on August 11th, 2011 | Wedding Advisor
Guest Post by Esther K
Flowers die, and food spoils, invitations are thrown away and sometimes used as a great substitute dustpan, but pictures can last forever. I didn’t care much about the minute details of my wedding. All I wanted was gorgeous pictures, because pictures would be all I would have to remember my wedding day by.
Unfortunately, I didn’t get that. The photographer my in-laws hired, had done a beautiful job on a previous family wedding, but for my wedding they sent a crew member, not the head photographer – and he had no idea what he was doing. He was unenthusiastic (he didn’t even bother to ask my name, or anyone in the wedding party’s name), a little creepy, and had no imagination for posing. I actually told him to stop posing me (or whatever he was attempting to do) and I did my own thing. He got all excited and was like “Wow, this is great, like out of a bridal magazine” and I was thinking, what the heck, you’re a wedding photographer, you should know such posing cold!!
I also wanted a lot of candid shots to capture the essence of the wedding, I’m not so into stoic family portraits… didn’t get that either… It’s a good thing I looked that good by my wedding so a total fiasco was slightly averted.
I had several other issues with my pictures, and after a year of marriage I still have not selected photos for my official album, simply because I hate looking at my wedding pictures. When I got my proofs a month after blissful marital utopia (ye, it took that long to get them) I had full-blown meltdown on my husband, his first time experiencing me sobbing uncontrollably… fun stuff to put it mildly. It’s a sad cautionary tale. The one thing I wanted for my wedding I didn’t get, but at least I can pass on a few tips for looking into photographers.
- Know what type of pictures you want – artistic, classic, candid shots, and the like.
- Ask for recommendation, look at other people’s proofs, note what you like and don’t like.
- If there are certain pictures or poses you want taken , make a list so you don’t forget. (make that list even if you remember EVERYTHING)
- Make sure you know which photographer you will be getting if there is a crew of photographers.
- Know what’s included in your “package”: how many hours of photography, what format you’ll receive the proofs in, how many photos allotted in the master album (photographers rake it in this area, so know what you’re getting for how much.
- If you’re not comfortable with the photographer by the actual affair, pause a moment, evaluate what’s not going right and try to rectify the situation, talk to the photographer, don’t just let it pass by (like I did).
Here’s to you only reading this tale and never experiencing it. MAZAL TOV.
Photo credit: DeusXFlorida
on August 7th, 2011 | Ideas and Inspirations
Luxurious, extravagant, and for most over the top, these multi-purpose stands created by a company based in Canada – Meravo Events, are certainly striking. The design is definitely imaginative and inventive, and for the couple that is attracted to opulence, these extraordinary, multi-function pieces can be used for a Chuppah or a bridal backdrop or simply as a statement-making decor element. The same piece can start out as a backdrop by the kallah’s chair, then reassembled for Chuppah and then used as grand entrance decor for the dancing.
on June 30th, 2011 | Wedding Advisor
JewishMom.com posted yesterday an anonymous personal account of one kallah’s disappointing wedding night, and she is by far not alone in this malady (and there are other conditions similar to it) known as PVV. We thought it would be appropriate to share her story with you. If you’re experiencing severe pain during bedikas or intercourse, it’s important that you realize that it may not be due to inexperience or some psychological problem. It may be caused by a neurological condition for which you may be able to find treatment. Read the kallah’s account of her untimely discovery of her condition and recovery from it, here.
In case you’re experiencing the symptoms related by this courageous woman, consult your Ob Gyn-NY, Ob Gyn-NJ. In Long Island, The Women’s Therapy Center deals specifically with these issues.
on June 29th, 2011 | Real Wedding Stories
Last week Moscow saw its largest Jewish Orthodox wedding in history.
The wedding of Bluma Lazar, daughter of Rabbi Berel Lazar, Chief Rabbi of Russia, and Isaac Rosenfeld, son of Rabbi Yehoshua Rosenfeld – a shliach in Bogota, Colombia’s capital was an event that was significant beyond the family circles of the new couple. A wedding of such distinctly orthodox nature – a sea of black hats and kapotas, Jewish music and dance, and even government provided security, in Russia’s capital, which, being outside the Pale of Settlement, was a place basically off-limits to Jews until a little over one hundred years ago, would be unimaginable even twenty years ago.
The wedding celebrations were attended by almost two thousand guests from around the world – Russian dignitaries and oligarchs, such as Acting Chairman of the Federation Council Alexander Torshin, big-name philanthropists like George Rohr, Lev Leviev and Eduardo Elstein, hundreds of Chabad shluchim, and many others. Masterfully orchestrated by Fleischman Productions, a Kfar Chabad based event planning company, the wedding chuppah and reception was held in the Sokolniki Convention center. Music entertainment was provided by Israeli musician Yishai Lapidot and a French musician Yoni Shlomo.
Thanks to Israel Bardugo – a photographer whose camera has captured a wide variety of themes and numerous events around the world, we can share with you visual highlights from this unique simchah.
on June 23rd, 2011 | Ideas and Inspirations
Do you find letterpress as enchanting as I do? There’s something about the simplicity of colors, the rustic feel, and the spirit of tradition and old-time craftsmanship that makes letterpress prints absolutely delightful. Letterpress wedding invitations have become very popular in recent years with trendy brides, but I haven’t seen it catch on as much within Jewish orthodox or modern orthodox circles. You’ll find plenty of printers in your area that now offer letterpress printing if you’ll do a simple web search, but I would like to tell you about a kind of do it yourself option.
There are printing studios that offer their customers printing press time for rent. (One such studio is The Arm in Brooklyn, NY, where you can rent a press for $20 per hour.) These printing shops also offer classes for beginners. These classes will guide you through the basics of letterpress printing and the various materials that can be implemented for a desired result.
One can also take a slight shortcut with the help of Boxcarpress.com which will make photopolymer plate based on your image file. Together with a base which will hold your plate and inks of your choice you’ll be able to print just like a pro when you’ll go to a rentable press near you.
To discover the world of letterpress printing, visit briarpress.org.
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