Welcome to the blog of Jacksonville and destination wedding photographers Gwen & Matt Tundermann! Subscribe to our blog for weekly wedding tips, real weddings, and inspiration for your big day!
We just had the most amazing week with Leslie & David, who traveled from Canada down to Montego Bay for their destination wedding at Iberostar Rose Hall Beach! It was a week full of memories, including celebrating with the newlyweds at a beach bonfire with a steel drum band to the entire wedding party jumping in the pool for the Trash The Dress session! It was AWESOME! We can’t wait to share the photos, but we’re actually in Orlando today celebrating our own anniversary (happy 4 years Matt!!). But I always like to post a sneak peek! Here’s one of Leslie & Dave by the gorgeous infinty pool at night! : )
I know it seems kinda late to share the highlights of our 2011 wedding season, but this has been such a hard project to put together. Part of the reason is that 2012 totally grabbed us by the hand and took us running full force! We ended 2011 on New Year’s Eve and started 2012 with a wedding the very next weekend! We launched our wedding photography giveaway on January 1st. We went to New Orleans for the ImagingUSA convention. We’re also in the process of opening our studio and launching our new website, in addition to streamlining our workflow so we can be more efficient in our business. We have barely blinked, and we find ourselves in late January! How did that happen?!
Another reason why it has taken so long to share this post is that it’s a challenge to summarize what an amazing year we had in a video with less than 6 minutes. Choosing our favorite images out of the thousands that we captured is almost an impossible task. I can’t even begin to count the moments that have captured our hearts – your beauty, your laughter, your tears – your hilarious moments of rocking it out on the dance floor (because who cares if the world is watching as long as you are having a great time!). We look at everything that has happened, all the precious moments that we have witnessed and shared with such amazing people, and it’s overwhelming. So many people tell us they love our photos, but over and over I say that the beautiful part of the images is not what we captured. It’s what all of you have given – how you’ve let us in to see who you truly are – that makes these images both meaningful and beautiful!
Okay, so admittedly we also got to shoot against some breathtaking scenery! We had the opportunity to shoot 3 weddings in California, thanks to some wonderful people (you know who you are)! We traveled to a quaint town in the mountains of Colorado to shoot a wedding at 10,000 feet! We raced a hurricane to shoot a lovely wedding on the coast of Maine and shot some of the most beautiful wedding photos ever in a place I never imagined – a cemetery! Seriously, beautiful images can happen ANYWHERE with good light and a couple in love! They can also happen with incredible sunsets on the cliffs of Negril, which is where Lisa & Omar hosted their closest friends and family for a destination wedding at Moon Dance Cliffs! Their stunning wedding is featured in the January/February 2012 issue of Destination Weddings & Honeymoons Magazine (on shelves now!). And of course, we bounced around the entire state of Florida to capture weddings from Jax to the Panhandle, to south Florida and the west coast. Though we love to travel, it’s just as exciting to shoot weddings right here in our home state!
So after more than a month of reviewing photos from the past year and 9 revisions of the final video, we are so thrilled to finally present to you our Favorite Moments of 2011. I knew it was ready to present when the tears started to fall. Thank you to all of our wonderful couples for the year of memories!
Emily & Justin | January 22nd | Delray Beach, FL
Sammy & Allen | February 5th | Pomona, CA
Latoya & Clarence | March 12th | Jacksonville, FL
Rachel & John | March 26th | Palatka, FL
Lori & Bob | April 16th | Jacksonville, FL
Sharifa & Jerry | April 23rd | Jacksonville, FL
Cassandra & Terrance | May 21st | Jacksonville, FL
Melissa & Josh | May 29th | St. Augustine, FL
Lisa & Omar | June 21st | Negril, Jamaica
Linelle & Jonathan | July 2nd | San Ramon, CA
Emily & Bart | July 9th | Jacksonville, FL
Bridgette & Bryant | July 30th | Palm Coast, FL
Courtney & Brody | August 9th | Seaside, FL
Alexis & Matt | August 13th | Telluride, CO
Monika & Jonathan | August 20th | Palm Coast, FL
Meredith & Mark | August 27th | Saco, ME
Jessica & Thomas | September 10th | Orange Beach, AL
Jamie & Chris | September 24th | Orange Park, FL
Melissa & Brian | October 7th | Bonita Springs, FL
Sandy & Ralph | October 8th | Jacksonville, FL
Erin & Rob | October 22nd | Charlotte, NC
Tey & Mike | October 29th | Ponte Vedra, FL
Christie & Shawn | November 11th | Jacksonville, FL
Andrea & Phil | November 12th | Oldsmar, FL
Claire & Oliver | November 19th | Huntington Beach, CA
Leigh Anne & Patrick | November 27th | St. Augustine, FL
Suzanne & Scott | December 3rd | Hilliard, FL
Gigi & Steve | December 31st | Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
Wedding Wednesday is a weekly feature discussing all things wedding-related! To suggest a topic or question, contact Gwen at info@gwendolyntundermann.com.
Matt and I just returned from an amazing trip to New Orleans for the annual ImagingUSA Expo! Imaging is the big convention held by Professional Photographers of America (PPA). We’ve been PPA members since the start of our business, but this is our first time attending Imaging. We’re definitely planning on going again next year! I’ve been to the big convention and trade show held by Wedding and Portrait Photographers International (WPPI) and while they are similar in a lot of ways I got a lot more out of attending Imaging.
Part of the reason is that Matt was there with me, so we were able to sit down and review everything we learned and all the products we saw and start doing a lot of business planning on our trip. We were on the expo floor almost the entire time that it was open, meeting with vendors, asking questions about their business, and looking at their products. We are really excited about the changes we will be making to our packages very soon! We also found lots of pretty things for our studio (REALLY can’t wait for you to see that!!). We also attended seminars presented by some incredibly talented photographers, such as Jerry Ghionis, Robert Evans, and Kenny Kim!
We got some snippets of everything on our iPhones so you can see for yourself what Imaging is all about! : )
Rachael and David had a very specific idea in mind for their wedding day: intimate, relaxed, fun – and with great music! By choosing to have their wedding at Out of the Blue restaurant in Jupiter, FL they created the perfect atmosphere for a great celebration! The location overlooks a waterway with provided the perfect backdrop for their sunset ceremony.
Rachael and David’s ceremony included several traditional Jewish elements, including the Seven Prayers, the sharing of wine, and the breaking of the glass. As their closest friends and family looked on, and with a full-moon overhead, Rachael and David shared their vows and promised themselves to each other. Their ceremony was so touching, with lots of smiles.
After whisking them away for a few couple shots in the fading light, it was time to get to the fun part of the wedding! Their reception featured a cocktail hour complete with hand-rolled cigars and live music from a seven-piece band! The tables were lit by candlelight with beautiful orchid centerpieces.
The rest of the evening was filled with hanging out and lots of dancing. Though some guests enjoyed the gorgeous weather and great conversation out by the marina, the dance floor remained packed the entire evening! Except for a small break to cut the elegant wedding cake featuring strawberries covered in chocolate and decorated like little brides and grooms, the reception was a non-stop party right up until it was time to leave.
Rachael & David’s wedding was such an incredible time, and a great way to kick off our 2012 wedding season! It was beautiful and such a fun event to be part of! : )
We opened the 2012 wedding season with the beautiful wedding of Rachael & David at the Out of the Blue Restaurant & Marina in Jupiter, FL! All I can say is that this wedding ROCKED! We loved the venue, the band was beyond awesome, and of course Rachael & David are just two incredibly sweet and amazing people! They have really set the standard high for this year’s weddings! We can’t wait to share more of their details with you (like the beautiful chuppah made by the groom and a very fun cake design). Here’s a little something in the meantime! : )
Over Thanksgiving weekend, we met up with Rachel & Dylan (and sweet baby Emma) for some engagement photos in downtown Columbus, GA. They are the cutest little family, and the charming town of Columbus was such a great setting for their shoot! We fell in love with the old buildings that have been lovingly re-purposed for high end condos, businesses, and shops in the downtown area. We were in awe of the dam and pumphouse, with tons of water pouring out into the river (which, by the way, is the cleanest river I think I have ever seen). It was a great setting to get to know more about Rachel & Dylan and the adorable city that they now call home!
We love everything about this session! Rachel & Dylan are so cute together, and the distressed walls of the old mills and the vintage blue bus were a photographer’s dream! We can’t wait to see you both again next spring for your sunny Florida destination wedding!! : )
We love to share the story of our couples and about the special moments of their wedding day, but sometimes the photos just say it all. I look, and I remember the excitement and anticipation as Claire was getting into her dress and heading to the church. The tears in Oliver’s eyes as Claire walked down the aisle. Their smiles. Their laughter. The warmth and love felt in the room as everyone came together to celebrate the marriage of two amazing people. Sure, I can tell you what it was like to be there and how special that day was, but I really think the photos say more than words can.
The day began in Chino Hills with the wedding at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church. It was a little chilly and windy, but once we headed out to the coast Claire & Oliver were blessed with sunny skies and the most incredible sunset! The reception took place at the stunning Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach, and again I think my words get lost when I try to tell you how beautiful it was (especially the sunset). The sky went from blue when we arrived, then looked hazy and dull before revealing hints of purple and yellow and finally exploding with vibrant hues of blue, purple, pink, orange, and yellow! Not only was it gorgeous, it also matched their wedding colors! : )
Guests enjoyed a cocktail hour outside as the sun set before entering the reception room illuminated by blue and purple lights. They partied the night away on the dance floor, taking breaks to jump into the photobooth and watching a slideshow of Claire & Oliver through the years. And, of course there was a money dance! It must have gone on for an hour! Eventually everyone just jumped in!
We welcome Claire & Oliver back from their honeymoon and hope that everyone enjoys these highlights from their beautiful wedding day, including the slideshow at the end. Thank you both for letting us share this day with you and for inspiring the world with your love for each other! <3
Wedding Wednesday is a weekly feature discussing all things wedding-related! To suggest a topic or question, contact Gwen at info@gwendolyntundermann.com.
We recently went on the road to shoot Claire & Oliver’s wedding in California (which we will be sharing on the blog TOMORROW!!! Yay!), so we thought we would document some of the trip so we could share it on Wedding Wednesday. We had direct flights both ways, which we definitely prefer when traveling for weddings. I’m always willing to drive down to my hometown of Orlando if it means we can get a direct flight! We also flew for the first time ever on Virgin America, and we love it! Virgin and JetBlue are definitely our favorite airlines! Great customer service and comfortable flights!
While in California, we also visited with our album vendor to pick up an album for one of our other CA couples, Linelle & Jonathan. We also saw some of the new materials they were testing out and found out that they used one of our albums as a sample! Pretty cool!
On Sunday we met up with 3 of our couples (including the bride we picked up the album for). It’s always great seeing everyone when we come out there! Sadly, I didn’t think to get any pictures with them! We were going to do a photo shoot, but it was cold and rainy. At least it was beautiful for the wedding!
In the second video, Matt reviews our LowePro 200x Roller and our LowePro Flipside backpack. We absolutely love them both! The roller carries 4 camera bodies, 4 speedlights, our 2 large zoom lenses, about 5-6 prime lenses, and a bunch of accessories. We used the backpack to carry all of our chargers and batteries. In the event that we were on a small plane that couldn’t accomodate our roller bag, we could put our two main cameras bodies, two zoom lenses, and a couple primes into the backpack. We’ve actually traveled to a wedding on a plane that had about 10 seats, so the backpack is for the worst case scenario because it will absolutely fit on any plane. It’s not likely to happen on a cross country trip, but always better to be prepared! I’m all about logistics and constantly thinking of “what if…”
I also brought my ShootSac (given to me by my wonderful friend Rupa) which packs pretty flat and Matt used the backpack as his camera bag on the wedding day in lieu of his regular bag (which is a bit bulky). We also bring the roller bag with us to the wedding to carry extra lenses, batteries, chargers, etc. We pack our tripod and lightstands into our checked bag along with our clothes. Well, Matt’s clothes. I’m proud to say that all of my clothes (except for my suit) fit into a small carry on bag! We also bring a bag to carry the lightstands in and pack it in the checked bag (it takes up very little space). If you have any questions about our roller bag or backpack, please feel free to email us at info@gwendolyntundermann.com.
Apologies for the shaky camera work. I used my iPhone to capture everything, but I hope you enjoy it! : )
We just returned to the East Coast today after an amazing trip to California for Claire & Oliver’s beautiful wedding at the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach! The weather was chilly, overcast, and even rainy – except on Claire & Oliver’s wedding day! For that one day, the weather was absolutely perfect! We ran into the newlyweds at the airport yesterday as they headed to Turks and Caicos for their honeymoon! We look forward to sharing all of the gorgeous details with you when they return, but we couldn’t resist posting a sneak peek of this beautiful couple!
November 12th was a very popular date for 2011, and we couldn’t have asked for a better couple to work with than Andrea & Phil! They had perfect blue skies for their fall wedding at East Lake Woodlands Country Club and the reception was one heck of a party!! The newlyweds are off to Ireland for their honeymoon, and we look forward to their return so we can share their beautiful wedding! Until then, here’s a peek of the new Mr and Mrs!
