Jennifer Starr

Dear Blog, Fall Wedding Season has begun!

What can I say, it's officially wedding season, and I'm finding myself already getting pulled into a million different directions...and I'm still not officially caught up on my blogging yet...I think I'm going to spend a good amount of time this weekend blogging..... it would be great to start off the fall season completly caught up, caught up on everything.....blogging, cleaning, laundry, and finalizing all my "up in the air plans" for the rest of the year...
~Visit to Georgia?
~Halloween Party location and theme?
~Wedding in La Paz, Mexico?
~My dare I say it... 30th Birthday Plans?
~and the Holidays of course.... Christmas Night in NYC?

I just LOVE the start of wedding season, along with all the other fun things that happen in fall.

Random Thoughts of the day....

On this Tuesday morning I can't help but wonder...why does blogging feel so great? I feel such a release and sense of accomplishment when I hit the publish button..but why, I wonder?

I wonder what it would feel like if I kept a journal, would I feel even better because I could disclose my feelings on a much deeper level knowing that no one would read them? Over my lifetime, I have about 5 journals... each with about 5 to 10 entries..and then several years go by until I start another one... with a more mature cover and design look to it. I've never been good at really keeping one, but I wish I did.

It would really be interesting to see a study of some kind done on the effects of blogging vs journaling.

Hmmm... you see, for me and my blog, I treat it more like an online photo album for everyone to see and to better keep in touch with family and friends on a day to day basis. And the best part is people can view it as often as the like or never even look at it~I like that about it... and I never know who's following it. Rarely I hop on and post something that's effecting me that day/or on my mind in the present time. I'm thinking I want to get my blog caught up enough, so that I can start using it more to share my daily thoughts?? Perhaps I make this too complicated? Some times I think my brain only works in chronological order.

It's weird, sometimes I hear people make comments in random conversations relating to a blog post from a month ago and I think...oh wow, you read my blog? and other situations where people who I think would read my blog (aka one of my best friends, let's not mention names...although her last name is a famous toilet brand) will say something like "Oh, I didn't know you went on a cruise, where did you go". Seriously???

So to my readers... I'm asking you all a couple questions... please post your answers as comments...if you don't have a google account or blog.. just simply check the anonymous option and write your name in the text box.

1.) Do you journal? Do you blog? Do you do both? What do you prefer?
2.) What type of blogs do you enjoy following? Ones where people post several photos and up to date info on what's going on in their lives? Or ones where they write funny daily comments, thoughts, and stories, or both?

Something that inspired me today...so true!

"In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit". ~Albert Schweitzer

He loves my Sammy....(Blog Catch Up from July)

Hello World....meet one of the cutest lil guys around town: Mr. Ryan Palmer....

I was so happy when little Ryan and his mom and dad; Andrea and Jessy stopped by for a visit one hot summer afternoon. I used to work with Andrea at Joes Crab Shack ("where the shack is always shakin")in college...and we had so much fun together and caused LOTS of trouble.... she made me tough enough to handle all of our crazy tables and now she's married to her highschool sweetheart Jessy....

and is a mommy and a nurse~crazy how time flies!!

Although I don't get to see her all that often.... I'm so happy we've remained such good friends.

And I adore her little guy....he's just too cute, I mean really!!! He loved my Sammy dog so much and I was so impressed at how well Sammy played with him...so gentle and sweet.... Olive on the other hand, well that's another story. Hope to see you guys again soon!!! We love you!!

NACE Elements.... (Blog Catch Up from July)

I had the awesome pleasure of attending the NACE (National Association of Catering Executives) 4th Annual Elements Competition. The theme this year was Love Stories~All You Need is Love....

It was held at the Scottsdale Hilton Resort & Villas...and I had such a fun time looking at all the amazing table designs.....thought I'd share some of my favorites with you all....

"On a Bed of Roses"

By Hotel Valley Ho

"Letters To Juliet"

Rendezvous Catering & Events

"Love Potion"

Tri-Rentals

"John and Yoko"

Butterfly Petals

"Romeo and Juliet"

Seville Golf & Country Club

I so loved seeing all of my favorite industry friends ~especially my Seville Girls who took home the prize for "People's Choice Award" for their Romeo and Juliet Table Display!

# 67 Vegas Baby....(Blog Catch Up from July)

Live Your Life........

I can now check off #67 from my 101 in 1001 List !

What can I say.... there's something about Vegas.... We had SUCH a fun time, just running around Sin City.... such good times!!! This was our 4th Vegas adventure and certainly not the last....

First Time in Vegas = 2003 w/ Tony & Jaquie Tuttle

Second Time in Vegas= 2007 w/ Aimee Sloan & Tom Norris

Third Time Vegas= 2008 w/ Mom, Dad, and Chase

THIS TIME = 2010 Just Us

Since we had seen most of all the popular attractions before this time we decided to stay on Freemont and not plan a thing (this can really be a challenge for an event planner & her super organized husband) ~just relax and have fun....and that's exactly what we did!

Normally....I would go into detail on all the fun things we did but....I just can't this time.... because.....well...you know the sayin.............

Viva Las Vegas!

Little Allison...(Blog Catch Up from June)

Just thought I'd share another beautiful maternity shoot by Social Grace Studios.

I was just thrilled when I heard from Allison, telling me she wanted to have a maternity session....

In my late high school and early college days I spent a great deal of time hanging out with Allison's older brother Ryan... so I always thought of Allison as like a "little" girl.... (or, as Ryan would kindly refer to her as, a little "beast")

So I was quite surprised when I opened the door to see "little" Allison all grown up into a beautiful woman and an adorable mother to be!!

Although it had probably been close to eight years or so since the last time I saw her in person, I soon learned that she was still just as lovely as ever...

And not to mention, incredibly photogenic!! Thank you Allison and Mason for allowing us to be a part of such an amazing time in your lives......

Summer Lovin' (Blog Catch Up from June)

Looking back I could just kick myself for not being able to make it to this event. This was the wedding of Phil and Kris, who were married at Seville this past June. I worked with Phil for many years at Seville, in fact he had a huge part in making our wedding very special....His big role on our wedding day was to wait for our coordinators to cue him back by all the lagoon pumps and as we were pronouced "Husband and Wife" he cranked up all the fountains to go off as we kissed~very special.

Phil was actually Justin's boss at Seville while Justin was there as a trainer. Phil was so supportive of Justin and his hectic school program and photography schedule.

So when Phil asked Justin to photograph his wedding, Justin was honored......

This is my MOST FAVORITE image that Justin captured, such emotion...such joy.

I will forever be a Seville snob, it's just SO BEAUTIFUL.....

Phil married Kris on this warm summer day... and they are just perfect together.

I unfortunatley had a wedding show this night so I was unable to attend.....but I really wanted to see these two tie the knot~they had waited such a long time to do this.....I had been talking to them for months prior to my leaving Seville~trying to get them to set the date!

It's rare that we shoot weddings under our direct company as we are usually subcontracted out by our sister company Still Life Studios...however for very special family and friends we make exceptions.

And with both Justin and I being in the wedding industry we both know how much we LOVE seeing people we LOVE get married~and allowing us to be a part of their magic that day.

Congratulations Phil & Kris~ Much Love xoxoxo

Happy Father's Day...Daddyo (Blog Catch Up)

My dad, my voice of reason.....

Father's Day was fairly uneventful this year...it was the same weekend as Justin's Bowling Bash, Trevor was still in town~so I drove solo with the weenies down to Casa Grande to

spend the day with the fam.

I was so tired I think I spent the majority of the day crashed out on my parents couch while Dad, Mom, and Chase worked on random projects around their home. There's just something about my parents home that makes me want to fall asleep, maybe it's because I feel like a kid all over again when I'm there~safe from the world and completely relaxed.

But as always mom made dad a home cooked dinner, followed by some gift opening in dad's favorite chair.

Happy Father's Day Dad~I love you!

Baby Bump.... (Blog Catch Up from July)

Baby Ashlynn was born into the world today....so I thought it was only fitting to post some of my favorite maternity photos of my friend Jessica and husband Kyle.....all photos of course by Social Grace Studios (my talented husband).....

Congrats Jess, I couldn't be happier for you!!!!

Wieners on Parade (Blog Catch Up from July)

Considering both Justin and I worked this past 4th of July....dressing up my pups in Red, White & Blue was the highlight of my day.....

We never seem to have any super cool 4th of July festivities to join in on...so next year I've decided I'm starting a new tradition and I'm renting a Beach House in San Diego...and who ever wants to join us is welcome...just bring your flippy flops, popsicles, and sparklers!!!

Let's Roll...."Blog Catch Up from June"

My husband hates being the center of attention, hates it.... so of course when he told me not to make a big deal out of his 30th Birthday....I kept it quiet and small....ha ha ha, umm yeah right!! Turning the big 3-0 is a big deal~and we are luckily enough to have some amazing friends who wanted

to celebrate with us!

One of Justin's favorite movies of all time is... The Big Lebowski, and so for one night I pretended it was one of my favorite movies too...for the sake of a good theme!

We had such an fun night..... a little too much fun for some of us....

The very talented Dani Wheeler made Justin a personalized Bowling Ball Birthday Cake.

I love my Starr Boys...we have a great time together (and they EVEN wore the themed robes I bought for them)~Trevor flew all the way from Berkeley, California to party with us!