Danielle’s Birthday . . . .

Danielle and I go back a couple years to her Sister, Michelle’s Wedding at St James Cathedral in Downtown Seattle.  Danielle dropped me an email before Christmas and asked if I would photograph her Christmas Party for her.  It was an elegant affair.  Her sense of design and placement was perfect.  She has an excellent eye for layout.  But, back to her birthday . . . .we started at the Sorrento Hotel with some great before her birthday party started at Amber in downtown Seattle.  The party was a fantastic time, celebrated with many of her friends attending.  I look forward to working with her again!

4/25/2009 Jeanne & Pat @ Hollywood Schoolhouse

Rehearsal Dinner @ Red Hook Brewery

Tulips!

When I first met Jeanne and Pat to discuss Wedding plans at the Hollywood Schoolhouse (on the border of Woodinville and Redmond), their main emphasis was going to be that all their guests we to have a great time.  They were less on formality, and more on highlighting their family and friends.  I loved their ideas!  The ceremony was going to be a “gathering” of those closest to them – hence no chairs.  I liked what I was hearing. . . . . I found out that they were doing an informal rehearsal dinner at the Red Hook Brewery.  Hmmmm!  They like quality beer as well?!  I thought I better investigate, so I stopped by and took a couple images, snaked on some well prepared Mexican Food, sipped a Red Hook Amber and listened to great stories.  It was surprising to me that they first dated in High School (and this was their first marriage each!)

a photo of Pat & Jeanne's High School Dance picture

I had suggested that we start at Willows Lodge as it is a beautiful place to start images, and after the wedding it is very easy to get to (1/4 mile)!  I love the Northwest wood lobby, and the rooms are very intimate – it is just a great place to melt into before and after a wedding

Pat’s best friend did the vows, and true to their words – their family and friends formed a simple circle around them for the ceremony.  The whole event was a great representation of what they were about! See more images at: http://clarsen.zenfolio.com/jeanne-pat

Of course an Image of my daughter Josie

4/11/2009 Ashley & Vigthør

@ the Broadmoor Golf Club

I knew it was going to be a great day when my Cousins started showing up at Ashley’s and Vigthør’s wedding reception at the Broadmoor Golf Club on April 11th.  Naturally, seeing them was quite the surprise for me as I had no idea why they were there, other than the wedding reception.  Well it turned out that I was related to the Bride!  It goes something like this:  The Brides Mother’s – Mother is my cousin Gary’s Mothers – sister, and Gary’s wife is my mothers – sisters – daughter. . . . . simple huh!  Although my relationship to the Bride is for the geneologists to figure out.  I realized that I was now working for Family!! But, back to the couple (my 4th cousins by marriage?), they both are talented opera singers that are currently residing in Kansas City.  They performed a duet for the beautifully packed Broadmoor reception room.  The Bride’s Father, cousin Max put on a video taken at their wedding in Aspen, in which in was raining so hard I thought they were in Seattle. The Groom’s Family is from Iceland no less. . . . . . I was trying to express my excitement to them about visiting them soon, but as soon as I said the word “visit”, they forgot how to speak English! See more images at:  http://clarsen.zenfolio.com/broadmoor.

Ashley & "cousin" Max

Ashley & Vigthør Singing

Outside The Broadmoor Golf Club

Seattle Tennis Club

Angela and Denis were married on the Great Lawn at the Seattle Tennis Club on a gorgeous summer July day.  Although the setting of venue tends to lean toward the formal side, the couple brought a real fun and expressive side to the event.  I love being part of friendly, fun weddings.  Everyone there seemed to be from a different part of the world – Scotland, England, India, Taiwan, and Ireland.   I love to watch couples that love to watch each other having a great time.  From Angela’s great expressions, to the only-man-on-the-dance-floor Denis having a great time.  Almost on clue, the full moon rose over Lake Washington signaling a lumbering exclamation point on a stellar day!

An Evening at SoulFood Books . . . .

I met Clint when they worked at Victor’s Coffee years ago. The man has energy – then and now as the Captain in Charge of SoulFood Books in Downtown Redmond. . . . Upon just meeting him, one might make the mistake in thinking that Clint’s intensive energy, and gentle spirit and hella cool is pseudo based. I know my hair trigger BS detector’s needle was twitching madly. But after seeing him with his purposeful action, I discovered that Clint is the real deal.

SoulFood Books is a hub of constant action, purpose, regular on-the-fringe customers that are welcoming as making that once in a lifetime visit to Family in the Mid-West. Everyone is welcome. Here is the calendar for February (Click on Feb) and you can see that the stage is busy, and the classes eclectic. Here is a Short List:

• Sanscrit Chanting
• Abundance Meditation with Kay Ridgeway
• Peruvian Stone Readings
• Family Drum Circle

My personal favorite evening is Open Mic night. It happens on the first Saturday of the month. It is packed with amazing talent that comes from all over the map. If you start on this night you will be hooked. Of course they have organic coffee that is concocted by an amazing staff of Baristas. There in is my biase. Clint was an observer of potential fine talent when he hired my son Taylor, and that created a shift at the front counter for my son Craig Larsen Jr. They are wonderful sons that have found a home at the coolest place in Redmond, the Eastside, and quite possibly in the State of Washington.

Sign up with them and they will send you friendly newletters and quite possibly stir up a visit!

Taylor

Irene & Derek at Antheia Ballroom. . . . . .

This was our first visit to the Antheia Ballroom in Snohomish.  Although I had heard much about the place, I was a little surprised where it was positioned in the city.  It is very unassuming from the outside – once inside I was almost tempted to walk back outside to see if there was some kind of an optical illusion.  It is a very warm, and comfortable place!  The service from the staff was very, very good & I had a chance to meet the owners (smartly working the bar).

If there was a category for “Best Brides Room” – just toss the award to Antheia Ballroom.

But the day was all about Irene & Derek.  I met them for an engagement session in early fall at the Mukilteo Landing for an awesome sunset session.  I really liked them then – but at the wedding they really shined.  Although it did not help that the officiant’s car broke down on the way to the wedding – cool heads prevailed and the rest of the evening was surrounded by friends and family.  The transformation from Ceremony to Reception area happened in a blink, and soon the crowd was really having a good time!

We hope to come back soon!

A Wedding at Tides Zihuatanejo (Villa Del Sol)

My love for weddings in Mexico continues with this beautiful destination affair at the Tides Zihuatanejo (see more images from this wedding here) – formerly known as Villa Del Sol.  It was named “Most Outstanding Hotel” by Condé Nast Johansens. It is truly an amazing place to get married, get lost, or preferably both.  The Tides Zihuatanejo as beautiful pools, water falls, and gorgeous grounds and food!  It is one of Zihuatanejeo’s brilliant hotels stars.

What I truly loved about this wedding was that everyone was from everywhere.  The Bride and Groom are living and working in New York City.  The Groom’s Family is from Houston (The Groom had most of his High School friends there), The Brides family is from South Carolina.  After three days together with the Rehearsal dinner at Kau Kan’s, a couple days in the sun. The wedding was like being with old friends.  The reception was as lively as I had been to!

La Casa Que Canta Wedding in Zihuatanejo . . . . . .

I am not sure why I have come to photograph the majority of Weddings I do in Mexico at Zihuatanejo | Ixtapa.  I know that I am passionate about the place!
It started in 1995 by chance, and kind of blossomed from there.  I have been blessed to be photograph in Zihuatanejo, Ixtapa, & Troncones) there around 10 times. Zihuatanejo is a magical place for me.  It is a destination resort that brings great groups of family and friends together for 3-4 days of closing-the-distance.  Every time we have left with so many great memories and wonderful new friends.  There are amazing Hotels like La Casa Que Canta & Villa Del Sol (now known as Tides Zihuatanejo), but the weddings can be held at many of the small boutique hotels that dot around Playa La Ropa.  Not to mention more tourist area of Ixtapa, and the many great restaurants and extremely fun bars there.

This wedding was held in December at the La Casa Que Canta.  They had their rehearsal dinner (which we include in all our coverages) at the Kau Kan overlooking the Bay of Zihuatanejo.  It has to be the best view of the the Bay, Sunset, and Zihuat there is.  While it was snowing when I left Seattle, it was in the 80’s every day while we were there.

Brent & Kristin – Alderbrook Resort

Alderbrook Resort is one of the best kept secrets for a wedding.  If you have never driven there it is as if you are driving to Hawaii, but the trip is more interesting.  Driving through small hamlets, and along Hood Canal – there was no shortage of true Northwest.  When you arrive at Alderbrook one wonders how they built something so spectacular without some kind of alarm going off in Seattle.

I have photographed 4 weddings, 1 Portrait, and 4 company functions for this wonderful group.  Brent was looking very sharp, and of course Kristin was so beautiful that I asked her if she was her younger sister (no kidding. . . . ).  The views were enormous, the guests delightful.  Seeing Brent humbled to tears by Kristin’s beautiful daughters was a pleasure to watch – I know, I have three.

Seeing all couples I had photographed on their weddings  + our two uber cool friends, Paul & Alizah.  Paul even performed the vows.

As the day wound down we were blessed with a fiery sunset.  A fine end for such a lush day!

A Portrait for Heidi Seawell

I believe photographing Musicians and Artists is based solely on a feeling, or a vibe-like connection.  Such was my session with Heidi.  She teaches a children’s music class at Music Works Northwest. You can find her link at MWNW here. It was such a joy to photograph her.  She was open to suggestion, and like most musicians, her instrument was a natural extension of her spirit.  Rarely, I believe the whole instrument needs to be in a image, because the passion doesn’t come from the instrument, but from the person.  Getting close shows where the music comes from.  I look forward to hearing her play at Soulfood Books soon.