Author Archives: Jeanette LeBlanc

Jeanette LeBlanc is a wedding and portrait photographer serving Phoenix, Arizona and surrounding areas.

The Inspirador | Chandler Wedding Venue

Inspirador Chandler: Two Thumbs Up!

We’ve clearly established two things here in the last month:

  1. I’m not all that great at staying on top of this blogging thing.
  2. I’m a tiny bit behind.  Like waaaaaay behind. Terribly, horribly, procrastinating-ly behind.

So, it should come as no great shocker that I’m about to post an event that happened in March (she ducks her head sheepishly and hopes this comes off as endearingly honest rather than hopelessly outdated).

About a hundred years ago (or March 24th to be exact) I happened to be in Chandler for a portrait session.  I had been hearing quite a bit of buzz about the Inspirador, a way cool wedding venue in Historic Downtown Chandler.   It seemed serendipitous when I checked their facebook page and found out that they had an open house planned for that very night.  Not being one to ignore a lovely coincidence, I headed over to check out the action just as soon as I wrapped up my session.

First thought: This place rocks!
Second thought: Damn, nice peeps too!
Third thought: OMG – they have a display of framed GRASS on the wall outside.  I’m officially in love.

chandler wedding venue - inspirador

The Inspirador is a truly unique option for your Arizona wedding, with an urban vibe and modern style.  The Poet’s Lounge is a dreamy, candle lit spot for your romantic wedding ceremony, while the Tryst Art Gallery, Courtyard and Symphony Hall provide numerous options for cocktail hour, mingling with guests or a sit down reception.  Beyond the amazing venue, downtown Chandler provides numerous fantastic spots for killer urban portraits before or after your ceremony.  Bonus!

The Inspirador has also partnered with some of the most fabulous wedding vendors in the valley to bring together regular open house events, which are beneficial for engaged couples and wedding professionals alike.

Inspirador Chandler, Wedding Photography

I connected with several people during my visit, including event planners Rebecca Coberly and Jessica Martinez of Embellish, Design For Entertaining.  These two super cool (and incredibly sweet) Phoenix wedding coordinators created the beautiful white on white buffet and table display featured below.   Check out their website and blog for more information and images of their inspirational work.

phoenix wedding coordinator Embellish @ inspirador chandler

My attention was immediately captured by the floral arrangements on one table.  Phoenix Floral Designer Jan Dekker created this bold bouquet and I had to snatch it and run outside to take some photos.  I love the intensity of the color combo and can just imagine it being carried by a bride who was looking forward to stepping outside the box a little and working with a rich, deep color scheme.   I do so love a bouquet with a bit of attitude!

inspirador wedding flowers by jan dekker

To make a long (and late!) story short(ish):

If you are a stylish modern couple looking for something a little different for your wedding venue –  add the Inspirador in Chandler to your short list of places to check out in person.  They are having their next Open House next week on the 23rd (remember what I said about not ignoring lovely coincidences?) so make sure you drop by.

Unfortunately, I won’t be there (I’ll be cooling off in Nova Scotia) but you’d better not miss it!  To sweeten the deal (beyond the free food and fabulous vendors) they are also offering a gift bag to the first 25 brides, and a chance to win over $1000.00 in prizes!  Check out their facebook  page for details!

Featured: Southwestern Bride

A few months ago (which translates to about 857 years in internet time, if you’re counting) I was thrilled to be contacted by the fine folks at Southwestern Bride (the wedding guide for the modern Southwest Bride).  They wanted to feature my bridal session from the incredible Scottsdale wedding venue the Boojum Tree.  Of course I was tickled pink and flattered as all heck*, so I said yes right away.

Boojum Tree Scottsdale Wedding Photography

Southwestern Bride is an awesome wedding resource for Phoenix brides, as it focuses solely on weddings in Arizona, New Mexico and Texas – so  you’ll be sure to find lots of area (and climate!) appropriate ideas and inspiration.   If you are planning a wedding in Phoenix, make sure you check out this website!    And while you’re in the planning stages, take the time to visit The Boojum Tree – it’s an oasis in the middle of the desert, with beautiful light and countless tucked away spots for private moments (and amazing photos)!

From the Boojum Tree Website:

Boojum Tree is Arizona’s most unique and exotic wedding, reception and corporate event destination.  While you enjoy your stroll through our property, you’ll be in awe of the thousands of tropical plants, multiple water features and our new Palm Forest.  Imagine your special day in our hidden gardens.

From the Southwestern Bride Blog:

“The Southwestern U.S. is a unique mixture of colors, tastes and textures that sets itself apart from anywhere else in the world. It is a land of enchantment, adventure and the spirit of days gone by. It is also an area of thriving cities and the perfect blend of contemporary and classic styles.

Southwestern Bride celebrates this area and was created as a resource for brides in Arizona, New Mexico and Texas that would give them access to the very best professionals the Southwest has to offer them.”


*Yes, although I am now a big city girl, I sometimes slip up a talk like a country bumpkin.  I also two-step (and I’m not ashamed to admit it).

Love Note Revolution | Part Two

I asked for a revolution – yes I did.  So, perhaps we’re not  yet at the place where we  qualify as a full-fledged revolution.  These things take time.  At the very least I’ve seen the beginnings of a warm-fuzzy-mushy-gushy love fest.  A miniature uprising of sappy sincerity.  A plethora of creative and inspiring messages of love, love, love.

Ummmm….it makes me feel all floaty and melty and goooood….

I received emails, I got tweets, I got pics of text messages, even a screen capture of a Facebook status update. Ya’ll aren’t shy when it comes to professing your amorous side.  At the risk of overusing a word – I LOVE it!

For the next little while I’ll try to do a post every few days with the love notes that are trickling in.  Once they start to come in waves (and I’m fully confident that they will) I’ll figure out a more manageable solution.  No matter what, I promise to share the love.

After all, just like the Beatles told us, it’s all we really need.

Phoenix Photographer Jeanette LeBlanc collects love notes

San Diego photographer Shawn Houllis tagged me on facebook with this awesome iphone text thread between her and her love

Love note collected by Phoenix Wedding Photographer Jeanette LeBlanc

But perhaps even better than this, is the love letter Shawn recently wrote to herself and posted on her own blog, together with the most beautiful photos of her very real, fabulously beautiful, utterly lovely self.  If only all of us could find the courage to open ourselves and transmit that much love to the bodies we have, that serve us every day of our lives.  This particular love note is a testament to the journey of a phenomenal women just beginning to get a glimpse of the goddess within.   If this isn’t a love note, I don’t know what is.

Once some people feel the love, they are unstoppable!  To start with, Fairbanks Alaska photographer Chelsey Mach didn’t write a love note, she picked one.  A beautiful bouquet of love for her husband (yes, even the men-folk among us deserve flowers every now and then).  Although the lilacs in the vase didn’t get photographed, she sent me a photo of the source.

In addition to the beautiful purple blooms Nicole also sent along another love note to daddy – top scribbles by the 4 year old, bottom scribbles by the 2 year old and translation by Mama!

And, to totally melt me, she sent in a picture of their garden, and explained that it was a labor of love for her children.  A piece of the “love pie” she called it.  I can’t think of anything more loving than digging in the dirt and cultivating something that will nourish your children.  I firmly believe that food grown with love just tastes better.

More to come darlings – I promise!

Love Note Revolution

Who doesn’t love a good love note?

I have an especially soft spot for the spontaneous-for-no-reason-except-that-i-love-you kind.    The sticky note on the fridge kind.  The left by my sweetheart kind.  The shaky little hearts made by a four year old kind. The kind that highlights the soft spot a self-proclaimed tough girl still has for her mama.  Not because it’s my birthday, or mother’s day, or any other commercially created, Hallmark supported kind of date.  Just because.

One day a few weeks ago, completely by coincidence, my three favorite girls all left me love notes.  Different times of day, different locations. One scrawled in sharpie and left for me to find when I opened the fridge door for soy milk.  Another proudly delivered by sticky fingers straight into my open hands and melting heart.  A third tacked to the white board by my desk, so I could look at it and smile while I worked.

And all of them just to remind me that I am loved.


phoenix wedding photographer love notes

Do me a favor, will you?  Can you think of anyone who might love a little love note action?  Your partner?  Your son?  Your best friend? Your lawn guy?   Take some time today and write a little love note or two (or ten).   It does not have to be fancy, it does not have to be long, and it certainly does not have to be profound.  Embossed paper and spritz of floral perfume totally not necessary.

Find something to write with (yes, your two year old’s chewed orange crayon will absolutely suffice) and something to write on (a page torn from your journal, your Starbucks receipt, the envelope from your water bill) and do it.  Just do it.

Doodle a heart, a ladybug, a rainbow.  Write “You are the best mother/daughter/son/photographer/lawn guy in the whole wide world” or “I think I maybe- kinda-sorta-might-just-a-little-bit like you” or “damn, those jeans make your butt look soooo fine that I feel a little weak every time you wear them”.

Or you could, just simply and perfectly, say “I love  you” and leave it at that.

But do it.  I can almost guarantee that once you do it once, you’ll want to do it again, and again, and again.  Because who does not like to be the giver of warm fuzzies, the bearer of mushy-gushy goodness, the one to make someone smile?  We all love, and we all want to be loved, and sometimes it just takes a sharpie on a yellow sticky pad to remind us of just how much a little gesture can mean.

So let’s start a little love note revolution, shall we?

PS: Humor me.  Take a picture of your love note(s).  Post them on your blog, on your facebook, on your twitter (include hashtag #lovenote).  Tag me, tweet me, comment me, email me.  I’ll post my favorites here, and the best of the best will get an extra special prize from me (and you’d better believe that prize will include a love note).

PPS: I love you. I totally do. And the embossed paper and floral perfume are  not overkill here.  I chose them just for you.

PPPS: I meant what I said about those jeans.

Sneak Peek : Leigh | Downtown Phoenix Maternity Photography

She is…

Urban goddess

Downtown diva

Voodoo mama

Fierce and feminine

Dark chocolate

High heels

Half-moon eyes

And open heart

Strength you can lean on

And a soft place to fall.

She is Leigh…and va-va-va-voom – does she know how to work the camera!

Phoenix Urban Pregnancy Photography