Vendor Spotlight: Parsell Photography
Are you still searching for an amazing photographer for your upcoming wedding?! Look no further... introducing Rachel with Parsell Photography! We came across Rachel while working a recent wedding at Tanners Brook Golf Course in Forest Lake. We asked her if she'd be willing to share some photos with us that we could use on our website - and man - were we impressed! Check out some of the photos from Jessica & Karl's recent wedding for yourself!
What do you love most about being a wedding photographer?
This may sound cliche, but being able to capture the love between a couple on their wedding day is so magical. This is their one day when they are their happiest and they look stunning. The romance between the couple gets my emotions going and I try to capture the raw emotions between the couple. I would have to say that is my favorite part. I also love photographing all the pretty details the bride has spent months working on. Each wedding is unique and brings new ideas and pretty details to capture. Nothing is ever the same and I love that!
What led you to the wedding industry, specifically?
Honestly it was my own wedding and timing. I had been doing mostly senior portraits and some family sessions but then after Nathan (my now husband) proposed to me and I started planning my own wedding, I fell in love with everything weddings. So, I tested the waters by being a second shooter for a wedding and I fell in love. I didn't know how much I would actually like it after second shooting the first wedding. I wanted to do it again and again. Also, it was good timing because I wanted to grow beyond just senior portraits. I still enjoy doing them and still do some today, but I wanted to be part of something bigger. So, planning my own wedding was what really triggered it and then when my own wedding came and went, I still found myself going to bride websites and blogs. I was in love and hooked.
What are your favorite wedding trends right now?
Here are two wedding trends that I'm loving right now:
- Unique all in one site venues. Meaning the ceremony and reception are in the same location. It's not just churches and banquet halls anymore. One of my favorites is the barn venue. While it has been trending for a while now, it is still going strong and there is something special about the rustic venue that is keeping it trending. Also, other spaces such as breweries and old buildings/lofts being concerted to wedding venues is highly popular and unique for both the couple and guests. It makes your wedding memorable for sure.
- Soft and metallic colors. Has anyone noticed a growth in gold and rose? These metallics mixed with soft colors like blush, white and peach are so beautiful together and they give off such an elegant vibe. It's not only pretty to photographer, but it's timeless, clean and classic.
Tell us about your most memorable and fun wedding/event.
I think my most memorable wedding yet was one I shot just over a year ago in October. So many elements made it special for me. First of all, they had a barn wedding with the ceremony outside and the reception inside the barn. It was beautiful and the weather was perfect for them. The couple was actually friends of mine and my husband, and my husband was a groomsman in the wedding. Knowing the couple obviously made it a little more personal since I knew them both well and had seen them grow together. They also did a first look (which I love) and they had many special details with personal touches. The wedding party was a lot of fun too and everybody made it such a great day for the couple.
What makes you unique from other wedding photographers?
I would say one of the things that makes me unique as a wedding photographer is my turn around time for delivering photos. Every wedding couple I photograph gets their final edited images in just under three weeks. For many, the typical turnaround time is 6-8 weeks. Being able to turnaround an entire gallery in less than half the normal time is something that is very important to me. The couple is eagerly waiting to see their photos and they are so excited that I don't think they should have to wait two months to see them. I also always deliver a sneak peek of two or three images the morning after their wedding as a preview for them. Many times they leave for their honeymoon the following morning and it's something they can see right before they leave.
Tell us one thing we might not otherwise know about you.
Some people who are closer to me think of me as a crazy cat lady. While I do only have two cats with my husband (Twix and Jinx), I am always looking at funny cat videos and pictures on Instagram. I also volunteer in the cat adoption support role at the Animal Humane Society in the Twin Cities. I love helping families find the right cat or kitten for them and seeing the animals find their forever homes is very rewarding. Two cats for my husband and I is good for now, but he never knows if I will bring home a third ;)