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Welcome to my own little corner of the world where I post about documenting life and love and everything else along the way. I'm so glad your here! Sit and stay a spell.
A few months ago I got an email from The Knot, wanting to use an image I took of Cathy and Ben’s Islamorada Wedding day in a special Florida Feature in the National Knot Magazine 
Beyond excited. I LOVE when my Bride’s hard work on their wedding day gets noticed by national publications!!!
So honored to have Annie and Jeremy’s Wedding featured on one of my favorite Wedding Blogs! Style Me Pretty!
Even more of an honor? The incredible review that Annie left for me over at Wedding Wire! Thought I would share below, her kind words remind me exactly why I do what I do.
“I always knew that pictures would be one of the most important aspects of my wedding, so choosing a photographer was going to be one of THE most important decisions I had to make. I knew I wanted a classic look, but not the stuffy boring generic photos that so many wedding photographers provide. I wanted classic, but with an artsy/modern/fun look – basically just capturing our “joy and happiness.” So I began the search within the Orlando area, but soon became frustrated. The problem was that most photographers were already booked up since we had a short engagement. Additionally, I was finding it more and more common that what was presented on a vendor’s website, was not actually all the facts or “total” costs.
My cousin (who is a photographer herself but who was in my bridal party) had recommended that I find a photographer who works in “natural light,” as she knew that was a beautiful style for photos. I stumbled across Jenn Hopkins Photography online through a search for natural light and instantly LOVED her work on her website. From what I saw on her blog, I was definitely impressed. We emailed and she was quick to respond – she was very straightforward and no-nonsense. I asked her a ton of background questions (which she quickly and gracefully answered) and she also provided me some examples of full-wedding packages that she had shot so I could have a better feel for her wedding work. I will note that her contract and pricing were truly fair and she tailored a package to meet my exact needs. Some of the things I really liked were that 1) I was able to book a second shooter, 2) Jenn traveled from Jacksonville to Orlando and did not charge a travel fee, 3) my package included the entire CD of images, and most of all… 4) Jenn provided unlimited wedding day coverage (she was there from hair/makeup until the final send-off.) Through the planning process, we were able to talk via email and phone conversations to develop a written timeline for the wedding day and reception, and a list of photos we wanted to accomplish. We were also able to talk through some specific details such as accommodating my special-needs brother, and coordinating all of the stepparent relationships. Jenn also told me that she has a background in event planning, which makes for a great combo.
On the day of the wedding, Jenn and her second shooter were on time and where they needed to be, and continued to be well-organized throughout the day. She made sure to get all of the “detail” photos I wanted and went completely out of her way to take photos in different places and different settings – Jenn took a TON of photos. She made everyone feel comfortable and at ease through the process as well – no pressure. Jenn was a trooper and made it through a long day. I appreciate her and her second shooter’s commitment and work ethic!! Jenn also abided by our contract, and we were not stuck waiting around for the photos – they came within the established timeframe. This is important because I’ve heard horror stories from friends that don’t get their photos for a year! And….the photos look soooooooo amazing!!! I’m very happy with how they turned out and it definitely captures the feel I was looking for. I’m happy that my husband and I get to be part of Jenn’s portfolio of work.
The whole process was super flawless, which made for no-stress wedding planning. Overall, Jenn was super friendly and easy to work with. She also provides amazing customer-service and responsiveness. And you can tell she really loves what she does and cares about each bride and groom. Also, throughout the entire process, Jenn was able to effectively coordinate with our venue and all of our vendors to make the photos look incredible, and overall make our day and evening run smoothly. JENN HOPKINS PHOTOGRAPHY is a great vendor and I highly recommend Jenn’s services – she will not disappoint.
YOU WILL LOOOOOOOVE your PHOTOS (and the experience)!!!”
So excited to see Gracie and Brians Wedding Published on Every Last Detail Blog!
Hello my sweet blog readers. It’s taken me a while to be able to write this because, well, I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. Last week I got the worst email an avid blogger like me could get. “Your blogs been hacked”. Don’t get me wrong. I am an avid backer-upper. You have to be in this business. Images are taken from my camera, downloaded on to my hard drive, and external hard drive, then triple backed up on a 3rd external hard drive. No one however, ever mentioned that you had to back up a blog! I assumed that since it was on the internet, everything I have ever posted, images, blog posts about my beautiful brides, and incredibly sweet families, would always be out there in internet never never land. Well, guess what happens when you assume folks. After a few days of crying and total devastation, mourning over a blog full of amazing memories, amazing images, and sweet client comments, my amazing blog designers over at Flosites were able to resurrect my blog from the abyss that is the internet. One glitch, they were able to get back all the words I’ve ever written, but not 10 months of images. So, internet, if you’re looking for images of weddings and newborns and families, engaged couples or published weddings please, please head over to my website at http://www.jennhopkinsphotography.com/. I will be, over the next few months, slowly trying to restore all the images that I have posted here along the way. Please stand by as I refill all the gaping holes in the blog, as well as update new blog posts.
I also want to take this time to tell all of you out there how amazing you were. I had Grooms emailing me with amazing tips and tricks on how to get back everything I’d lost, Brides asking tech gurus from their places of employment to help me out, I had blog readers from all over the U.S. finding what they could for me in their google readers and sending it to me to help me repopulate my blog. This tells me one thing. That I have incredible blog readers, and clients, and that I have been able to get across in my words just how important my clients, their images, and their memories are to me. Never have I been more aware of just what this blog means to me. It’s not just a place to post sneak peeks, or sessions, or important news. Its more than that. It’s a place where I go to write. Write about how my heart feels when I hold a newborn baby. How my heart feels when I see a newly engaged couple giggle at each other, a man and woman officially pronounced Husband and Wife, and how my heart feels full every single time I photograph someone.
So stay tuned sweet readers. One day I will get this baby back up and running.
There’s been many moments lately that jump out at me and say “Jenn, this is why you do what you do”. From capturing a Dad’s tears while he dances with his daughter, watching a Groom grin from ear to ear as he watches his Bride walk down the aisle. Just the other night I had a Father of a Bride give me a giant hug and a kiss on the cheek as he told me “you have been so amazing tonight, thank you for capturing this day, and all these moments. I will treasure them forever”. All of these individual moments only reassure me that I am doing what I love. The other day I was watching Master Class on the new OWN network with Oprah Winfrey. Oprah gets a lot of flack, but I swear. This show was one of the most motivational shows I have ever watched. In the show Oprah said a quote. It made my heart stop. Took my breathe away. Nothing has ever been said that is more true to my life right now. O was describing her journey to where she got to where she is now. She said there wasn’t anything that happened along the way that wasn’t meant to prepare her for the life she leads now. This is my story. Sitting on my Grandma’s living room floor, at 4 years old, sorting through the hundreds of black and white photos my Grandmother had stored in the shed behind her home. The years of buying old manual film cameras, dragging boyfriends and friends and pets along with me as I learned to operate my camera. The time I spent studying Event Management at UF that taught me the importance of details and logistics and timing. The Country Club job that taught me how to build relationships, throw amazing parites, and most importantly, how to make children laugh. The 3 years I spent in Corporate America, making CEO’s happy, catering to the needs of those around me, planning large events and corporate functions, learning how to market and brand (and how to stand on my feet for 10+ hours at tradeshows). Getting laid off from a job that I loved, that only added fuel to the already burning fire that was my passion for photography, allowing me to turn my part-time hobby and love into a full time career. All these things happened for a reason.
I used to stalk the Southern Weddings blog site all day long at my corporate job. From my little tiny cube I used to read about precious, sweet, beautifully photographed weddings from people all over the South. I used to savor every single image. My event planner life crasing into my photographer life. I loved the details, and the design. I loved the images that captured it all. I remember saying to myself, one day I will be on this blog. Today, my friends, I have reached that goal. When I got the news that Ashley and Paul’s wedding would be featured (in 2 parts no less!!) on the Southern Weddings Magazine blog, I was over the moon. I couldn’t wait to share with Ashley the news. Mostly because, I believe, that Ashley wanted her wedding to grace the pages of the Southern Weddings blog almost as much as she wanted to be Mrs. Stafford that day. So I was so glad that I could bring her that joy. When I saw my images there though, it was one of those moments. A moment where I knew this is what I am supposed to be doing. I love my Brides. I love photographing their hard work. I love capturing the moments throughout the day that make it their own. The whole world stops on a wedding day. The only people in it are those saying I do. I am lucky enough to witness it all.
In Oprah’s show she said these words. “”How do you know that its your purpose? It feels like its the right space for you. It feels like what I should be doing. That this is how I’m supposed to feel. This is where I feel most myself. I feel at home here”. On top of sharing Ashley and Paul’s featured wedding, I wanted this post to say, that I know my purpose. I feel at home here. Surrounded by my Brides and Grooms, their families and friends. The newborns I get to snuggle on a weekly basis, the 2 year olds I get to run and chase after with my camera. I am home.
Head over to the blog to check out Part 1 and Part 2 of Ash and Paul’s big day.
