Engagement Shoot

It took a while for us to settle a date to shoot our engagement pictures after we booked Ryan, but after we settled one i couldn't be happier with our location...Chris and I decided we wanted to do it somewhere that means something to us and somewhere that was easily accessible, so brooklyn botanic garden it is! every spring chris and i would make a visit here to see the cherry trees, and beautiful they certainly are as you glimpsed in my last entry...so this time, let me give you a little bit more! enjoy!

yea we were a little nervous
Chris: "jenny this feels awkward"
Jenny: "yea i know just think of something funny! and laugh!"

we weren't actually allowed to get on the grass to take this pic, but Ryan thought it would make a fantastic shot...soooooo we broke some rules, but thats ok, i really like this one...i call it the "Twilight" shot
a really nice portrait of us, this was in front of the japanese shrine

look familiar? it's the photo we chose to use for our save the dates (which i got an email that they were shipped today!!!!)
the story behind this one: well, you see...there was an old lady that was standing in the prime picture taking location so obviously we weren't thrilled about that, and then we had the brilliant idea of "lets go over there make out and make her uncomfortable and maybe she'll move!" uhhh we have never been more wrong, even after making out A LOT, the woman kept standing there, chris even whispered in my ear "jenny, i think she died!" alright that was mean, but this photo is the direct result of me realizing that our attempts were futile, she was still there...
we've been getting comments that Ryan did a fantastic job of capturing our love for one another...i'll let YOU be the judge of that :)
i don't know about capturing the in love-ness that we have for one another, but i DO know that he is an amazing photographer and we couldn't be happier to be working with him on our wedding.

Photography Permits

This is something i learned recently and i can't say that i'm thrilled about but thought that i should impart what wisdom i gained with the rest of you guys (all two of you that subscribe to me anyway)

While C and i were finalizing the location of where we're taking our engagement photos i started coming across "wedding photography permits" on the websites that i've been using for research and i thought "oh wow, 300$ to obtain a permit to take wedding photos doesn't sound so bad" until i started thinking... hmm... what would it cost to obtain the permit for engagement photos? in my mind...engagement photos would be less people involved with the photo shooting and of course way less intrusive...being that its meant to be casual and what not, it should be either less or FREE... boy have i ever been wrong!!! ladies nothing in this world is FREE.

after some inquiring i find out that not only do i need a permit to take photos at either old westbury gardens and / or brooklyn botanic gardens...it's actually the same fee for wedding photos...for some this may have been common knowledge... but to me i thought there was a bit of injustice going on here...i mean seriously... i'm already paying for admission into the gardens...and then i have to pay another 250-300 dollars for a photography permit that limits my time to 30-45 minutes? for my wedding day photos i'd be glad to shell it out.. but for an engagement/casual photo shoot? get out!!

but like everyone else i'm a slave to "i'm only getting married once" mentality and will inevitably shell out the $250 permit fee for my engagement photos on friday...let me also mention that it is a CASH ONLY, non refundable fee...i better not get mugged on my way there!

stay tuned for the actual permit obtaining recap next week!

shoot! i'm engaged!

after booking my wonderfully talented photographer ryan brenizer, we're now brainstorming WHERE to shoot our engagement session and WHEN might be good too...considering we'll be having a time crunch on our wedding day the engagement photos location needs to be extra special/memorable i think so we can do all the photos we want to but can't for the wedding...

Here are a few possibilities...

A. Northport Yacht Club

(source: northportyachtclub.com)

chris and i have spent many a summers here sailing and such and it'll also give us an opportunity to take some sexy beach pictures ala mrs hibiscus of weddingbee, but chris isn't so thrilled with this prospect...but he hasn't throw the idea out yet

B. Brooklyn Height Promenade

(source: inetours.com)

since we both live in brooklyn and he works in lower manhattan, i thought this would also make for some awesome new yorky engagement photos, it'll be trendy and stylish etc etc...but it doesn't really serve any particular meaning to our relationship so chris again is hesitant about giving me the green light about this one

C. Adirondaks High Peaks Region - Mount Jo
This place would be perfect i guess, but logistically getting up here with our photographer is a huge task to undertake and i'm not likely to want to venture into this sort of territory...

D. Old Westbury Gardens

(source: oldwestburygardens.org)

i think this place is GORGEOUS! you have the gardens, the mansion everything...most people take their wedding photos here on Long Island but yea, it's an old standby favorite, but chris isn't too thrilled with this one either... the man is hard to please ladies and gents.


so there is my dilemma, where to have these photos taken? i'm leaving towards A and B obviously..but where would you/have you take your engagement photos?

Weekend of Photographer Interviews

Hi Everyone!

SO, we all know i was uber excited to do my first photographer interview...i seriously wished someone gave me some sorta pointer or uhh expectation as to what a photographer interview would be like, because boy can i say it felt like i was going on a blind date for the first time with a boy i had a crush on that i met online! kidding asides...it was friday 6:45 after work on a VERY cold friday evening...i was waiting for Ryan Brenizer at the Oyster Bar...he shows up on time, ::phew:: (being prompt is a VERY VERY big plus in my book, i mean seriously who likes to wait for people right?) so Ryan, Chris and I proceed to make ourselves comfy at the grand hyatt in the lobby i think it was...it was surprisingly less noisy than a restaurant or the lounge or bar believe it or not.

Ryan seriously impressed me... i was smitten, it was love with photographer on first meeting! but i knew i couldn't make a decision on the spot about hiring him because, well i had no idea if that was kosher for a lack of better words and i had a meeting with Bill Xie tomorrow morning, so i tried to come across as calm and collected (although inside i was squealing like a little girl that just got the barbie she was eyeing on for christmas) and told him i'd be in touch more or less. but in my heart i think i already made a decision and i told chris that i think Bill would have to really WOW me to change my mind about hiring Ryan.

Come Sat morning, i was being very good and was waiting for my second ever photographer interview...again this apprehensive first date/ blind date feeling was overwhelming me...but i go through with the meeting with Bill and i have to say i was very impressed with his work too...he shot some great great photos...and i think he might have been cheaper than Ryan to be honest..not by whole lot to be significant...but i have to say even though Bill was my peoples (seriously, he had the same last name as me!) he didn't WOW me as much as i needed him to at this meeting...later that day i decided i would hire ryan and chris agreed that our search was over...jenny is happy :-)

My Photographer Search Begins

ok, so photography most would agree is pretty dang important in the grand scheme of wedding planning right? so selecting the best photographer possible for your event is uber crucial right? good i'm glad you agree :-)

i'm excited to meet my first prospect on friday, ryan brenizer, hope he doesn't disappoint!
i've been pouring over his website and facebook stalking him for weeks now...it's like i have a photography crush on him or something! (hunnie, don't be jealous i still love you best!)

check him out! www.ryanbrenizer.com