Laurel McConnell Photography » Announcements, Products, & Chat

We got to shoot some amazing celebrations this summer, and now that January has hit we’re finally able to get back to blogging them!  Here’s one of our favorites; a modern and stylish affair at one of Seattle’s favorite spaces, the Seattle Art Museum’s Olympic Sculpture Park. I was so excited to see how all of the details that Shannon (one of Seattle’s most FABULOUS event designers!), Caitlin, and Dan planned would come together.

All I knew before the wedding were four words Shannon had mentioned to me in our planning meetings: Yellow, White, Grey, and YUM.

Who doesn’t love a candy bar filled with enough sugar (in vintage candy style, no less!) to pucker even the advanced connoisseur?

A photobooth doubled as entertainment, a takeaway for the guests, and guests were encouraged to place one of their favorites in the guestbook.

Venue: Olympic Sculpture Park

Event Planning and Design: Shannon Lassen of Sublime Events

Photography: Laurel McConnell Photography, assisted by the lovely and ever-so-hard-working Amy Kiel

Wedding Couture: Watters and Watters, Joseph Abboud, and Vera Wang

Hair and Makeup: Fredericks Salon, Sequoia Leopold of My Flawless Tan

Catering: Taste

Cake: Starry Nights

Cake Stand: Clara French

Floral: Elements in Bloom

Decor: La Tavola, Rented Elegance

Invitations and Programs: Brown Sugar Designs

Music: Salon du Swing

Photobooth: Photobooth Services

Today I wanted to sit down. Turn off the email. Stop the Twittering. Just focus.

I’ve had a new website in progress since August, and it’s been 95% done since October. Ohhhh so close. It’s like a bad dream where you can see a light at the end of the tunnel, but no matter what you do, it haunts you and you yearn to reach it, yet it’s still there despite all of your efforts. Frusterating. Right?

For whatever reason, I left the hardest and most time-consuming part for last: the wedding “All-Time-Fav’s” gallery.  There are 8 or 9 or 10 galleries on the new website, but this one…. this one…. is nearly 9 years in the making and I feel it will define me as a photographer, since the focus of my business IS weddings, afterall. Searching through hundreds of thousands of images is a daunting task (yes, we embed metadata, but STILL. Favorites change!).

Tonight, looking through weddings from nearly a year and a half ago, I came across a favorite. It was a favorite image at the time, but I just wasn’t sure what to do with it, it didn’t fit anywhere with my current favorites. Like a luscious piece of fruit, I think it wasn’t ripe yet. As I mentioned, favorites change through time. Today’s influences were different than yesterdays, and although I feel like you should take a step back as a photographer and really absorb your images so that you can choose ones that will stand the test of time, it’s fun to get caught up in the here and now and act on your impulses.

This image was originally an 0ld fashioned rendition of sepia- the wedding was turn of the century inspired on Seattle’s favorite old floating venue, the Skansonia. Pleates, ruffles, cameos in gold, muted roses and sages. Today it is a different type of vintage; it hints at the dramatic while glamorous is just barely turning the corner.

Enjoy. Happy Monday nite.

Ah. Came across this lil’ gem while looking for images for my slide show for Get Hitched Give Hope on Thursday.  “Happy accident” because it was pitch black and I was testing my settings, unaware of what was about to happen when I captured it. Happier accident for Aisling, the bride, because it was white wine. Maybe one of my favorite images of all time. Aisling and Ben’s Orcas Island wedding. I hope to get back to blogging the good stuff soon…

This July Christina and Jamison had quite an event-filled party-of-a-wedding!!!  From the girls getting ready in Hotel 1000’s modern suite to a hot summery romp around downtown and Harbor Steps to a touching ceremony at the U District’s UPC to post-nuptual milkshakes & burgers at Dick’s, finally to the style-filled hoppin’ reception at The Lakeside, it was a fun, full day!

Arica is THE most determined and excited gal I know. I love that you can tell that from her “bouquet victory dance!”

Venue:  University Presbyterian Church and The Lakeside

Photographer: Laurel McConnell Photography

Dress:Paloma Blanca- La Belle Elaine’s

Suit: The Tuxedo Club

Rings/Jewelry/Cufflinks: Maneshe and Son’s Jewelry

Makeup: Michael Bride

Hair: Gene Juarez

Officiant: Gary Barckert

Cake: Morphy’s

Floral: Anna’s Flowers

Invites, Programs, Menus: Christina made them with Papyrus‘ help!

Seattle’s best DJ: Austin Beaver from Nite Lite

Catering:  The Lakeside

Cinematographer: The fantastic and super cool Aaron Horton Productions