MIDTOWN, NY — Patience and Fortitude are vigilant. Their presence a symbolic reminder of New York and her perseverance through challenging times. Beyond their gaze, a celebration is unfolding inside The New York Public Library.

Considering Uma’s passion for reading, their unforgettable adventures in Italy and the high renaissance mannerism of this New York landmark, Stephen’s selection of The Rose Main Reading Room was very specific. Yet to the untrained eye, everything appears as usual with nothing seeming out of the ordinary or precariously planned.

Watching Stephen’s proposal unfold, I briefly enjoyed a stream of thought: what if Uma lets out a really loud scream in the middle of the most famous library on earth? Then the newly engaged couple runs out of the library at top speed (laughing all the way) as security chased behind them for making noise. Back to reality, I’m struck by the “gleam” in Stephen’s eyes as he proposed.

These moments immediately following a proposal are priceless. A sense of relaxation and carefreeness takes hold. This moment of simplicity and compassion are hard earned and patiently appreciated. Everyone who witnesses a wedding proposal seems to experience this effect. In these timeless spaces, engagement really lives up to its namesake.

Stephen and Uma explored the main exhibit at the Library. Outside, they made their way over to Patience for a photograph…or is this one Fortitude?

Currently on display at the library is Recollection: Thirty Years of Photography at The New York Public Library. In preparation for this project, I visited the library earlier in the week. During my trip I learned that, “photography at NYPL traces its origins back to the opening of the Astor Library in 1849″. Also, the library has 500,000 photographs by 6,000 photographers in its permanent collection.

Stephen and Uma live in California, flew out to New York two days earlier and were in India within 36 hours of this proposal. During their stay, we explored another historic (and romantic) New York landmark: Grand Central Station. For this mini adventure, I wanted to show the couple a secret about the maze-like station that a friend recently shared with me…

The next time you are in New York or around Grand Central Station, please visit the Whispering Wall. I wont give away the surprise but its best to bring a friend with you.

I first met Stephen because he used his credit card concierge to help “find a photographer” for his New York proposal. Considering that I was enjoying my “city vacation” I’d not intended to document a proposal, engagement or wedding photography story until I “returned” in 2011. What won me over is that Stephen called me back personally, asked great questions and focused the proposal on demonstrating his respect for Uma.

His appreciation of simplicity, patience and compassion inspired me a great deal. Meeting Uma, really helped me see why he was so excited about the proposal in the first place. I enjoy their shared sense of humor. For the future, I wish Uma and Stephen continued adventures as they write this new chapter together.

If You’re Engaged: Please read this short article about How to Choose the Ideal Photographer for Your Wedding.

“Remember that children, marriages, and flower gardens reflect the kind of care they get.” – H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

Like many visual artists, I spend most of my time working in private. Yet, my work is possible because the remarkable people I collaborate with. Below are 5 highlights from projects we delivered in 2010:

The RLS Project: Mentorship in the Arts
New York City is home to the largest school district in the country. Considering its size, its downright embarrassing and expensive that 41% of our high school students never graduate. Across the country, schooling (both public and private) has become a place that many young people associate with boredom and confinement. For 2010, our studio traveled to Crown Heights, Brooklyn and developed an 8 week photography program for students at The High School for Global Citizenship.

The goal of this collaboration was to engage young people in meaningful conversation about their world. In the process, they learned to use photography as a tool for self-expression and storytelling. The school’s art teacher Caryn Davidson and an NYU business student named Zandra Man were especially supportive in creating a safe space for innovation. Students also attended field trips throughout New York City to meet with leading professionals in creative development, photography and education. The students also curated a photography exhibition that was attended by our families, friends and mentors. Presently, each student is on track to graduate on time and attend college.

Sponsors for this project included: Magnum Photos, Behance, Duggal Visual Solutions, K&M Camera and TED fellow Dr.Kyra Gaunt.

SIDENOTE: Shortly after interning with our studio and completing this project, Zandra decided to leave business school at NYU and pursue a career in education. She is also studying at seminary school to become a nun.

We Launched “From Parris With Love”
From Parris With Love is about celebrating remarkable love stories through photography, film and words. This site features proposal, engagement and wedding photography stories that inspire me. I also share personal inspirations I encounter in art, design and life. The concept and development of this site was made possible by: Melissa Matos, Ekta Kapadia, Jacqueline Iannacone, Nicholas Hudson and Jessica Lehrman. I produced each short film in collaboration with director Matthew Charof and sound designer Michael Leary.

Real Couples and Editorial Wedding Features
This year, I collaborated some extraordinary couples. Many of their engagement, proposal and wedding photography stories were published (features including: Destination i Do magazine, Essence Online and The Brides Cafe). I also photographed a wedding fashion editorial that is featured on The Cotton Bride.

Book Feature
My photography collaboration with Indian designer Archan Nair is featured in Making Ideas Happen by Scott Belsky. The book is currently a Wall Street Journal bestseller and Scott was named one of “The 100 most Creative People in Business in 2010” by Fast Company.

Supporting Leaders in Education and Creative Development
In 2010, our studio continued to provide media sponsorship plus commissioned service to leading agencies in education and creative development including: The Harlem Children’s Zone, Focus Features, TEDxGotham, The 99% Conference, and The Studio Museum in Harlem.

This year I learned that great ideas are rarely conceived or delivered in isolation. Therefore, I’m most thankful for the experiences that allowed me to explore new ways to engage within the community (from New York to New Delhi) and innovate. Developing a sense of humor and light-heartedness truly helps in this process. Happy New Year!

A moment ago, I stumbled onto my wedding wire profile and read a review from Robert. He and his wife Meghan were the first couple I worked with in 2010. Their amazing New York wedding story began at the W Hotel in Union Square and was followed by a celebration at The Manhattan Penthouse. Surprisingly, I’d not seen this testimonial before?!? His words so clearly reflect a complete wedding experience (before, during and after the celebration). I wanted to share them…

One of the clichéd warnings married people issue to the newly engaged is that weddings go quickly, very quickly, for those actually tying the knot. Having recently married, I can now echo those sentiments, and do so honestly. I promise you, the party will arrive and conclude in an instant, even if you’re not quite ready to let it go.

Perhaps for most, but certainly my wife and me, the arrival of the wedding day is simply the culmination of months, even years, of planning. With so much effort poured into every detail, we all try to pause and appreciate every second of what will turn out to be a once-in-a-lifetime event. But that’s impossible. If you slow down too much, you’ll miss the point, which is to have fun with those closest to you…. all 100 of them. Being pulled in every direction isn’t necessarily a bad thing; just the opposite, it’s maybe the closest you’ll come to celebrity in your life and it’s part of what makes your wedding such a great time.

The downside is that you can’t spend enough time with everyone. And, you certainly can’t witness every moment. There’s just too much going on. In the end, you’ll be left with whatever memories Jack Daniels leaves you along with whatever’s captured by your photographer. So, here’s my point: your photographer just might be the most important consideration you have while planning your wedding. Despite whatever other factors enter into your wedding equation, two are paramount: surrounding yourself with people who care about you and preserving the memory of your celebration.

Photography shouldn’t simply document the items of your wedding, the staged portraits of attendees and the sterile landscapes/skylines that serve as their backdrop. The difference between a good wedding photo and a bad one is a matter of context. The bad ones don’t have any, aside from what they themselves reveal. They are pictures among a hundred others, loosely tethered by a common setting. They can be beautiful and even convey some emotion and excitement, but they don’t tell a story. In contrast, good wedding photos are parts of a larger picture. Like the pages of a book, they reveal the story of your wedding, bit by bit.

Parris’s photos have that storyline quality. And, for my wife and me, this is why we’re so thankful that Paris agreed to photograph our wedding. I could write about what a great guy he is or how accommodating and professional he was when working with us, but it wouldn’t highlight what is truly special about his work. Nor would it serve any good to gush over how beautiful his pictures are – the proof is there on his website, What really separates Parris from his contemporaries is his genuine interest in telling and preserving a wedding’s story.

In looking through the prints for the first time, I was amazed at all the things I’d missed. Despite having been absent in some instances, I knew exactly what was going on. I knew that someone had just cracked a joke or that so-and-so was anxious or too embarrassed to dance. I felt as though I’d been in ten places at once.

Fifty years from now, when my wife and I are looking through our wedding photos, we won’t care so much about how beautiful the flowers were or what the view was like thirty floors above Union Square. What we will want to remember are the people we celebrated with and how much fun we had. Fortunately, we won’t have too much trouble with that. Thanks, Parris.

At your leisure, I invite you to explore the original New York wedding story that I posted about Meghan and Jonathan.

If You’re Engaged: Please read this short article about How to Choose the Ideal Photographer for Your Wedding.