What to Toss at Bride and Groom Exit?

One of the few things on a wedding day of which a bride and groom have little control of, is the toss of items (birdseed, rice, confetti, bubbles etc.), at them as they make their exit. Though they may have it available for their guests to use, its up to those guests, and often one or two people to make sure everyone is ready for their part at the right moment. I’ve been to a few weddings, both as a guest and as a professional, where everyone or almost everyone forgot or didn’t know they were to use the props. When it does work out well, however, it can make for some amazing photos.

Sarah and Matt almost didn’t have this moment happen, as the guests were having a somewhat heated discussion as to whether tossing rice was safe for the birds. Sarah’s uncle (shown in the maroon shirt) insisted however, and as their second shooter for the day (under the main photographer Amoreena Berg of Amoreena Photography) I’m glad he did as the moment and their expressions were priceless.

 

Several websites including Snopes.com, which I often use to double check the rumors I hear often as part of mass emailing friend of a friend of a friend story, debunks the idea that rice is harmful to birds (though birdseed would  be even better for them).

Earlier this year when I had the pleasure of being a third shooter to Terrence Bishop, the couple Diana and Chih were surrounded by bubbles blown by their guests.

 

As their guests were scattered out more in a long line, I was able to also get photos of the guests still blowing bubbles eagerly even as the bride and groom had passed by.

 

Opened Time Capsule: My Second Wedding

As I was going through some archived files, I started remembering some of the first weddings I ever photographed.  The very first one was just a few months after I bought my first digital camera, a Canon 10D.  I was second shooting for a photographer who did on site photography and printing, his final products included photos in frames.

It was not only my first wedding as a photographer, it was also his. We had a great time and had one truly unforgettable experience: a guest took his photos (probably digital, we didn’t ask)  to be processed while we were shooting the formals, and we arrived to the reception to see guests already looking at prints of the ceremony.

I’d love to post some photos of my first wedding here, however, the contract that the main shooter had with  bride and groom did not allow any online publication.

Luckily, I am permitted to post photos I took from the second wedding I was second shooter at, and they are here on this entry. This was the first Indian wedding I had ever attended in any capacity. Their location, The Decathalon Club, in San Jose, was transformed by beautiful colors and sights.

As I learned from this event, a wedding can be filled with mixed emotions. Though the families were happy for the union, there was some sadness in the “losing a daughter” concept that is felt by the bride, Sarah”s family. It was truly a sacred and serious occasion for many of the guests and participants, as seen in the bride’s face above, and the faces of the groom, Rami, and his parents as they are showered by flowers at their entrance below.

Gold and red  were prominent colors in the wedding. I was especially captivated by all the beauty of the intricate details worn by Sarah.

Rami”s grandmother even got to play a role in the ceremony. She couldn’t keep her smile off her face, even at this serious moment.

In this wedding, as was true of many Indian weddings, the bride and groom did not pose for a lot of photos together. However, you can truly see the love between Sarah and Rami even in this moment in the ceremony.

Since this wedding of years ago, I’ve had the opportunity to shoot some other Indian ceremonies as well. I’ve really appreciated all the unique and ornate details they have in them.

Incorporating Dogs into Wedding and Engagement Photography

Especially in California, people seem to take their dogs everywhere they go. What if you want to incorporate your four legged family member(s) into your engagement and wedding photos? Here are some suggestions for you.

What should we consider before having our dog in our engagement or wedding photos?

Your dog should only be included if your wedding photography locations specifically allow dogs. Additionally, consider their temperament; it is best if they are generally calm around many people. Jackson, above, who is actually a trained clothing model, demonstrates a very calm dog who would work well in posed photos.

If including them in the wedding, you may want to note this in the invitation and on your wedding website, as some people may be afraid of, or allergic to them.

What roles can our dog play during our engagement session or wedding day?

With any session, specifically your engagement session, you may want to walk and run with them, hold them in your arms, and just have fun playing with them. For your wedding day, small dogs can be pulled by a child in a wagon, and dogs of any size can walk someone down the aisle.

What other details should we remember when including our dog on our wedding day?

Your pet must rely on you to provide food and water, so make sure to have them and dishes available. You should also have someone in charge of walking and cleaning up after them. Even if dogs are welcome at your reception site, they may not be comfortable with all the noise and activity, so you probably would want to arrange for someone to take the dog to your home or another agreed upon location beforehand. If bringing them to the reception, have your designated dog handler be ready to take the dog(s) home early if the excitement gets to be too much for them.

Topical Tuesday (1)

Welcome to the first Topical Tuesday. Every Tuesday, I’ll ramble on about a bunch of random topics that catch my attention. On weekends I tend to work, run long distances and work on projects, so I’ve often referred to Tuesday, my night to relax, watch guilty pleasure television (90210 and Melrose Place, shows I’ve watched also as originals), enjoy sushi and reflect, as my Friday.

Last week I attending my first meeting of the Silicon Valley NACE, National Association of Catering Executives. Their monthly meetings are held at different locations, the October meeting was held at The Stanford Park Hotel.

The hotel was the site of Molly and Jeremy’s wedding that I shot two years ago. Here are some album pages from their wedding featuring this beautiful hotel.

The blog is coming along well. I like how easily I can put in photos (a must for me), and it will encourage me to add even more photos and entries. In late November or early December I anticipate adding some videos as well. I’m still learning how to effectively use pages, and I may be switching templates sooner rather than later, perhaps even something customized soon in the new year.

I don’t watch a lot of television. Until recently, I didn’t watch any by myself, watching it sometimes with friends such as House M.D. with my good friend, Colleen, who also works with me as a second shooter on some events. With Tuesday being my Friday, I found myself watching Melrose Place since re-debuted, and since it’s a lead in show 90210.

When they were originals I really enjoyed Melrose Place (I even bought a Melrose Place: The Final Episode T-shirt on eBay, in extra large, the only size I could find, though I’ve since misplaced it). I’ve seen the first and last episodes of each, and many of the episodes. While I still think the originals were better (and I’m still puzzled by the decision to bring Sydney back to have her murdered before the opening credits on the first episode), I am enjoying both of these guilty pleasures.

I really need to check out some new restaurants. I’m a bit spoiled as there is a little restaurant strip mall near me with both great sushi and Thai places. I keep reading reviews of places I’d like to check out, like one yesterday for a good Ramen place (traditional Ramen not the noodles sometimes eaten by college students on an extreme budget). If you have any good restaurant suggestions, please let me know.

Perhaps inspired by Halloween, I decided to look for a horror book in the library. Anyone who knows me well knows I take out a lot of books at one time, and end up reading most of them, and often choose a wide variety of subjects. I found a copy of John Saul’s The House of Reckoning.

I’m pretty picky on my horror writers. I enjoy Stephen King, but mostly his really early stuff which seems more realistic (for horror) and thus scarier. Dean Koontz has really surprised me with his endings, a lot of his readers have said on forums that they end suddenly and are really not in line with the story and I have to agree.

John Saul’s work, while I haven’t read a lot of it tends to really stick with me. In a way it’s almost too perfectly written for that reason. Still, I brought the book home. When I opened it, it seems the book jacket was put on wrong so the book is upside down and backwards, kind of a creepy (though probably unintentional effect). I’m enjoying the first few chapters.

In California we have all these phone laws, you can’t talk on the phone while holding it (hands free talking is ok), and you can’t text while driving. The way the law is written, you’re not supposed to read texts either, which makes sense, yet many people I know use their phones for reading off directions.

As far as I know there isn’t a law yet against taking a photo with your phone while driving (though maybe their should be). Yesterday I was on my way home when I noticed a truck hauling two mail trucks. Though it’s unsafe to drive using only one hand, I decided to try to take a photo as long as I was stopped.

Murphy’s law being what it is, the traffic, which is normally stop and go, seemed to stop and go so that I couldn’t get close enough for a good photo (and when I finally got close enough I had to be in motion to keep up with traffic). I did snap off this photo when I first saw it, while it’s more a picture of my dashboard with the truck in the background), it was all I could get at the time.

Joined Together: Diana and Chih

With my new blog working great, here is my catch up wedding blog post of Diana and Chih’s wedding.

Chih’s sister, Meghan, was rehearsing her part of the candle lighting when I walked in.  If you look closely you can see her enjoying her last stick of gum before the ceremony.

I had the opportunity to be a third shooter on this wedding. The primary shooter, Terrence Bishop, had found me in his friend’s list on Facebook as a person local to San Jose (Terrence is based in the LA area). It was fun shooting with Terrence and Nichanh Nicole.

Ceremony: Mountain View Buddhist Temple

Reception: ABC Seafood

Chih looks solemnly on as his dad gets his boutonniere.

Diana wears a radiant smile as she is escorted down the aisle by her father.

Diana wore a second dress for the reception. She and Chih danced to “Endless Love”,  twirling around the dance floor like professional dance instructors and ending with a big finish.