Archive for July, 2010

A Nantucket wedding can be so hard to step away from when editing! It very much feels like I get to relive Vickie and Ted’s big day on the island. All of the wedding details were carefully put together and should be inked in my mind, but all the little moments are what stand out to me for this one. Yes, they had blue, aqua, and ivory – quintessential Nantucket wedding colors. What I remember most from this wedding day was after documenting  Vickie getting ready, she offered a gift to her flower girl. This little girl’s eyes lit up in excitement, and her smile was so radiant. Without anyone asking her to do so, she complimented the bride on how pretty she looked. Vickie and Ted’s flower girl seemed to really enjoy the entire day. We went to the historic Brant Point Light, one of the favorite photo locations on the island. The bride and groom stood on the famous ramp leading up to the lighthouse, while their flower girl played barefoot along the ocean shore. She was a miniature version of a bride, and I wondered if someday she would remember this wedding, and yearn to have a Nantucket wedding of her own.

Nantucket wedding at Brant Point Light newlyweds

Same sex weddings in Chicago seem to be less common than they are in Massachusetts. Not too long ago I photographed Liza and Nia’s wedding at the Charles River Museum of Industry & Innovation in Waltham, MA as well as Michael and Kenny’s wedding at the Barn at Gibbet Hill in Groton, MA. This was my first time doing photography for a gay wedding in Chicago. I am hoping that both Federal and Illinois laws change soon so that all human beings may share the same rights regardless of their sexuality. Before Megan and Emilia hired me as their photographer, I was crossing my fingers hoping that I would be able to document their special day, because after meeting them during their consultation, I knew it was going to be such a fun wedding. In celebration of their love, they exchanged vows in front of a large group of friends and family. This blog post has just a sneak peek of photos from their first look and creative portrait session on their wedding day.

I arrived at Hotel Sax to start shooting. While my second shooting assistant Chadd, was outnumbered in a other bridal suite photographing Megan and her six bridesmaids getting ready, I photographed Emilia and all six of her bridesmaids across the hall. We headed downstairs to the plush and elegant Crimson Lounge for a first look before the wedding. Here are some shots!

Emilia is checking the finishing touches.

bride wearing a custom tailored suit getting readyThe beautiful bride wore a custom tailored suit.

custom tailored wedding suit in chicagoEmilia’s and her mother share some words.bride and mother in the bridal suite at hotel saxRather than waiting for over a dozen women to finish getting ready, we headed down to the Hotel Sax lobby and Crimson Lounge to find the perfect photo location for the brides’ first look. Emilia waited for Megan to arrive. She was pacing.Bride in the Crimson Lounge at Hotel Saxbridal bouquet in chicago at the crimson loungebrides embrace for a first look on their wedding dayMegan wore a slim white gown and an elegant birdcage veil.birdcage veil beautiful bride at Chicago Hotel Saxbeautiful bride on her wedding daycreative photography of the bridestwo brides on their wedding
Facts about same sex marriage:

  • At the time of this posting, Illinois does not yet recognize same sex unions.
  • The Federal Court in Boston ruled very recently that same-sex married couples deserve federal recognition. This case, and another in California, may likely move the battle closer to the U.S. Supreme Court.
  • A map of what states recognize same sex marriage, civil unions, and domestic partnerships can be seen by clicking here.
  • Laura Bush supports same-sex marriage.
  • Public support for gay marriage has increased about 1% annually over the last two decades.
  • Statisticians predict a majority of Americans will support gay marriage by 2012.

Please take two minutes and help Illinois to pass the civil unions bill by filling out this brief form online.

Meg and Nick had their engagement shoot at Nick’s family’s machine shop. When scheduling their engagement session before their wedding, sending dates and locations back and fourth, I was thrilled when I got an email from them before the shoot saying that they were deciding between “our backyard, a toy store, his parent’s machine shop…” I knew we were going to have a blast at either location. I had never met the bride or groom before this shoot but soon realized they have a magnetic energy that stands out, and it was very easy to connect with them.

machine shop different location enegagement shoot

Before work one morning, we all headed over to the machine shop and I wasn’t sure what to expect, but was up for the challenge of doing their engagement photography in a location that was significant to them. Inside the shop, the rhythmic sounds of machines making parts, the flicker of the fluorescent overhead bulbs, and the smell of machine oil loaded all my senses. It turns out, some of the machines at Nick’s family’s shop are old Swiss machines and Meg grew up in Switzerland. Meg is Irish, and the couple will be getting married at an Italian Catholic church. Their upcoming wedding (in about four weeks!) will have European influences.

offbeat engagement shoot at a different locationNick lead us around in various rooms, to the attic, on the rooftop and outdoors around the building. The raw, industrial nature of the facility provided a one of a kind background for the beautiful couple’s photos.

factory attic engagement photography locationSpaces like these are a nice contrast and when you look at the couple in engagement shoots like these their beauty stands out. Sometimes you get a little dirty (I got oil on my hands) but it makes it all worth it. As a wedding photographer, are some of my favorite types of engagement photography locations.black dress and suit engagement shoot outfits

Congratulations to Aum and Kamini! Below is a sneak peek of some of the Indian wedding photography taken at the celebration of their matrimony . It was quite challenging selecting photographs for this slide show because everything at the wedding was so beautiful, and so interesting to share with others who are not familiar with South Asian weddings.

Aum & Kamini’s Marriage: Indian Wedding Photographer | Photojournalism style Photography from Heather Parker Photography. The garba, baraat, mandap, and reception during Aum and Kamini’s three part event are showed in this display of Indian wedding photography. Enjoy the slideshow! This selection of photographs can also be viewed in HD.

Thank you again for allowing me to document the story of your special day! Everything from the beautiful bride, flawless henna, baraat horse, luxurious mandap, and special surprise song done by the groom make this one of the most memorable weddings I have ever photographed! I really enjoyed seeing the Gujarati ceremonial traditions, the colorful formalwear, and entertainment provided by your friends and family.

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Massachusetts barn wedding photography is one of my favorites. There are so many barns in New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts and Maine if you are looking for unique event spaces and wedding venues. Here is a real wedding from Brooksby Farm in the Smith Barn. It is a great event space that is on the grounds of an apple orchard and working farm. The great thing about many of the barns in Massachusetts, including the Red Lion Barn in Cohasset and The Barn at Gibbet Hill Grill in Groton is that they have an elevated upper level that is the best for taking photos at different angles, some fun documentary photojournalism.

boston wedding photographer brooksby farm smith barn real weddingIf you carefully plan and budget a few minutes of time around sunset, you can get some of the best wedding photography on your big day.

Boston wedding photographer blog brooksby farm smith barn real weddingsIf you would like to see a more complete array of wedding photos from real weddings at the Smith Barn at Brooksby Farm on the North Shore of Boston, then please click here. If you would like to see real weddings at the Barn at Red Lion Inn 1704 in Cohasset, MA please click here.

More and more I am noticing that as a wedding photographer, the weddings I document tell the stories of two cultures coming together. Interfaith, multicultural weddings are for me, just as common these days. Before each wedding, I talk with each bride and groom to learn what cultural traditions they will be incorporating into their ceremony and reception.

Before I share some wedding photography, I just wanted to thank you all for your patience while I edit and blog your wonderful weddings. I truly feel so lucky to be a part of such an important day of your lives. I have learned so much about such a variety of traditions and love telling the story of such meaningful events. Thank you for all the referrals and recommendations, it means so much that you enjoyed having me as your wedding photographer. Below, are some of the weddings that stand out as culturally rich with details in my eyes.

At this destination wedding in Jamaica, this interracial couple came from two different backgrounds and tied in some Jewish ceremonial traditions including standing under a chuppah and having a Jamaican officiant perform the marriage. I love these real wedding frames taken at sunset.

destination wedding photographers jamaica negril montego bayjamaica destination wedding photographer weddings in negril and montego bayNicole and Victor got married integrating Mexican traditions into their ceremony such as tying the lasso, as well as welcoming guests into the reception with a mariachi band. Family played an important part in their celebration as relatives joined the mariachi band in singing songs to the newlyweds. Nicole and Victor look just beautiful on their big day.

Mexican american wedding traditions captured by wedding photographer in Chicagolasso lazo wedding la celebración del matrimonio fotógrafo fotógrafa mexico chicagomariachi band wedding vendor
mejor fotógrafo de bodas en Chicago a las tradiciones méxico-americana

At another recent wedding in Cambridge right across the river from Boston, I photographed a Taiwanese bride and Canadian American groom with a ceremony done in both english and mandarin at a baptist church. The bride wore a traditional white vintage wedding gown and later changed into a red silk qipao before making an entrance to the reception.

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This destination wedding on Nantucket Island at the White Elephant Nantucket wedding venue brought together different cultures including Chinese and American. The father of the groom surprised the newlyweds by bringing in Gund Kwok Asian Women Lion & Dragon Dance Troupe, the first all women lion & dragon dance troupe in the United States.

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I photographed a recent Harvard Square multicultural Indian wedding where both Hindi and Christian traditions came together at Harvard Memorial Church. The church actually has services for Zoroastrian, Catholic, Baptist, Chabad/Jewish, Buddhist, Hindi, Christian Science and several other religious faiths. The church had some pretty amazing natural light and loads of candles.

indian wedding photography in boston indian wedding photographer shares bridal wedding bouquet flowers

This groom lives in the New York City area (New Jersey) and I will be photographing the couple’s Indian wedding locally. We set up a shoot for the morning, and the bride was happy to head over to the water. I sometimes like to push the envelope and it always makes for the best engagement photography. I encouraged the bride and groom not to go right into the water. We  all got a little wet (I was in up to my hips and I might have almost gone swimming if I didn’t have my iPhone in my pocket!). The bride talked about Bengali Indian wedding traditions. I learned that soon she would be moving to NYC to be with her new husband after the wedding. I was excited to hear that the groom rode a Lambretta scooter! If anyone reading this is considering having a Vespa scooter wedding, we need to talk, because I am your photographer!

creative engagement photographer for indian couple before the indian weddinggetting soaked to get the photo

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Before their upcoming wedding at the Tower Club atop the Civic Opera House, I met with Charles and Dawn for an engagement shoot at Union Station and Carnivale. Dawn was a fan of the neoclassical architecture. If you have your heart set on taking photos at Union Station for your engagement shoot or wedding photography location, it is important to look into getting a permit. The station is an ideal space for an indoor location due to rain, but permits are required two weeks in advance. After taking some photographs at the station, we walked over to their wedding venue near the river. The Tower Club, which is operated by the same folks who run The University Club of Chicago, is located on the 39th floor, providing spanning city views. Our final stop was to Carnivale, the restaurant where they had their first date.

union station location for tower club wedding coupleCarnivale photo location and wedding venue in Chicago

Joanne and Kevin tied the knot on a beautiful summer afternoon in Chicago. The bride and groom integrated blue and green as their wedding colors. The bridesmaids combined blue and green by wearing vibrant cobalt blue bridesmaid dresses and carrying a light green assortment of fresh flowers. The groom and groomsmen combined blue and green color scheme by wearing cobalt blue vests under black tuxedos, and had coordinating light green boutonnieres. The decorations used throughout the ceremony and reception included a variety of floral arrangements including centerpieces in blue and green. The big day took place in downtown Chicago with vendors including Flora as the florist, Heather Parker Photography providing artistic, wedding photojournalism, and Chicago’s best DJ company Style Matters. The cool color palette was refreshing on a hot day! All the details matched perfectly.

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Wedding Vendors
Wedding DJ: Style Matters
Chicago Wedding Photographer: Heather Parker Photography
Wedding Florist: Randy at Flora, 2835 N Southport
Wedding Makeup: Mario Tricoci, 900 N. Michigan
Wedding Hair: Mario Tricoci, 900 N. Michiga
Bridal Boutique: A’Lamour, Barrington, Illinois
Bride’s Shoes: Kate Spade, blue patent leather heels

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Boston wedding venue Veronique which is owned by Longwood Events, has some of the most intricate architectural details done in the Tudor castle style to transport guests back to a bygone era of old-world European elegance. At this venue, soaring ceilings are supported by gargoyles, hand-carved dark wood beams and relief sculpture. There is a balcony and mezzanine, but the most unique part about this Boston wedding venue is the romantic rooftop garden. On a recent Saturday, I photographed Morgan and Sam’s intimate wedding. This Vermont couple has family in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and many guests traveling from the New York area where the bride and groom met in college. For the wedding ceremony, the room was filled with a loving group of close friends and family. After the newlyweds tied the knot, we headed to the rooftop terrace for some photos before heading into the reception at Longwood Club.

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Wedding Vendors:

Wedding Musicians: Boston String Quartet

Ceremony Venue and Reception Venue: Veronique by Longwood Events

Wedding Photographer: Heather Parker Photography

Florist: Winston Flowers

Hair & Makeup: Beauty Salon at Boston Park Plaza Hotel and Towers

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