I’m back with my favorite things about Fullerton. Right now, what’s making me smile is my bedroom.
When I moved in, I didn’t do anything to my room. I mean, I didn’t even hang anything on the walls. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with it so I focused on the other rooms of the house first. But recently, I got a vision! So it was time to paint…… PINK! I know, everyone I told that to looked at me weird! But I promised them it was pretty.
Here’s what my room looked like before.
And here it is now. I just love the color and the whole feel of it. It’s a little hard to tell the color here. I still need to get curtains, but it just makes me smile. Every. Day. The bedding is from Target. Oh, and my sheets…. they are awesome! They’re organic cotton sheets from the Home collection at Target. I didn’t buy them because they’re organic, but because they are so stinkin’ soft! I love them!
I’m just in love with this pillow I ran across at Target just a few weeks ago.
I got these little drawings from Jeanne. I don’t know the history on them, but since she traveled so much, I’ve decided that she got them in Paris on one of her trips.
And these are just some photos from my various trips. It’s just some jute twine and curtain clip things.
My roommate showed me a photo of a cool earring hanger that her brother made for his wife. So I copied the idea. It’s just an old frame that I spray painted and hot glued some screen in the back.
August 27, 2010 - 1:17 pmBlair Van Bussel - Your room looks so beautiful! :)
August 27, 2010 - 1:23 pmSaraMac - I LOVE IT!!! Everything, from the rosette pillow to the photos and the cute vintage hats and beaded purse. Oh, I wish I could get away with a girly room but Danny would not have it! My awesome cousin has a blog devoted to creative home improvement. It may bring some more fun ideas! http://www.prettyhandygirl.com/
I mean… could they be any cuter? I don’t think so.
I can’t tell you what an honor it was to get to photograph Mark & Marissa’s wedding. First, because they are just wonderful people. Second, because this was my second wedding in this family. What a compliment to be trusted to tell the story of not one, but two of the most important days in this family’s life.
But mostly, it was just an honor to be there and witness the love between these two. The vows, which they wrote themselves, were just beautiful. I don’t think there was a dry eye in the house when Mark teared up as he said his vows. My friend Karey, who was shooting with me that day, said, “Seeing how they are with each other makes me even more excited to get married.” I couldn’t agree more.
I had never been to Liberty Station, but it was really cool. The North Chapel, built in 1942 by the US Navy, was absolutely charming. Such a cool place for a wedding.
Mark & Marissa decided to see each other before the ceremony, which gave us plenty of time to get lots of great photos of the two of them.
Right before Mark & Marissa were to recite their vows, which they had written, the pastor said, “Mark, do you remember how I told you that at least one thing would go wrong today? Well, do you happen to have the copy of your vows on you?” When Mark said no, the pastor had to run to his bag to get them! Luckily it wasn’t far and I was in my stealthy sniper position and got a shot of it!
Thank you, you two, for having me. I think you’re both great and it was such a joy to be a part of your day.
I met up with Charlie and Betty in Laguna Beach recently for their engagement session. Just so you know, Laguna is REALLY crowded this time of year. So all of us had been sitting in a bunch of traffic, wondering if we were going to make it in time. I saw Betty walking as fast as she could in her heels down the sidewalk to meet me. Apologizing for being late and obviously flustered from the traffic she asked, “Can we pray before we get started?” Absolutely. As Charlie prayed for our time together I thought, “This is getting off to a great start” and “I love my clients!”
I had a great time with Betty & Charlie. They are super cute!
To anyone who knows me well, it is no secret….. I love musical theater. I LOOOOOVE musical theater. I love everything about it. I even like bad theater! Even just the process of buying tickets, maybe going to dinner before the show, finding my seats, and, in a small theater, the smell of fresh paint from the sets. I have a couple of friends who I like to go to the theater with because during intermission and after the performance we’ll analyze the show, the actors performances, what we thought they did well, what the writer was trying to get across and if they were successful at it. Kinda like a sports fan would pick apart a game. I do that with a play.
So it kinda makes sense why I love to go to New York. BROADWAY!!!!! When I’ve gone to New York in the past, people that don’t know me as well as I thought they did will ask me, “Oh! Did you see any shows?” Did I see any shows? I want to look at them like they just asked the dumbest question that could ever be asked and say, “Why else would anyone go to New York?” But I don’t because, ONE, that would be very rude, and TWO, I do realize there are other reasons to go to New York. I will, however, politely tell them which shows I saw and will often tell them the story of the time I was there and saw SIX shows in FIVE days. Or the time I went to Aruba and stopped through NY “one the way”. We were there for less than 24 hours and I managed to see two shows AND have lunch with a childhood friend. We mean business, I tell you.
So I thought, since my love of theater is such a huge part of me, I would bring it here and share it with you, my friends! I’d love to share some of my favorite musicals or musical moments with you. And maybe if you see one of those shows come to town, whether at a big or a small theater, you might want to go see it.
My first Theater Thursday focuses on my latest obsession, In the Heights. I saw it at the Pantages about a month ago and loved it! I almost saw in in February when I was in NY, but I decided to wait since I knew it was coming here. And I SO glad I did, since the guy who wrote it and starred in it on Broadway did it here! Not to mention, Corbin Bleu from High School Musical was playing the lead guy and there’s no way he was as good as the original.
In the Heights won the 2008 Tony for Best Musical and is the story of a little community in Washington Heights, an area in northern Manhattan. I wasn’t sure about the semi-rap elements of the music at first, but now I love it and Lin Manuel Miranda was such a treat. The music from the show, with its Latin flair, is meant to reflect the culture of that area. The dancing was awesome and I loved the messages of the importance of community, finding one’s place and ultimately, discovering home.
August 15, 2010 - 7:27 pmstarshine - I LOVED In the Heights, too! We saw it here in Houston this spring.
The first time I listened to the CD (before I saw it), I cried by the end because the story was so moving. I just love Usnavi!
So glad you saw it there with the original actor!
xoxoxoxoxo and miss you, my theatre lovin' friend!
I met Megan almost two years ago when I photographed Kyle & Taryn’s wedding. She was maid of honor and what I remembered most about her, other than her fun spirit, was how how this girl loved to dance! Fast forward a year or so, I got an email from Megan telling me she’s getting married! Come to find out, Megan, who lived in California,had met Adam online (side note-this is the 3rd wedding I’ve done this year for a couple that met online). Adam told me that he thought Megan was the hottest girl on the site, so he wrote her right away! Megan enjoyed writing this sweet and handsome guy who lived in Wisconsin………
……WISCONSIN?!?!?! Yep. A couple of months later, Adam flew out to California to visit for a week. It didn’t even take a day for them both to know, this was the one they wanted to spend the rest of their lives with. Adam went home and bought a ring! Soon after that, Megan decided to move to Wisconsin to be near her sweetheart. Adam came out to help her move and proposed.
A year and a half later, Megan waited in the bride’s room, with the most gorgeous light streaming in. Her father, who has MS, was determined to be able to walk his daughter down the aisle. And he did.
It was all sweet and wonderful and emotional….. until it came to the cake cutting. This was the biggest cake smoosh I’ve ever seen in person! As Megan went to the restroom to clean up, someone said, “You’d better be down on your knee apologizing when she comes out!” So that’s what he did. It was hilarious!
August 10, 2010 - 3:25 pmAmber Fox - Awesome face planting shots. Super fun! I especially love the photo under the stain glass window. Beautiful!
August 10, 2010 - 3:27 pmSara Mac - These are great! That is a MAJOR cake smoosh, can't even see her nostrils! Seems like they are starting marriage off on the right foot, with a sense of humor :)
August 10, 2010 - 3:40 pmTamie Gonzalez - Jen, you make me want to go get married all over again!! Hmmm...2nd honeymoon for you to shoot? Perhaps? :)
August 11, 2010 - 11:18 amClaudia Kirsch - Jen, You are right it was the best/worst cake smooch ever. But aside from the cake, the photos are amazing! You did also have the most beautiful Bride ever! The individual shots of Megan, the details of her dress, the one with the petals falling (my personal favorite set), the touching moments of dancing with her Dad, the one with Adam and Megan hugging, and the "dancing fiend" how can you get so much story, personality, emotion and excitement in pictures? You are a true artist! Thank so much for your time, your work and the individuality. Claudia Kirsch (mom)
August 11, 2010 - 11:28 amJulia Rapisardi - That was a fun and beautiful wedding! Megan and Adam looked great and we all had a blast. Great job on the pictures Jen!
August 11, 2010 - 1:49 pmGem - Love the one with the flower petals in the air! It feels like joy!
August 14, 2010 - 1:28 amKim - I personally like the one with the petals in the air also.
August 17, 2010 - 6:24 pmMolly W. - That IS a crazy cake smoosh if I've ever seen one! LOVE that shot of the petals coming down, freaking rad.
Well, it’s been a while since I’ve posted. Things have been crazy around here. My mom had her hip replaced a few weeks ago so I’ve been running back and forth to Covina to visit and help out. In between that, I’ve had a bunch of shoots that I can’t wait to share with you all!
But first….. it’s been a long time since I’ve done an update on my house! I’ve been doing some little projects over the last little bit and here’s one of them.
Jeanne, who had lived across the street from my parents since before my mom & dad moved in 40 years ago, passed away a few months ago. She was an intriguing, independent woman with gumption! She worked for American Airlines from the time that she graduated from USC as a young woman, til she retired. I used to love to go visit her and hear her talk about her childhood and her many adventures around the world. And I always loved her house. And she liked to hear about what I was doing for work and where I was traveling.
When she passed away, I got a few things from her house. One of them was this little dining set that I found stacked in her garage. Here’s the before and after.
And here’s what it looks like at night in my magical backyard! Anyone wanna come over for dinner?
I also found this chandelier at Jeanne’s house. It’s the perfect final touch!
August 13, 2010 - 11:37 pmally michele - i like you jen disney! i've been thinking of recent that I need some more jen disney in my life! I'd like to sign up for dinner with jen disney please! :) i'd like to sit on a jen disney original chair and feast and talk life. please, jen disney, let me know when this bliss can happen!!! :) happy day friend!!
August 17, 2010 - 6:23 pmMolly W. - Um yes please! Your talents are limitless aren't they my friend?
6 years ago I bought some hydrangea plants at the flower mart to put on the stage at my aunt’s wedding. Two of the plants survived…. and how!
They survived moves to two different apartments. I thought I had killed them off many times, but they just kept coming back!
Finally…. they got a permanent home…. in the ground. And they are thriving. I cut one of the blooms for my client meeting room the other day and… well… it’s just been making me happy ever since.
July 27, 2010 - 10:51 pmStephanie - Hydrangea are beautiful. They change color with the acidity in your soil. Try changing your soil from time to time and see if they change color. So pretty.
If you have never been to an Indian celebration, you need to figure out a way to get yourself invited to one! They are so fun! I recently had the pleasure of photographing Sheel & Neha’s Garba at the Yorba Linda Community Center. Garba is an Indian dance where the people dance in a circle, often around a central lamp. In preparation for the wedding, Sheel and Neha’s faminly and friends gathered for an evening of dancing. Palak and Simmy are close family friends, so it was fun to see them there!
Sheel and Neha are getting married in New Jersey this coming weekend! I hope your weekend is wonderful, guys!
So much beautiful color and exquisite detail. Oh… and Sheel took care of planning a lot of the details since Neha lives in New Jersey. Not bad, huh? Maybe he should think about doing some event planning on the side!
We got a few minutes to get some fun portraits of Sheel and Neha. Dang……. what a great looking couple!
They did this whole choreographed routine that was AWESOME!!!! Their whole family rocked it!
I tell ya….. everywhere I turn people that met on eharmony are getting married! I’ve photographed 10 couples who have met on various online sites. Mark & Marissa make it 11 and are my 4th eharmony couple!
I met Marissa and Mark at Marissa’s sister Alisa’s wedding in September. I remember taking a this photo of them dancing…..
…. and thinking, “These two are awfully cute! I hope they get married and I hope I get to shoot their wedding!” And I get to!
Marissa had been on eharmony all of 2 days when Mark contacted her! They emailed back and forth for a couple of weeks and decided to meet. They decided to meet in Coronado, close to where Marissa lived. They walked along the water and stopped at a particular bench where they sat and talked…. and talked…..
When Mark wanted to ask Marissa to be his wife, he decided to return to where it all started…. that particular bench. It had been raining all week, and since the weather had finally cleared up, Mark suggested they go on a walk before church. Marissa didn’t suspect a thing! He said a few really nice things about her and once they got to THE bench, Mark asked Marissa to marry him. They never made it to church that day. Instead, spending the afternoon celebrating with family.
Mark and Marissa are getting married next month in San Diego and I can’t wait! I feel so blessed to get to be a part of their day!
I’m pretty sure he likes kissing her.
Marissa…. you are too cute!
Then we went and got some pizza. But I’m really glad I kept my camera with me. You never know when you’re going to come across this:
June 16, 2010 - 10:47 pmPeyton Cooke - I really like these pix! The posing was not what you see every day and you pulled it off. Beautiful couple! :) They look like they're in loooooove! <3
June 16, 2010 - 11:01 pmgina lee - aaaw.. I love Balboa park.. :) beautiful couple.. beautiful photography jenn... :)
June 17, 2010 - 9:33 amChristine - What a lovely couple! And captured so beautifully, not that we're surprised. :) What a gift.
June 18, 2010 - 3:41 pmeHarmony_jack - Jen, what a great collection of photos of this happy eHarmony couple. You captured a lot in these. We’d like to invite you and Mark and Marissa to also share these on our Facebook page if you haven’t already: http://www.facebook.com/eharmony. -Jack
by Jen
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