us for your specific date to see who is available. When contacting us, we need to know your city & state, date and venue if you know it, as well as any other pertinent details about your wedding. We share most of information and pricing via consultations, either in person or over the phone, so we do encourage setting up a time to meet so we can hear more about your wedding. For more FAQ about our wedding photography, please click here.

Studio Holiday Hours: Please know the studio will be closed December 18-January 1 for a much needed break with our families. I try to take off 2 weeks every year after our crazy fall season to recharge, rest and spend quality time with my husband and kids so that I am fresh and ready to go for the new year ahead. I will have some access to email during this time, but we do appreciate your patience with our slower response times.

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Happy Holidays!

Jennifer Bowen Photography

The day ended at Troon Country Club, but it started that morning at Scottsdale Marriott at McDowell Mountain with Katie and the girls and Mike and the guys getting ready for their early afternoon ceremony at St. Maria’s Goretti Catholic Church in Scottsdale. Katie looked absolutely stunning! Sandy Walker of In Awe Weddings & Events did a great job coordinating the day and was so easy to work with. Here are some of my favorites from the day:

Katie wore these pretty little ballet slippers – she is a trained dancer so that seemed especially apropos.

Kim Day did an amazing job with Katie’s makeup. (Of course she had a great starting palette!)

Gorgeous bouquets and florals by The Flower Studio. Those are real baby cabbages in Katie’s bouquet on the far right – so unique and pretty

Omari Dicken’s second shot with me and hung with the guys

After their full mass ceremony, we all headed up north to Troon Country Club for the bride & groom portraits and bridal party time.

Their reception looked gorgeous – I loved all the table decor, also by The Flower Studio

Their band The Instant Classics was awesome – one of the best I’ve heard. Thank you Katie and Mike for sharing your beautiful day! It was an honor for us to capture it for you. Omari and Nicolle, thank you, thank you for all you do!

Vendors who helped make the day beautiful:
Event Planning & Coordination: In Awe Weddings and Events
Florist: The Flower Studio
Wedding Gown & Bridesmaid Dresses: Priscilla of Boston
Band: The Instant Classics
Makeup: Kim Day and Celestial Williams
Hair: Jenny Strebe
Linens: The Flower Studio and Connie Duglin
Photographers: Jennifer Bowen Photography
Invitations & Paper Products: Flossy Stylish Design, Kelsey Murrietta
Men’s Wear: Men’s Wearhouse
Reception Lighting: Mancini Entertainment

After several emails and a coffee date the rest is history and Kathleen and Brent celebrated their love for one another on October 8th with an intimate ceremony at CopperWynd Resort and Club. Being from Nova Scotia, Canada, Kathleen and Brent knew they wanted to have a destination wedding and when deciding on a location they knew they wanted their guests to experience Arizona and fall in love with it the way they did.  With 30 of their closest family and friends, as well as Brent’s 9 year old son, Kathleen and Brent danced the night away as husband and wife. It was very apparent just how deep their love for one another truly is.

Here are some favorites from Kathleen & Brent’s wedding on October 8th, shot by Associate Photographer Jenny Bishop with second shooting provided by Kasia Miklaszewska.

(Above image by Kasia)
Kasia hung out with the guys while Jenny was with the women. Brent’s son Alex:

(Above image by Kasia)

Copperwynd has been closed for several years, so it’s so nice that this beautiful venue is open again in Fountain Hills. It has such beautiful views!

(Below: Photos by Kasia)