I've said this before and I'll say it again--I LOVE shooting weddings that are different, offbeat, interesting, and unique! Over the course of my career, I've had the opportunity to shoot weddings of many different kinds and religions, and I have to say, one of the most interesting is the Orthodox Jewish wedding. It's just SO different from what I see on a day to day basis that when I shoot one, I approach it as almost more of an event to document than a wedding. Of course it IS a wedding, but the schedule and traditions are so different that I don't like to try to shoot it to conform to that particular box.
A couple of weeks ago, I shot an Orthodox Jewish wedding I've been waiting a long time for: Eliana & Dovid. I first met Eliana in 2004, when I met with her older sister about her own wedding. Eliana was so effervescent and outgoing, she's the type of girl you can't help but like! She was too young at that time to be considering marriage, but she looked forward to the day it would be her turn.
I saw her again at Jazmon & Ramy's wedding, and she'd grown up so much, but was still the warm, funny, friendly girl I had met earlier. This time though, she told me that she was READY and was hoping that she'd be having her own wedding soon. She welcomed me at that wedding as a friend and part of the family, and I also hoped that her wedding would be next :)
It took a year or two more, but it was FINALLY Eliana's turn. She might tell you that she'd planned to be married earlier, but she would also tell you that nothing in the world can compare to finding the right person, which she did in Dovid. Dovid loves her in every way, all the flaws, the quirks, and is the one she's been waiting for. I am so excited to share their wedding with you!
I'm going to explain a bit about the wedding, but I really don't know everything--only from what I've been told on the job by the friends and family I've met.
Here we go!
(By the way, I have decided to process a bunch of these images in a new sepia action someone gave me! it's not available to buy yet, but I am LOVING it and as soon as it's ready to be released, I'll certainly share!)
Eliana's shoes: Eliana told me that she bought them FOUR YEARS AGO for her future wedding! That's planning!!
Before the wedding, it is customary for the bride to "Daven", which means pray. The bride's brother brought her the prayer book, which is the same one the groom will Daven from that day too:
Eliana made such a gorgeous bride--I always knew she would! The word for Bride in Yiddish is Kallah:
The Kallah had a beautiful daisy bouquet (and a beautiful smile):
Eliana is just such a superstar!
Not to mention, totally stunning:
Dovid told me that he doesn't wear cufflinks and when Eliana told him he needed them for the wedding, he wasn't super excited. His decision? Cufflinks that look like buttons!
He was so handsome. He told me that a groom's outfit for the wedding must be all new--100% unworn yet, down to the socks and underwear.
The Yiddish word for "groom" is Choson (ch pronounched like k"
Always a favorite at DuBrow family weddings, the adorable Mookie! His mom Shoshi might have planted one on him :)
What a cute little guy:
Aunt Eliana likes him, I think:
Before the Chuppah, the Kabbalas Panim take place, which are greeting of the bride and groom, which take place separately. The Kallah has a Bedeken, which is a time when the women can come up and greet her, pray, chat, etc.:
The men have a Tisch, where the terms and conditions (Tena'im) of the marriage contract are read aloud. The Choson sits between his father and father in law while the contract is reviewed:
Once that is completed, the Choson is escorted to the Kallah to place a napkin or veiling over her face, to symbolize Rebeccah doing this before her marriage to Isaac. She also receives blessings from her father, father in law, and grandfather.
The Choson goes to the Chuppah first:
The ring is placed on the bride's index finger. There are so many people under the Chuppah during this that it is a VERY difficult shot to get!
There is lots and lots of singing:
And lots of rejoicing!
One thing that is very unusual about Orthodox Jewish wedding is that the bride and groom are not to touch at all in public, even after the ceremony. I am always nervous to shoot portraits, because it's so hard to figure out how to post a couple that can't touch, but still show a connection and love between them.
I needn't have worried with Eliana & Dovid:
On the line of "touching" but not quite over :)
Might as well shoot some more portraits of Eliana while I was at it:
Eliana and Dovid have so much fun together! They are always laughing and smiling. I know they are going to have such a wonderful marriage:
Even though they didn't touch, the connection between them wasn't hard to find:
And it turns out, the portraits can be just as beautiful:
And just as adorable:
The party is where things really get crazy! The dancing is frantic and WILD! There is so much pure joy! There was also an incredible bar of the most amazing fresh fruit, the prefect thing after dancing like this for hours on end:
The men and women dance separately, and you never know what might happen:
A little playful interaction is okay :)
But honestly, I think the girls really just love spending time together:
A stolen moment towards the end during the Benching, which is a series of prayers after a meal:
I think every bride should look and feel like this on her wedding day:
One last little shadow:
Eliana & Dovid, Mazel Tov on your marriage! Thank you so much for letting me be a part of your lives and family, if only for a day!!
Peter & Jennifer: St. Thomas, USVI Mon. August 23, 2010
Here's the thing about destination weddings--it's not really about the wedding. It's about all the pieces that make up a wedding: The relationship between a couple who has waited eight years to get married. The friends and family who have taken the time and considerable expense to be there to support the couple, traveling from Chicago, Alaska, Virginia, and more. It's the laugh that rumbles and spills over from the father of the bride as he tells stories from the childhood of his baby girl, and it's the love that a mother has for her son and the new daughter she is about to have.
Whenever I shoot a destination wedding, I'm there for more than just the wedding too. I sit at the rehearsal dinner and hear the tales that make up friendships, relationships, and love. I am there for the late-night talks, and the the offshore adventures. For one weekend, I get to be a part of their group. And all of those things make it possible for me to see more of the pieces that make up a couple that usual.
This is how it was at Pete & Jenn's wedding at the Frenchman's Reef Marriott in St. Thomas, USVI this past weekend. And it was beautiful.
A few notes about this shoot:
-I used Kevin Kubota's X Process Combo for several of the color shots and his "Z films" action for all the black and white photos
-This whole wedding was shot with the 50 1.2, 35 1.4, and 100 2.8L. I travel light for destination weddings!
Anyway, back to the wedding.
Seriously, it was beautiful:
Few things truly scare me about shooting weddings anymore. Oh, I'll get butterflies from time to time and excited of course, but not usually stomach-on-the-floor SCARED, which was how I felt as I balanced the brides' shoes on the balcony of the 8th floor hotel room for this photo:
If they'd fallen, they would have ended up at the top of one of these palm trees overlooking the ceremony site:
Jennifer is a doctor. She's the kind of doctor you would want to have when you're sick--warm, kind, and knowledgable. But the morning of the wedding, she was a BRIDE:
Jennifer has three sisters, and they are all so unique and wonderful in different ways. This is the youngest, Ariel, and Jenn's dress:
She and Pete's mom Cici helped get Jenn's dress straightened out. The purple flowers were brilliant and fresh:
Bev, Jenn's mom right after she saw her daughter in a wedding gown:
The moms and BFF Courtney putting on Jenn's finishing touches:
What to do when you're about to have a moment? Laugh about it, of course!
Jenn is absolutely stunning:
As luck would have it, while we were on the way outside with the girls to take some photos before the ceremony, Jenn's dad happened to catch us!
This was such a great group of girls!
Meanwhile, back at the hotel, this is what Pete was doing:
And this is what the boys were doing:
I don't usually post group photos, but what the heck:
Pete, looking quite smooth on his wedding day:
This is Jason. Jason has no fear, and when I mentioned that I wanted one of the guys to catch and hold one of the huge iguanas that roam the island, he went running in search of one. He got it too, but it turned out to be quite feisty, so this is about as far as it went:
Back to more beautiful things;
I love the moment right before a bride walks down the aisle:
During the walk down the aisle can be nice too :)
A prayer--an invitation for God to join the ceremony:
I love this one!
First kiss as husband and wife:
I think they were excited!
They sure were cute:
We went down to the beach to get a few photos of the new couple:
This is my favorite part of a wedding day:
Why can't the sky look like this in So. Cal?!
Just some nice, clean portraits:
Sweetness:
One of my wedding day favorites:
I figured I would shoot a few photos of Jenn alone on the beach:
This series takes my breath away:
Soft and lovely:
first dance:
How could you get a better view than this from your reception?
With smaller weddings, there isn't usually a ton of dancing, but not with this crowd! The floor was packed the WHOLE time!
But Jenn and Pete were able to steal a few moments anyway. In all, it was a wonderful day--everything a wedding should be:
The next day, we set out for the main town of Charlotte Amelie:
One of my favorite things to do is to find fun, bright colors to shoot agains!
I had no idea I'd find a staircase that looked like it belonged in Italy!
But I did :)
The town is vibrant and beautiful, so we walked around for awhile:
Where else would you go right after you get married?!
This was my favorite little spot:
This is actually the front of a beauty parlor!
I love this building so much:
This door--can it please come home with me?
I wish it would have fit in my suitcase:
Then it was back down to the beach for a little fun and sun!
After the wedding, we don't have to be so careful about the dress. I'm not really into "trashing the dress", but I love not having to worry about it!
And if it gets a little wet, so what?!
I mean, it's not like she's going to wear it again (no worries brides--salt water does not ruin dresses. rinse your dress out with plain water after and dry clean--it'll be good as new!)
If you're already mostly wet...
Might as well go for it!
I can't resist a blooper or two--this was just so funny!
Peter & Jennifer: Thank you so much for letting me capture your story, and letting me be a part of it this weekend. Congratulations!!
Vendor RAVE: Flowerwild & San Ysidro Ranch Thu. August 19, 2010
I love shooting San Ysidro Ranchh weddings more than I could possibly describe. The place has something in the water (or maybe the air. or both) that makes you feel different the second you walk onto the property. It's a little hidden gem just south of Santa Barbara, and everything about it is just impeccible!
You might remember a wedding I shot there last year, which you can CLICK HERE to see. I've been dying to get back there, and last weekend I was fortunate enough to shoot another wedding there! Unfortunately, I cannot share any of the photos of the couple or guests due to privacy restrictions on this particular set of photos, but I thought it might be fun to show you a couple of the scenics and floral details! (no, it wasn't Hillary Duff's wedding, sorry to disappoint!)
One thing that can really make a wedding spectacular is having amazing florals. My friend Kate of Flower Wild is just a genius--a true artist who just happens to use flowers as her medium. All the flowers in these photos are by her.
If you're a bride out there who is looking to stick to more of a budget and wants to cut flowers, I would say that the only REALLY important floral piece is the bride's bouquet, for which no expense should be spared! You can do without flowers on the altar of your church or arrangements down the aisle, but a bride's bouquet can add so much color and beauty to the photos!
Just one of the hundreds of breathtaking scenes at San Ysidro. This is the view above where the cocktail hour was:
The ceremony takes place under the farther arch (there's a little lawn in between the two arches):
There are tons of interesting little nooks and crannies:
Another of the bouquet--Kate's flowers are so fresh and gorgeous!
A little cocktail table setup:
This is what the reception tables looked like. A nice natural centerpiece and a fresh, fully bloomed flower on each setting:
Here's a close up:
The lavender fields are probably the best thing about San Ysidro. After the ceremony, couples get to go and play in the lilac fields, which is absolutely incredible for portraits!
A Library Themed Wedding Shoot Mon. August 2, 2010
Happy Tuesday! Since we're now in August and since August is the last month that can really be considered Summer pretty much everywhere, I want to post really fun, summery looking things all week!
This shoot was a little styled concept shoot that I worked on with two of my faves, Megan Gray of Honey & Poppies who did the design and flowers and Erica Obrien who did the desserts! Also props to Stacy Bisel for her stellar job on the makeup.
Even though styled shoots can be a little unrealistic to pull off at a real wedding, I think this one has so many great ideas that are actually do-able for a really cute, chic, adorable summer wedding! Monica and Joshua are a real life engaged couple, which made this shoot SO MUCH FUN to do! They got to practice for their big day, and I got to practice shooting a fantastic hip, sweet couple!
I don't often get to shoot a bride helping a groom get ready: :)
I think Monica is going to be a STUNNING bride, no?
Megan did a fab job with the flowers!
She also did the invitations--they have such a bright, artistic, handmade feel to them:
This setup has to be one of my all time faves. For an English major, what could be better than being surrounded by books?
The shoot took place at a gem of a location that even had a little orange grove! Fresh flowers and adorable pillows accented the ceremony area:
I loved the different pillows and fabrics on each chair:
Strawberry plants, books, and cute wallpaper, oh my!
Seriously, how could this be cuter?
Other than to be like this:
And this:
This couple is just so dang cute!
First kiss:
Yay, almost married!
Something about this one just gets me:
And this one:
The table setup was so fresh and fun! A flowy table cloth, some bright yellow flowers, a bowl of berries, a jug of milk, and a little cake: perfection!
Even the glasses were darling. And look at that napkin!
I want this photo to hang in my house--I might have to frame it:
Ahhh, don't you just want to take a bite?!
Megan is SO CREATIVE! Look at how she did the table numbers. They must have taken her ages, but wow, what a crazy cool effect!
That orange grove makes a sweet couple stand out:
Who wouldn't sneak a few bites of the cake?
Awww :)
Erica always does an incredible job with her cakes. She can come up with something to suit any style, and in a delicious way!
Another book display from Megan. Megan, please come do a project at my house!
Carrying the bookshelves and books theme throughout the whole area:
Cuteness :)
I just love this couple! They are so cute and natural together, and so photogenic!
And so in love:
A little funny, and a little sweet:
Did I mention cute?
Calm:
And happy!
Girls, thanks for such a fab shoot, and brides, I hope you can take some inspiration from this little concept!
A West Virginia Wedding: Part 1 Wed. July 21, 2010
I don't even know where to start. I've been looking and looking at these photos thinking, I can't actually post THAT many, but I finally had to just give up and give in
Marcos & Kalindi's wedding in West Virginia was one of the most unusual, visually stunning events I've ever had the opportunity to photograph. Kalindi and Marcos live in Mexico, in a town/village called Oaxaca. They are very involved with the community there, but chose to get married at Kalindi's family home in the mountains of West Virginia for it's beauty and atmosphere for their union.
I can see why. The second you pull up the driveway, you know you're somewhere special. This is the theme of the home:
There were all kinds of artifacts and things to look at and marvel at:
The flowers for the summer wedding: sunflowers of course! And the rampant wildflowers all over the property didn't hurt either:
Kalindi was an effervescent bride, who smiled and enjoyed every second of her day:
And the house....let's just say it was enchanting and amazing!
Kalindi's dad had to look his best too:
Marcos got ready and then enjoyed some Mezcal with his friends:
Kalindi slipped into a gorgeous lace and tulle gown:
She could have worn anything, but this dress was really special:
I just couldn't get enough of the colors and flowers!
Marcos holding an intricate little ring box:
I hardly ever post group photos, especially groomsmen, but I just love the casual feel of this:
The ceremony location for their Persian ceremony:
A few of their carefully chosen items, gold coins and fans to keep their guests cool:
This is probably my favorite father/daughter walking down the aisle shot ever:
*a sidenote--Michael Richards (Kramer on Seinfeld) was there! He's a friend of the groom. He's also a photographer and couldn't resist capturing a few moments--Michael Norwood who second shot for me on this job got quite a kick out of it! He was VERY respectful of us, and quite chatty about photography. Not your average wedding Uncle Bob!!
Anyway, back to the regularly scheduled programming: Kalindi's dad was so sweet giving her away:
I just LOVE Persian ceremonies. I love Persian weddings too--I actually have always wanted one, but since neither Jeff or I are Persian, I was pretty much out of luck:
Kalindi looking at Marcos. They wrote their own vows, and one line I'll never forget is when Kalindi said, "I wish to see you with a thousand eyes...". So beautiful!
Marcos looking at Kalindi: You could so easily feel their love through the whole ceremony:
Just married!
I could have chosen any one of a thousand spots on their property that all would have been perfect for portraits:
I had to settle for a few--this one is a favorite of mine too:
This one just has something about it I can't stop looking at:
I wish there were places like this to have weddings here in California!
I *heart* this shot:
A little black and white here and there for variety can't hurt:
A spot so magical I never wanted to leave:
It had amazing light in every direction--how do you do that West Virginia?!
Seriously--Kalindi belongs on the cover of a magazine. Marcos, you're not bad either ;)
Who doesn't love an old barn?
Time to go mingle!
The cocktail hour was spread out through the courtyard area:
I just wanted to hang out here--even with all these people it had a sense of peace about it:
They had a bluegrass band called Brown Chicken Brown Cow! Michael shot this one:
My first ever wedding hookah lounge! What a rad idea:
There is an Iranian tradition where the couple dances with a large knife around the cake--I loved it!
It was so fun!
Of course there was a garter toss--and amazing lighting inside the structure they had built for the wedding in the backyard:
The party was craaaazy! It was so much fun, not a single person sat the whole time!
I'll be posting their Indian ceremony and fireworks show that happened the next day soon, so check back!
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