Saturday, April 3, 2010 — Wedding season is upon us, dear friends! Last week, I had the pleasure of photographing my first ceremony of the year. The happy couple were Heather Plourde and Michael Rubiner. Heather, a talented interior designer, was a one-woman planning and decorating team. She blended her craftiness and personal touch to every element — from handmade felt flowers for each guest to an adorable bride and groom cake topper (see photo at end). Michael, an accomplished screenwriter, added his wit and humor to a very funny toast and also made sure all the arrangements went as per schedule.
This being an April wedding, the theme was “pushing spring.” Heather and her bridesmaids wore bright, vibrant colors (Heather, an exquisite lime green and white dress) which added a nice contrast to the classic architecture. The weather was also in total agreement with the theme. It was a fine spring day with plenty of sunshine and even a cool breeze. As per usual, I arrived hours ahead of schedule — a tip I picked up from my friend (and fellow wedding photographer) Jacob Pritchard — and even had time to stop for coffee at the neighborhood establishment Tea Lounge. I then arrived at the breathtaking Montauk Club.
The Montauk Club is a true hidden gem in my hometown of Brooklyn, New York. It’s a private club that’s been a gathering place for the Park Slope community since 1890. The architect, Francis H. Kimball, was inspired by a palace on the Grand Canal in Venice. Michael and Heather are members and somehow scored this superb space for the big day. (Word has it Martin Scorsese just filmed a scene of his new movie there).
The wedding itself was unique and inspiring. I saw a lot of familiar faces — Heather and Mike were guests at a previous wedding I photographed last year and that was the point of contact for their own ceremony. They, along with a couple of hundred of their closest friends and family, filled the space with laughter, cries, a beautiful rendition of the Magnetic Fields’ song, “Book of Love” and of course plenty of dancing and rocking out. Dinner included a delicious buffet and no less than a dozen homemade cakes (one for each table)!
All in all, it was a great celebration and a wonderful party!
March 7, 2010 — Last weekend, I received an email with the subject line “Holi Shit!” from my friend Ashwin. He was referring, of course, to Holi, the grand festival of colors that Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs and others celebrate to welcome spring. The tradition involves throwing dye, baby powder, and colored water at each other to “chase away the winter grays.”
And what a springtime day it was. Sunny. Warm. Miraculous.
I realize I’ve strayed from the “travel” part of my blog, but I shall return to form after my South Africa trip in November. Meanwhile, I’ve been practicing my portrait-taking abilities at dinner parties in the neighborhood.
I met Dave and Jenn while working at Condé Nast in my early publishing years. Coincidentally, that’s also how they met each other. Fast-forward a few years, and next month this lovely couple will be tying the knot at the KumGangSan Gallery in Queens.
I’m really excited to shoot their wedding, especially because I sense such great chemistry between the Web-savvy couple. Between Dave, an experienced Web developer, and Jenn, a fantasic designer (she designed Gourmet.com when we worked together) they’ve come up with some fantastic ideas for their traditional-and-Korean-themed wedding next month — which I have no doubt will make for an amazing ceremony and, hopefully, great photography!
Last weekend, the three of us went for a little walk in their Lower East Side neighborhood where I shot a few photographs to get a feel for things.
