Today, I attended a luncheon at the Petroleum Club in Houston. I was able to listen to Jamey Rootes, President of Operations with the Houston Texans, speak about the Texans. As a fan of the Texans, I really enjoyed the event and took some photos for the Harvard Club, who was putting on the event. There were a lot of people that have a big part in Houston being what it is!

The venue is at the top of the Exxon Mobile Building, full of huge windows, and a great space for a Wedding! It looks even better at night!

I’m hoping to use these in all aspects of my business, but here’s the first one I made. Many of these photos are now displayed on my new website.

This slideshow features some of my favorite Wedding and Engagement Photos.

Thanks,

Jessica

E-mail Jessica@JessicaPledger.com if you are interested.

Jessica Pledger Photography

Houston Family Photographer

713-775-8051

www.jessicapledger.com

Now, the the main event.  I have been wanting to blog Valerie and Landon’s Wedding for a long time.  This is a couple that I went to high school with, but I didn’t feel near as close to them both as I do now!  They are such an amazing couple, and their Wedding showed that.  They had great friends that kept the party going until late in the night.  Their Wedding was at one of Houston’s (and my) favorite venues, Butler’s Courtyard.

Valerie got ready in the Rose Cottage with all her Bridesmaids, Sisters and her Mom.

Her Mom and two sisters helped her get into her dress.

Valerie wanted to make sure to put on her perfume and the lotion Landon loved.

Valerie said that there was a picture that she loved of her Mom looking out the window on her Wedding day, and we wanted to capture a beautiful one for Valerie, as well.

There were several tearful moments during the getting ready.  When Landon sent Valerie beautiful flowers, a heartfelt note, and when he bridesmaids and father saw her in her dress for the first time.  That was just during getting ready!

The ceremony was outside in July and they rocked it out!  They are so gorgeous!

I have TOO many photos that I would like to show from this sweet Wedding.

Then, the party started, and it was quite the PAR-TAY!

They had all the heartfelt moments, as well.

Loved this whole Wedding!  Thanks Valerie and Landon.  I truly wish y’all live Happily Ever After, and I believe y’all will!  Call me when y’all have beautiful babies!

Check out more from Valerie and Landon’s Wedding on facebook.

Vendors:

Photographer: Jessica Pledger Photography

Venue: Butler’s Courtyard

DJ: M.A.D. Productions Mark

Flowers: HEB ( and gorgeous!)

Cake: Cakes by Jula

Make-Up/Hair: My Looks by Rosie Daza

Jessica Pledger Photography

Houston Wedding Photograpaher

www.jessicapledger.com

jessica@jessicapledger.com

713.775.8051

Minute Maid Park

Maybe it’s where you and your fiance had your first date, or your favorite sports team, your favorite date spot, or maybe one of you played sports when you left.  Minute Maid park rents out the park for engagement photos, and you get all this for just you and your love.

I love the pictures with the couples in the middle of all thew rows of empty seats.

You can walk on the field, go in the dug-out, etc.  This weekend, I will be taking some photos around A&M, including on some sports fields. Great engagement photos can happen at a variety of locations.

GALVESTON

Galveston in itself has about 10 different places to take pictures, but as many Houstonians know, it now has a new attraction, the Pleasure Pier.  I am obsessed with Carnivals.  I love the color, and carnival would be a great place for an engagement shoot.  You could even combine it with Strand Street or the Beach.  You could make it have a Retro theme or go to La King’s Confectionery and share an Old Fashioned Root beer Float 2 Straws.  I love these things.  I have a Bridal shoot in Galveston and then a Wedding later in the year at the Tremont Hotel, and I am beyond excited about all the new things we get to do there!

My style is very much about wanting to combine romance and fun, because that is what the best couples do!

Add some effects for kicks. The Pier is based on the one that existed in the 1940s and was one of the biggest in the country.  I don’t have to have color ALLL the time.

I wrote this post to share stuff that makes me excited and to help all the couples out the looking for an engagement shoot location, open up to a new location and make their shoot fun and personal to them.

I have some good and personal news to share.  After dating my boyfriend for 10 years, he proposed this weekend during our get-a-way to San Antonio.

Just wanted to share since I’ve become great friends with many of my Brides and Customers!

Now, I get to plan my own Wedding.  I already have many vendors in mind, but am happy to hear suggestions.  Also, I won’t be having the Wedding for almost a year and a half.  Lots of time to plan.

This is where we ate before the proposal, Tower of the Americas.

We came to San Antonio to go to one of our favorite restaurants, Mi Tierra.  The have color and lights everywhere!  I LOVE it!

It was an incredible weekend, and I great start before I have Weddings the next three Weekends!  Can’t wait to share those photos with y’all.  Be checking facebook too!

Jen had every detail planned out perfectly.

Purple is so beautiful at Weddings.  It seems like it’s a color where you can’t go wrong no matter the season.

Ceremony was in the beautiful chapel at Ashelynn Manor.

So sweet!  They were so incredibly happy.  Right after the ceremony always has the best moments!

Good looking group-

This venue is packed with beautiful photo spots.

This Wedding had the perfect mixture of fun crack-up moments with sweet tearful moments.

Love sparklers!

Vendors:

Venue: Ashelynn Manor

Photographer: Jessica Pledger Photography

Make-Up: Exquisite Reflections

Flowers: Boyd’s Blossoms (Great Company!)

Catering: The Angelina: Italian Dinner (Part of Ashelynn Packages)

Cake: Bavarian Cakery

Jessica Pledger Photography – www.jessicapledger.com – 713.775.8051 – jessica@jessicapledger.com – Houston Wedding Photographer

We took the Bridals at the Wedding Venue- Ashelynn Manor.

She looked so gorgeous in every photo!  The venue has SOO many places to take pictures.

She had a mini-bouquet made for the Bridals.  She received so many compliments on that.

Bridals give us much more time to get pictures of the Bride.  Things go so quickly on Wedding Day, we are lucky if we get one or two formal pictures of the Bride.

Jen and I played softball together when we were in High School, so she made a Wedding Present book for her Dad of softball themed-pictures.

Her dad was in tears when he saw these pictures.  They spent hours and hours practicing together and watching her play.

There was a huge cake in the shape of an H!

One guest was super sweet to me, and it was the one and only Carolyn Farb, known as the Queen of Houston.  She was so nice and gorgeous!

There were some amazing honorees and Guest Speakers at the Event.  Seen below are some of them- Harris Shrub Kempner with Family, Ellen Reeves, Bob Sakowitz, and Phillip Lovejoy. In the photo below that is Julia Bailey, Hoang Quan Vu, and Pianist Evelyn Chen. Quan’s law firm put up some info about the event too.

Everyone was excited to meet and greet with other Harvard Alumni.  There was a silent auction before the Main Events started.

Once the Event started, Leigh, Channel 11 KHOU News, was an excellent MC for the night. KHOU even put up some info about the event here.

Dinner was started with a beautiful piano piece played by world class pianist, Evelyn Chen.

Once Ellen spoke, they introduced the three honorees- Judy Ley Allen, Harris Shrub Kempner, and Robert Sakowitz.  Each of the speakers was so well spoken and very inspiring to listen to.  Who knew Houston has some truly amazing residents! During the Cocktail Hour before the event, Robert told me about each of his children, and was such a proud father! His children are spread out all of the world do impressive work.  I don’t know how he can keep up with their schedules as well as his own!

After Phillip Lovejoy blew out the candles on the huge delicious cake, the Live auction started.  Items Auctioned off included a full length mink coat and an amazing vacation in a Chateau in France.  The Auctioneer, also a Harvard Grad, did an excellent job selling those Auction Items.  I wish I could have bid on them! The Auctioneer was Dr. Mark Addickes, also a 1991 Super Bowl Champion with the Washington Redskins. What an All-Star Crew that had in attendance!

The Harvard Club of Houston’s President Quan helped facilitate the Event, as well as the Event Coordinator Julia Bailey.  What an amazing event!

The night ended with a Live Jazz band, and Phillip and Ellen can be seen together in the lower Right.

More photos can be seen in various sites and publications.   So exciting to be involved in a such a great event that includes both Houston and Harvard.

Vendors!

Venue: Junior League of Houston

Jazz: Hugh Zabriskie

Cellist: Lachezar Kostov

Pianist: Evelyn Chen

Bakery: Roland’s Swiss Pastry

Florist: Mark Anthony

They were married at the incredible Chapel of St.Basil at University of St. Thomas.  The couple both went to school at Rice and was involved in the Catholic Students Association.  The Chapel is a really cool modern chapel, and they had a beautiful ceremony, where their family members played music.

After the ceremony, all of the guests couldn’t wait to congratulate the couple.  There was so much love surrounding this couple, especially from their families,

Rice provides such a wonderful venue for photos, especially for two Rice Students!

The Reception was at the Houston Racquet Club, and had many beautiful details there.

The Groom’s parents gave such a touching toast.  That’s one I don’t think I’ll ever forget.  I know watching your little baby get married is not easy, but these parents really embraced Linda into their family.

The Bride and Groom had plenty of friends there to support, as well.

One of my favorite moments of the night was when grandma got in line for the Bouquet toss!

What a great day!

Vendors:

Ceremy: Chapel of St. Basil

Reception and Catering: Houston Racquet Club

Cake: World Catering

Florist: Gaye Flowers