| Amanda & Chad | Engagement Photos Decatur IL | Sarah Jane Photography |

Say hello to Amanda & Chad! They are ENGAGED (whoohoo)!!!! I’m so excited about their fall 2014 wedding, and honored to be a part of their big day. Amanda and I hit it off right away and I was thrilled when they decided I was the photographer for them. For the best engagement ring to give for your loved one just visit Vintage Engagement Rings. It was a gorgeous day so we decided to hang out around Allerton Park for their session (just like for Kiersten’s senior session that I posted yesterday).

I love that locations like Allerton offer so much variety that you can have countless sessions there without producing images that look exactly the same. Decatur is full of gorgeous areas to photograph from the parks and lake areas to the downtown city scape and even grungy back alleys, the possibilities are endless.

Be sure to head over to the Sarah Jane Photography facebook page to see more images from Amanda & Chad’s engagement session and check out their personal gallery where you can show them some love and LIKE their images to help them earn more posts.

Kelly & Josh | Decatur, IL Wedding | Sarah Jane Photography

There are a few churches in Decatur that when I hear are wedding venues for my lovely couples I start to salivate a little (too much information)… like seriously, these are the stop in your tracks gorgeous ‘could shoot inside all day and never get tired of this’ type churches and First United Methodist is one of those churches. Not only is their sanctuary simply stunning but their bridal room is breathtaking and when you add in a beautiful bride dressed to impress you can’t miss.

And that was just the start to my day with Kelly & Josh (and the amazing people they call family and friends). Take a look at what we created on their lovely day….

Why did you choose Sarah Jane Photography? | “We loved your style of shooting. You were very easy to work with as far as helping plan a timeline for the wedding day and getting the shots we for sure wanted.”

What’s your favorite SJP product? | “I loved the time and detail you put into the slideshows. I’m really glad we used one for our wedding ceremony as it provided a little something unique for our day.”

What would you tell another couple thinking about booking SJP for their wedding? | “Every couple has their own taste for every little detail when it comes to wedding planning and the photography is no exception. I would tell them to ‘go with their gut.’ and if they do choose SJP they won’t be disappointed.”

Would you choose SJP to photograph your wedding if you had to do it again? | “Yes. The pictures you took were beautiful and you helped me organize the whole day.”

Who made your event unforgettable?

1. The DJ, Justin Ford. We were very specific in what kind of music we wanted played during dinner and dancing. All country during dinner and all upbeat dance music after.

2. Sweet Life Bakery (Now called Mowery Baking Company). Our cake/cupcakes were awesome looking and tasted amazing. They have recently moved into a building downtown as their business is expanding.

3. Shirley’s in Mt Zion did a great job of helping me design a bouquet that looked beautiful and would withstand the August heat! They will work with any bride on a budget but I thought they were very reasonably priced anyway.

Get the inside look at Kelly & Josh’s big day:

Vendor List:

• Ceremony Venue:  First United Methodist Church
• Rehearsal Dinner Venue:  Paco’s Sol Bistro
  
• Reception Venue:  Masonic Temple
• Caterer:  Chef Tippy’s
  
• Cake:  Sweet Life (Mowery Baking Co.)
  
• DJ:  Justin Ford
• Dress Shop (your dress): Formals of Litchfield
  
• Dress Shop (bridesmaids): Formals of Litchfield
• Guys Apparel: Seno Formalwear
• Flowers: Shirley’s Flower Shoppe

Rachel + Patrick | Engagement Portraits Jefferson City MO | Sarah Jane Photography

Even though we’ve now been in Decatur IL for 3 years now we are still Missourians at heart (sorry Illinois, home will always be home) so I LOVE the opportunity to go back and photograph Missouri weddings, especially when they are in my hometown!

We had a beautiful day for Rachel & Patrick’s engagement session at Binder Park and these two were a blast to work with. Aren’t Rachel’s eyes stunning?!?! You’ll be seeing more of these two in October after the big day, but here are a few from their engagement session to enjoy NOW.

Be sure to stop by the facebook page to see more and give them a few LIKES.

 

Jefferson City, Missouri Spring Wedding. Sarah Jane Photography. Pam & Doug Starr.

| Starr Wedding | Jefferson City, Missouri Wedding  Photographer| 

Perfect Spring Wedding…. Ya, that about sums up Pam & Doug’s April wedding! Beautiful weather, amazing couple, fun bridal party, my hometown … what more could you ask for? We work hard before/during/after wedding days for our clients but on days like these it’s hard to believe it’s work. Pam and I went to high school together and I was so honored when she called and invited me to share in her big day and after meeting Doug for the first time I knew this was going to be a BLAST.

My absolute favorite part of this wedding wasn’t the beautiful unique cake, the fun ‘star’ designed reception, the delicious kettle corn party favors, the stunning natural light in the church or even the amazing fun people we got to share the day with (though that’s a close second)… but above all else, the love between these two wonderful people made the day unforgettable. By the end of the day I had laughed and cried right along side the whole family.

Here are a few of our favorite images from Pam & Doug’s big day! Plus, be sure to head over to our facebook page to see more and give them a few LIKES. (This wedding will soon be featured on our new wedding site here: http://www.sjanephotography.com too!).

And what better place to photograph in my beautiful home town?!?!?! Of course, we had to hit the capital steps!

www.facebook.com/sjanephotog | © Sarah Jane Photography

| Decatur ILLINOIS Engagement Portraits | Wedding Photographer: Sarah Jane |

| Stephanie + Mike | Engagement Portraits |

Oh my gosh I LOVE this couple! Now, all my clients ROCK, this is true but I absolutely love getting to work with clients that become friends. I think Stephanie and I just chatted for almost half their premier today and I’m sure we could have kicked back with a cup of coffee and kept chatting about both our weddings for much longer today if we hadn’t been keeping poor Mike waiting on us to stop gabbing. And we were the same way on their session, so I cannot wait until their wedding day this October.

 

This image Mike refers to as my stalker image! Yes, true I did stalk them a bit, exploring a variety of angles in this set!

Decatur IL Engagement Portraits | Sarah Jane Photography

| Charlee + Chase | Outdoor Engagement Session, Decatur IL |

Charlee, her mother and I met at the Mt. Zion Convention Center’s Bridal show this last winter but like with many of my clients I hadn’t had the chance to meet Chase until their engagement session. It was so fun to get to know this couple together throughout their session.

Not only are they a gorgeous couple but they are absolutely two of the sweetest people and are absolutely in love! I cannot wait until their big day in June.

When talking about where Charlee wanted their session they were game for any location but wanted some GREEN… tougher than it sounds this year as all our Central Illinois grass seems to be a golden crispy brown. Ryan and I took a little scouting trip around town the day before this session and realized just how much our little town lacking much greenery. Our solution, some prairie grasses and trees! This gave us a great nature feel without missing too much greenery.

Summer Engagement Portraits | Sarah Jane Photography

| Amy + Aaron | Engaged

I met this couple when I was invited to speak at one of the Decatur Camera Club’s monthly meetings.  Just a few months after hearing me speak they called to book their wedding. There consultation was a breeze and it was great to have a couple in who had gotten a glimpse behind the scenes of what I do already through attending my portrait lighting and posing talk.

As a photographer, anytime you photograph a photographer its gives you just the little extra challenge to stay on top of your game. And, on the other hand, when you would with creative people like Amy and Aaron it is like having three heads come up with great ideas for the session. The picnic scene is one of my favorites, Amy brought all the needed accessories and with a great location with the beautiful lake in the background I think it worked out so well.

I cannot wait to photograph Amy & Aaron’s wedding day. I know we will be coming up with some amazing concepts.

 

 

Outdoor Engagement Portraits – Rock Springs Nature Center

Maggi + Jay Engaged

We could not have asked for better weather for Maggi & Jay’s engagement session. Beautiful evening light and a little breeze and great temperature made it a perfect evening at Rock Springs Nature Center in Decatur.

This was my first session at Rock Springs (I just had my second yesterday morning!) and I have to say I am a fan. The pine forest is has gorgeous light anytime of day as the light filters down through the towering forest and the wild fields are a winner for sure.

Plus, I couldn’t have asked for a better couple. These to fit together so well and I am so excited to be a part of this chapter of their lives. It is exciting to watch all the changes that come in a couple’s lives around their wedding and these two came in for their premier just days after purchasing their new home. I couldn’t be happier for the two of them and can’t wait to photograph their wedding day in October. Here are a few of our favorites from the session.

Maggi … “My fiancé and I researched several photographers before meeting with Sarah. The moment we left our first appointment with her, we knew she was the one for us. She was energetic and passionate, organized, and very informative about what to expect from her.”

“We recently had our engagement session with Sarah. The session was very laid back and she made it very easy to get comfortable. She was creative with the angles as well as the natural light and colors from the outdoor setting. I could not be happier! I am really looking forward to our wedding day and seeing all of the pictures we will have to cherish for a lifetime. I have already recommended Sarah to several of my friends, and would stand behind that recommendation any day! She is awesome!”  

Cyber Monday Gift Card Sale! – HUGE DEALS

Hello All! I am so excited to announce our first ever Cyber Monday Gift Certificate SALE. Monday, November 29th log on to www.sjanephotography.com to take advantage of our huge savings – up to $100 per gift card!

Sign on early to be eligible for our bonus items. No limits, stock up for your own family or for friends.

Kim + Stacy – Engaged!

I was so excited to have the opportunity to work with this wonderful family again when Kim & Stacy got engaged! You may recognize Kim from many of my favorite boudoir images and I also had the opportunity to photograph Stacy’s son Sean’s senior portraits a couple years ago.

For their engagement session I met the couple at their river house in Osage City. It was a great location with some beautiful river bottom greenery plus the water made a great personal backdrop as well. For part of the session we headed up to use some drainage pipes that were sitting along the road – Kim and I were very excited about the edgy look of these! Plus, the shade provided some much needed protection from the sweltering heat – it was well over 90 degrees the day of the session!!! But even through the heat this family was a blast to photograph. Here are some of our favorite images from the day!

Jackie & Jeff – Engaged!

Jackie & Jeff’s engagement session was a blast! This couple is young and FUN and of course very much in love.

For their session, I explored a new location in Decatur that is only about 5 blocks from our house/studio: Fairview Park! The park is huge and basically a large collection of trees/greenery and a long walking path, BUT we discovered a ton of great locations around the park’s lake including an amazing wildflower area.

Unfortunately, the mosquitos loved the wild flower area as much as us, so I will now be taking OFF mosquito fans for each client 🙂 Jackie was a total trooper though as she sustained a few bites in the name of a great photo!!!

Oh and did I mention she even climbed a tree for me!!! Yes, we had FUN on this session 🙂

Cassidy & Justin – Getting Married

Having known these two for about five years, I am honored to be Cassidy & Justin’s wedding photographer! Justin lived just two doors down from me freshmen year at the University of Central Missouri and Cassidy’s little sister was my suitemate. These are two of the best people I know and I am so happy to see them tie the knot. About a month ago we got together back in Warrensburg, MO to have their engagement session in the place where their love began.

Here are a few of my favorite images from this session!

European Wedding Style in Missouri/Illinois

Who says you can’t find (or should I say make) European style in the United States – in fact right here in the Mid-West? I am constantly inspired by Paris, Italy, Rome, Greece, etc. The architecture, the character, the beauty  all take my breath away. So when I created this simple image in a church basement bathroom, I knew I would be taking it to Europe in post-production.

Mid-Missouri and Central Illinois brides (and brides all over the world) call me to find out how to get European style in your wedding photography! 🙂

Sarah Jane Photography moving to Decatur, IL

New Wedding Catalog Announced!!! Great New Items!

I am proud to announce that I have released my 2010 wedding pricing catalog and it is full of great new items, designs and options for my brides!! Ladies call soon as space is limited in 2010 and it is filling fast!

Plus, don’t worry if you are on a budget or if I am booked for your date! You can get the SJP experience on a budget with my associate program.

Call, email or TEXT me to request your catalog!

(**Remember to include your name, wedding date and email address if you text me!!)

This is just the cover! Call/Email/Text me to look inside!

Rene & Andrew Wedding

July 4th Wedding in Fulton, MO with an amazing couple. These are a few of my favorite images. See more on the SJP facebook page: CLICK HERE!!!!

To book your wedding date today contact me at 573.690.7427 or mail@sjanephotography.com! Book before August 1, 2009 and get $75 print credit bonus!!!

Rene & Andrew – Engagement

I recently spent the afternoon in Fulton, Missouri with this beautiful couple and we had a blast! These are some of my favorite images and I can’t wait to photograph this Rene & Andrew’s wedding day!

Check out a slideshow of their shoot HERE

Customize your SJP experience!!!

The most recent wordpress update allows polls so here is my first (hopefully of many more to come). My business is for all of you! It is my job to create the images you have dreamed of and I can only do this with your help!

Help me customize your experience with this first poll!

Thank you in advance for your feedback!

Wedding and Location – InClass Bridal Session

The most recent in class session for my Wedding and Location Course was a bridal session with Angie in Sedalia, Missouri. These are some of my favorite images from this shoot… Check back to see a few images capturing our professor Jerry Schmidt in action as well.

Marie & Clayton Engagement – Wedding & Location

Since I will be photographing Marie & Clayton’s wedding in May, this couple was perfect for my most recent “engagement” assignement for my Wedding & Location Course taught by Jerry Schmidt. The couple wanted something a bit different as they have already had “traditional” engagement photos done, so we decided to leave Warrensburg and explore Knob Noster. We had a lot of fun along the colorful steal buildings and although the very soggy ground prevented some of our more adventurous ideas we got some great shots. The favorite hidden gem location became the old Napa Auto Parts building, which provided an array of original backdrops.

Click HERE to view more images from this session!!

Click HERE to go directly to their ONLINE GALLERY!!