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!
The perfect cap to the best year to date. Happy 2010, everyone!
Location: Sycamore Plow (AKA The Frye Family Farm). 2 hours outside St. Louis, Missouri.
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 live for a good dinner party. So when Emily suggested a cookout with our blogging-minded friends, I jumped at the opportunity.
But the “North Brooklyn Bloggers Banquet” would not be a spectator event, I was alerted. Each participant would either cook or assist in the preparation of a dish and then publish their experiences in a blog post. So, with my camera and a curried squash soup in tow, I joined the group at Liz and Joe’s lovely apartment in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.
There, I found a kitchen full of delicious aromas and Sunday conversations. Beans and corn were being shucked, avocados expertly peeled. Breads and tarts came in and out of a very busy oven. Someone plopped a case of PBR into a bucket of ice. All the while, Kenan, inconspicuous sketched portraits on a simple notepad and Jake screwed on his brand new 50mm 1.2 lens to his 5D Mark II (jealous!).
I helped myself to some delicious rosé from the fridge and then got down to work. And by “work” I mean snapping tipsy shots, sampling sliced tomatoes from the balcony-garden, refilling my glass one more time.
A quick thunderstorm. Some strong sun. Occasionally, we took our drinks to the balcony where a hammock was stretched and looked down at the garden below.
Brooklyn continues to exist as the most magical place I’ve ever lived in.
