New York Wedding Photographer | Parris Whittingham

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New York Wedding Story | A Modern Classic

January 12, 2011

“The ritual of marriage is not simply a social event; it is a crossing of threads in the fabric of fate. Many strands bring the couple and their families together and spin their lives into a fabric that is woven on their children.” – Anonymous

MIDTOWN, NY — Molly is calm (playful even) as she paces the guest room inside the New York Athletic Club. Just past Bryant Park, Sean and his band of merry groomsmen are getting ready at the New York Yacht Club . This is their story…

The warm sunlit ambience of the guest room offers a welcome relief from the bustling New York City streets below. Molly’s real “first dance” was less traditional than most but helped carry the upbeat spirit of the day.

Sean, his father and Groomsmen pose for a portrait inside the New York Yacht Club. This photograph was captured by a brilliant New York wedding photographer and my friend Robert Wagner.

Molly and her mother enjoy a casual conversation as they get ready. Founded in 1868, The New York Athletic Club recalls a manner of New York City that is easy to overlook in an ever modernizing world. Designed by York and Sawyer, the building is a twenty-one story legacy of grand interior design and architectural wonder.

Mr.Mclaughlin has found a comfortable spot to rest leading up to the celebration. Minutes later, his wife’s hands can be seen affixing a boutonniere to his tuxedo jacket. Before nightfall, their daughter and only child will be married. The experience watching your child (all grown up) and getting married is one that I look forward to.

Words might never describe the feelings a bride experiences leading up to her wedding ceremony. Molly’s expression in this image is a conversation in itself.

The guys make a quick stop at the Harvard Club and enjoy a brotherly exchange before the ceremony. Funny how both men and woman seem to have distinct pre-ceremony traditions before the wedding. Photograph by Robert Wagner.

Molly prepares for a bridal portrait before the ceremony. Watching her move into position near the window, I glimpse this moment and click the shutter instinctively. As a wedding photographer, I enjoy delivering images that offer an abstract (more poetic) perspective of a wedding story.

This is one of my favorite bridal portraits to date. Considering my style of wedding photography, I’m especially drawn to photographs of the Kennedy wedding. John F. Kennedy was the first president to actively use photojournalism to document his legacy. In many ways, his wedding gave rise to documentary wedding photography in the United States.

Mr.Mclaughlin and Molly walk down the center aisle at The Church of the Incarnation. The wedding ceremony was presided over by a close family friend Father McPhail. Wedding photography is often a documentation of moments surrounding the wedding ceremony (as opposed to the ceremony itself). This photograph of the ceremony is among my favorites from the day.

Just after the ceremony, Newlyweds Molly and Sean make their way down Madison Avenue. Photograph by Robert Wagner.

Returning to the New York Athletic Club, Molly and Sean traveled to the roof deck for a few canid portraits overlooking midtown Manhattan. Overall, the legacy of New York played a huge part of this wedding story. From the beginning, Molly and Sean offered vivid memories about childhood visits to Central Park, late night parties with friends and weekend afternoons with family around town.

Sean and his father enjoy a moment just outside the Card Room on the ninth floor terrace.

Groomsmen and other guests enjoy the evening reception. Watching how floral designers Ariston Florist transformed the space helped connect the classic yet modern appeal of this distinctly New York wedding celebration.

A much more public reception for Molly’s “official” first dance. This time…with Sean.

Sean and his mother during their mother/son dance. Photographs by Robert Wagner.

The hand-carved patterns on this wooden ceiling shaped my approach in framing this photograph.

The celebration continued well into the night with amazing music from the live band. They even did a rendition of “I’m Shipping Up To Boston” (theme song from The Departed) which really heated up the dance floor. As their wedding photographer, I actively pursued a personal and story-driven connection. The resulting wedding photography collection is similar to New York City in that its altogether classic yet modern.

Looking back on this experience, I’m thankful to Sean for first contacting me (then calling again months later), Molly for her laid back demeanor and clarity, their parents for entrusting me to document this family story, The New York Athletic Club for its wonderful staff and Robert Wagner for his amazing support (and skill) as a wedding photographer. Also, a thank you to all the guests who showed me a great time and made me feel welcomed.

Press Feature: You can explore Molly & Sean’s story in the “Special Weddings Section” of Greenwich Magazine.

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

Tags: harvard club, harvard club wedding, new york athletic club, new york athletic club wedding, New York Wedding, new york wedding photographer, New York Wedding Photography, new york yacht club wedding, NYAC, wedding at NYAC
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Reflections on 2010 | A Year of Collaboration

January 2, 2011

“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!

Tags: collaboration, community, creativity, new york engagement photographer, new york wedding photographer, press features, reflections on 2010, wedding dress, wedding dresses, year of collaboration
Posted in Engagement Stories, Personal Stories, Wedding Stories | No Comments »

Wedding Advice | Groom Speech

December 17, 2010

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.

Tags: groom, groom speech, New York Wedding, new york wedding photographer, New York Wedding Photography, New York Weddings
Posted in Love Skills, Wedding Stories | No Comments »