I’ve received several messages over the years from my clients sharing stories of loved family members and how meaningful a specific image or gallery featuring that loved one is. One of my favorite stories is about a bride’s grandmother (in her 90s) who didn’t smile in photographs for nearly her whole life. This changed after seeing the candid (smiling) photos I captured of her dancing with her granddaughter (the bride) and she began smiling in photos and loved how she looked. Heartbreakingly I’ve also received several messages telling me how special a photograph I took of a parent or grandparent, who passed away, and how treasured the photos are. Hearing stories like these and the bond I form with my clients over the years is why I LOVE being a family and wedding photographer. It is incredibly meaningful to capture those moments, knowing they will be treasured for generations to come.

The two families featured here are particularly special. Janet, Dom, and Emerald are the sweetest trio! Janet and I met when I photographed a Mommy & Me Yoga Class in 2017. Janet loved the photos I captured of her daughter Emerald, then six months old, and hired me to photograph Emerald’s first birthday party and family portraits. I now have been taking their family photos every year. We recently had a blast dancing and enjoying spring flowers for Emerald’s sixth birthday and I loved seeing what a chatterbox with such a BIG personality she’s become. Janet’s mom joined us for Emerald’s second birthday session (below). Sadly she passed away last year. Emerald and I spoke about how special her grandmother was and I know they treasure the gallery with her loving presence.

Also shown here is The Tang Family! This family has become extremely close friends—our friendship blossomed from Keira’s first birthday shoot since we (Keira, then just one) immediately bonded. I fell in love with Keira and then became fast friends with her fabulous parents over time. I’m now “Aunt Rachael” to Keira and her sweet little brother Quinn—who I often refer to as Quinny. Prepare for cuteness overload!

Want to see more family photos? Click here. Schedule a session by following this link.

Emerald’s 1st Birthday through 6th (4th was skipped due to COVID19)

The Tang Family, starting with Keira at 1 and Quinn at 7 days old

To learn more about my family sessions or schedule a session click here.

Rachael Elana Photography

in Denver, Colorado!

Colorado has completely captured my heart during the few months I spent in Denver earlier this summer and I’m thrilled to announce that I’ve officially made the Mile High City my permanent home! Between the “quaking” Aspen trees, abundant gardens and parks, easy access to the mountains, and the healthy, active lifestyle, this New Yorker of 13 years has learned to relax and slow down. I’ve been itching to be near the mountains and be surrounded by nature for many years but my amazing clients whom I’ve photographed year after year, made me feel rooted in NYC. 2020 changed all that and while NYC will always feel like one of my homes, I’m over the moon to be photographing families, couples, and celebrations of all kinds in Denver, Boulder, and the surrounding areas. NYC clients—worry not, I will still visit XO!

I’m eager to bring my seven+ years of experience as a Lifestyle Photographer capturing the playful and intimate emotions among families and couples (weddings, elopements, engagements, proposals, anniversary celebrations—I do it all!) in addition to portraits, headshots, events, and branding/marketing images to new families and individuals in Denver! In honor of my move, I’m offering 20% off all Denver-area family photo sessions with the code “Denver” for sessions scheduled through November 7th.

Learn more about my Fall Family Photo sessions here and contact me to schedule a session! Book me for a sunrise mountain elopement, a Sunday afternoon in Washington Park, portraits with RiNo’s street art, or wandering around LoHi! I can’t wait to meet you!

*I’m vaccinated for COVID-19 and remain masked during all photo sessions to keep you and your loved ones safe and healthy.*

As a Denver newbie, I wanted to share some of my favorite spots (below). What are your favorites? Comment to share!

My favorite Denver spots:

The Denver Botanical Gardens are absolutely spectacular!

Washington Park The gardens within the park are gorgeous and it has a wonderful walking, biking, and running path. Tennis courts and boating too! It's my oasis.

Uncle has delicious vegan ramen and eggplant bao buns! They also offer reservations for outdoor seating which I greatly appreciate.

Fierce 45 has a wonderful new client special for two weeks of unlimited classes for $25. I love the HIIT-Pilates classes and look forward to my classes every week.

Pearl Street Farmers Market Come hungry and with lots of reusable totes! Incredible Market!

The Perfect Petal has the most incredible boutique in the historic Highlands neighborhood AND is an increcible florist.

Lekker Coffee & Watering Hole I took a wonderful flower arranging workshop at this adorable cafe with Black + Blossomed and loved it. Fabulous coffee, and a perfect space to work remotely.

Tacos Tequila Whiskey Don't let the lame name fool you, the food is delicious!

Tips for Choosing the Best Wedding Flowers with Floral Designer Barbara Mele

Barbara Mele, Founder of Gatherings Floral Design, is a self-described “flower lover extraordinaire.”  With close to two decades of experience, Barbara’s team at Gatherings services NYC and the Tri-state area with her incredible floral designs for weddings, events, and occasions of all sizes. In addition to running Gatherings, Barbara has also trained many florists as a former teacher at FlowerSchool of New York.

Barbara created romantic, elegant, and classic table pieces and a bouquet for a micro wedding I photographed at Conrad New York Downtown. As the wedding photographer, I came to know the wedding couple, Anna and Efram, through brunching and talking at length about what they wanted their wedding to be like, and Barbara’s designs reflected their personalities and style perfectly: intimate, sweet, elegant. I was so impressed with Barbara’s talent, kind personality, and dedication to her craft that I identified her as my top-choice NYC florist to feature. 

Barbara and I recently sat down together (virtually) for an interview where she shared excellent guidance for couples planning their wedding, elopement, familial connection to gardens, and her “urban garden” style. Read on!

Rachael: Tell me about your path and how you got to where you are now:

Barbara: I always wanted to be a florist. My grandmother was a landscape architect, and my mom is one of ten siblings; all seven of her sisters are landscape architects, but my mom is the only one who isn’t. I knew I wanted to do something to honor my grandmother—my fondest childhood memories were of being in the garden with her. I would walk into the neighborhood florist shop in high school asking if they needed help, but they would ask if I had experience (which I didn’t), so it was a vicious cycle. I learned to be persistent, and in college, I landed my first job with a European-style florist who preferred to hire people without experience so they could teach everyone “fresh.” I advise anyone interested in being a florist to be willing to sweep the floor, help answer the phone—literally anything to get in, and eventually, you’ll be able to learn more and take on more.  

R: How do you describe your floral style?

B: Urban Garden. I’ve always loved very wild gardens and open fields from childhood, but my whole career has been in Manhattan, so I’ve combined the wild garden feel with the city. I love using wildflowers in a sleek modern vase: a little different, a little unusual. 

R: What advise do you have for couples planning their wedding or elopement? 

B: Try to stick with varieties that will be in season. The flowers will be healthier and stay open for longer—you want them to be at their best. They are also more reasonably priced. As technology and communication has expanded and growing practices have changed and improved, flowers are now available outside of their local season. Peonies are in their peak, locally, in May but are now available in October from South America. You are paying double the cost and it’s a roll of the dice as to how healthy they will be and how long they will last. Let nature take its course and stick to seasonal blooms.

R: How do you guide couples in selecting their wedding flowers?

B: There’s always something that clues the florist in to see what they would like such as a save-the-date, a dress, or the venue. Usually couples don’t talk to a florist as their first vendor. I also ask how they met, what their interests are and get a sense of the wedding venue and setting. I also advise based on seasonality.

Photo by Enrique Vega

Photo by Kim Trang

R: How do you help couples choose their colors and style?

B: I start with the venue along with the couple’s own preferences. Venues are often dark with mahogany fixtures, or the lighting isn’t great. Using whites and light colors brighten things up. Sometimes couples come in with references from Instagram or Pinterest that are beautiful but would only work in specific spaces or outdoors. It can help see examples of what a couple likes as a starting point if they bring references. My focus is on emulating the couple's feeling and style, and then I line-up the colors to compliment the space, lighting, and any color requests. 

 R: What current trend do you like, and what are you ready to say “goodbye” to?

B: I enjoy tablescapes with bud vases and candles—they have a lot of depth and dimension. Lots of different styles to it, incredibly malleable, which I really like. I’m ready to say “goodbye” to DIY flowers. There is a lot of education online now, which is great, but couples don’t necessarily have to do the whole package DIY if they are on a budget. You could do some but make sure you have the bouquet made by a professional florist. You don’t want wilted flowers in your wedding portraits!

R: What is your favorite part of working with couples planning their wedding?

B: I like meeting with the couples and hearing their love story. Whether they have the vaguest idea of what they want or are very specific, I love bringing a sketch or idea on paper to life.

R: Do you have a favorite flower? 

B: That’s an impossible question. I can say the flowers I don’t enjoy working with are poinsettias because when you cut them, they release a white sap and are messy to work with.

Photo by Checo Barragan

 R: How do people find you?

B: Usually, people find me via word of mouth and through venues I’ve worked at. If you’re top of mind with a venue, it is a good way to get business. Through social media as well.

Contact Barbara at info@GatheringsFloralDesign.com or by phone at 212-682-2083. Follow her on Instagram at @gatheringsfloraldesignny and visit her site www.gatheringsfloraldesign.com.

Planning your proposal, engagement, or wedding? Make sure you read Top Tips for Sustainable and Zero-Waste Weddings and my interview with jewelry designer Alice Clarke featuring her Tips for Selecting the Perfect Engagement Ring.

Meet Award-Winning Jewelry Designer Alice Clarke

Alice Clarke is an award-winning jewelry designer based in North Yorkshire, U.K., and the Falkland Islands. As a passionate conservationist and environmentalist, organic shapes and nature serve as the inspiration for Alice’s unique, gorgeous collections. Alice’s work has received countless awards and has been featured in exhibits worldwide, including NYC’s Museum of Art and Design’s LOOT exhibit in 2016, where we met!  Inspired by her two homes' raw beauty, Alice splits her time between the Falklands and North Yorkshire, where she designs, creates, and sells her jewelry, runs workshops, and offers personalized bespoke jewelry design services. With Alice’s expert knowledge and leading contemporary designs, she helps couples (and partners surprising their loved ones) choose an alternative engagement ring or create something new and entirely one-of-a-kind! Alice’s exquisite designs are created with precious metals such as gold and platinum and set with precious stones like diamonds, sapphires, aquamarine, and morganites. No two rings are alike.

Jessica J Photography

Alice and I caught up a few weeks ago where we talked about our creative entrepreneur journeys, her advice for picking out the perfect engagement ring, the Falklands, going vegan, and of course—our love of pumpkin! Check out some of our jewelry-focused highlights from our conversation below.

Rachael: Your work is absolutely gorgeous, and I’ve loved seeing it evolve since we met in 2016. How do you describe your work?

Alice: Fine jewelry inspired by nature; ethereal, ancient, organic, contemporary with a nod to the past. Earthy. My friend calls me an “earth child,” I’ve always been drawn to nature.

Jessica J Photography

R: What was your entrepreneur journey like? Tell me about your road to success.

A: As a teenager, I made jewelry and sold it at local craft fairs on the weekends. In 2013 I graduated from the world-renowned School of Jewelry in Birmingham with a First Class BA (Honors). My graduate collection, Sunday Best was a labor of love—it reflected the countryside I grew up in and loved. I returned to focusing on silver after graduating because “not everyone is going to walk around wearing a goose bib.” In 2016, after working all hours of the night and every free moment, I quit my part-time job at the National Trust, a charity and membership organization for heritage conservation in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Working full-time as a jewelry designer allowed me to focus exclusively on my craft, build my studio, and gave me space and time to create and cultivate my work. I grew leaps and bounds by being proactive and creating the pieces I wanted to in addition to commissions. The more money I earned, the more I had to reinvest in my business to purchase new machines and tools, which I named after my loyal customers' commissions. This was also when I began working in gold and platinum.

The artist at work

Inside Alice's North Yorkshire studio

R: What inspires you?

A: Lichens, nature in North Yorkshire, the textures and tones I see from my studio window or while kayaking in the Falklands. I consider my work “wearable sculptures.” 

Jessica J Photography

R: How do you guide someone shopping for an engagement ring without their partner?

A: Typically, they are very nervous, so I try to make them comfortable and be a mate (“friends” for us non-U.K. folks). I’m not “salesy.” I ask many questions like what kind of jewelry their partner usually wears and try to get a sense of what their loved one likes and their taste. I also ask what their build is like and their fashion style. I also love hearing how they met and their love story!

Sometimes I’m told, “all I know is that she wants an Alice Clarke ring.” Sometimes they know what they want, and sometimes they don’t. I go through metals, stones, and styles that they like to narrow down the options. Some come to my studio as a blank canvas, and others come to me because they know my style.

R: What’s the best part of designing wedding bands and engagement rings?

A: Your rings are a small physical part of the wedding but they play a HUGE role as the couple will be wearing them every day for the rest of their lives. The sentimental value is very high and it is very rewarding.

R: I love your ring boxes. Tell me about them!

A: I found the fabulous company, Woodstorming in 2014 on Instagram. I wanted something special and started buying one or two and now we have a collaboration! I include their gorgeous custom-made boxes for rings that are over £1000. The box has to be super special, as much as the ring.

R: I’m embarrassed to admit this but I didn’t know where the Falkland Islands were till you started spending time there and sharing your gorgeous photos on Instagram. It is absolutely stunning!

A: It is such a special, beautiful place. It is rugged and untouched and really opened my eyes and really inspired me. Dan (Alice’s partner) and I lead eco-friendly small group outdoor adventure tours, Falklands Outdoors, where we take visitors kayaking, climbing, hill-walking, and surfing. Being in and amongst the giant sea kelp that grow in kelp forests around the islands, and the swirling tendrils lapping on the rocks inspired my latest fine jewelry collection ‘Archipelago’. Each piece of jewelry is completely unique and is named after a significant place in the Falklands.

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If you can’t make it to Alice’s studios in the Falklands or North Yorkshire, you can purchase her gorgeous jewelry directly from her site and make sure you follow her on Instagram! I’ve been drooling over her Wishbone ring in rose gold in case anyone is interested in buying me a birthday present in December…wink, wink!

Cover image featuring Alice Clarke by Jessica J Photography.

Introduction

Enchanté, it’s lovely to meet you!

Hello! I am so happy and excited to welcome you to my blog! My name is Rachael and I am a Denver-based freelance lifestyle portrait and destination wedding photographer. I work predominantly in Colorado, NYC, and New England and I absolutely LOVE to travel and enjoy photographing weddings all over the U.S. and overseas. I spent my childhood painting and in ballet class—these two influences are strongly represented in my work as I ”paint with” and manipulate light. My images have been described as “beautiful, emotional, creative, and authentic” (full testimonials here).

In addition to photographing hundreds of events and weddings, I’ve also worked as an event planner for a decade which has allowed me to work with a vast amount of incredibly talented florists, wedding venues, event designers, wedding planners, and other wedding vendors in Denver, Boulder, NYC, Boston, St. Louis, France, and more. This blog will highlight interviews and features with my favorite wedding vendors to share insider tips and guidance for couples planning their special day.

I will also share preparation guides on how to get ready for different types of photography sessions and for photo inspiration. Lastly, because I am a francophile, bookworm, plantlady, feminist with a serious sweet tooth and severe wanderlust, I will also share city guides to some of my favorite places, highlight other female creators, and post-baking photos because no excuse is needed to photograph cakes.

If there are other topics you’re interested in reading about, please write in comments below or contact me! I’d love to hear from you!

To get to know me a little better, here are 10 fun facts:

1. I’m from Buffalo, New York which means you should ask me about the deliciousness of “sponge candy”. Aléthea’s has the best.

2. My favorite flowers are ranunculus, English garden roses, peonies, and lilacs.

3. I wrote my senior thesis on “magical realism” in literature and my favorite authors are Gabriel García Márquez, Isabel Allende, and Pete Hamill.

4. I’ve been to France five times and plan to return as soon as possible. I absolutely love Paris but want to retire in Provence and possibly live in Lyon at some point in time.

5. I’m borderline obsessed with Target and Home Goods.

6. I’m extremely passionate about environmental sustainability. My latest favorite “green swap” is disposable cotton rounds for bamboo reusable cosmetic rounds. These washable ones from Credo Beauty are wonderful!

7. I love to bake! The last thing I made that made me really go “wow” is this Peach Sesame Crumble from Bon Appetit. It’s seriously out of this world.

8. The New York City Ballet is my favorite ballet company. Specifically their 2019 “New Combinations”—beyond incredible!

9. I believe strongly in the mind-body connection and prioritize health and wellness—yoga and pilates keeps my mind and body strong.

10. I wrote for The Buffalo News’ “NeXT” (weekly insert written by teens) during high school.