i have photographed many jewish weddings and many christian/jewish “combo” weddings. this particular wedding brought together a catholic bride and jewish groom. it is always interesting to see friends and familiy being introduced to new traditions, especially the horah.
update august 24, 2009, the bride jill writes:
“Heather photographed our wedding in July, and we were really happy with the results. Her photographs truly captured the day, from makeup application to dancing. In looking for a photographer, we wanted someone who would document everything beautifully, but we didn’t want to pay an arm and a leg. We were also looking for a little style and creativity; we didn’t want just stuffy posed shots. Heather and her assistant were the perfect choice for us. Their style is modern, fun, creative, but they also do the group shots that you want.
Since we received the link to the online gallery, we’ve been getting rave reviews of the photos from family and friends. My uncle, in particular, was really impressed. He emailed me: “Without question those are the best pictures of a wedding I have ever seen. Incredible job.” One of my friends thought the photos looked like those you’d find in a magazine. It was the perfect ending to our wedding experience to get such amazing photos to reflect our day.
We were also really happy with our communication with Heather prior to the wedding. Since we live on the west coast, we were unable to meet with her before the big day. She tended to be super fast at replying to our emails, though, which comforted us and made us more confident that we were being listened to and were being taken care of.”
kelly and patrick were recently married and i had the pleasure of photographing their day. it began at hotel indigo, where the colors of the interior space were perfectly in concert with everything going on that day. kelly’s sister was the maid of honor and she joined their mother in helping prepare the bride for her wedding. with time to spare, we headed to the lobby and lounge and made great use of the unique chairs for some photos! after capturing every little detail and moment of kelly getting ready, i hopped in the limo with the ladies and grabbed a few shots as we headed to the wedding ceremony. i have noticed a trend recently where couples are looking for creative locations to tie the knot, galleries are a popular option. the groom had let me know in advance that he was planning a surprise first dance with the bride right after the ceremony. the newlyweds and i snuck outside amidst some fabulous natural light and grabbed a few shots before they returned inside to cut the cake. there were plenty of smiles to go along with the dancing, and even the children joined in.
update august 10, 2009, the bride kelly writes:
“I cannot imagine a better photographer for our wedding. Her unobtrusive style was perfect, especially for my camera-shy husband, and she was very gracious and patient with all of the guests taking flash photos, which I can say from attending other weddings, is not always the case. Many guests commented on how much they liked her. She was always quick to respond to my questions– and most importantly, the photos turned out beautifully!”
the dress is from white chicago, you may find out more on their FAQ page, or email them at info@whitexchange.com. their phone number at their chicago wedding gown boutique is (312-397-1571).
andy and sara contacted me to photograph their upcoming beach wedding. we met this week for a shoot on the same elevated tracks that matt & karen suggested for their own shoot. i am a big fan of using atypical locations for engagement shoots. see you in a month andy and sara!
i met with kelly and patrick for a walk around their neighborhood today. it’s difficult to put into words how sweet & gracious these two are; just full of life, and really fun to be around. i will be photographing their wedding at a gallery in just over a month. i really enjoy shooting weddings at unique event spaces and rumor is that this particular gallery is filled with pop art which i love.
one afternoon this week, i photographed sohini & jeremy at the arnold arboretum. the weather was perfect. they were very interested in shooting at the arboretum as they have a fondness for the lilacs and even attend the lilac weekend event held at the park. we explored much of the grounds allowing a variety of natural surroundings to create interesting backdrops for photographing a couple.
this is a shot from sandra & tim’s engagement photography session from last year. this spring, we had discussed some of the details of their zoo wedding. though i was familiar with other unique animal-inspired wedding locations such as the new england aquarium, the shedd aquarium and the new york aquarium, i had not previously photographed a wedding at a zoo. i knew this shoot would provide for an interesting journey. the day started by documenting the bride, her mother, and her bridesmaids getting ready at her house before i jumped in the limo with them. we headed to a city called oak park for the wedding ceremony. this is a popular chicago suburb with tourists who venture out to see the homes designed by world-famous architect frank lloyd wright. the wedding ceremony took place at st. catherine of siena, a catholic church. following the ceremony, we headed to the brookfield zoo, where we took some formal photographs, then took a golf cart with the bride and groom for a private tour and photography session amongst the animals, after hours. guests took the trams to the giraffe exhibit for “cocktails with the naimals,” and the dinner reception was at the zoo’s own bocaditos restaurant. a large bank of windows surrounds the venue where i was able to capture a reflection of the couple during their first dance.
Perhaps the most notable tradition of all in regards to a New Orleans wedding is the second line parade. just about all weddings in new orleans have some form of a second line. Everyone including the bride, groom and wedding guests dance in a line through the French Quarter, led by a second line brass band. If you would like to hear what a second line band sounds like, click here. The W New Orleans Hotel and the W New Orleans – French Quarter are two of my favorite NOLA wedding venues. The courtyard and fountain at the French Quarter location is such a perfect location.
The bride generally carries a parasol, or “second line umbrella” as guests twirl handkerchiefs. The French Quarter is a festive location filled with great energy throughout the year. The parades usually lead the guests from the church to the reception location.
New Orleans’ famous St. Louis cathedral in Jackson Square is the oldest Catholic cathedral in continual use in the US. Its a great piece of architecture inside and out, day or night.
When strolling through the French Quarter, you will undoubtedly notice the unique architecture showing the city’s multicultural heritage. You’ll see everything from creole cottages, to the more iconographic balconies.
Whenever I find myself in New Orleans, i always stop at the 24-hour Cafe du Monde, the french market cafe for some beignets.
If you head outside the French Quarter (and i strongly recommend doing so) down St. Charles and on to Prytania, you will see magnificent historic mansions, many of which are popular locations for weddings.
At the time of this blog post, there are still many areas of the city that have yet to be restored after Hurricane Katrina.
When I am in town, I can’t help but notice how friendly everyone is, and the cheerful mood that encompasses the city, even after everything the city has gone through. On my left hand, I have tattoo of the fleur de lis, the symbol of New Olreans and it reminds me how great the city truly is.
i met with matt & karen for an engagement shoot last night. they chose to have an abandoned elevated track as the location for the shoot. we had a great time exploring the area the tracks ran above, and later went to shoot near some great public art. in addition to photographing matt and karen’s wedding later this month, i will be photographing karen’s good friend’s wedding this saturday. gotta love referrals! the remainder of matt and karen’s shoot can be viewed here.
http://heatherparker.com wedding photography by Heather Parker Photography
with a translator on hand, guests from both sides of the pond celebrated both italian and jewish traditions. the ceremony and reception took place in the pavilion at galleria marchetti, one of the winners of the 2009 planners’ choice award for best wedding places. everyone put their language barriers aside and celebrated at one of the most energetic, fun wedding i have ever photographed.
jen & grant were such fun clients to work with. when i first heard that they wanted to have me photograph them at a mcdonalds, i probably raised an eyebrow. after we corresponded a few times, i knew this shoot was going to be an interesting one. they really brought creativity to the shoot, arriving in colors that complimented the scene. i had a red umbrella lying around the house and thought it would be a nice addition as well. this is a true example how something that might seem completely ridiculous can turn out amazing. i look forward to photographing their wedding at the hampshire house in downtown boston this summer. from the client:
Heather,
The pictures are BEAUTIFUL! I have already shared them everywhere possible. Everyone says they can’t wait to see the wedding photos! (Although, I’m not going to lie, they wont be as fun as these!)
