Engagements | Jacksonville Wedding Photographers | Gwendolyn Tundermann Photography

Archive for the ‘Engagements’ Category

Maricel & EJ | Engagement Photos in Las Vegas

March 9, 2010

Hello from Las Vegas! I’m currently hanging out in Sin City for the 30th Annual Wedding & Portrait Photographers International (WPPI) convention, but before the convention kicked off I met up with one of our awesome couples, Maricel & EJ, for a Las Vegas engagement photo session!

Maricel & EJ are getting married this May in California and were referred to us by Jenny & Miguel (see their engagement photos at the San Diego Fair here). When I was thinking about coming out to Vegas for WPPI, I shot Maricel an email and asked if she had any interest in coming out to Vegas while I was here. She wrote me back and said that EJ was already going to be in town the same weekend!!! When she told me that, I KNEW I had to make the trip out here!

We met up with Maricel & EJ at a gorgeous spot on the Las Vegas strip. Maricel kept hinting that she had some sort of surprise for me, but I had no idea what it was. Then when we met up she said “Here’s your surprise!” and it was Jenn! It was a huge surprise! We ran into Miguel a little bit later in the shoot. Their friend Pia also joined us and helped out a lot with lighting (thanks so much, girl!!). My roommate Ananda came along to shoot as well, and we all had so much fun!

Just seeing Maricel & EJ again (and my “surprise”) made the trip to Vegas worth it, but the photos just keep making me feel all lovey dovey. At one point Pia started crying because you could just see the love between Mars & EJ. I know I don’t have to explain it because the photos say it all! They are so in love and so full of happiness!

I miss you guys already, but will see you soon! And this time, Matt will be with me! ; )

Posted in Engagements, Travel, Weddings | 4 Comments »

Stacey & Mike | Engagement Photos at The Cove – Atlantis Resort | Bahamas Destination Wedding Photographers

March 2, 2010

Following an amazing rehearsal dinner at Luciano’s of Chicago, we stopped by The Cove at the Atlantis Resort for a mini-engagement session! The Cove is a very posh and stylish hotel with modern decor. Even the Starbucks there had flat screen TVs and couches! It was late and Stacey & Mike had to get ready for the BIG DAY, so we just did a quick photoshoot. We could have easily spent hours doing photos there!

But you know what this means! Wedding photos are next!! We’ll start posting wedding photos beginning tomorrow! : )

Posted in Destination Wedding, Engagements, Travel, Weddings | 4 Comments »

Wedding Wednesday | What To Wear To Engagement Photo Session | Jacksonville Wedding Photographers

January 27, 2010

Wedding Wednesday is a weekly feature discussing all things wedding-related! To suggest a topic or question, contact Gwen at info@gwendolyntundermann.com.

Welcome to the first of our Wedding Wednesdays! I thought we’d kick off this series with an easy, but important topic – what to wear to your engagement session! We have a lot of engagement sessions coming up soon, so this seems like a great place to start!

There are a lot of things to consider for engagement photo attire and even though there are no real rules, the more effort you put in to your engagement photos the more you will get out of them!

Toni & Cedric's Downtown Jacksonville Engagement Photos

Season & Climate
- This should be pretty obvious, but dress accordingly for the weather so you’ll be comfortable!

Location
- Make sure your attire fits with the location of your shoot (unless you are specifically looking for contrast).
- How will the location be utilized? Will you be sitting? Laying down? Climbing? (hey, I’ve seen it happen!)

Time of Day
- Make sure your attire fits with the time of day. Just as an example, don’t wear a black suit to a 10am session unless you are doing photos in a formal setting. It probably won’t look right and you might feel uncomfortable in the hot sun!
- You can usually pull off casual/dressy attire any time of day, but late afternoon and evening are perfect for it!
- If you are doing a mid day session, avoid wearing white.

Jenny & Miguel's themed engagement photos in San Diego

Personal Style
- What do you do together? Do you play sports? Go out to dinner or clubs? Are you laid back and casual, fashion divas, or edgy? Thinking about how you usually dress when you go out together can help point you in the right direction.
- Are you going with a theme for your photo shoot? If you are a dreamer or creative mind, don’t be afraid to step into character with a themed photo shoot!
- How do you want to feel? Cute? Sexy? Romantic? Choose clothes that will evoke the kind of feeling you’re looking for in your engagement photos and also make you feel confident to work the camera!

Colors
- Some couples want to match for their session. That’s entirely up to you, but if you don’t match the colors should at least be complimentary.
- Solids are preferred over patterns because you want the focus to be on you and not be distracted by a busy shirt.
- Consider your location and what kind of colors might pop against the background.

Something Old vs. Something New
- Think about what you are going to wear in advance. Don’t wait until the morning of the session to decide because it may stress you out!
- Use this as an excuse to go shopping! Wearing something new will boost your confidence for the camera!
- Don’t forget to accessorize! Have fun with this!

The Reason For The Session
- What are you going to use your engagement photos for? Save The Dates? Guest book or matted print for signing at the wedding? Sharing online on your wedding website? If you think about how you want to use the photos that may also give you some ideas for your attire.

Since our engagement sessions last two hours, we usually suggest two different outfits – a casual one and a dressy one. That way you get the feeling of two completely different photo sessions and more variety! There are no real “rules” on your engagement photo attire. The most important thing is to make it the best reflection of you!

Posted in Engagements, Wedding Wednesday Topics | 3 Comments »

Angie & Johnny | Downtown Jacksonville Engagement Photos | Jacksonville Wedding Photographers

January 25, 2010

First, we met Johnny. He was sweet and shy and clearly a man in love. Then we met his sweetheart, Angie. She was bold and outgoing. The smile on her face when she talked about Johnny – HER Johnny – said it all. She melts when she thinks about her man!

It wasn’t until Angie & Johnny’s engagement photos in downtown Jacksonville that we actually saw them together for the first time! They were so cute together, like two teenagers crazy in love with each other! Even though the day ended with low clouds and no sunset, the city lights bounced in the haze and gave off a glow. It was a little chilly, but Angie & Johnny didn’t mind getting close and snuggling up for photos!

We had a lot of fun getting to know more about Angie & Johnny as a couple and can’t wait for their wedding this March! We know that it will be a truly blessed day! But until that day arrives, we are excited to share with you Angie & Johnny’s beautiful engagement photos in downtown Jacksonville!

Posted in Engagements | 13 Comments »

Naomie & Laymoun | Downtown Jacksonville Engagement Photos | Jacksonville Wedding Photographers

January 7, 2010

This week it is FREEZING in Jacksonville! Below freezing, in fact! I even heard there was a 50% chance of snow this week… in Florida!

I want to emphasize that it was really, really cold when we shot Naomie & Laymoun’s engagement photos in downtown Jacksonville. They rock for going out in that weather to take advantage of an amazing sunset and the beauty of Jacksonville’s Main Street Bridge! We shot at two locations in record time because their noses and fingers were about to fall off! Naomie is from the Bahamas and Laymoun is from Texas, so they are not fans of this crazy cold weather!

Even with all the cold, Naomie & Laymoun still proved to be hot stuff! We can’t wait for their wedding next month at the Garden Club of Jacksonville! Please send some WARM wishes to this sweet couple for their wedding day!

Downtown Jacksonville Engagement Photos | Main Street Bridge

Posted in Engagements, Video Slideshows | 3 Comments »

Beth & Mark in Jacksonville Magazine | Jacksonville Wedding Photographers

December 22, 2009

Today, we were so excited to find out from one of our favorite couples, Beth & Mark, that their wedding photo was included in the latest issue of Jacksonville Magazine! Check it out:

JacksonvilleMagazine2

The photo credit had a typo in my name (trust me, I realized in kindergarten how tough my name was to spell!) but they spelled the bride & groom’s names right, and that’s the important thing!

Beth & Mark had a very unique, beautiful wedding at the Jacksonville Zoo and we like to call them our “most photographed couple.” Check out their four, yes FOUR, photo sessions with us:

Engagement Photos at the Jacksonville Zoo

Engagement Photos in Destin

Wedding at the Jacksonville Zoo

Jacksonville Trash The Dress Photos

And just because they live in Italy now doesn’t mean there won’t be a fifth one. We’ve already looked into airfare!

It’s been an exciting year for Beth & Mark and we are so happy for them that it ends on such a high note! We are anxious to see what 2010 brings for this amazing couple! Hugs from home! : )

Wedding at the Jacksonville Zoo

Posted in Engagements, Trash The Dress, Wedding Networks, Weddings | 3 Comments »

Thank You For A Great Year!

December 18, 2009

As this year comes to a close, it’s only natural to reflect over the previous 12 months – the highs and the lows (hopefully more highs than lows), people you’ve met along the way, experiences that moved you, what you’ve learned, and moments that you will never forget. All this week, Matt & I have reflected on each of the engagements and weddings that we captured in 2009. We relived all of the laughs that we shared with our amazing couples and remembered the tears of joy that we’ve shed on the most important day of their lives. This year has been nothing short of amazing and we thought it would be fun to put together a collection of our favorite moments to share with all of you.

I imagine that the way we feel when we watch this video is much like the feeling our couples get when they watch the wedding slideshows that we create for them. With each frame, we are taken back to that particular moment in time. Is there anything more powerful? In fact, when Matt first sat down to watch the video I put together of all these memories, he got a little teary eyed. I have to admit that I do, too, when I watch this video.

We love sharing these memories with you, as so many of you have become our friends. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you for your friendship and for allowing us to be such an importrant part of your lives. Here’s a glimpse of how each of you has helped make 2009 so very special for us:

Congratulations again to all of our 2009 wedding couples:

We wish you all continued love and happiness in 2010!

And to our 2010 couples, we’re really looking forward to capturing your stories! Can you believe it? This time next year, we’ll be bragging about all of YOU!

All the best to you and your families this holiday season!

: ) Gwen & Matt

Posted in Destination Wedding, Engagements, Personal, Trash The Dress, Video Slideshows, Weddings | 9 Comments »

Sharonda & Javian | Jacksonville Engagement Photos | Jacksonville Wedding Photographers

December 15, 2009

Whoever said first impressions are everything LIED!

The first time we met Sharonda & Javian, they were so shy and quiet. However, we got to see the real side of them at their Jacksonville engagement photo session! They are silly, fun, outgoing, and so in love! There is never a dull moment with them because they enjoy each other’s company so much.

Seeing how perfect they are together, it’s surprising to find out that it wasn’t love at first sight for them! They met in the Navy and over time their professional relationship developed into friendship, and that friendship turned into love. That basis of friendship is apparent in the way they laugh together, and in their laughter they are saying, “This is my best friend – the one who makes every moment worth living for.”

And thank goodness that they ended up falling in love, because they look so great together! Due to crazy Jacksonville weather (sometimes we get all 4 seasons in just one week here!), we weren’t sure if the engagement session would be able to happen, but we ended up being blessed with a cloudy day that was perfect for photos! So glad that we were able to get to know Sharonda & Javian better and to capture their engagement before Javian goes out on deployment. We can’t wait for their wedding next year! I don’t want to give anything away, but it’s going to be very elegant and unique. Our friends at Alpha & Omega Event Consultants are helping to plan and coordinate the wedding so you know it will be amazing!

And now… their Jacksonville engagement photos!

Jacksonville Engagement Photos | Sharonda & Javian

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Posted in Engagements, Video Slideshows | 5 Comments »

Toni & Cedric | Downtown Jacksonville Engagement Photos | Jacksonville Wedding Photographers

November 15, 2009

When we first met Toni & Cedric, we hit it off immediately! They are so warm and genuine that you can’t help but feel at ease around them. From some teary moments to lots of laughter, we got to know them pretty well! It’s always a good sign when you go to shoot a couple’s engagement photos and you can say “Hey, we tried that beer you suggested and we love it!” And one of these days when the madness of wedding planning is over we’ll have to grab some beers together!

It’s also a good sign when you’re out shooting and traffic stops to ask if you’re shooting a commercial! Toni & Cedric brought the hotness for sure, and people definitely thought they were models! We shot their engagement photos in downtown Jacksonville. When the colder weather changed our plans of a beach session, we started to picture a session where they were all dressed up out on the town. Oh, they came PREPARED with wardrobe changes – accessories and all! I will just say there were several times where we wished we had an SUV. ; ) But it was perfect because we were able to do some really fun stuff in various spots throughout downtown.

We can’t wait for their wedding later this month, which is being coordinated by Alpha and Omega Event Consultants! It will be our last wedding of the 2009 season, and we know it will be a memorable one! : )

Downtown Jacksonville Engagement Photos

Posted in Engagements | 14 Comments »

Christie & Michael | Engagement Photos in St. Augustine | Jacksonville Wedding Photographers

October 27, 2009

Over the weekend we met up with Christie & Michael to shoot their engagement photos in St. Augustine. They both love to travel but St. Augustine is one of their favorites destinations for a day trip. With all its historic charm, it’s the perfect place to spend the day (and a great spot for photos!).

Being a week before Halloween, the Oldest City was crawling with people who were probably there to do one of the popular ghost tours so we used some more obscure spots for the photo session. Since it was so cloudy out it got dark earlier than expected so played around with some off-camera lighting. The pics are actually some of my faves, especially the one of Michael playing his guitar for Christie! He actually wrote a song for her! How sweet is that?!

We had so much fun hanging out in St. Augustine, especially to shoot photos of such a gorgeous and sweet couple! We can’t wait until their wedding next spring!

Posted in Engagements | 7 Comments »