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many of my clients who have seaside or island weddings go with a navy or nautical theme. i am currently wrapping up edits on a wedding that was carefully decorated with a classic New England navy blue color theme. below are some photos of a wedding cake with a blue ribbon from the world renowned wedding bakery Konditor Meister.

This particular cake was a round, four tier wedding cake, covered in light ivory buttercream frosting with a wide navy ribbon overlaying a narrow champagne ribbon at the bottom of each layer and swiss dots decorating the entire cake. The top and bottom layer was carrot cake with cream cheese filling, the second layer was chocolate cake with oreo filling, and the third layer was gold cake with Grand Marnier filing and fresh strawberries. Are you hungry yet?

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I love natural, clean photographs, with minimal digital processing. Though years ago I once had to superimpose a bowl of fruit on a bare table to create a more interesting image for a hardcover publication, early speed bumps like this made me learn long ago that it is essential to develop a visual theme and stage accordingly to generate the look you are going for.

When a new luxury resort is built, or an existing hotel changes hands and is upgraded, hiring a resort photographer is a must. Advertising agencies and marketing departments know that sub-par photography makes for lackluster brochures and ineffective advertising. For resort and architectural photography, my goal is always to create a photograph that communicates the most ideal representation of a space. A marketing consultant will look at what can be created to attract specific audience segments. Taking cues from a photojournalist perspective, I like to document the guest experience through lifestyle photography. Photographing a resort at the right time of year is also a must. It is most practical to arrive when the resort is not at full occupancy, and when the landscaping is at optimal bloom. From the big picture to the small details, I ensure my clients are aware that taking all the necessary time to produce stunning visual imagery is essential. While high impact resort photography is only one aspect of promoting a resort’s brand, it provides an enticing, visual display of a hotel or resort’s offerings both online and in print for your customers.

Here are some images from a recent shoot used in a marketing campaign for a leading luxury resort and spa.

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last night i was on a call discussing a wedding day time line with a bride and groom. during our conversation, i was looking out the window and saw all the snow and it made me wish that summer would hurry up and get here. not long after the call, my heat went out. i wanted to be warm! it made me start thinking about the upcoming destination weddings. below is an early morning photo i took simply because i enjoyed how the rustic boat provided visual contrast to the idyllic turquoise caribbean sea.

below is a photo of a destination wedding ceremony that i took while i was in the water. i didn’t actually mean to get in the water, it just sort of happened but once i got wet, i decided it was okay to be knee deep to get the shot.

this wedding was also on the ocean however to get the same angle, there was more sand to walk on and i didn’t have to go swimming for the photo. the couple used a chuppah but even for non jewish beach wedding ceremonies, brides often will use a wedding canopy or arch, made out of things borrowed from nature. in addition to bamboo trunks, i have seen four potted plants in the place of a chuppah. for fabric to create the canopy, some of the more interesting ones i have seen have incorporated simple solid colors or color combinations including aqua, celery, citrus themed with yellow, green and orange, navy and celery, and navy and pink.

if you are thinking about having a wedding, one thing to note is that not all beaches are private beaches. some of my favorite beaches to have wedding ceremonies on are jetties beach in nantucket and seven mile beach in jamaica. when dealing with public beaches, you can sometimes have an unannounced guest at your wedding

on of my brides put these DIY decorations together which work perfectly for destination weddings. Sand, beach glass, shells, and river rocks along with candles work great for this type of decor.

many wedding resorts are now creating signature cocktails for their brides and grooms.

I recently photographed for Gallery 1028. A fabulous atmosphere was created for the event by PJ Acosta at Studio AG (Alice’s Garden). Also knownw as Alice’s Garden, they are a full service, luxury floral and decor design center that has been serving such prestigious clients as Van Cleef & Arpels, Conde Nast Publications, and HBO for over 13 years. Studio AG creates unique environments from table design for intimate private events to muti-media stage sets for televised awards programs, from sleek lounge settings to original art installations. The possibilities are limitless.

All images below are by Heather Parker Photography.

Gallery 1028 is in a warehouse district with plenty of unique exterior surroundings, perfect for unique bridal photo shoots on your wedding day. Inside the venue, the large amount of bricks and wood create a moody atmosphere. From a photography perspective, because there is no white ceiling to bounce light off, it can be a challenging space for a photographer. With the right experience and quality lenses, successfully lit photos can be had even in a dark venue. Another shot taken in dark lighting can be seen here.

When you walk inside, there is a nice sized room suitable for a lobby area or coat check.
If your guest list is around 135 people, a separate mid-size room (below) from the main dining area can be used for your wedding ceremony. For larger wedding ceremonies the giant main room is suitable, and can be flipped over to a dining setup while guests enjoy cocktail hour in the mid-size room.
The main room has a rustic array of exposed brickwork and beams along with truly raw floors.
Below, you can see a sampling of vignette setups that were created by PJ from Studio A. G.

While I have seen Gallery 1028 function great without additional lighting, renting chandeliers adds a touch of elegance to any event.

For a photo of a real wedding setup, click here.
Below, PJ created a far from ordinary wedding reception setup using bold pink hues. I have seen similar color schemes popular for Indian weddings, Chinese weddings and many other cultural and creative weddings. I personally love fuchsia, red, orange all all sorts of vivid colors.
If pink is not your thing, there are also a lot of fun opportunities to decorate with blue, aqua, green, and yellow. Complimenting bright colors with black & white is very popular this year.In addition to a round table setup, a modern alternative is using a rectangular reception table.

Vendor Spotlight: Gallery 1028

Introduce yourself:
Katie Hall Jasinski, Venue Manager, Gallery 1028
1028 Hooker Street Chicago, IL on Goose Island (312) 239-2328
http://www.gallery-1028.com

Gallery 1028 is one of my favorite venues. As far as I know, its the only place in Chicago where you can have an island wedding (since its on Goose Island of course)! What are some unique things about the space?
We’re one of Chicago’s best kept secrets….Our open, loft, older feel and style are what is trendy in unique weddings now.  Plus our space can hold both ceremonies & receptions in separate rooms, big bonus!

I have seen Gallery 1028 presented with elegant sophistication and as a chic modern space. What are some popular trends at Gallery 1028 with brides and grooms this year?
Making it “their own” really.  From shabby chic to less is more with candles to a colorful moroccan theme, it’s all been done.  Our space absorbs all colors really well.  A bonus at our space is the ability to hang things in our timber loft ceilings.   From lighting to projectors to chandeliers to lanterns, it makes each event unique to the overall look.

More images from a recent event at Gallery 1028

Gallery 1028 Wedding and Event Photography by Heather Parker Photography

in honor of summer and in hope that winter ends soon, below is the number one reason to bring a camera to a barbeque:

here are some random photos of my friend’s daughter emily showing some willpower. she is determined to go for a ride on this vespa GL. for clarification for all my non-scooterist readers, it is not a moped.

and last but not least, ronald mcdonald tries so hard to look happy but to me he looks quite sad!

新年快乐

yellow mustang and bunny mask!

they know how to party, during mardi gras and year round, constantly.okay sometimes they need to take a break.they’ve got cute water meter covers, seriously!NOLA uses mules instead of horses for tourist carriage rides since they tolerate heat better.cafe du monde is bustling 24 hours a day. this shot was taken past your bedtime.restoration is ongoing. the transformation is incredible.and because new orleans is for loversmany brides and grooms choose to have their wedding in the Big Easy, like this wedding in jackson square right out front of st. louis cathedralthe second line parades for weddings and the second line umbrella / parasol along with the handkerchiefs are a tradition popular in NOLA there are so many unique details everywhere you look. i loved the wrought iron fences throughout the city.every time i visit new orleans i make it a point to take the free ferry over to algiers to catch a glimpse of the skyline