A few favorites from a lovely day filled with laughter.

First comes Chinese tea ceremony, one for each family. The couple serves each close family member tea, and the family member gifts gold jewelry and red money envelopes. Kristin is wearing a traditional Chinese wedding dress called a qua which is different from a quipao/cheongsam.

Next up, portraits! And a Western-style Christian wedding ceremony celebrated by Pastor Joseph Kim.

(Can we all just take a moment to stop and appreciate Kristin’s freckles? I love them!)

A delightful sight – a tiny wedding page in traditional Korean costume walked in before the bride, then a joyful exit together with her new husband.

[ artist select slideshow ]
[ view their wedding gallery here ]

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I’ve been waiting patiently to post photos from this wedding until after tonight – Julia and Andrew brought their families over to our private screening room in Lowell to see them on the big screen for the first time. I spend most of my time working from a laptop, and I forget how nice it is to see images BIG! What a joy to be able to share this with parents, sister, and one of the grandmothers as they saw the wedding images for the first time.

There were a lot of things I loved about this wedding. What stood out to me the most was the way Julia and Andrew made choices that suited their personalities and eased the traditional stresses of the day. They saw each other before the ceremony and did portraits together with their families, with plenty of time to be unrushed before the ceremony. It was a rainy Boston day, so we utilized Marsh Chapel’s graceful covered arch area for these images. After photos, Julia and Andrew hung out in the chapel entryway and personally greeted guests as they came in. They shrugged off the surprised admonitions from well-wishers who thought it a little scandalous to see the bride before she walked down the aisle.

Having spoken with most people personally diminished the possibility of a neverending receiving line (the photographer’s nightmare: they usually take up all the time you’re supposed to have for family portraits after the ceremony) and instead everyone congregated at the front of Marsh Chapel for a charming group photo.

The reception was in a wonderful converted space in Lawrence MA called Bell Tower Square, it used to be a wool mill and now hosts functions. (Note to photographers: all wood beam ceiling and brick walls means the light bounce is extremely warm. Bring external lighting and a white bounce card!) Since Lowell is all about converted mill space, I felt right at home there after one scary drive through downpour on the way from Boston.

Two things made this reception at Bell Tower Square unique. One is that Julia and Andrew hired a live bluegrass band and a contra caller and got everyone (including the grandmas!) to do some contradance. If you look at the photos from the dancing portion of the evening, you’ll see how much fun everyone was having.

The second thing I loved about this reception was the intimate, yet fun guest list!! Rich Pizzuti and I did a modified photo booth using a big green metal panel and invited everyone to come be silly with us. And they did. Julia has a girl gang of best friends who kept us busy, but this group who got grandma to play “the game” (ask them, not me) made us laugh like crazies.

Julia, Andrew, their family and friends: YES! Thanks for making our day more fun and energetic.
And a special shout out to the grandma patrol for keeping things rowdy.

[ artist selects ]
[ see more photos ]
[ more about julia's flowers and styling ]

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We took a walk in the woods.

see more.

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It’s our last day in Bulgaria, and after sightseeing all day we’re spending the rainy evening indoors. I thought it would be good to share some of our observations about cultural differences we have experienced while they are still fresh in my mind.

ACCOMMODATIONS

• Bulgarians don’t use top sheets on the beds! I am unsure if they wash the duvet cover after every guest…?
• The bathroom system is quite different.
  • Public WCs are often attended, and you’re expected to pay a small fee to use the facilities.
  • In some places you are expected to throw toilet paper in the trash bin next to the toilet after use!
  • All toilets have 1/2 and full flush settings for… well, you get it.
  • Showers have detachable handsprayers you must use. Normally there is no bathtub and often no shower curtain; the entire tiled bathroom becomes your “shower stall” and is designed with sloping floor and drain to accommodate the flow. (I have no idea how they soap up and shampoo with one hand holding the sprayer!)
  • Often there is very little or no countertop in the bathroom; just a sink and a mirror. (Where do they put all their products?)
• Even the least expensive hostel (travelers’ dorm) will have free internet and free breakfast.
• Most rooms have a sheer inner curtain that drops to the floor to keep out bugs – windows are left wide open, most often without a screen.

FOOD and RESTAURANTS

• Breakfast is “euro-continental” – yogurt, cereals, thick juices, tea, tomatoes and cucumbers, and often sliced cheese and processed meat. Bulgarian feta is pretty much a constant.
• Apparently Red Bull is big out here. There is also a disturbing number of KFC joints (we expected the McDonalds and Coca Cola prevalence). We even saw a couple of Dunkin’ Donuts stores in Sofia.
• At a restaurant: walk in, seat yourself.
• Expect a full meal to take around 90 minutes to two hours.
• Food comes out as soon as it is ready; one person in the group will get their food 30 minutes before another.
• Restaurant  staff takes its time between drinks, meals, and bringing the bill. You can do nothing but relax and chat, and enjoy the food without haste… you have no choice!
• While it’s more likely that younger staff (<30) will speak a bit of English, most people in Bulgaria do not. A few restaurants have English menus, but most of the time you kind of look around, gesture, point to photos, and use the words you know.
• They bring a glass to your table for every bottle drink. No drinking from a bottle here.
• (No cans for drinks at all – everything is glass!)
• Bulgarian wine and beer are excellent and inexpensive. Have some with every meal!
• What we loved to eat – the yogurt, feta cheese, mountain-style bread loafs, cold soups, baklava, and fresh “chopka” salad (tomatoes, cucumber, feta, onions, olives). Pork “meat balls” or patties is a very standard everyday main course.
• It is not typical to tip a waiter (or a taxi, etc). You just round up to the closest $0.50.

MISCELLANEOUS

• Out in the small country towns (we were in Ribaritsa, near Teteven) people used lengths of PVC pipe tied to their front gate as a mailbox.
• “People here love to use their feet!” They love to hike and they LOVE to dance.
• You need to experience traditional, costumed dancing and singing. Incredible!
• The fall of Communism left its mark on the country. Young people abandoned the small towns to find commercial jobs in the cities, leaving their old parents and childhood homes in disrepair.
• Abandoned, totally unkempt buildings are incredibly common.
• Some of the oldest “european” things are here – oldest church, oldest town, oldest found roman artifacts, etc.
• As noted above, most people don’t speak English (why would they?!). They do speak Bulgarian and Russian. Taxi drivers may know the names of common tourist locations, but you better have a map! Our pronunciations sound like gibberish to them.
• The language uses the Cyrillic alphabet, so street signs are difficult to decode.
• Day trips to other parts of the country are easy; trains and buses take major routes frequently. Buses are preferred by locals as they are faster and air conditioned. Trains have more flavor, and may allow you to meet new friends who are heading the same direction.
• Everything is inexpensive here. People say Bulgaria will convert to Euros soon, and this will change prices drastically to bring it up to European standards which is supposedly 2x the current price. For now, things are at best 1/5 the cost of the US equivalents we know; at worst 1/2 the US equivalent. (We had a three course meal for $2.50 per person yesterday!)
• Many restaurants and hotels have free open wireless networks – we were able to stay current with twitter, facebook, and consult maps while en route (using our ipod touch)
• Old men regularly walk the streets without a shirt.
• Sidewalks are comprised of concrete tiles.
• Smoking, though becoming more regulated, is still allowed indoors (including the airport and restaurants).
• Everyone buys bottled water. It’s about 1/3 of the price we would pay for the same bottle at Wal-Mart.
• The cities are under major construction. I get the sense that they are preparing for a big change to the Euro and getting ready to leverage regular tourist attractions in the very near future.
• Seatbelts are not usually worn by automobile passengers.
• Everyone wears bright colors! I expected dark clothing.
• Items we were glad to have with us:
  • ipod touch to stay connected; compact size
  • reusable water bottle – it’s HOT here in the summer!
  • bandanna for traveling
  • hikers’ backpack rather than rolling suitcase
  • pages ripped form the Bulgaria section of let’s go eastern europe
  • PDFs of city guides from inyourpocket with maps, recommendations, and historical blurbs
  • small point and shoot camera for sightseeing – (the big camera stayed locked away!)

It’s been a fantastic trip. We had seven solid days in Bulgaria and I have to say I feel like I’ve had a delicious taste of something different, and learned a little more about myself after being plunged into a new place with my sweet husband.

If you’re planning a visit to Bulgaria, we recommend spending time in Plovdiv and Sofia. See Roman architecture and ancient things, and be inspired by the juxtaposition of ancient and modern. Try something to eat other than chicken, and find great restaurants to build into your itinerary. Take home local items-  pottery, honey, rose oil, and wine!

Bulgaria RESOURCES

1. Hostel Mostel’s list of reccommendations here.
2. Let’s Go Bulgaria Travel Guide here.
3. Bulgaria In Your Pocket here.
4. Tripadvisor is WONDERFUL for finding candid reviews of international hotels.

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couple: Anita and Haady
date: July 4, 2009
wedding location: private residence, Palos Verdes CA
photography: Rachel Hadiashar

SEE PHOTOS FROM THIS WEDDING:

• preparations
• the first look
• wedding ceremony: sofreh aghd
• extra: two versions of the same moment
• wedding reception
• all photos from the wedding
• artist select slideshow

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This weekend I am in Rochester, New York shooting an epic wedding with Tammy Swales.  The reception venue, Artisan Works, looks off the hook with all the amazing decor and details. The bride is a florist!

Here’s a photo Tam took when we were testing out her lights last night…

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This beautiful woman did all of her boudoir shopping on Etsy, and we could not have been more pleased with the tasteful lingerie, hair pieces, and other accessories she bought handmade. Delightful, no?!

boudoir images always used with permission.

We have a spot this Saturday, April 11 for a Boston boudoir hotel session if anyone is interested.  rachel@mergeweddings.com

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Sizdah be dar (“seez-da-beedah”). I love to say that over and over, fast.

We just passed another Persian holiday and I wanted to give it a quick shout-out.  Thirteen days past the Persian new year (Norouz) you’re supposed to spend the entire day outside and and eat certain types of food. This year, Sizdah be dar fell on Thursday, April 2. In practice, it seems to me like the Persians tend to all go to a pre-designated park and make one giant community picnic (usually with live performances and all kinds of activity)… and it’s always the Sunday after the thirteenth day of the new year.

So happy Sizdah be dar, observed!

Read more about the Persian traditions for Sizdah be dar over here.

Fun fact: it’s thought that our current “april fools” tradition came from ancient Persian sizdah be dar pranksters, who are supposed to play practical jokes.

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Norooz 1388 تحویل سال
aka Norouz, Nowruz, Nourouz 9rooz
7:44am Friday, March 20, 2009 (Boston)

My mother in law tells me to say “aid-eh toon mobarak”

1388 Sal Tahvil – the official date for the Persian new year is five hours past:

Tehran
Fri. March 20, 2009, 03:14 PM

San Francisco
Fri. March 20, 2009, 04:44 AM

Boston
Fri. March 20, 2009, 07:44 AM

London
Fri. March 20, 2009, 11:44 AM

Hong Kong
Fri. March 20, 2009, 07:44 PM

“Nowruz marks the first day of spring and the beginning of the Iranian year. It is celebrated on the day of the astronomical vernal equinox (the start of spring in the northern hemisphere), which usually occurs on March 21.” [ source ]

The year changes on the Vernal Equinox or “Saal-Tahveel” which may occur on March 19, 20, 21 or 22. It makes its arrival at the precise moment that the sun crosses the Equator. It is AMOO NOROOZ (similar to Santa Claus) who kicks out the winter cold and brings life to nature and warmth to every household. [ source ]

To this day, a few weeks before the new year, Persians thoroughly clean and rearrange their homes. They buy or make new clothes, bake pastries and germinate seeds as signs of renewal. The ceremonial cloth known as Haft-Seen is set up in each household. [ source ]

Wednesday Fire Festival
“Chahar Shanbeh Suri”

NOROOZ festivities actually begins before the first day of spring. It starts with a “Wednesday Fire Festival” called “Chahar Shanbeh Suri” (meaning, “Wednesday Party”) The festival of fire is a prelude to the ancient NOROOZ festival, which marks the arrival of spring and revival of nature. Chahr Shanbeh Suri, is celebrated the night before the last Wednesday of the year. The word Chahar Shanbeh means Wednesday. The bon fires are lit at the sunset and the idea is to not let the sun set. Bon fires are lit to keep the sun alive till early hours of the morning. The celebration usually starts in the evening. On this occasion people make bon-fires on the streets or in parks and jump over them. The young shoot fireworks before and during Chaharshanbe Suri. The tradition includes people going into the streets and alleys to make fires, and jump over them while singing the traditional song Sorkhi-ye to az man; Zardi-ye man az to. The literal translation is, Your fiery red color is mine and my sickly yellow paleness is yours. This is a purification rite. Loosely translated, this means you want the fire to take your paleness, sickness and problems and in turn give you redness, warmth and energy. Yellow or paleness symbolizes the sickness and pain and red symbolizes heath.
[ source ]

13th Day Picnic
“sizdeh-Bedar”

NOROOZ celebrations end with an all-day picnic party on the 13th day of spring called, “Sizdeh Bedar” (meaning “rid the 13th”) . The tradition of leaving the house on the thirteenth (Sizdeh) day of the new year, the last day of the NOROOZ period, and spending that day outside with joy, laughter and pleasure has been in practice since ancient times in Iran. This is the last phase of the celebrations of the New Year. This joyous celebration has its roots in the Zoroastrian belief that laughter and joy symbolize the disposing of evil and bad thoughts. According to Zoroastrianism, evil thoughts are the gift of Ahreeman (the devil) and the festival of the New Year will cleanse all evil thoughts. The celebrations defeat the enemies and plant shoots of comradeship and peace. The custom of kissing each other on the cheeks also comes from a belief that it cleanses the individual. On this day People sing, cook out and play games to end the holiday season on a positive note.
[ source ]

“Haft Seen” or 7 “S”

Sabzeh (sprouts, usually lentil or wheat): Representing fertility and rebirth of nature.
Seeb (apple): Represents natural beauty.
Samanu (a pudding in which common wheat sprouts are transformed and given new life as a sweet, creamy pudding): Represents the reward of patience.
Somaq (Somaq berry used as spice): Represents the color of sunrise; with the appearance of the sun Good conquers Evil.
Senjed (the sweet, dry fruit of the Lotus tree): Represents love. It has been said that when lotus tree is in full bloom, its fragrance and its fruit make people fall in love and become oblivious to all else.
Seer (garlic): Represents health.
Serkeh (vinegar): Represents age.

MIT Persian Student Association

BU Persians

explore some eclectic media clips about irani people here

2009 US White House Nowruz greeting here.

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Ali and I went to see Forget the Girl play at UMass Amherst yesterday. I love this image of Megan and Charles snuggling during their set.

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