Boston Wedding Photographer

Weddings

WESTIN HOTEL WEDDING: TINA + BOBBY

May
17

honestly believe that the wedding day is a true testament to a couple's personality. How a couple handles the pressure and anxiety of the wedding is really a reflection of their innermost personality. And just as I had suspected, Tina and Sandip (Bobby) carried themselves with completely poise and perfection. These two are just cool as cucumbers. Smiles all day long... almost as if they were the ones putting ME at ease. Thank you guys for making my job so exceptionally wonderful. Best wishes for all the happiness in the world.

We had the whole team on site for their big day, and I started the morning in Tina's bridal suite capturing some gorgeous details... like her pure silk saree and a perfectly coordinated set of bangles to match.

Happily. Ever. After. ... the rings!

It's always a pleasure working with Muntaha, knowing that the bride will be dolled up with utter perfection

And while I was taking care of things in the bridal suite, Amie was with Sandip capturing his details and behind-the-scenes shots.

I just love this photo of Sandip's brother helping him get the turban on. Just a inkling of what your bride is going through to get ready. No pain, no gain guys!!

And once Sandip was ready, we prepared for an action-packed baraat facilitated by Boston Sound & Light. Horses, music, confetti and all.

And of course no baraat is complete without the dholee, Amit Patel.

In traditional Bengali fashion, Tina walked down the isle with her brother holding two auspicious leaves.

And as she approached the alter, she circled her groom as a symbol of well wishes and prosperity.

I just love the look the look on Tina's dad's face as he proposed his daughter's hand in marriage to Sandip. Almost like a "you better get this right" kinda look!

Two are joined to be one!

They take their first steps together towards becoming husband and wife.

Congratulations Tina and Sandip... now it's time to party!!

Before they changed for the reception, we ducked out to take a few pictures with the newly married couple.

Aaahh .... so darn adorable.

Thanks Amie for grabbing this beautiful candid. Love the look on Tina's face.

Honestly, there are no words for you guys... but somehow I'll still manage to keep talking/writing!!

A huge thanks to Pink Lotus Events for coordinating and working with me and my team so we could get all the shots we needed of the fine details before the reception doors opened. Sometimes, it's a tight squeeze!

Boston Sound & Light transformed the room into a swanky evening lounge. Gorgeous!

The grand entrance. Yup! She's got a little sass.... I like it.

The first dance.

And as you may have known, we presented a same-day video edit after dinner. I just love the look on their face here!

And let the party begin! Congratulations Tina & Sandip. Thank you so much for letting me and the team be a part of your big day. It was an honor. Happy Friday!

Vendor Love:

Venue: Westin Waltham Hotel
Planner: Pink Lotus Events
Mandap and Reception Setup: Alankar
Reception Lounge Decor, Lighting and Entertainment: Boston Sound & Light
Baraat Dholee: Amit Patel of Dholee
Photography & Cinematography: BINITA PATEL
Hair & Makeup: Muntaha Sharique
Henna: Manisha Trivedi of Henna Cafe
Priest: Dr. Jayant Sane

Inspiring 1

Stylish 2

Funny -

Educational -

Romantic -

Fabulous 4

Amie

GET TO KNOW AMIE

May
17

here's a handful of people in this world who make me really, really happy! Among that group, are the members of my photo and video team. Very early in my business, I came to a very important realization: I Cannot Do This Alone! For many reasons. Number one; I'm a people person. And I really enjoy working on a team, helping to build the foundation for solid teamwork, learning from others, teaching others and celebrating victory and overcoming challenges with others around me. Number two; in order to produce consistent results and prove to my clients that they can trust an associate or second shooter who is going to be a part of their wedding day, I need to know that I can deliver with consistency and faith in the people who surround BINTA PATEL.

Over the past 2 years, Amie has taken on a really strong role on the photography side. She's come to be my trusted 2nd shooter and has also taken on the role of lead associate shooter as well. And as we move into this year and next, Amie will be accepting lead commissions for weddings through BINITA PATEL. Guys and gals... Amie is a gem. Honestly Amie, I {heart} you, and it's my privilege to have you on team. MWAH!

I definitely want you all to get to know Amie the same way I do, so she's going to popping up on the blog from time to time. Don't be alarmed. No one has hijacked the blog... it's just our dear friend Amie sharing some of her love.

FROM AMIE
Being in the right place at the right time can really pay off! This is pretty much how I met Binita and began working as a part of her team. A bit before the 2011 wedding season, I'd met Binita about potentially doing some graphic design work (which is what I went to school for). We got to talking, and after she found out I was also a photographer, things quickly shifted into discussion about second shooting for her. I jumped at the chance!

This is my second season shooting with Binita and the rest of the team, and it's going wonderfully. I'm looking forward to what the future may bring! So it's come time to write a blog post about myself. Anyone else agree that this can be quite difficult?! Anyways... here goes!

Where did you grow up and what's your favorite childhood memory?
I grew up in the small town of Milford, in Southern NH. As small as it was, I frequently meet people who are from the area, or run into people I went to high school with. Small world! Even though I've lived in the greater Boston area since starting college in 2000, there will always be a soft spot in my heart for the rural landscape of NH. I have great memories of exploring the woods of my backyard with my twin sister. Even now, I love taking a woodsy hike as much as wandering the city!

What's your favorite place in the whole world? Why?
Wow, this is a tough one...I've been lucky enough to have traveled to some amazing places so far. One place that I've gone back to several times (and would LOVE to make it back to this summer) is Martha's Vineyard. I've probably spent the most time in Edgartown, which is the perfectly quaint, quintessentially New England town. I just love the nautical feel, calm harbors, and small-town feel. If you've never made it out to the Vineyard, I highly suggest taking a day trip!

In your spare time, you like to....
Aside from photography? Let's see... I'm not sure I'd call it a hobby, but I do love to bake! While my husband is by far the better chef in our household, I've always done better with baked goods. I love making things from scratch and am always looking for new recipes to try out. (Check out my "Desserts & Sweets" Pinterest board!)

When/how did you become interested in photography?
I first dabbled in photography in high school. My junior and senior years I took a darkroom class (back before digital was the norm - all black and white!). I loved it, and knew from that first assignment that I was hooked. It was great to learn in a film class, which forced me to learn the basic principles of HOW the camera works, and how to manipulate it to do what you wanted. One of my 2012 goals is to get back into a little film photography as a personal project.

You recently got married... what are some of your biggest pieces of advice to any bride out there?
Yes, my one year anniversary is just around the corner! I got married last June in Cambridge, and honestly had the perfect day. We were working with a smaller budget, but still managed to pull off the exact celebration we'd envisioned.

Here are my top three pieces of advice to any bride-to-be planning her wedding...First, make sure there is someone available on your wedding day to keep things moving smoothly! Whether it's a same-day coordinator or your event manager, someone has to be the point person. It can't be you!! Even if you think you'll want to oversee everything, it's best to step back and leave the details to someone else during the wedding day. Luckily our catering company had a "go to" person, and it worked out great!

Secondly, go ahead and DIY...but only to a certain point. We had grand plans of doing absolutely everything ourselves! We even researched if there was a way for us to do our own uplighting. HAH! We did make our invites and seating cards, but left everything else up to the professionals. You don't want to overwhelm yourself!

And thirdly, don't sweat it if something small goes awry. What if your flowers aren't exactly as you'd envisioned? No one will know but you. What if you are running late getting ready in the morning? The wedding won't happen without you! Basically, try to remain calm, and really take in the day. It only happens once.

What's your philosophy behind the camera? What excites you? What do you look for?
I could go on and on - I'll try to keep it a bit shorter than that last question!! I really like to keep it simple. Not that you would ever end up with boring photos, but I feel that the less "staged" the photo, the more genuine it feels. Having a couple chat for a few minutes in between posing - that can really capture some honest, stress-free expressions. The same thing goes with the many children & family sessions I shoot. Sometimes it's just best to follow someone around in their regular environment, doing what they do.

Until next time... AMIE.

Weddings

CINEMATIC SAME-DAY WEDDING FILM

t's been a whirlwind weekend with Komal & Rohit. If you saw yesterday's post featuring their engagement session, you heard my story about how we just barely squeezed in their engagement session two days before the weekend. As if that wasn't thrilling enough, Komal and Rohit hosted a jam-packed weekend filled with 3-days of festivities. We topped off the weekend with a fabulous same-day edit put together by Andy and Danielle. And a huge kudos goes out Chris and Adam for capturing some super stellar shots to make the edit all that more exciting! I {heart} you guys! Here's a look at Komal & Rohit's same-day edit, which was featuring during the reception.

Komal & Rohit : Boston Indian Wedding Same Day Edit // Boston Wedding Cinematography from binita patel on Vimeo.

Engagements

BOSTON ENGAGEMENT: KOMAL + ROHIT

May
15

he world works in mysterious ways. I mean it must, right?! How else, would two people from completely opposite places end up falling in love. Rohit has spent his life here in the Northeast... and Komal is from the warm island of St. Maarten. Work and school brought these two together in San Francisco, and thanks to a night out in the city, these two found in each (in San Francisco) everything that was missing back home. Once you get to know Komal, you start to see just how social and bubbly she really is. She can totally mix and mingle with almost anyone. So it's no surprise that when Komal and Rohit met, they shared great conversation and had wonderful evening together. And later that week, in her usual super-social fashion, Komal went ahead and added Rohit as a"friend" on Facebook! He was on top of the world. It wasn't until later that Rohit came to realize that Komal was just that friendly, and perhaps he'd have to work a little harder to turn his status from "friend" to "boyfriend".

So with all the jet-setting from San Francisco, Boston and St. Maarten, Komal finally made her way to Boston just last week (about a week before the wedding). We had originally scheduled this engagement session for a week before the wedding (talk about cutting it close!!), but with all the rain we've had in Boston the past week or so we just kept postponing and postponing! And you won't believe that we finally got the chance to shoot this session just TWO days before the wedding.

Thank you Komal and Rohit for taking this entire process in stride, and helping to bring together a fabulous engagement session.

We started off the session along the waterfront of Piers Park in East Boston. It was definitely a tad windy, but Komal was a trooper.

Check out this fantastic view of the city!

Uh huh Komal... yup! That's how they do it in St. Maarten!!

Seriously, it was pretty darn chilly by the water... what better excuse to snuggle!

You guys are simply adorable. Don't ever change!

Komal, I can just tell that Rohit is in pretty big trouble... that smile and those eyes could kill.

What I seriously love about these two is their great sense of humor. They don't take themselves too seriously, and always ready for a good laugh.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be a part of your relationship and playing the role of the 3rd wheel here!! You guys are fabulous, and I can't wait to share your wedding photos with you very soon.

Weddings

INDIAN WEDDING FILM: TINA + BOBBY

ina and Bobby have got to be two of the most genuine people I've ever met. And after spending 2 days with their families and friends, I can totally see where these two get their sweet hospitality and kindness from. Both families greeted us with huge smiles, and my team and I were welcomed with such open arms to their wedding, that by the end of the night we all felt like family.

At this point, I'm realizing that I probably need to clarify one point of confusion. You've probably seen posts marked "Tina & Bobby" and "Tina & Sandip". NO!! Tina did not marry two men!! This isn't farm country folks. Turns out that Sandip (his official name), also goes by Bobby (nickname).

You may have seen the same day edit that we put together for this wedding about 2 weeks ago. Well now I'd like to present the official highlights film... and we're trying out a new art house style edit here. I know I've said this time and time again, but I'll say it once more... without the incredible talent of Chris, Adam, Danielle and Andy these films would be nothing. Thanks again to my amazing team for pulling together a highlights film that modern, fun and stylish. Happy Thursday!!

Tina & Sandip : Boston Indian Wedding Highlights Film // Boston Wedding Cinematography from binita patel on Vimeo.

Page 1 of 39

Thank you so much for taking the time to stop by. For the most part, this blog is a collection of my work, ideas, inspirations and things I've learned. If you're a bride & groom: sit back, relax and soak it all in... until your fingers get pruny! If you're a photographer: I hope you can take away something insightful from what I've learned about turning my passion for photography and cinematography into a career. You can also explore more about the world of BINITA PATEL by clicking below. Until we meet... have FUN, be STYLISH.