The big day finally arrived: after two years of dating, Lisa and Parris said their vows on Saturday and joined two families as one. Their Glen Terrace wedding in the Marine Park neighborhood of Brooklyn was a huge affair with over 250 guests and a bridal party of 25 (!). Find out all the details in today’s blog.
When I arrived at Lisa’s house, I was greeted at the door with a big hug from Niara, Lisa’s daughter. Niara, age 5, is a delightful ham and was so helpful as I began photographing Lisa’s dress and shoes. Her ‘help’ translated into Niara playing dress up in her mother’s wedding shoes – one of my favorite photos of the day. One tip to all photographers out there: remember to bring the pretty with you. The trees are all in bloom here in New York City. Lisa’s house sits on a lovely street, but sadly, there are no flowering cherry blossoms nearby. Thankfully I had thought to surreptitiously snap a few branches on my way over to the house, and I used these when photographing the rings to add a seasonal touch to the photos.
As with any wedding, the moments before the wedding were controlled chaos, and in this case, the morning included an impromptu DIY project. The ‘first kiss’ flags that were planned for the ceremony unfortunately arrived without masts. One of the bride’s best friends came to the rescue by purchasing multi-colored popsicle sticks. The bridesmaids all came together to lend a hand, and I am happy to report that all of the flags were proudly waved using these ‘masts’ during the ceremony.
Speaking of the ceremony, this portion of the wedding was the most important part of the day to both Lisa and Parris. Parris is a ordained as an elder, the church runs in his blood: his uncle presided over the ceremony, and his other uncle gave a few moving, and hilarious, words of wisdom to the couple. The ceremony marked the first time Parris saw Lisa in her wedding dress, and the first official kiss for the couple. With so much catching up to do after two years of dating, the couple wasted no time and had two kissing sessions during the ceremony.
Niara played a significant role in the ceremony as well. After the couple said their vows, they invited Niara up to the front of the sanctuary to take part in a sand blending ceremony to signify the blending of two families into one. Parris then bestowed a necklace to Niara to let her know she would always be dear to his heart. Other events that took place during the ceremony included a praise dance to kick things off, plus the performance of three songs. Parris’ sister, outfitted in a statement hat, brought down the house with a song written by their father.
The ceremony was a tough act to follow, but the reception at Glen Terrace promised plenty of action as well. Glen Terrace Caterers has been in business for 60 years and has seen countless numbers of happy occasions take place there. In addition to the professional staff, most of which have worked for Glen Terrace for decades, the best part of Glen Terrace are the bar carts. Rather than have separate stationery bars that take up table space, Glen Terrace has mobile bars that can be wheeled wherever necessary and make best use of the space. It’s a tiny detail, but as someone who has visited countless number of venues over the years, the bar carts are genius, if you ask me.
After the cake was cut, the bouquet and garter were tossed. The highlight of the reception, however, was all of the kids. Not only did the kids steal the show on the dance floor, but there was lots of stealing of the photo booth props that resulted in photography gold. When in doubt, invite more children to your wedding – at least for the photos.
As with all of my wedding blogs, I leave the best for last. The story of how Lisa and Parris met is truly a tale of romance that stood the test of time: the first time Parris saw Lisa, it was outside of her home when their mutual friend paid her a visit. After a brief introduction, the two went their separate ways, but met again under less desirable circumstances…saying goodbye to the very friend that initially connected them. Following the funeral service, Parris drove Lisa home, and nearly two years would pass before they would be reunited at the main office of the school in which their dear friend was formerly the principal. The third time must truly be a charm because Parris made sure they didn’t part without a means to stay in touch.
Two years later, Parris asked Lisa to marry him during a surprise party for his sister. It was no surprise, however, that Lisa said ‘yes.’
I have some exciting new announcements on the marketing front coming up this week. Until then, stay tuned and please feel free to get in touch with any photography questions. What would you like to read about? More tales of timeless romance? More practical tips on event planning or family portraits? Let me know!
Ceremony venue: New Life Cathedral
Reception venue & caterer: Glen Terrace Caterers
Event planning: Tamekia Flowers-Ball, Epiphany Blue
Bride’s wedding dress: ABA Bridal
Bride’s shoes: Betsy Johnson
Hairstylist & Makeup: Wake Up to Makeup with Kim
Groom’s attire: David’s Bridal
Bridal party attire: David’s Bridal
Rings: Korner Jewelry
Niara’s necklace and locket: Things Remembered
Florist: Marine Florist
Decorations and wedding cake: Samantha Hewitt at Samsational Events
Photo booth: 88 Photo Blog
DJ: DJ Nigel
Videographer: Dellon Hall, Life Changing Music
Invitations: Brooklyn Lighthouse
If you would like to see more images from my portfolio, such as these Glen Terrace wedding photos, then please visit my website – www.KellyWilliamsPhotographer.com
