wedding

Aurora.

There it sits, in the corner waiting to be brought to life for just this one day. Some might see the dress as just that, a dress.. a lifeless collection of beautiful fabrics, but I believe it to be more. I believe that the dress takes life even before she steps into it. As it sits there on the hanger, much like a muse of sorts, all of the energy that is building in this anticipation becomes a part of it. The tears of joy and the laughter amongst old friends as they share years of memories together, this energy becomes a part of everything around it. So that moment, when she steps in, is actually a transformation of energy or a magnetic reconnection, like an aurora. She literally becomes electric, and she can not help being beautiful. Not because of the fabric, or the makeup, or the hair, but because this is it. This is when it all becomes real. 

giveaway giveaway giveaway!!!

attention all fiancé/fiancées!!!

I have some crazy news for you all...


I have decided to give away a

WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY PACKAGE in 2015!!!


I know.. totally nuts. But I have been wanting to do something like this for a while now and this just felt like the right time. Sooooo if you or someone you know wants to enter, here's how:

To qualify to enter the giveaway you must;

  • be getting married in 2015
  • be located in the New England or New York area(travel and accommodation fees still apply)

If on Facebook, you must;

  • like Jennifer Marcuson Beauty and Photography's business page
  • hare the link with the contest details to your own page
  • include in your repost of the contest details a note asking your friends to leave a comment beneath as to why they feel you deserve to win the giveaway

If on Instagram, you must;

  • follow @jenniferlynnmarcuson
  • ike the giveaway info post and tag two friends below it
  • copy and repost the giveaway image with the tags @jenniferlynnmarcuson #jlmweddingphotogiveaway2015 with a note asking your friends to leave a comment beneath as to why they feel you should win the giveaway

Finally, all participants will be required to send an email to jennifer@jennifermarcuson.com including the following;

  • names, ages, and location of the couple
  • wedding details; date, location, inspiration or theme
  • our story: how did you meet? the proposal?
  • why is photography important to you?

Entries will be accepted through 11:59 p.m. EST on February 10th  2015, when I will be narrowing down the participants to the top three of my choice. I will then invite my mailing list, facebook, and instagram audiences to cast their votes for the couple they feel should win the giveaway! The winner will be announced at 12 noon EST on February 16th 2015.


Don't be shy! I love details and the more information you give me, the better I will be able to choose the right couple(s) for this giveaway!! I can't wait to hear all of your stories!!!

xoxo Jennifer

behind the bridal scenes.

This is the part of a wedding day that not everyone gets to see, or even experience. This is my favorite part. It is intimate, exciting, stressful, and fun. It is emotional. It is a bonding time between friends before the big moment. It is mom's last few moments with her daughter before she watches her walk down the aisle. It is the girl time. It is hair and makeup and nails and princess dresses and flowers and champagne and chocolate covered strawberries. It is the recount of embarrassing college memories that only these girls will ever know about. These are the last moments before the BIG moment. This part is important, and I am so grateful to have been able to share in so many of these moments with so many brides over the years. Jennifer Casserino-Misciagno and I had the honor of dressing all of the hair for this gorgeous wedding at the end of August in Hartford, CT. I brought my camera along to document the hair for our personal portfolios, and just couldn't help myself in-between styling girls.. I had to sneak a few shots of everyone. This group of ladies had such a positive energy about them, (not to mention that they were all adorable). And my multi-talented friend Meaghan Ryan picked up the camera for me at the very end to grab a few shots of me styling the bride, which was amazing!

These are the kinds of images I love the most; the ones that feel like there was never even a camera in the room. These are the images that tell the best, most truthful stories.

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hair: Jennifer Marcuson: the artist and Jennifer Casserino-Misciagno of Strand Salon CT

makeup: Laura Clement of Naomi's Studio and Salon in West Hartford, CT

Dayna and Scott

I was up until 4 am Wednesday night finishing editing, uploading, and sharing these images. I have to say, I am honestly nervous about posting them publicly.. Something about it seems so unsafe, and makes me feel so vulnerable. Like you put your heart and soul into something, to then put it in the hands of people who may not have the kindest response to it is kind of intimidating, especially considering this is the very first wedding I have ever photographed. I have done hair and makeup for countless brides and bridal parties over the years, and I have worked beside the photographer many many times, but this was the first time I actually did both! (Yes, I did her hair and makeup too...) So yes, I am slightly nervous about putting it all out there. I did put so much into this entire process. Time, elbow grease, heart, and soul. From the actual day of the wedding, to the editing process, I had my work cut out for me. Not to mention that combined between my wonderful friend, Jason Langevin (who came to second shoot for me), and myself, I had over 2500 images to sort through, choose, and edit. I never realized how much work goes into photographing a wedding, and I have to say, I learned sooooo much from this experience. Yes, I learned how difficult certain lighting situations can be during an outdoor wedding on a bright sunny day in late June, and how quickly the moments fly by that you barely have time to think about the settings on your camera(which is why it is so important to know your shit!). I also learned some new little techniques and work flow tips in the editing process which I know will prove beneficial to me in the future. But I also learned some things that go beyond the craft of photography.

I was reminded of how true love, and solid relationships(family or otherwise) are irreplaceable and should never be taken for granted. I was reminded that distance can never hurt a true friendship. True love and friendship goes beyond miles, beyond oceans. I was shown what we, as human beings, can accomplish when we come together and work TOGETHER. Watching Dayna and Scott and their two families and all of their friends come together on this incredible family compound in Wardsboro, Vermont to build, cook, create, and put into fruition a day that Dayna and Scott had dreamed of was so inspiring.

We arrived around 9:30 that morning and the house was already in full swing. We watched, with a lens covering one eye of course, everyone playing their parts. Dayna's brother making the music playlists, grandmas, moms, aunts, and uncles bustling away cooking EVERYTHING for the party of 120+, the bridesmaids wrapping silverware, and the dads and groomsmen moving logs and setting tables and chairs. The cake arrived from Montpelier in a friends car just an hour before the ceremony and still had to be iced! So my amazing friend Patrick Langevin, (who was also the wedding coordinator), took up the task without hesitation, even though he had NEVER frosted a cake before in his life. My dear dear friend from childhood, who also happens to be Patrick's sister and Jason's wife, volunteered to 'man' the DJ station. And everything unraveled beautifully. I mean, it was seriously perfect.

And then of course, there were Dayna and Scott. Just to be able to see the joy on their faces as people rolled up the driveway from all over the world was a privilege. They had friends from Ireland, Costa Rica, California, and elsewhere all came in for the big day. And the love that they continued to gently exude for one another throughout the day.. without direction. Words could not describe it. Just honest, beautiful, magical love. It was magical. And I'm not just saying that. It was. A wedding is a magical, beautiful, special time and the images that a couple gets after that day shouldn't just consist of perfectly lit, posed family photos(although those are important too). They should tell the story. They should capture the truth. They should bring tears to our eyes as we flip through them because they transport us right back to that very place over and over again. This is what I was aiming for. This is what we set out to achieve that hot Vermont morning in June.

I received this in an email back from Dayna yesterday morning after I sent her the gallery, and my heart almost burst. I think this is why people love doing this. It's all right here;

"...So I am half way through the set up and I am crying. Just wanted you to know that I can't even describe the personal touch that you have. The shots capture everyone's heart and you didn't even know them. They are so special...."

My heart was so full of joy that day. And again as I have relived the moments through the editing process, I am reminded of all of that love. I am reminded of its beauty, its magic, and its power.. which is why I know I HAVE to share these images, regardless of how vulnerable it makes me feel.

Thank you, Dayna and Scott for inviting me to be a part of telling this story. Thank you for believing in me and my vision. I wish you both not just the best in life, but the strength to stick through the crappy parts too, to come out on the other end better and stronger and happier. This is love. xo

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photography: Jennifer Marcuson and Jason Langevin

image editing: Jennifer Marcuson

all images copyright of Jennifer Marcuson: the artist