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Pictures from Parkland Country Club and Temple B’nai Torah in Boca Raton, Florida

Boca Raton is home to several well known Jewish temples.   These include: Congregation B’nai Israel,  Temple Beth El,  B’nai Torah Congregation.  Each temple has it’s own unique features with unique grounds that offer different photographic opportunities.  Some have more landscaping which makes the picture taking process easier.   In the past years many couples choose the start their wedding at the Boca Raton Resort and Club.  This makes perfect sense because the Boca Resort is by far the most beautiful hotel in the area.  The hotel is huge and famous because of it’s unique pink color and it’s never ending perfectly landscaped grounds.  If you have ever visited the Boca Raton Resort and Club you know the place offers endless locations for picture taking.  In addition the hotel is top notch.  Inside the hotel you will find fantastic dining options and the guest rooms are just what you would expect in a high-end luxury hotel.   Having a hotel in Boca Raton that offers so much it only makes sense that brides and grooms would want to start their wedding day in the lap of luxury that the Boca Resort offers.

However, recently the hotel made a change to it’s photography policy.  Today the Hotel no longer allows engaged couples the option of taking pictures in the hotel grounds.  Even if you booked your hotel room or room block there. Actually this new policy applies to all photography.  The bottom line is simple, If you are not having your event at the Boca Resort you are not allowed to take pictures at the hotel.  I really can’t argue with their policy.  Wedding clients pay a ton of money to have their wedding or Bar Mitzvah at this hotel.  In the past brides who were having their wedding at the hotel had to deal with other wedding photographers photographing couples and families who were not having a Boca Resort wedding.  As I’m sure you could imagine a couple who paid for a Boca Raton Resort and club wedding would not be too happy then they decided to take pictures at the hotel’s Yacht Club and found that another wedding party, who was having a wedding ceremony or reception at the resorts hotel taking pictures in this prime location.  I’ll bet the staff at the Boca Resort heard lot form many upset wedding clients.  I also think some pushy photographers helped the hotel decide to incorporate this photography policy.

Now I can’t speak for the hotel, and the hotel policies but to the best of my knowledge the hotel won’t allow anyone who is not having a wedding or event at the hotel to take pictures at the resort.   Now, I have photographed wedding couples at the Boca Raton Resort and Club who have had their weddings at other places, but they have somehow been able to get special permission because they had an in at the hotel or they have been hotel owners.

I mention this because I very often will get a call from  brides and grooms or the parents of a wedding couple who tell me, we plan on starting at Boca Resort.  Maybe they have an in? or are hotel owners.  I find it awkward telling a inquiring wedding client that starting at Boca Resort may not an option.  This turns into a huge issue because now I find myself talking with clients who are searching for venues that look like Boca Resort as a place to take get ready and take pictures.  While there are several hotels in the area none offer what the Boca Raton Resort and Club has to offer.    However, a and experienced photographer who has shot many weddings in the Boca Raton area, I have been able to recommend some hotels that have worked well.  I have also, found some other creative solutions to this delima.

This brings me to the wedding featured in this article.  Nicole and Oren choose to start their photography at the Heron Bay Marriott which is a good distance from the temple they decided to have their wedding at,  Temple B’nai Torah.

They started at the Heron Bay Marriott with getting ready pictures because the hotel is very close to Parkland Country Club.  If you are not familiar with Parkland Country Club it’s really a beautiful place.  In my opinion it’s as beautiful a location as Boca Resort.  Once past the main guard gate Parkland Country Club is loaded with awesome rock wall designs and very unique waterfalls.  Unless you make a resident,  you won’t get past the main gate.  However, if you make a right turn before the guard gate into the home center,  you can walk to this beautiful park like setting with a lake in the center.  Check out the photos in these links to see more from Parkland Country Club.  Currently it’s a free easy access place to take great photos.  I’m not sure how long this great photo setting will be available but currently it’s a great option, if you are planning a Boca Raton temple wedding and need a place to get great posed pictures.  It’s a 15 mile drive from Parkland Country Club to the Boca Raton Exit but if you are planning a Boca Raton temple wedding and need a good place for photography I would consider this as an option.

The pictures in the article came from the bride and grooms wedding album layout.  While we offer photography packages with just the retouched digital images, most of our clients include a wedding album with their packages.  As a person who has been photographing weddings for over 20 years I understand the value of having a great custom designed album.  If you are not sure whether owning an album is for you, here is a link to an article I wrote on wedding albums.  Why couples should include an album with their photography.   

Here is another interesting article regarding wedding albums.  Should you include an album with your wedding pictures?

Now more tips about planning your Boca Raton Jewish wedding.  The biggest question I get asked by couples planning a Boca wedding is where do we start taking pictures and how do me make a wedding timeline?  While starting the wedding day in Parkland worked out well for this couple, most of the couples I talk with are not willing to start their wedding day so far away from Boca Raton.  This leaves me in the position of recommending other hotels in which brides and grooms can get ready for their wedding and possibly take some posed pictures.  I actually spoke with a bride today who is planning a wedding at Temple Beth El.  First I recomemded they visit the Boca Raton Marriott at Boca Center.  While it’s not Parkland Country Club or the Boca Resort it’s a good place that is local to Boca and has mice grounds for wedding pictures.  The Boca Marriott, as I refer to it, is located at the back walkway of the Boca Center  The Boca Center is a great place for your wedding party and family to hang out and enjoy some nightlife before your wedding day.  It’s filled with great dining options.  At the back walkway but the Boca Marriott is a water fountain and some landscaping which is useful for taking wedding pictures.   Another option is the Renaissance Boca Raton Hotel   I have started several Boca Temple  weddings at this location as well.