I am so excited to share today and tomorrow’s post with you guys! As some of you know, one of the reasons I started this blog was to not only share all the amazing photography and creative + fashionable weddings out there, but to also start styling and designing my own events. Well, today I’m excited to share a One Year Anniversary Love Shoot with you guys. And not just any one Year Anniversary session, it’s mine. :) Yep, for all of you that read the blog and are married, I know a lot of you wish you had fun engagement photos and I hear you and wanted to let you know you can have fun photos, to celebrate your anniversary.
My husband and I celebrated one year of marriage this past September and I really want to make sure we have some great photos of the two of us – and then our family once we start that adventure. So, I talked with my friend and amazing photographer Caroline Tran about doing a session together. I would style our shoot, and she would photograph it. For the session, I really wanted to capture some of our favorite things we love to do as a couple – especially things we did in the first year of marriage. I know you probably just want to see the photos, but I’m also going to share some of what went into the planning and design of the session – because a lot did go into it! I hope you enjoy..
First, Jason (that’s my hubby) and I talked about what things we loved doing together and things we did in year one of marriage – hikes in Malibu, cooking, listening to music, photography, reading, and travel. I also wanted the shoot to have a bit of a vintage feel (of course!). We decided for the first part, we would do a picnic scene in Malibu – perfect to capture all the times we hiked in that area and our love for relaxing outside. Caroline suggested a few locations, so one Saturday, Jason and I went out to scope out the areas. We drove all over looking for the perfect place. I really wanted the picnic to be under a big tree – location is so very important! And we found it – the location was amazing…
I called our session A Love Story and designed the book to capture that. We did the shoot on a Sunday, so early Saturday morning I went to the LA Flower Market and selected lots of flowers for the numerous bouquets you will see in the photos. You need to get up super early for the flower market – and thank you to my wonderful hubby for waking me up and coming along :), but it is AMAZING. I can’t wait to go back, so much to pick from. I recommend having a plan for what you want or you might get overwhelmed. I knew I wanted to create a vintage-inspired bouquet for the picnic session and some more alternative rustic bouquets for the sessions I’m sharing tomorrow, but I was also open to see what flowers were in season. I have definitely fallen in love with floral design while styling this shoot – it was one of my favorite parts. :)
Once we had the location, it was off to thrift stores, ebay, and Home Goods to find the perfect props for the picnic. It takes a lot longer than you might think to find the perfect blanket, suitcases, vintage books, a camera, vases, and more. I also made a trip to Whole Foods for some gorgeous fruit to add to the picnic – yum!
The clothes. So important. The dress I’m wearing is from Anthropologie – it matched the blanket and overall color scheme perfectly- and I loved the pops of color. Jason is wearing a shirt form his personal collection of shirts with Mek jeans.
See? I knew it had to be under a tree – how amazing is this location??!! And the light was perfect. We actually did this session the first weekend in November and it was about 95 degrees! Crazy hot. Also, mad props to Caroline with her eye for this location. We both thought the hill would work, but it wasn’t until I saw her test photos, that I was sold.
With my love of photography, I really wanted to incorporate this vintage camera into the session. Props like this make for some great photos. The camera really did work too – and we had fun playing with it.
My amazing hair and makeup was done by the team at Fiore Beauty. They are so great! They will come to your house or hotel and get you all pretty. I knew I wanted my hair to be loose and wavy and I loved how it turned out. Ok, the drinks. Jason LOVES Izze drinks. One day I dragged him to an Art Show and he drank 5 of these! I love the design of them and knew we had to include them. I also purchased some of those fabulous gray and white striped straws from Urbanic to use.
I know, everyone is tired of the big balloons, but I still love them – and that is all that is important – what you like! Although, with the amazing trees here, I think the balloon gets a bit lost. Not really needed. Well, it ended up popping anyways when Jason held it a little too close to the tree, but I still love the photo below. It looks like we are in some magical world!
I am SO thrilled with how these turned out. I don’t think of myself as very photogenic, but Caroline managed to capture us perfectly. It’s exactly how I want to remember our first amazing year together as husband and wife. I can not recommend her more highly! She has even more photos from this session on her blog today, so be sure to head over there and check them out.
I hope this gives a little more background as to what goes into some of the amazing photo shoots I feature on the blog, and what a stylist does. It’s really a chance to get a one-of-a-kind editorial piece of the two of you. A stylist can help with engagement photos, anniversary photos, or your entire wedding. Check back tomorrow for Part 2 of the Styled Love Shoot where music is the overall theme.
OMFG You are amazing! (and gorgeous too!) what a fabulous shoot–the styling, the mood, everything!
and i totally hear you about not getting a fun engagement session–I've been thinking the exact same thing about doing an anniversary sesh. glad to know i'm not the only one longing to participate in my very own modeling session :)
Not photogenic! You're gorgeous Jen! Good job.
I love the behind-the-scenes insight. And the styling and the photography in these are gorgeous (not to mention the both of you!). Lovely all around. Thank you for sharing.
Hi Jen…you did an AWESOME job and you and your hubby are too cute…congrats on your one year anniversary…xoxo
Thanks for sharing these! That's such a wonderful idea for an anniversary. Beautiful!
This is such a cool shoot (love all the details you two thought of)! Thanks for sharing Jen!
Happy (belated) Anniversary! I am in love with the idea, the shoot, the style everything. Kudos Jen and Caroline!
this is absolutely wonderful. what fun you must've had, putting the whole thing together! the details and overall mood are fantastic. you must have a wonderfully patient husband… my fiance barely stood for our engagement shoot, which wasn't even too involved! congratulations!
Congratulations on your anniversary. Such a sweet idea for a shoot, and a great way to mark the occasion.
Thanks so much everyone! And Ashley, you are right. I have the most amazing and supportive husband. He was such a great help bouncing ideas off of, driving around location scouting, tagging along while I had him model clothes (more of those tomorrow), getting up early to go to the flower market, AND giving up a Sunday when there was football on to drive up to Malibu for the photo shoot. I love you Jason and thank you :)
jen you are cute as a button in person AND via the internet!!! i am SOOOO glad you and jason were able to capture that first year of marriage in a way that is so uniquely YOU! fabulous job!! xoxo, c
Beautiful! I love everything.
I absolutely love this! You look so gorgeous! Such a great idea to capture the your first year of marriage! The vintage feel is also so fantastic!
Love it, love it, love it! Everything turned out beautiful and love the idea of capturing each year in a meaningful way.
Beautiful! You look amazing! Do you have your wedding pictures posted on your site? I couldn't find them. Would love to see them, too!
Darling shoot! You look gorgeous, the location is beautiful & the styling is fun! Looking forward to seeing more pretty bouquets tomorrow! XO
everything about this is PERFECT. You two are gorgeous together and look so happy and peaceful! I can't stop staring at the pictures– can't wait to see what you show us tomorrow!
First of all, you two are flawless! This session is awesome and most importantly, I think you bring up a great point. Couples can always have amazing photos of themselves, whether its before, during, or after their engagement and wedding day.
Love this!! I love how you incorporated things that you guys did together during your first year of marriage. Such an heirloom this will be! Can't wait to see part II tomorrow.
I am in love with this post! Loved all the photos, personal details, and inspiring design! Can't wait for tomorrow's post!
Just started following you last wednesday and wow! I love your site and I have been checking it every day! This shoot of you and your husband is so sweet and very inspirational! You gave me lots of great ideas for my fiancee and I for our engagements and maybe an anniversary shoot too! :)
Thanks!
These are so gorgeous and you two are such a beautiful couple! I love the idea of having an anniversary shoot. Oh and I still love giant balloons too…there are people out there "over" cupcakes but they are still my favorite way to serve (and eat!) cake so I still plan to use them for our wedding. I agree that you should do what you like no matter what other people think.
Thanks for always putting such amazing inspiration on your blog.
i mean of course its phenomenal. it has YOU all over it. love it Jen and you look beautiful!!
Gorgeous!!! You are gorgeous lady!!! Delicious all around!
I don't think this could be any cuter!
Wow! I can't wait till my one year anniversay. :-)I was so inspired…and I just did the "fun engagement shoot!" Incredible pictures! and such a goreous place to take them!! Congrats!
seriously gorgeous shoot. great job styling!
awesome job as always to caroline.
These photos are … insanely beautiful. I'm so glad you posted them. Beautiful job with the styling–and the photography is amazing!! Congrats to you both on your one-year anni!
perfect. beautiful images…
really cute session. :)
These are beautiful! I love all the little things you included, including the colorful fruit!
you two are adorable. congrats on your one year and a completely gorgeous shoot! :) a
Absolutely adorable!! I love that dress- I tried it on and it looked terrible on me, but it looks so stinkin cute on you! I love all of the props- great job Jen!
Completely charming and beautiful! You did a great job with the styling and picked the perfect location. So amazing!
Jen this shoot is amazing! You and your hubby both look awesome and you look super photogenic to me too! Caroline did such a great job, I love all the details, especially the Izze drinks! I love the Grapefruit ones… so delish! The vintage camera is perfect too. Cannot wait to see tomorrow's post! xoxo
Jen! I can't believe that you think you are not photogenic. These are fabulous! Romantic, beautiful, creative. This makes me so happy! What a great idea to have anniversary photos. I am so excited about styling my own photo shoots now. Thank you for sharing the behind-the-scenes with us! I am loving it! – Rachel N. B.
You are ADORABLE! How fun! I want you to style a photo shoot for me now. :)
WOW! You and your hubby are so beautiful, I see gorgeous babies in your future! This shoot is fantastic, way to go!! I am super excited for me and my hunny's engagement shoot in two months. I rack my brain and scour sites daily trying to figure out what to wear…I mean I'm going to be looking at these forever, ahhhh decisions decisions!
Thank you for sharing!!
Love your anniversary shoot ! Caroline did a wonderful job capturing the two of you !
Very well done!!! I know how difficult it is to please the client when you're styling- it must've been insane to do it all for yourself. But, isn't it great to take the images in your head and make them happen!?!! What a beautiful concept and a fun way to spend the day with the honey hubby! keep up the great work!
My husband & I missed out on an engagement shoot so we have been talking about doing an anniversary shoot for our 1 year. Your photos are fantastic – the styling and shots are absolutely stunning. Thank you for giving some wonderful inspiration for our shoot! x
Absolutely gorgeous photos! Simply stunning, I love everything about them!
I think we need an Anthropologie in the UK, your dress is too cute!
absolutely beautiful, gorgeous light, lovely lovely photos.
What a Lovely shoot! My fiance and I have yet to have engagment pictures taken yet and I don't know what kind of direction we will go in. but this is a great start for ideas! I love all the color!
First of all it turned out GORGEOUS.
Second, we have the same dress. *Wink*
So sweet…love her nose ring. and i love the landscape!
Jen and Jason!!! How beautiful is this!?! Now that Tony and Amy are engaged too we are both drooling and obsessively turning to your blog for inspiration. Just such sweet and tender. Congratulations on the anniversary! – Bianca.
Oh my goodness Jen, I am literally- one hundred percent- breathless! I know that is a term bloggers use way too often, but I truly cannot describe how amazing this is! The styling is *perfection* the shots are amazing and you, my dear, are absolutely gorgeous! Cannot wait for more! xoxo!
These are great! love the styling…oh to live in sunny califorina. ; )
Congrats.
Jillian
I just love Anthropologie…the dress is super cute!
Simply Amazing. Beautiful!
i loved loved loved these pictures! and you wrote so lovingly about the whole session (well, obviously :D ). making off's are my passion and this was such an interesting read! thank you for sharing and you guys are gorgeus!
greetings from the northpole, well not quite, finland really but its close enough :)
I'm so late catching up on blogs…but this is GORGEOUS!!! You look beautiful and the whole design + concept is perfection!! xo
Absolutely gorgeous! i LOVE all the styling details!
oh WOW. what road is this off of in malibu?!? my fiance and I are going to be doing our engagement session next month, and I have been searching all over the place for a location with this feel and intimacy. if you could share, I would SOOO appreciate it! THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!
Lori
[email protected]
I second that, I'm from Simi Valley (fairly close to Malibu) and my fiancee & I are scoping out areas to do a shoot like what you have so beautifully done. Would appreciate any tips or location ideas you have!
Stephanie
[email protected]
Looks like a blast….
I would have loved to do the flowers or it
sounds like you had fun though
fantasy floral designs
I love this!!! I also love the blue bottle. I was wondering if anyone knows where i could find it. I would love it for my wedding… Thanks for the help…
Larissa – The blue bottle was bought from Home Goods. I was there the other day and they still have some there. Good luck!
Pictures for a lifetime! Such a classic, rustic and beautiful shoot/picnic!
I absolutely love this location! I’m from westlake about to shoot my engagement photos, could you share with me the location?! it’s just too perfect!
Thanks!
Hi Erin – It’s at the gorgeous Paramount Ranch :)
Great shoot thanks to a lot