Category Archives: Jessica Miller Photography

Whetstone Park of Roses Engagement Photos

Horray!! I finally get to feature Jenn and D.W. on the blog today!! And, the thunder stealer extraordinaire, Cooper the adorable basset hound. For their engagement shoot last year, we started their session near their house in Harrison west. I love it when people bring their pets to shoots, but Cooper is extra adorable and so photogenic. He let us shoot with him for about a half-hour and then he had to go get some beauty rest.

From there we drove over to Whetstone Park of Roses and took the remainder of the photos with just DW and Jenn. I love it there because you can get so much natural variety with your photos. In June, the park is exploding with color around every turn. I love these two because they are so down-to-earth and easy to talk to. I feel so blessed they came into my life because I feel like I have a life-long friendship with them as a result. I just love DW’s dry sense of humor and Jenn’s calming presence. Together they make such a great couple.

So, as summer ends and we slowly creep towards fall, I’m going to try to pull out all the remaining summer shoots from last year and this year for the blog in the next few weeks. That’s a lot of blogs, but I’ve really found that blogging has provided me with a bit of grounding that I needed. It has been so much fun looking back at all these intimate and fun moments. It’s important to reflect on your work sometimes, and this year has been a gift in that way. When fall comes, I will be posting about DW and Jenn’s amazing wedding from last year that was one of my favorites from 2019!! Lots of goodness to come:)

The Club at Corazon Wedding Photos

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If you know anything about me, you know that I LOVE color!!! That’s one of the reasons I’m so in love with Tyler and Betsy’s wedding. All of the details that were so lovingly collected over many months made the most visually striking wedding.

When I arrived, Betsy and her brides-people were all hanging out on the lower level of The Club at Corazon. Each brides-person wore a different jewel tone and collectively made the most beautiful wedding party. Pair that with the elegant grounds of the venue, it was nearly impossible to take a bad picture of them. The sun was shining and the flowers were in full bloom. The Tuscan vibe at Corazon made everything feel so elegant.

Betsy and Tyler were married inside out of the summer heat. The light was so soft in the room and it felt very intimate. After they were officially married, guests were treated to a cocktail hour that overlooked the lake in the back of the property. Before the reception started, I snuck in the ballroom to photograph the details. This was so much fun to document. Betsy and her mom had collected colored bottled for months leading up to the wedding. The result was a stunning visual as you walked into the room. Light just glistened off of every bottle and flower. It almost felt magical. For dessert, there was every kind of sweet imaginable. And for those who love savory, there was even a popcorn bar where you could choose your toppings! Then it was time for the live band, Willie Nelson Mandela, to start. Right before we left, we snuck out to the vineyard…yes, the vineyard!!!! As the sun set over the rolling hills, I just melted behind my camera as I saw how happy Tyler and Betsy were. I can’t thank them enough for allowing me to be there for this magical day!

Wolf’s Ridge Wedding Photos

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Let me just start this by saying if I were to re-do my wedding again, I would design it to be exactly like this. With an overarching astrological theme, this wedding was just so visually captivating. What a better place to get ready than the Downtown Columbus Lincoln LeVeque Tower hotel, which also has an astrological theme. LeeAnne’s dress was contemporary with smooth lines and a low-cut back. Her hair was styled to perfection by Jessica Broadwater and her makeup was flawlessly done by Kerry Smith from Full Face Artistry. LeeAnne chose chandelier earrings that resembled the north star. Andrew wore a blue tux with black tailored accents. Everything was perfectly styled. I felt like I was at a styled wedding.

Their ceremony was outdoors at COSI on the riverfront. Funny enough, there was a soul festival happening at the same time. LeeAnne got to walk down the aisle to both a string quartet and Al Greene. They had such an amazing sense of humor about it. As she walked, her long veil offered the perfect soft accent to the clean lines of her dress. As they said their vows to one another, tears welled up in their eyes. It was such a sincere moment that was so special to watch. After they were declared husband and wife, we went and took some wedding photos around downtown Columbus.

At their reception venue, Wolf’s Ridge Brewing, guests were being dropped off by trolly and enjoyed the most beautiful (and delicious) charcuterie boards. A white cake from Cakes Creatively by Crystal sat in the corner and was adorned with a vintage bride and groom statuette. LeeAnne and Andrew honeymooned in Italy, and before they did, they wanted to share an Italian “cheers” with everyone at their wedding. As a favor, they gave each guest a bottle of Limoncello. A neon sign that said “The Smiths” provided such a fun backdrop for the night. And what a party it was! Dancing was going strong when we left well into the night. I can’t say enough amazing things about how many details were poured into this day. And hands down, it’s probably the best food I’ve ever had a wedding (one of the perks at having a reception at Wolf’s Ridge!). A huge thank you to LeeAnne and Andrew who are two incredible people. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for you both! XO Jess

Jeffrey Mansion Wedding Photos

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Last month I posted Ben and Dustin’s German Village engagement shoot for pride month. I am so excited to post about their wedding today! I met up with them both at the downtown Columbus Renaissance Hotel where they were helping each other get ready. Right outside of their room, I took photos of just them around the pool deck. The soaring skyscrapers of downtown gave a modern twist to the photos. From our photos, Ben and Dustin walked hand-in-hand down the street to Trinity Episcopal Church, where they were to be married in a morning ceremony. I’ve done SO MANY weddings, and this was the first time I was able to photograph a same-sex marriage inside a church. It was so special for me as a wedding photographer. Ben mentioned it was also very special for him as well because religion has always played an important part in his life. One of my favorite photos I took was when both of them were walking through the doors of the church, and the sign above them read “A House of Prayer For All People”.

Outside the church, guests and family gathered. Let’s just talk for a minute about the kids who were at this wedding. They were the absolute cutest kids ever. They were so much fun to watch in front of the bright red church doors.

Inside, the wedding was beautiful. Ben and Dustin walked down the aisle together. They each said their vows with their sister and brother by their side. It was such a beautiful moment when the priest announced that they were married! Tears of joy were in both of their eyes and smiles beamed from ear-to-ear. Now, it was on to Jeffrey Mansion in Bexley to have a celebration lunch.

Ben’s sister made all of the desserts and I can’t even express to you how beautiful and unique they all were. It was truly a labor of love. I loved this reception. It was so laid back and happy. People were just enjoying walking the grounds of the mansion and being out in the sun. The reception had such a happy feeling in the air. It was such an honor to be there. Thank you so much to Ben and Dustin and cheers to many more years! XO Jess

Tartan Fields Wedding Photos

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SO, I REALLY missed their first anniversary, but this wedding needs to be seen by the world! It was so pretty and fun. I love Amber and Sean. They have the most amazing way of joking around with each other. I’ll never forget their first look. Sean was just talking to himself and making himself laugh. As Amber stood behind him waiting to tap him on his shoulder, Amber couldn’t stop laughing and was trying so hard to compose herself. They have a way of being so intimately funny.

After the first look, we hopped on some golf carts and explored the grounds at Tartan Fields and found some stunning little spots to take some dreamy photos. The bridesmaids’ sage green gowns looked perfect against the landscape. After photos, we all met up behind the Country Club because their ceremony was about to begin. This outdoor ceremony spot overlooked the perfectly manicured golf course and provided the perfect “wow” factor as they exchanged their vows.

After the ceremony, everyone was treated to a patio cocktail hour as the sun lowered in the sky. It was then time to party the night away. Their reception was detailed with white and sage green. Their cake was by Kelly’s Cakery and tasted delicious. I loved that both Sean and Amber individually stood and thanked their guests with very heartfelt speeches. Amber and Sean concluded dinner with their first dance where they were wrapped up tight in each other’s arms. After open dancing started, I saw some of the best dance moves from any of my 2019 weddings.

Amber and Sean, I can’t tell you how lucky I feel to have been there as you both said: “I do”. I can’t wait to see what the future has in store for you both! XO J

NACE ONE AWARDS 2020

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I am so excited to announce that Mike and Laura’s Columbus Museum of Art Wedding has been nominated for the National Association for Catering and Events Wedding Photography of the year award! I was lucky enough to win this prestigious award last year and am so excited for this year’s competition! Typically there is a large gala where NACE members from all over the country attend and are treated to entertainment and a VERY gourmet meal. I think plans are changing due to COVID 19 so I currently don’t know when winners will be announced. A special thank you to Mike for trusting in me and pushing me past my comfort zones. I will keep you all updated when I know more!

Nationwide Hotel Edgewater Wedding

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Happy first anniversary to Jamie and Robert! This past weekend we did a first-anniversary shoot. I figured before I posted that I should show you their incredibly charming wedding. Also, a year of marriage happens so quickly and is so worthy of being celebrated!

Jamie and Robert had a beautiful summer wedding with details of maroon, blush, and red. There were subtle nods to Robert’s Asian heritage with paper cranes and Jamie’s red reception dress. The summer sun was direct and flooded the Edgewater room at Nationwide Conference Center with light. In the photos, these two almost seem to glow as they are backlit at the altar. One of the sweetest moments I remember from their ceremony was how many people were crying. I think that’s a testament to those being in the moment with you. People were truly captivated with Jamie and Robert as they said their vows, gave loving glances at each other and started their marriage with a kiss and a loving embrace.

At the reception, small thoughtful details were around every corner. As you walked into the Edgewater room, you were met with hanging chandeliers made from hand-folded paper cranes. Cranedeliers , if you will. I love any time you can incorporate decor in your reception venue ceiling. My favorite part of the reception was when Jamie and Robert introduced their wedding party instead of being introduced last. The introductions were funny and a genuine demonstration of the friendship they had with their wedding party. It also set a certain energy level for the room that just felt electric. Another memorable detail was that each guest had a paper crane at their place setting. They were invited to put the paper crane in a box that represented a couple of charities that were meaningful to Jamie and Robert so a donation could be made on their behalf. I love that they used their wedding as a way to give back. I feel so blessed to have shot this wedding and our session last weekend. I can’t wait to share the new photos with you in the coming weeks. Until then, enjoy this perfect summer wedding!

German Village Engagement Shoot

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Happy Pride Month! I am so excited to feature so many beautiful couples this month on the blog, starting with these two. I have known Ben since I was 6 years old. When he asked if I would be the wedding photographer for him and his fiance Dustin’s wedding, I was so incredibly honored. Ben is exactly how I remembered him. A huge smile from ear-to-ear, genuinely invested in what you have to say, and just a really beautiful soul.

We took these photos the weekend of their actual wedding. It was such a fun way to celebrate early and get them a little more comfortable in front of the camera. I met up with Ben and Dustin in German Village and we just walked around, swapped stories, memories and laughed together. The funniest story was that the film “I Am Wrath” was filmed at his childhood Bexley home and he got to meet John Travolta. If you haven’t seen this film, it’s worth a watch. It’s so funny (it’s not supposed to be funny), especially if you’re from Columbus. They also filmed a lot of it at the barbershop my husband Scott gets his hair cut, Old Familiar.

In the next couple of weeks, I’ll blog about their wedding. It was intimate and perfect! Until then, I hope you love this fun photo session! XO Jess

Dock 580 Wedding Photos

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I have been so excited to share this wedding. It was one of my most memorable from 2019 simply because we took portraits in gale-force winds.

I posted about Jaimie and Dwayne’s engagement shoot a while back and you can see all the pretty here. Fast forward to their wedding day, and I found myself at the LeVeque Hotel in downtown Columbus with the ladies as they were getting ready. This hotel is one of my favorites for getting ready photos and offers amazing opportunities for portraits as well. The hotel has a celestial theme to it and the decor echos the art deco styles of the 1920s.

Jaimie and Dwayne did their “first look” in the hotel lobby. I just loved seeing Dwayne’s ear-to-ear smile as he turned around to see how beautiful Jaimie looked in her wedding dress. From there we walked around the lobby area and took some seriously cool photos. We utilized the building’s multiple floors to get cool angles and new perspectives. I just adore the portrait of the whole wedding party that also includes the towering multi-story chandelier. I actually got the entire wedding party to follow me out to the roof of the LeVeque parking garage, which is a very unique and fun place to shoot. However, on this particular day, it was so windy, we all immediately decided to come up with a different option. So we all headed over to the main library downtown and took some beautiful and classical portraits. While we were there, I asked how they would feel if we still headed over to take some outdoor photos in front of some new Columbus murals. They were awesome sports and agreed. While the wind was just crazy, it also gave us some of the coolest photos from the day, and a whole lot of genuine laughter.

I really enjoyed their ceremony as well. Dwayne’s brother officiated different parts of it which made it so sentimental and all the more memorable. After they tied the knot, I headed over to Dock 580 to photograph details and get ready for the reception. When I walked through the front doors, I wasn’t prepared for how beautiful it looked inside. Everywhere you looked there were stunning details. LIttle signs, geometric flower arrangements, and so many desserts you didn’t know where to look first. Above anything from this wedding that really stuck with me the most was the energy from their family and friends that was in the room with them that night. It was just electric. These two are so loved and for a very good reason. I feel so blessed to have been there. Thank you Jaimie and Dwayne for trusting me to capture your day!

German Village Engagement Photos

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Alaina and Megan are two of the sweetest people I’ve ever met. I just received the most beautiful and compassionate email from them last week regarding the whole COVID-19 situation, asking how I was doing and if I was ok. All the while, it is them (and all my 2020 clients) I feel for. It is a huge loss to plan a wedding and then have the plans change. People truly pour their hearts and souls into these events. These two have handled the ever-changing event landscape with a cool calm (or at least it seems like that on the outside). Megan even joked with me that they were now going to have the longest engagement in history.

Their wedding will be later this year with a smaller-than-planned ceremony, and a larger celebration to follow next year. I can’t even tell you how much I love their engagement shoot we did last year. It was so relaxed and fun with lots of genuine laughter and intimate embraces. We started at the Scioto Mile and ventured over to German Village for some brick-street quaintness. It was so fun just to explore the city and have nothing else to do but laugh and talk.

Next week I start shooting again, as they lifted the ban on non-essential work for photographers. I truly miss capturing these moments and am so thankful that these photographs already taken live on as the artwork of our lives. Alaina and Megan, I can’t wait to see you later this year and celebrate with you both!

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