I am sure there are plenty of readers out there that would be happy to join me in the boat I’m paddling. I am sooooo sick of this snow, for so many different reasons. First of all I have a car that is terrible in it, so I keep getting stuck working in my house with a barking dog that will only stay calm when cartoon network is on. It also drives me crazy that my trainer has canceled four times in the last few weeks, as have my clients for many of their appointments… so my work keeps getting pushed back further and further!
Just when I had completely had enough of looking at this white stuff, I opened my email to find a message from one of my favorite photographers, Jonathan D. Nimerfroh of JDN Photography. Jonathan is based right here in Philadelphia, but has a portfolio that spans the world. He is an award winning editorial photographer who has been published in major publications all around the globe.
Although Jonathan is an accomplished wedding photographer who takes gorgeous wedding shots, I enjoy looking at his work on almost a weekly basis because there is always something different to see. He is an amazing artist that is able to find beauty in every day objects and make the ordinary extraordinary! It also helps that he does an amazing job photographing and capturing the essence of one of my great loves ~ Surfing & The Beach. I LOVE the surf, the sun, and all that comes along with it. I would love to move to California, and consistently try to talk my fiance into becoming a member of the LAPD
Jonathan has been posting some incredible surf and beach shots on his blog recently, including images of Orange County Surfer of the year Chris Waring and professional surfer Timmy Curran showing off their skill at the Katrin Pro-AM at the Huntington Beach Pier. I wrote to him this morning to see if he would mind me sharing some of them on my blog to warm up my readers and knock out some of those winter blues. Of course he got right back to me and said he would be happy for me to share his artistic amazingness with all of you… so here they are! If this doesn’t get you ready for summer, I don’t know what will… Maybe start a Beach Boys station on Pandora to listen to while you look at these fabulous images Thanks a million Jonathan!
If you enjoyed these images be sure to stop by Jonathan’s site, and like his page on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/JDN-PHOTOGRAPHY-LLC/48685399773?ref=ts). I just stopped by his fan page and saw he currently only has 66 fans. He definitely deserves more then that. Stop by and “like” his page. Who couldn’t use a little extra beauty in their day to cheer them up?
Will your wedding be destroyed if you don’t have an engagement session with your photographer?? No, but you pictures will turn out a significantly better in my opinion. It is extremely important to have an engagement session, and although not all photographers include them in their packages, they will all do one for a price. This is one area I would urge you, just as I tell all of my clients, not to cut to try and save on your budget.
It may sound silly, but you need to practice having your picture taken before your wedding, just like you would practice a sport before an important game. You may be thinking to yourself, “my fiance and I take pictures together all the time and they turn out great”. Having your picture taken by a professional photographer is completely different. Think about one of these “great” pictures you have of you and your fiance, then think about who took the picture. It was most likely a friend or family member that you are very comfortable around and around whom you feel like you can be yourself. When you are standing in front of a photographer and they are telling you to hug and kiss, and look at each other, it will feel quite different, and very awkward to be honest. This is one of those things that you won’t understand until you actually experience it, but trust me you don’t want to be feeling that way on your wedding day because it will show in the pictures. I am actually friends with my photographer, and still I felt a little awkward when we first started our engagement session.
As your engagement session progresses you will start to feel less stiff and more comfortable in front of the camera. The engagement session is also a great time to get to know your photographer. During this time you can make sure that your personality goes well with your photographers. It is important that you can get along, and are able to feel comfortable around each other for the sake of beautiful wedding shots!
Choosing the scenery for your engagement session can be a lot of fun. Don’t be afraid to do something different, it will make the pictures a reflection or your personality and style. I have seen engagement sessions done in stadiums, abandoned warehouses, junkyards, and even under water!
Our wedding photographer is Kevin York of Kevin York Photography who is based out of Schwenksville, PA. A lot of his couples will have him drive down to center city to shoot them by the art museum, or in LOVE park, etc. I spend a lot of time in center city for weddings, events, and meetings, and I wanted to do something different, so Kevin’s area was perfect for me. I told him that we wanted something more rural, and Kevin knew the perfect spot at that time of year. He took us to Perkiomen Park which was gorgeous with all of the leaves changing and the vibrant colors around us. Like I said earlier, when we first started it was a little uncomfortable, and the more I tried to act natural, the more unnatural it felt. As the time went on it got easier and easier, until eventually I forgot the camera was even there. I’ve even found that since our engagement shoot posing for pictures together has felt a lot more natural and the pictures have come out even better.
Spring 2011 Bridesmaids Dresses If you are living in, or near, Philadelphia cold snowy days are on your mind. I am not a fan of the cold, and I am already looking forward to the spring. When I opened my email yesterday to see a message from Dessy.com regarding the new styles in they had released in the collection of Spring 2011 bridesmaids dresses, I couldn’t wait to take a look.
There are thousands upon thousands of websites online for brides to use; many with similar features. I however love to suggest Dessy because it is not only informationally beneficial for brides, but it is also a fabulous visual resource. Dessy.com focuses mainly on attire, but includes so much more. It encompases various planning tools – gift registries, invitations and stationary by Wedding Paper Divas, tuxedos by After Six, customized gifts by Navy & Lavendar, bridesmaids guides, wedding style guides, information on green weddings, etc. You can do it all on this site. Another great benefit is their styleboards. They have created many styleboards of their own, but they also allow their users to create and share their own both on their site and through social media.
Many times brides have no clue of what style they are looking for when they begin their planning. With the many styleboards available they can begin figuring out what they do and do not like, and then single in on the look for their day. After their colors and style are chosen they can even play around with various images and create their own styleboard to share with their bridal party so that they all have the same vision. I actually created a styleboard to share with my bridesmaids which you can see in a former post titled Midnight Blue Inspiration Board.
Another bonus of visiting Dessy.com is they are always expanding on the designers they carry, and for their Spring 2011 Bridesmaid Dresses they will be carrying The Dessy Collection, After Six, Alfred Sung, Lela Rose, and Cynthia Rowley. With so many designers with varying styles, brides are guarnteed to find something that will catch their eye. These dresses come in various styles, colors, and fabrics, etc. They also offer tons of accessories to accompany the dresses as well as cooridinating items for the groomsmen.
If you are planning a summer or a beach wedding they are also giving a way a summery Moroccan tote when you purchase two dozen pairs of flip flops. If you are holding your wedding ceremony on the beach, having flip flops for your guests can be a nice touch and is great for setting the mood.
As I said I hate the cold. I am a beach bum all the way! I am loving the bright vibrant colors that will come with the bridesmaids gowns of Spring 2011. Lot’s of purples, yellows, and beautiful blues Don’t be afraid to show off all of the differnt styles available either. I will be getting married this April, and all eight of my bridesmaids are wearing different dresses (the same color and material of course). If this is an option you are thinking about for your wedding be sure to read up on another recent post, And The Best Part Is You Can Wear It Again, that explains what considerations to take when going this route.
Here are some of our favorite gowns for Spring 2011 bridesmaids dresses from Dessy.com. Be sure to take a look yourself and send us your favorites
I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! I hope everyone is enjoying their holiday festivities thus far. Dutchess (my pug) and I are just waiting for Tim (my fiance) to get home from work so that Christmas can really begin!
Christmas is my very favorite time of year, not because of presents, but because of the joy and happiness it brings out. I love any excuse to get together with friends and family, and it seems as though during the holidays that everyone makes that much more of an effort to make time for each other.
Whatever traditions you embrace for the holidays, I hope you enjoy them. Have a safe and happy holiday season. We are looking forward to an exciting new year. Here are a few of my favorite things for Christmas
You may not be aware, but every year they put together a list of what it would cost you to buy The Twelve Days of Christmas as it is sung in the song. According to PNC Financial Services Group, the cost has jumped 9.2% from what it would have cost in December 2009. The total cost for all the items in the song this year would be $23,439. I am sure none of you were planning on running out and buying all this for gifts… but just in case, here’s the breakdown!
Grace first contacted me in March of 2010, while she was working on getting things together for her wedding to Craig to be held on September 19th, 2010. Between being a student, working, and having a fiance who lived in Washington for his own work, Grace had a lot on her plate with trying to plan this wedding on her own, which is where we stepped in.
Grace was extremely easy to work with, as she already had a precise vision of what she was looking for. She loved the style of The Merion Tribute House, located on The Main Line, so all the other decor stemmed from the look and feel of the venue. I was excited to have the opportunity to work at The Merion Tribute House because it has such a unique and historic look.
Another fun element of Grace and Craig’s wedding was that the majority of their guests were traveling from across the country to share this special day with them. We made welcome bags for each of the guests traveling, and had them given to the guests at the front desk of the hotel upon their arrival. For an extra personal touch Grace and Craig wrote a letter to each guest thanking them for taking the time to be there with them.
The day before the wedding we held a welcoming reception at Grace’s house for all of the out of town guests. This was a great way to break the ice. Grace and Craig’s families had a chance to get to know each other, and all of the guests got a chance to meet and mingle as well. This lead to a much better time had by all at the wedding, because the guests were able to feel like they were already friends.
With the exception of a little extra traffic in the morning, the wedding went flawlessly. It was a beautiful day for an outdoor ceremony, although a little warmer then expected (82 degrees). Grace and Craig were married under a large tree which is a focal point in the front of the building. This was a great spot, because it allowed the guests to see the full procession of the bridal party and bride through the doors, down the patio, around the gardens, and up to the tree. The ceremony was done by Wilson Kratz of Journeys of the Heart.
After the ceremony, the guests enjoyed cocktails and hors d’ oeuvres on the patio catered by Connor Catering while the Grace and Craig had their pictures taken both alone and with their extended family by Tiffany Atlas of Atlas Wedding Photography. Tiffany did a fabulous job capturing the essence of the day.
The reception kicked off around at 5:15pm by the bridal party being announced by Tom Wright & Jon Holmes of Hi-Society Entertainment. This was my first time working with Tom & Jon. I am always a little nervous when working with other professionals for the first time, but Tom & Jon eased my mind during our first phone conversation. They were fun, interesting, and professional, and they did an amazing job at keeping the dance floor full all night. I can’t wait to work with them again!
All of the guests were in awe when they saw the reception set up. The floral arrangements by Chuck Devlin were gorgeous, and so were the table settings. Everyone in attendance had a phenomenal time. Thank you so much to Grace and Craig for allowing us to be a part of this spectacular day!
PS. We also have a video coming soon from Lynne Promise of A Promise Production… Stay tuned!
Did you check your shoes this morning before you put them on? If you did, you may have found a pleasant surprise! Today is St. Nicholas Day, which is celebrated by various cultures around the world. I believe some Americans may even celebrate this tradition, as I remember doing it as a child.
There are many versions of this tradition that are practiced. The one I remember partaking in was putting my shoes outside my door at bedtime on December 5th. This date is the “eve” of St. Nicholas Day, and the tale is that if you leave your shoes out for him and he will leave something in them for you to find in the morning (for good children -candies, cookies, chocolates, money, etc. while naughty children receive switches or lumps of coal). The tradition of children putting their shoes out is what inspired the American tradition of Christmas stockings.
In The Netherlands the celebration of St. Nicholas or Sinterklaas begins in November with a parade on the last Sunday. Sinterklaas arrives from Spain by boat accompanied by his white horse and his helper Zwarte Piet, and they lead a merry parade through the town. On December 5th many businesses close a little bit early, and the Dutch rush home for an evening of fun and lots of sweets. The children place their wooden shoes outside their door with carrots and oats for Sinterklaas’ horse Schimmell, and in the morning they check to see what goodies Sinterklaas has left them. Many times their gifts are accompanied by funny poems. A delicious day of feasting then follows. This tradition is credited with being the basis for our American Santa Claus.
In some parts of Germany, children follow a similar ritual on the eve of St. Nicholas Day. On the day of the holiday children practice poems and songs about “Sankt Nikolaus”, and make him small gifts. They read stories and sing as they await a knock on the door from Sankt Nikolaus himself. He arrives with a book, a golden staff, and a large sack and asks the children if they have been good. If they have, he gives them gifts, and they in turn give him theirs.
In my research I was surprised to see just how many countries do celebrate this holiday, and the many different versions and customs there are regarding it. stnicholascenter.org lists 35 different countries, and explains the customs and traditions of each one if you are interested.
Have a happy St. Nicholas Day everyone! I hope you didn’t get any coal
Today I would like to talk about Save The Date etiquette and tips, as well my personal Save The Date experience.
Let’s start at the beginning in case you are sitting there thinking to yourself “What is a Save The Date??”. A Save The Date is an announcement that can be used to notify your guests on the date you have selected for your wedding or event prior to the formal invitation. It is customary for formal invitations to go out 6 – 8 weeks prior to a wedding. In such a small time frame potential guests could easily have something else planned. By sending a Save The Date you can eliminate the chance of this happening, by letting them know when the date will be far in advance.
In my opinion, it is always a good idea to provide Save The Dates, especially if one of the situations below pertains directly to you.
A large number of your guests will be traveling to come.
Your wedding or event is being held on or around a holiday.
Your wedding or event will be taking place at a highly trafficked tourist area, or at a seasonally busy time when travel arrangements may be difficult to come by.
You are having a destination wedding or event.
Necessary information for your Save The Dates includes your names and the date of the event. If it is a destination event you will also want to include where it will be taking place. You may want to have the bottom say “formal invitation to follow”, so that people don’t consider this to be the invitation (most younger people will know, but a few older people may not). This is also a great way to get the word out about your wedding website if you have one. Even if you are not “the girly” type who would be into creating something like this, it is a great way to have a central location that can be updated throughout the process so that your guests can keep up on the latest plans.
The rule of thumb for Save The Dates is to send them about six months prior if you are having your wedding locally. If you are having a destination wedding, the sooner you send them the better. At least 12 months in advance is best. This allows people to save if they need to and to make arrangements to be a part of your special day. Often times, guests will even extend their trip to make it a vacation for themselves.
You may be wondering what the Save The Dates should look like. I say, the more original the better. I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m tired of looking at a picture of my friends staring into each others eyes every time I want to go into the freezer to get some ice cubes. Save The Dates should be a reflection of you and your fiance, or a suggestion of the fun people can expect to encounter when they come to your event.
My fiance and I wanted to do something different for our Save The Dates. We are both goofy and love to laugh, so something serious was out of the question, and would not have been genuine. We originally saw an idea we LOVED, however we couldn’t find pictures that would work with it, so below is what we came up with instead.
This was perfect for us. They went out on Tuesday and I can’t wait to hear what people think of them When designing your Save The Dates, just remember it can be anything you want.
Of course making my own Save The Dates sparked my curiosity to see what other creative couples have done. Here is a collection of my favorites!
As I wrote a check out on a recent Friday morning I pulled my phone out to see what the date was. November 5th, “Remember Remember the Fifth of November”, I recited in my head and giggled.
This is the first official post of our new series Traditions Around The World (you can click the link to read the intro I wrote yesterday). As my readers know, exploring foreign customs and traditions is one of my favorite things to do. The rhyme I was reciting in my head however, relates to a tradition that I used to partake in as a child.
When I was nine years old my family and I moved to Harrogate, North Yorkshire in England, which was by far one of the best experiences of my life. We lived there for just about three years. My time in England, and all I had the opportunity to experience while there played a big part in what has shaped me into the person I am today.
As the fall approached during my first year there, I began to hear my classmates talking about Guy Fawkes Night, bonfires, and what their “guy” was going to look like. I had no idea what they were talking about! My new found friend Donna invited me over to her house after school that weekend which is where I really began to learn about all the hype.
Guy Fawkes night is celebrated on November 5th in England, and from what I understand one or two other countries as well now. This celebration is a result of “The Gunpowder Plot of 1605″.
In 1603 Queen Elizabeth I died, and King James I took over the throne. Queen Elizabeth I persecuted Catholics under her reign for 50 years, so when King James I took over, there was great hope that he would show more compassion to the Catholics then his predecessor, especially since his mother was Catholic. Unfortunately this was not the case, which is what caused 13 men to decide that violent action was the answer.
The group that took shape under leader Robert Catesby decided that the resolution to the problem they were facing was to blow up the Houses of Parliament by loading 36 barrels of gunpowder into a cellar directly under the House of Lords, which would effectively kill the King and all his cohorts. To them, the plan seemed flawless, until it became evident that if carried out, this plot would be killing many innocent people, some of which had even fought for the rights of the Catholics. As some of the plotters began to have second thoughts an anonymous letter would up in the hands of a member of Parliament warning him of what was to come on November 5th. The letter of course reached the King, and the King’s forces put together a plan to stop the conspirators from carrying out their plot.
Since the King and members of Parliament had the exact time, location, and specific plan in their hands, in the early hours of November 5th they stormed into the cellar to find Guy Fawkes, who was then tortured and of course executed.
You may be wondering why the current celebration is called Guy Fawkes night if Robert Catesby was the founding force behind the attack. The reason is that Guy Fawkes was the one who was caught with the gunpowder, and for two days he was the only suspect in custody, therefore his name became synonymous with “The Gunpowder Plot”, and so it went down in history. Eventually many of the other conspirators were caught or surrendered themselves. Those who were not killed as they were found were executed publicly by being hanged, drawn, and quartered in March of 1607.
The tradition of Guy Fawkes related bonfires began immediately after the conspirators failed attempt. On the evening November 5th after Guy Fawkes had been captured, irritated Londoners took to the streets and lit bonfires to give thanks for the countries great fortune in adverting such a potentially devastating tragedy.
Soon after people began placing effigies, a representation of a person in a three dimensional form, onto the bonfires and setting off fireworks. Sometimes effigies of the Pope were also added to the bonfire.
Today the celebration continues in the same manner, and sometimes a disliked politician or two can be added into the mix During my time in England I LOVED Guy Fawkes night. It was similar to a bonfire we would hold here in the states, with apple cider, games, and contests except they have the added element of the Guy Fawkes Doll to tie onto a post over the bonfire. They even have a rhyme that they chant, which is taught to children at a very young age which you can read below. I It was always a fun and jovial time for all in attendance. I hope to be able to go back to visit in the next few years, and would love to make it around November 5th.
Remember, remember the fifth of November
Gunpowder, treason and plot.
I see no reason, why gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot.
Guy Fawkes, guy, t’was his intent
To blow up king and parliament.
Three score barrels were laid below
To prove old England’s overthrow.
By God’s mercy he was catch’d
With a darkened lantern and burning match.
So, holler boys, holler boys, Let the bells ring.
Holler boys, holler boys, God save the king.
If you are looking for a way to expand your horizons, we have just the thing for you. Tomorrow, we will be starting a new blog series discussing traditions and customs from around the world, yet another passion of mine.
I see traditions/customs to be like great works of art, they are beautiful and fun to look at, but if you know the meaning behind them you will enjoy them that much more. On a recent visit to Rome I experienced this first hand while walking through the Vatican museum. When you are amidst such beauty it is almost impossible not to be captivated by your surroundings. Each room I entered was more exquisite then then previous. A guided tour eventually passed me, so of course I decided to listen in. It wasn’t until I got to hear the symbolism that was contained in these pieces that I was able to achieve a full appreciation of them. Similarly, the traditions we celebrate here in America, as well as traditions that are celebrated in other countries, can be so much more fun when you know why, for example, you are lighting fireworks on Fourth of July or why the British have Tea Time.
We will be exploring all traditions and cultures, and welcome you to write in and ask us to research a tradition you have always been curious about. Not only will you learn something new and interesting by reading this series, but you may even get some great ideas for some new theme parties, or new reasons to party all together!
