Although I have some fantastic places “up my sleeve,” I love it when my clients have new ideas on where to go for their on-location photo sessions. Places I have never been before are absolutely inspiring. New places make me think, and be sharp and quick about my decisions. Upon arrival I must scan the landscape for the best lighting and backgrounds and view “the big picture” so I can take advantage of both my telephoto and wide-angle lenses. The beauty of New Mexico is that there are always new places to discover; this gives me a never ending enthusiasm for not only my profession, but my passion: photography.
Danielle and Chris were wed with Danielle’s father officiating the ceremony. The sky was a gorgeous blue and the beautiful Taos fall foilage just beginning to turn. Danielle’s bridesmaids were in black dresses with splashes of red adorning their feet and hair. The majestic Taos Mountain turned a beautiful pink as the sun set on this couple’s perfect wedding day.
There are many different traditions that are part of a wedding ceremony, and many of these customs have been practiced for several centuries. Ciara and Andrew implemented many different traditions into their wedding day, some of the explanations of these traditions are listed below.
Ring Exchange: First marital ring exchange dates back to 4800 years ago!
The Kiss: Token of bonding and exhange of spirits
Bridal Flowers: The bouquet signifies a woman in bloom!
Wedding Veil: A woman’s face covered by a veil means she is spoken for.
The Garter: Was believed (in 14th century Europe) having a piece of the bride’s clothing was a good luck. The bride would throw a garter to keep guests from ripping off a piece of her wedding dress.
Wedding party favor: In the late 1800’s, it was common for the married couple to send their guests home with a cardboard box filled with almonds.
Bridesmaids/Groomsmen: Originated from Roman Law which required ten witnesses at a wedding to outsmart evil spirits.
(Information on traditions taken from bridallistings.com and wikipedia.com)
Erika Hohn, owner of Octopus Arts Collective, has been teaching yoga to children for 11 years; we took photographs for her upcoming new website! A new resident to Taos, NM from Boulder, CO, Erika is already connecting with children at Shree Yoga Studio as she teaches “Sweet Pea” yoga hour. Erika has a playful personality and a strong musical and dance background; these gifts allow Erika to integrate smiling, chanting, and dance into her yoga classes for kids.
There is nothing like a wedding in Taos, NM! Rachel and Seth live in California, but Rachel was raised in Taos and has been dreaming about her wedding day here since she was a little girl. Rachel and Seth tied the knot at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish one block away from the Taos Plaza. The reception venue was Taos Country Club which has gorgeous views and a beautiful green golf course.
The Taos Vacation Guide describes Las Fiestas de Taos as a “time-honored festival preserving four centuries of cultural diversity and tradition unique to Taos.” Las Fiestas began in Taos in the 1930’s and always takes place at the end of July to observe the feast days of Santiago and Santa Ana (St. James and St. Anne).
In my opinion, the best “Fiestas” event in 2011 was the procession, blessing, and dancing of the the Aztec dancers at the San Francisco de Asis (St. Francis) Cathedral in Los Ranchos de Taos. I love the photos, however I do wish you could smell the cedar and feel the high energy and incredible rhythm of these dancers in perfect sync.
