Ted and Ali were married at the Paradise Valley Country Club in Paradise Valley, Arizona.  Paradise Valley is a little community nestled between Phoenix and Scottsdale just north of Camelback Mountain.  The wedding was a blast.  Ted and Ali are a lot of fun, and so are their groomsmen and bridesmaids.  Here are my favorite images from the wedding.

I love black and white.  I loved this door, but I wasn’t fond of the colors in the room, but knowing an image will be in black and white, opens up a lot of possibilities for you as a photographer, regardless of the color schemes in a room.

The locker room for the ladies was a bit of a challenge, since I am not a lady.  So I had my associate photographer and assistant (both ladies) spend most of their time in the locker room, but occasionally I got in there for the important moments and some good shots.

Time for some shots with the parents.  This one caught me.  I love the way Ali’s father is looking at her.

And both of these photographs of Ali are so beautiful.  The light is perfect, she looks fantastic in her wedding dress, the flowers (by Table Tops, Etc.) look great.

I love the signs hanging from the chairs.  Everything about the wedding, from the tables, to the flowers, to the chairs, the ribbon, the colors.  All of it looked great.  And of course all of that is thanks to the coordination efforts of Rachel at Outstanding Occasions.  Nothing replaces a great wedding designer and planner.

Two ring bearers.  Both looked great in their little tuxes.

I caught the flower girl taking a look at herself in the mirror.  So big… and yet, still so small (short).

The youngest flower girl was so excited to be a part of the wedding and she was also very aware of the camera, or me… maybe she just liked me.  But I think she was playing it up for the camera.

I think the purpose of ring bearers and flower girls is to give us all some comic relief from all the emotions.  They are always so unpredictable and ofter very funny.  Always cute!  They make my day, every time I shoot a wedding.

Camelback Mountain makes a beautiful backdrop for a wedding.  I don’t necessarily enjoy golfers finishing their round during the wedding, but they were respectful enough and there was no shouting, cursing or hootin’ and hollerin’ about a long put during the ceremony, so I suppose it worked out well.

Anytime I have a strong backlight, like the sun, if I can throw it behind a tree, it softens and scatters it just enough to allow a completely natural lighting shot.  No flash, no reflector, just the right exposure.

While, starting earlier in the day for a wedding makes the portraiture more challenging, it certainly makes for far better reception photographs, like the father’s toast.  I love this shot.

As the sun went down, the outdoor reception was lit by a grid work of twinkle lights, which give off a beautifully soft glow.  One can even get a shot without a flash if you have the right camera with a clean high ISO.

When your daughter gets up for a toast, I am sure it is hard to keep it together.

This has to be the best image of the day.  I know that we typically think of the cool portraits and the artsy images as the best images, but in this case, I can not get over this image.  Ali was dancing with her dad, when half way through the song, Ted took his daughter on the dance floor for a dance.  This is the first time I have been able to see both the Groom and the Bride dancing at the same time in a Father-Daughter dance.  It was a precious as anything could be.  I had to maneuver a great deal to get this shot to happen.  Ali and her dad had to be in the right spot, in the right portion of the turn of their dance, the same is true for Ted and his daughter.  Then I had to be in the right spot to keep them all close enough to fit in one frame.  Then I had to have Ali’s dad in focus… I was stressed out about getting this shot, because I knew at the time how important is would be.

When I look at images like this from a wedding and think about my little daughter, I can’t emphasize this photograph enough.  This is about as perfect a moment as I have ever captured.

That’s a lot of twinkle lights and the chandeliers are a great touch.

The odd little blue puff in the bottom corner of the photo is cotton candy.  Yes, cotton candy.  I love it.

In spite of being outside with nowhere to bounce a flash to get great light, we made the light happen by putting up a series of Canon 600RT Speedlites that I controlled from my camera.  This kept plenty of light on the subjects but from multiple angles so there is a lot of volume in the shots.

Ali brought this white frame along to the wedding and asked if we could do something with it.  So we set up a little photo booth situation at the after party.  People had fun doing ridiculous things in in, on and around the frame.

Wedding photography by Jared Platt, Platt Photography.

Wedding Planning and Coordination by Outstanding Occasions.

Flowers by Table Tops Etc.

Location: Paradise Valley Country Club, Paradise Valley, Arizona

Ali, Ted and I met at the Phoenix Botanical Gardens for an engagement portrait session a few days ago.  The weather has not turned too hot yet, but the sun was still fairly high in the sky (it wasn’t yet sweet light time) and Ted remarked on that as we were shooting.  ”I thought the sun would be too high and we’d have to wait for it to drop a bit.”  And he’d be correct were it not for the great tree cover in the gardens.  There are so many places to hide from the sun and use it for a back light that we were able to get a lot of great shots and still get them off to enjoy the rest of the their evening (which included a baseball game for Ted).  Portraits do not have to be difficult, painful or even long.

These are a few of my favorite images from the shoot.  There were a lot of them, but I’ll post my favorites here and I will let them speak for themselves.

It’s like the sunset lasted for an hour and a half.  Everything was simply gold.

Engagement portrait photography by Jared Platt, Platt Photography

Location: Phoenix Botanical Gardens, Phoenix, Arizona

Cameron & Ashley were married at St. Francis Catholic Church in Phoenix, Arizona.  Their reception was held at the Arizona Biltmore Resort.  From start to finish, we had a great time.  I knew it would be a enjoyable day after shooting Cameron and Ashley’s engagement portraits in San Diego.   They are a very casual and fun couple, which always helps to make a wedding day go well.  I don’t think I saw Ashley stressed throughout the day.  Even when the limo had a flat and was late to take her to the wedding, they both seemed to be enjoying themselves and relaxing.  I was impressed.

While the girls were finishing up getting ready, we took photos of Cameron and the guys.  It didn’t take us very long.  In fact, when I let the guys go, they were a bit startled…  ”That’s it?” One of them said.

Yep, that’s it.

They were all very happy to be released to relax and probebly grab a drink.  But that’s how we roll.  Weddings are not about photography sessions.  As important as wedding photography is to the wedding, that is not what the day is about.  A wedding is about family, friends, love and commitment.  The photographer’s job is to capture moments and help the couple remember and recall the emotions, events and people who attended without getting in the way.  So that is how my team and I operate.

The Biltmore is a great place for portraits because everywhere you go, there is an opportunity for open shade, no matter what time of day it is.  So I just hunt for open shade and settle the group in that area to take the portraits.

This portrait was taken inside the Biltmore lobby as we walked to the limousine.  We had a few minutes so I used the window light and got this shot.  I have to take my hat off to Ramon Bacaui (hair) and the makeup artist from M.A.C..  I see a lot of makeup and hair, and Ashley’s crew was truly great.  Thanks to all of them, Ashley looked like a million bucks.  It also helps that she’s a natural at posing for the camera.

Now she’s hiding behind a wall to make sure Cameron doesn’t see her.

The St. Francis church is a bit tricky to photograph because there are a lot of rules that restrict the photographer’s movement.  So this is about as close as you get.  So the photo team spends a lot of time shooting and reshooting the same basic shots at different times during the ceremony.  Our shots go from full length shots to wide architectural shots, no closeups.  The church is a very beautiful one, so any shot is a nice one, but you don’t get to capture mom or dad looking on as their daughter gets married, because we are not allowed to get into a position for the shot.  With those restrictions in mind, we got some great shots.  You’ll see a number of them in the slideshow.

I love this shot.

This one is another favorite.  The flashes are set up for the family portraits on the alter of the church, but they do a great job as backlight and sidelight for a portrait looking back into the church pews.  There is not one forward light on this at all.  Two backlights and a sidelight.  All the forward light comes from reflected light off the marble alters of the church.

Such a perfect moment in the back of the limousine.  I love it.  This is the kind of shot I would want printed for my wall if I were the groom.

I just like the simplicity of the design and colors in this shot.

We had a good time after the wedding taking portraits.  The Biltmore has an attendant following us around with drinks and fruit and cheese, etc… which was much needed.  Ashley was famished.  So we took a little extra time on the front lawn for  a drink and a snack before we finished the portrait session.  I do love the casual nature of this portrait, so much so, that I made it the cover on the slideshow.

Do I have to even say that I love this shot?  I love the Biltmore architecture, the bride looks great, the tree has all sorts of great texture on it.  I just love it.

Ashely, you look amazing.  Cameron, you have a lot of great photos to choose from!

Everyone goes to the roof of the Biltmore to shoot.  We did as well, but some of the best shots are upstairs, inside, near the windows.  This was all window light, no additional lighting.

This shot makes me think we are up on the empire states building in New York City.  I love the shot, the stone, the lights in the background…

This was another window lit shot.  The light from the window is the blue soft light from the twilight sky and the light from the interior lights is warm and soft because it comes from a lot of lights throughout the lobby of the hotel.  The ISO was high, so it has a natural grain to it, which was enhanced by NIK Silver Effects Pro 2.  I knew it was going to be a great shot as I was taking it.  Sometimes, you just know.

Ashley’s sister makes the blog post because she is an extremely memorable character.  She is the kind of person that owns any room she happens to occupy.  Her toast was completely entertaining.  I partially liked the look on the Bride’s face in this shot though.  I don’t recall what exactly was being said, but I think the sisters may be ganging up on the groom.

I love the emotion in this way Cameron is holding his bride.

I love sweet moment like this one as well.

Nice cake topper.  But Cameron is not allowed to dip kiss Ashley anymore… he almost dropped her.

And finally, I have to say that the band, The Groove Merchants, was fantastic.  They kept that party going all night long.  I have to think that Ashley and Cameron’s friends would probably party late no matter what, but the energy in that room was clearly five notches higher because of the band.  I enjoyed every single song!

Thank you Ashley and Cameron for trusting me with your wedding photography.  It was an honor.

Wedding Photography by Jared Platt, Platt Photography

Slideshow Music by Jonny Blu, Courtesy of Triple Scoop Music.

Wedding Location: St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church

Reception Location: The Arizona Biltmore

Flowers by Designs by Jeremiah

The Band: Groove Merchants

Makeup by M.A.C.

Hair by Ramon Bacaui

Post Processing by Shoot Dot Edit

Sheena and Ilyas were married at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona.  They live in New York, but Sheena’s family is here, so the wedding was on a beautiful day in Scottsdale, Arizona.  Sheena and Ilyas were both raised in Hindu homes, but have been living western lives so, both cultures were very important to them, so the wedding included both culture’s wedding rites, which made for fantastic photographic opportunities.  It was like I was shooting two weddings on on day.  My team and I had a great time.  And thanks to the efforts of the many wedding professionals (led by none other than Jennifer Thinnes from Outstanding Occasions) that put the wedding together, we had a beautiful backdrop for some fantastic images.  Here are some of my favorites.

And let me say, if you are planning your wedding how important it is to have a wedding planner on the team for both the pre-wedding planning and for the day of the wedding.  The girls at Outstanding Occasions come up with such great ideas and do such an amazing job executing the wedding plans, they are worth their weight in gold.  And having them there to keep everything moving smoothly is absolutely indispensable.  After a wedding like this, I have to put a little plug in for wedding designers, planner and coordinators.  If you look at this wedding and think, “that’s amazing, I want a wedding like that and photos like that…”, then you need great professionals, with experience and creativity.  They make weddings better in every respect.

So, on to the photos.  Enjoy…

I absolutely love the henna hand painting in the Hindu culture.  In Sheena’s hand paintings (by Darvina), you can see her and Ilyas in the paintings.

Even though the couple saw each other before the wedding, the tradition is to place a veil between the couple at the beginning of the ceremony and then there is a reveal, where they see each other for the “first time.”  It was tricky getting my position  correct on this shot to be able to show them both and not be in the way of all the guests, but as I reached the correct vantage point, Ilyas glanced at me with the greatest expression on his face.  I love this shot.

Oh, and have I mentioned the colors!  I am the kind of photographer who puts a lot of black and white into my weddings and portraits, but almost every photograph in this wedding so full of color that I couldn’t help but show them all in color.

I love all the rituals.  There are so many opportunities for beautiful and meaningful photographs.

The yellow rice is fantastic.  I love these shots.

The runner was fantastic.  I love the printed logo, it was designed by Idieh Design.  The programs, the place cards, everything was perfect.

I heard it in a the maid of honor’s toast, that Sheena’s laugh is infectious, but really it’s more than that.  it is her natural cheerful nature.  She is constantly full of happiness.  I like photographing her very much because that joy shines through.

This is one of my favorite images from the day.  The bride is kneeling before her parents (her’s and his).  There is a reverence for family in the Hindu culture and therefore in the wedding rites that is not common enough in America.  And as much as I like a non-traditional wedding that breaks the mold, there is something very special about tradition and lasting culture.  It says a lot when a young couple continues the heritage of their parents.

The JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort stands on the north edge of Scottsdale, Arizona and it’s back yard are the desert mountains.  It makes for a very beautiful location for a wedding.

An absolute home run for Avant Garde who designed the Mandap.  You will see more shots of it throughout the this blog post.  They really did a fantastic job designing and building it.  But I have seen their work before and I expect no less than the best from them.

I will let you in on a little secret.  Although the bride and groom planned to see each other before the wedding, things were running a little behind with getting ready, so we didn’t have much time for portraits before the wedding, and since the wedding had both a traditional Hindu ceremony and a western style ceremony, it ran a bit long.  And after the wedding, the couple needed to change from their wedding attire into their reception attire.  So… that means the sun went down and there was no time for portraits after the wedding with the help of the sun.

No problem.  That’s why I always come prepared.  Boy scout.  As I saw the time slipping away from us, I shifted gears and assigned assistants to get to the vehicle and grab the heavy gear (big flashes).  After the wedding, as the couple was changing, we created a very large studio set outside on the lawn of the Marriott.  I’d say it turned out extremely well.  Wouldn’t you?

While we were shooting, I couldn’t see a thing, so Ryan, my assistant would run up to Sheena with his iPhone and hold it near her face so I could focus on the iPhone.  Then he had to run out of frame.  Lots of running…

With no more light outside, we moved into the hotel (which has a lot of great interior locations).  Sheena turned model on us and we got some great shots of her.  This is my absolute favorite.

Sheena and Ilyas made their grand entrance through the fog.

We put up a couple additional flashes in the back of the room to accentuate the fog and the crystal trees.

Dr. Prakash, Sheena’s father designed and built the cake stand for the wedding.  It’s quite beautiful.

Event design, floral design, lighting design… compositional design.  Put it all together.  This was simply a beautiful wedding for the greatest couple.  And there are so many people to thank for making it so perfect.

Thank you Sheena and Ilyas for trusting us with your wedding.  And thank you to everyone who worked so hard to make their wedding such an incredible experience.

Wedding Photography by Jared Platt, Platt Photography

Wedding Planning and Design by Outstanding Occasions

Location JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa

Floral Design by Avant Garde

Stationary Design by Idieh Design

Officiant: Scott Morgan

Hair: Revive

Makeup: Amanda Osadchuk

Slideshow Music by Kevin Burdick, Courtesy of Triple Scoop Music

Heidi and Michael were married in the Grand Canyon on Shoshone Point.  It was a very small wedding.  Heidi and her son and Michael and his father and the officiant and myself.  That’s it!  I love a super small wedding in a beautiful place away from the city.  Don’t get me wrong, a big, orchestrated wedding is great, but small is just as good.

It was a fantastic day.  I enjoyed being there, as always.  We had great weather and got some great shots.  Here are a few of my favorite images from the wedding.

For those who have not walked out onto Shoshone Point, I have included this photo to give you a bit of perspective for the rest of the images. The wedding happened out on the tip of this point, just past the monolithic stone.  It is a bit of a drop.  Shoshone Point, is the spot from which to view the Grand Canyon.  It is the canyon, the way it was found!  No guard rails, no hotels, just rock and sky.

The bride, Heidi, and her son, the ring bearer, walked together down the path that runs down the crest of the point to meet Michael, who was waiting at the edge of the cliff, where Heidi and Michael would be married.  You can see Michael in this shot between the trees past and to the right of the monolithic rock at the end of the path.

As Heidi and Michael began the ceremony, Heidi’s son stood back a way and watched the moment.  I hope that his photo makes it into his scrap book for him to remember the day.  I think it tells the story quite well.

He also tried his hand, during the ceremony at being a photographer.  I imagine he has some great shots in his head of the wedding.

Toward the end of the short ceremony, they performed a sand ceremony with various sands from various places, one was sand from the beach and one was earth from the canyon itself.  I forget where exactly the other soil came from, but the three made for a nice mixture of soils in the heart shaped glass vase.

I don’t often include photos of me in a post, but this was an interesting shoot.  As I was all alone on this wedding, with no assistant, I needed additional angles, so I put a wide shot on a tripod and attached a Pocket Wizard (radio trigger) to the camera and attached its corresponding radio transmitter to my flash hot shoe on my main camera.  Whenever I wanted a shot from my wide camera, I simply turned on the transmitter on my camera and took a shot.  The wide camera on the tripod then fired a shot at the same time I tripped the shutter on my main camera.  I was glad to have the extra angle on the wedding.  It’s a very good method for collecting more angles.

Oh, and if you’re wondering, yes, that is a camera hanging off my belt.  I use a Spider Holster to hang my second camera off my belt, it saves my back and makes maneuvering at a wedding much easier.  I ca’t do a wedding without the Spider Holster.

I love this shot.  Michael looks like he is just lightly hopping around up there.  To me, it feels the same as a shot of one of those fearless steel workers building the Empire State building.

Heidi and Michael didn’t just come to the Grand Canyon and get married.  They hiked from the North rim to the South rim over a period of three days and got married the same day!  The reached the top of the South rim around 1 PM and were married at approximately 6:30 PM.  That’s what I call an extreme wedding.

The sunset was wonderful that day.

The bridal bouquet was beautifully done.  More important though, was the handkerchief, which was a significant heirloom.

This was a great idea!  Since there was no one to throw the bouquet to, the bride threw her bouquet into the canyon, and the groom and the ring bearer threw their corsages.  It was interesting then to learn (later, when I spoke with a park ranger) that the native americans used to use Shoshone Point as a burial grounds to throw their loved one’s ashes into the wind.

I love the embrace between the bride and groom here with the canyon so full of light and shadow in the background.  This is one of my favorite portraits from the day.

After the ceremony and the portraits, I ran ahead to get a few shots of Heidi and Michael leaving the point.  I think this is one of those epic wedding shots that few people have because few people are married in a place that is so magnificent.

One last photo from the point of the actual sunset over the Grand Canyon.  I think as I shoot more and more at the canyon, I am beginning to understand it a little more and anticipate it’s moments.  It is a tricky and illusive subject to photograph.  It is not easy to capture its moments.  They are no different than the fleeting expressions on a child’s face, or the lightning fast collisions in a football game.  And as you spend more time around studying the subject, you learn to anticipate.  For so many years (in my youth), the canyon alluded me.  And while I can’t say I connect with it as well as some of the great landscape photographers both present and past, I am glad to say, I have gotten to know this wonder a little better over the past few years.  But I have come to know the canyon as a cathedral, a church, not as a canyon, or a scientific wonder.  I am sure that has some effect on the way I photograph it.

The bride’s son left this little note for his mother on a rock on the point.

Thank you, Heidi and Michael, for trusting me with your wedding.  It was a pleasure to be there, as you begin a new chapter in your lives.  I hope you love the images as much as I do…

Wedding Photography by Jared Platt, Platt Photography

Slideshow music by Daniel Ho, courtesy of Triple Scoop Music

Wedding Location: Shoshone Point at the Grand Canyon, Arizona