Monthly Archives: February 2008

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Pan Pacific Panache: Marcy & Kyle’s Wedding

February 27, 2008 – 1:06 pm

Last Saturday, I headed down to one of Seattle’s newest and coolest hotels, the Pan Pacific, to photograph Marcy and Kyle’s beautiful day. The venue had extra significance this time - Marcy was one of the architects who designed the hotel! And I have to say, she and her colleagues did an amazing job: it is such a beautiful space. There are huge windows throughout the hotel, meaning lots of lovely natural light, and the coolest zebra wood on the walls. I also loved the gorgeous curving staircase just off the lobby. It really was the perfect wedding venue.

I arrived early in the day to get some interior shots, and then I made my way up to Marcy’s room where the girls were getting ready. It was tons of fun in there - we had Marcy and her maid of honor Becky; the two moms; the delightful Kate Crotty (who did another amazing job with makeup); Barb from Cynderellie’s Closet; and few others popping in and out. You’d think it would be crowded, but Marcy had been reading The Bride’s Guide and she got a fantastic corner room with tons of space, and it was actually a really fun way to start the day.

I also popped in and out of the room where Kyle and his best man Ryan were getting ready. I got very lucky with timing in fact, and arrived just in time to document Kyle opening his wedding gifts from Marcy - a stunning set of Tiffany cuff links, and a super-cute concertina card of photos of the two of them together.

At 2:30pm, we hid Kyle on the second floor balcony (which has a great view of the Space Needle - and also unfortunately lots of big ugly cranes at the moment) and brought out Marcy for their first look. It was definitely a challenge keeping the cranes and construction out of their photos but we got some beautiful shots there. The plan was then to head to the library downtown but we had the most amazing weather so I persuaded them to head up to Kerry park and EMP instead. Kerry Park is such a classic spot, and I LOVE the backgrounds and all the crazy colors at EMP. I’m particularly liking the (intentional) lens flare shot. Thanks for putting up with the chilly breeze, guys!

Back at the hotel, we did some family group photos (with the best-behaved families I’ve ever met; we were done in just 20 minutes!), and soon after we had the ceremony, with one of my regular favorites, Reverend Ray. They used a lot of candles to decorate the venue, and my favorite part of the ceremony was when they had everyone light a candle mid-ceremony. It was so beautiful, and such a nice way to incorporate all of their friends and family. I also loved the music by Dan Purser - what a great find!

Onto the reception! I’ll just run through the highlights for you as I’ve written quite enough already! The awesome cake by Kelli Morse … Marcy’s dad’s speech, and her mom’s reaction, when he said that Marcy was the most important person in his life (there was a lot of laughter!) … Marcy and Kyle’s amazing choreographed dance to ‘Fever’ … great party music from Sounds Unlimited (those guys really do keep people dancing!) … and my absolute favorite part of the day: geeking out with Kyle’s dad Nate about cameras, lenses, lighting, Pocket Wizards and all kinds of good stuff!

Phew! I hope you’re still awake after all of that. One last thing: huge thanks to Trevin Chow for doing a splendid job assisting me. OK, now you can go enjoy the photos …

By Kate McElwee | Posted in recommended vendors, seattle, weddings | Comments (16)

Short & Sweet: Debbie & Mark’s Mayflower Park Nuptials

February 25, 2008 – 12:13 pm

Oh dear, I seem to be a little behind on my blogging - but I’m heading off to Hawaii on Sunday and I’ve promised myself to finish all of my blogging before I head off … so it’ll be a busy week here!

Last weekend, I photographed Debbie and Mark’s short but very sweet wedding at the Mayflower Park Hotel in downtown Seattle. It was my second time photographing Debbie’s family - you may recognize her daughter Dana in the photos below, from Dana’s senior portrait session back in the fall.

Mark and Debbie’s wedding was full of lovely and unusual touches. The main thing was that they had a pre-reception as well as the regular post-reception - what a great idea for spending time with your friends and family before saying your vows in front of them all! It also gave Debbie a great excuse to wear two gorgeous dresses!

Another special touch was when Dana sang a hymn just before Debbie walked down the aisle with her dad - I’m not sure that there was a dry eye in the hotel by the time Debbie made her entrance!

I must get back to editing, so I’ll leave you with some of my favorite shots from the day. Enjoy!

By Kate McElwee | Posted in seattle, weddings | Comments (9)

A Little Rain and Lots of Emotion: Engagement Photos with Nicole & Chris

February 18, 2008 – 12:53 pm

It’s been a crazy busy weekend here again - an engagement session, a wedding, a jewelry shoot and a bridal fair, all in the space of three days! The bridal fair was just for fun, though, and it’s been an enjoyable if frenzied few days, so I’m not complaining!

I started off on Friday afternoon at Carkeek Park in North Seattle for Nicole and Chris’ engagement session. I was so pleased that the two locations they had chosen for their session are very special to them - it’s something I always recommend to couples; if you choose places that have had an impact on your relationship, it brings a lot more emotion to the photos. Carkeek was where they spent one of their first ever dates, and it’s also a place where they’ve spent time reflecting on their relationship, on a little bench overlooking Puget Sound.

Carkeek is such a great location for an engagement session anyway, even when it’s cloudy and dull out. There’s the park itself, the gorgeous beach, lots of beautiful driftwood, pebbles, waves, tall grasses, beautiful trees, railway tracks and even trains! We spent most of the Carkeek session on the beach. The natural backgrounds seemed to gel beautifully with Chris and Nicole’s natural good looks and happy personalities, and they had very little prompting and posing from me. I love the photos of them on the huge fallen tree trunk, and the little series of hugging and kissing photos in front of the tall grasses.

After an hour or so, the rain came and we decided to move on to location two: Pike Place Market and Post Alley. I had some fun with silhouettes, and I tried to make them dance for me (poor Chris was not too impressed!) Then, we stopped by the spot where Chris first told Nicole “I love you” and it was sweet watching them from afar, remembering this day. One of my favorite photos was taken here - the one of them in the window, with a single light in the top left corner. The last few photos were more lighthearted, and we ended the day on a fun note outside The Pink Door, with lots of hand-holding, kissing, fun angles and pretty shoes. Thanks Nicole and Chris for a great session and see you May for your wedding!

By Kate McElwee | Posted in engagements, seattle | Comments (6)

Dinner & Photos with Seattle’s Hottest Private Chef

February 12, 2008 – 7:09 pm

I’ve been so excited to post about this! A couple of months ago, one of my favorite Seattle chefs, Jeremy Fox, asked if I’d like to host a dinner party for him to showcase his culinary skills and at the same time have me take some photos for his new website. How could I possibly say no?! So I invited a few of my favorite Seattle wedding vendors for a fabulous six-course dinner. There were eight of us total: me and my husband Josh, Eliza Truitt, one of my favorite wedding photographers, and her boyfriend Steve; wedding and event coordinator Stacey Jehlik with Breathe … Savor the Day; Lily Sommers and Jennell Taylor of Luminous Event Design; and Sanya Lawless of Axis Concierge.

Jeremy showed up at our house around midday with everything he could possibly need to cater and clean up a large dinner party. Bags and bags of fresh produce, a bucket of ice, complete sets of silverware, tableware and glassware … even a trash can! I was so impressed by his thoughtfulness. Unlike regular catering services, everything is done on-site, and the only requirements are some refrigerator and freezer space, a surface for food prep and serving, and some form of stove (he has hosted several large dinner parties on sailing boats, so he’s very flexible when it comes to work space).

The food … the food was amazing. Six heavenly courses, all different yet complementary … It’s hard to choose a favorite, but I have particularly fond memories of the wild mushrooms in phyllo with herbed mornay appetizer, the flourless chocolate torte with raspberry creme anglaise and whip cream, and the amazingly tender seared calamari, served over polenta with tomato coulis. And I usually hate squid! Not only was the menu seasonally oriented and original, with everything cooked from scratch, it is also designed around the likes, dislikes and allergies of both host and guests. Something you could never get in a restaurant!

And that, I think, is the best thing about Jeremy’s service. It’s got everything great about a fine-dining restaurant (awesome food, great service, no cleaning up) but none of the bad stuff - no long waits, no parking nightmares, and no nasty surprises when you get the check. I’m still having a hard time believing that the price is comparable to a meal out!

Before all you brides get too excited about Jeremy working his magic at your wedding, you should note that he specializes in intimate dinner parties with a maximum of 12-18 guests - no mass catering for this chef! - but how about for your rehearsal dinner, bridal shower, or post-wedding brunch? Or even better, as a thank you to your friends and family for helping you through the wedding planning!

Here’s what some of our guests said about the meal - followed, of course, by a few photos.

A big thank you to Chef Jeremy Fox of Stewards of the Flying Dutchman for his delectable culinary stylings. His carefully selected six-course meal highlighted seasonal dishes, including mushrooms in phyllo, incredibly tender lamb with lentils, and handmade mint sorbet. Humbly-presented courses were artistically designed, and ensured the attention was on the food, not the creator. Each new plate was another highlight to the evening. Thanks, Jeremy, for an unforgettable meal! -Jennell & Lily

Jeremy’s food completely knocked me over–it was delicious and imaginative, from start to finish. I’m still thinking about those mushrooms in phyllo and that lamb the next day! Plus, it it was the first dinner party I’d been to in ages where the hostess didn’t spend half the night in the kitchen. -Eliza

Jeremy treated us to a wonderful feast that delighted both the eyes and the palate. A series of sumptuous starters was followed by an amazingly tender leg of lamb, with meat literally falling off the bone. The bed of lentils beneath was the perfect accompaniment. I also really loved the cheese course - a selection of melt-in-your mouth cheeses served with a cranberry apricot compote on the side. Perfection! And Jeremy’s own uniquely flavored mint sorbet was an especially surprising treat. Aside from the outstanding quality of the food, Jeremy’s service and pacing was perfect for an intimate gathering. We had enough time to enjoy each of the courses, linger over our favorites, and enjoy plenty of good conversation with our fellow diners. Thank you, Jeremy and Kate, for hosting such an enjoyable evening! -Stacey

By Kate McElwee | Posted in commercial, food & drink, fun, recommended vendors | Comments (10)

Pretty Pictures Part One: The Dressing Room

February 9, 2008 – 10:24 pm

Part of the series: The Bride’s Guide to Pretty Pictures.

I love the getting ready photos. It’s the most relaxed part of the day for me, and it provides a great opportunity to bond a little more with the bride and her closest friends and family. Not only that, but if the conditions are right I can also get some of my favorite photos during the first few hours on a wedding day, before the bride and groom even see each other!

So, what are the ideal conditions for great dressing room photography? It basically boils down to three things: light, looks and space. Light is generally the single most important factor for getting great photos – if there isn’t enough of it, things can start to get ugly, fast. So your first priority is finding somewhere with lots of natural light. Large windows, and plenty of them, usually bring in great light. I say usually – because you also need to peek outside and see if there’s a huge tree or ugly office building stopping that gorgeous light from getting into the room! A little tip here – if you’re staying at a downtown hotel, try to reserve a room on a higher floor. And it goes without saying that corner rooms almost always have more windows then regular rooms. One last little note about light: it doesn’t have to be direct sunlight. Sunshine is nice, but it can actually be a lot easier to work in a room that’s not in direct sunlight, and of course this changes according to the time of day, so you might want to visit your getting ready space at the time of day you’ll actually be getting ready!

Next up: somewhere pretty. I don’t mean cutesy – just attractive. Modern, classic, romantic, opulent, new or funky – whatever you think looks good and fits your style. My current favorite getting ready shots were taken at the W Hotel. It’s certainly not cutesy, but it does have cool textures, funky fixtures, interesting surfaces and a ton of natural light – and the photos I took there are a great match for the couple: funky, modern and fabulous!

If you’ve ticked the ‘light’ and ‘pretty’ boxes and still have cash to spare, get a suite. Yup, that’s right, a full sized suite. If you have bridesmaids and hair stylists and makeup artists sharing your room, you can run out of space pretty fast. And we photographers need to be able to move around and find cool angles without getting in everyone’s way. It’s also really nice if I can set up a little corner – a window ledge is even better – for taking the detail shots (the rings, your bouquet, etc.)

Enough about the room – here are some general tips for getting the most out of your getting ready photos. First off, allocate enough time. I like to allow at least an hour for this session, so that I can take lots of candids, a few bridal portraits, lots of detail shots and anything else fun that comes up. Two: try to have me there for at least the beginning of your makeup session (otherwise you’ll end up with lots of photos of your bridesmaids getting their makeup done but not you!) Three: get hold of the rings! This is by far the best time for me to get those signature ring shots – and one of your bridesmaids can pass the rings to the best man before the ceremony. It’s either that or I chase down the newly married couple during the reception and beg for their wedding bands … not nearly as fun. Finally: relax! It’s the last chance to enjoy some “me time” before the craziness of the ceremony and reception, and if you’re looking relaxed and happy you’ll get a ton of gorgeous pre-wedding photos.

Taken at the W Hotel, which has some of the coolest rooms in Seattle!

The Priory at Blessed Sacrament Church has fantastic light streaming in.

Above: bouquet on a window ledge at the W Hotel. Below: the Mayflower Park Hotel - look for pretty windows for hanging up your dress.

Lots of mirrors can help bounce the light around, like in the shot above. Below: the balconies at Willows Lodge in Woodinville are perfect for portraits and detail shots!

Some more natural light detail shots.

 

By Kate McElwee | Posted in pretty pictures, the bride's guide, weddings | Comments (7)

The Bride’s Guide to Pretty Pictures

February 8, 2008 – 2:22 am

The more weddings I photograph, the more I think to myself, “oh, I wish I’d talked with the couple about how to get the most out of their getting ready photos”, or “I wonder if the couple had thought about how to stand during the ceremony beforehand to get the best photos”, or “wow, these lights that the band uses are GREAT for the dancing shots”.

The thing is, how are you going to know these things – or even consider the fact that there are ways to get more out of your wedding photography – if no one ever tells you?

So, here I am, hoping to educate you, my loyal blog readers, in how to get the most out of your wedding photography. And it doesn’t matter if you’re planning to hire me or another awesome photographer – the tips here will apply to almost any wedding, and to pretty much every good photographer. So pass around the link and help out your friends – at the end of the day, all you really have left after your wedding are your new husband, your wedding photos, and a very impractical but magnificently beautiful white dress.

I’ll be writing a new installment whenever I have time (part one coming soon), and hopefully at least once every two weeks. I’ll link the posts here, as they happen. Happy reading, brides!

Part One: The Dressing Room

By Kate McElwee | Posted in pretty pictures, the bride's guide, weddings | Comments (2)

Adrienne & Jon: A Winter Wedding at Willow’s Lodge

February 4, 2008 – 11:25 am

Last Sunday I had the pleasure of photographing Adrienne and Jon’s beautiful winter wedding at Willow’s Lodge up in Woodinville. Willow’s Lodge is one of the most gorgeous venues I’ve ever photographed - it is warm and cozy inside, with a huge fireplace in the entrance, and the grounds are quirky and cute.

I started the day taking photos around the Lodge, and then I met with Adrienne for some bridal portraits in her room and around the grounds. We were soon joined by her fabulous girlfriends and we had such a great time taking pictures together outside - they were very tolerant of the bitter cold January weather!

At 2:30pm, Adrienne and Jon met for their first look and some couples portraits, and soon after that their family and friends began to arrive - everyone gathered in the bar and lobby at the Lodge for hot cocoa and cider - super yummy! It was such a great way to start the celebrations, and many of the guests wisely chose to take their drinks with them for the outdoor ceremony in the gazebo. (I should note here that the gazebo was heated - and very pretty - so it’s not quite as crazy as it sounds!)

I was delighted to discover that Adrienne’s family, and their wonderful officiant, are all Irish - all those accents made me feel quite at home! They incorporated several Irish traditions into the day, and the highlight of the reception for me was Jon embracing his new Irish connection by leading a sing-a-long of The Wild Rover, a traditional Irish pub song. Some of my favorite reception photos below are of the guests singing along. It was really fun!

Some other highlights included the fantastic food provided by the Barking Frog restaurant, Adrienne’s three pairs of super-cute bright-red shoes (why have one pair when you can wear three, after all!) and the unexpected feat of pulling off a huge group photo in the Lodge lobby - special thanks to my fantastic assistant Kelly Bailey for masterminding the lighting for this, it was really quite spectacular!

As always, I have far too many favorite photos to choose from, but here’s a selection of highlights from the day. Enjoy!

By Kate McElwee | Posted in weddings | Comments (1)