I usually try to follow-up with potential wedding clients who I felt a connection with, but ultimately chose to go with another photographer. It’s really interesting to me to know whom they choose to shoot their wedding, and also to actually see the wedding photos, since I liked the people so much. Here’s a note from a recent bride whose parents made the photography decision for her large Boston-area desi wedding.

“The run-up to the wedding was madcap. We ended up with this photographer named [edited for tact]. My parents chose him mainly because of price. I was not happy with him and nor in the end were they. In fact, I fought with him on my wedding day! I am the least aggro of people but he really pushed my buttons and I don’t regret it. Though I did scare my friends. Eek… I hope it’s not on tape but it probably is. Oh well. He was just really intrusive and rude. I would even say obnoxious. The pictures came out well—but that had more to do with the fact that we all looked good and the venue was lovely and the colors, etc, were so striking that it’s hard not to photograph well. But professionally speaking, he was not up to par.”

It makes me so sad, and kind of embarrassed on behalf of wedding photography, that occasionally photographers have such a negative ‘bedside manner.’ It’s one thing to do what you need to do to get the shot, but another altogether to invade the privacy – and disrespect the wishes – of your clients on their wedding day.

One of the most important skill sets when running a photography business is how you read people. This chump obviously needs to go back to charm school! 

Posted in ethnic wedding, for photographers, vendor, wedding, wisdom No Comments »

Brian & Eileen’s Wedding Music Video. from LOCKDOWN projects on Vimeo.

Posted in inspiration, random links, vendor, wedding 4 Comments »

Studio work is a love-hate relationship for me.  Until this year, my photography career has flourished completely on-location which means I have a lot less control over the environment. Weddings are unpredictable situations that force you to find the light. Family portraits are charming when taken in the family’s home, but you have to find the most photogenic corners of a clutterful American household. Engagement sessions and headshots are fun and lighthearted when you take to the streets… but what happens when it rains?

My concerns for studio work is that it will be boring for me, or look boring for the viewer. I’m a tiny bit afraid that the work will start to look dated in a few years as styles and fashions change (a la ‘sexy people‘). But then I think… won’t standing in random places and railroad tracks look dated in a few years, anyway?

I’m discovering that the studio is stretching me to try new things, to experiment with lighting, and to challenge myself to focus on expression and body language more than environment. It provides me with a stable location to have meetings and prep for shoots, while extending the time I am able to accommodate people whose work schedules wipe out almost all reasonable daylight hours.

I’m in the process of transitioning to a different kind of work year. I’m no longer accepting mainland US wedding commissions after 2009 and will be offering more portrait-focused sessions in the upcoming months. I’ve discovered that wedding-related portrait sessions (boudoir, fearless bridals, and engagement sessions) give me the space to shoot artfully and produce images that I love the most. I hope to spend time collaborating with wedding industry professionals without the secret agenda of trying to gain referrals… I just want to shoot well and do work I love!

Anyway, I’ve been working hard on getting the images from our recent collaborative studio bridal sessions online.  Head on over to fearlessbridals.com to view the pretty photos and meet some really talented hair and makeup stylists, a floral designer, and see some very interested short wedding dresses (one is partially made of chain mail!).

Felicia’s session

Tara’s photoshoot

Jenn’s portraits

behind the scenes – the stylists!

Please feel free to leave comments over there…!

Posted in Lowell, colleagues, fearless bridals, portraits, vendor, wedding 3 Comments »

As I told Rachel when I first e-mailed her about the assistant/marketing manager position, I’m a wedding-holic. I thought I had a pretty good handle on all the top wedding sites and all the nifty things you can do to make your wedding your own.

What I never thought about, though, were the legal implications of getting married. It changes your tax status (which I noticed while doing my own taxes this year, still single), and changing your name has its own host of paperwork. I moved in August 2008 and I’m still finding out where I forgot to change my address. I can only imagine how much harder it is to change your name, since that’s so much more closely tied with your identity.

While working together today, Rachel mentioned that I should check out MissNowMrs.com, an online name-change service. At first, I was a little skeptical, but when the site’s creators mentioned it takes the average bride 13 hours to change her name, I was definitely more interested. After poking around the site for a while, I’m sold.

The process is broken down into three major steps: Questions, Forms, and File. There’s a $29.95 fee for the Complete package, which includes just about everything you’ll ever need to change your name: Social Security, IRS, Passport, Driver’s License, Voter Registration (the last two are customized by state), and notification letters for banks, credit cards, bills, and other institutions. Based on your answers in the Questions section, you’re led to the forms you’ll need for your state.

One of the important things I noticed about the site is that it’s secured with SSL encryption and is checked daily for information safety. If you don’t want to fill out certain information online (like your social security number), you can just write it in after printing out all the forms.

For $29.95, this really seems like a handy service to use. You have 6 months of unlimited access to your account, so you can complete all the forms at your own pace. You can even fill out all the information before your wedding, then print and file everything after you’re married and receive your marriage certificate. The site recommends requesting 2-3 certified marriage certificates so you can file all the forms at once (many name-change forms require legal proof of your marriage).

Rachel received a complimentary subscription when she got married, and says it was great because she had no idea she would have to change her name in so many places. MissNowMrs.com walked her through the obvious changes, but also the lesser-known places that she needed to change. She said she was surprised that so many places have your information and need that information corrected officially. Rachel noted that MissNowMrs.com was really easy to use and that a lot of the forms were prefilled for her based on information gained from the Questions section.

All in all, we recommend that you give MissNowMrs.com a peek. Take a look around the site, get familiar with how it all works, and dive in! You can bet I’ll be adding it to my super-secret Excel sheet I have with all my wedding ideas!

Edit: try using PM080 as a promo code to save $5! It might be an old code, but it’s worth a shot.

Posted in Leah, vendor No Comments »

International Wedding Festival 2009 – Modesto

I was very recently in California to attend the International Wedding Expo in Modesto. I was crazy excited to find an event that caters specifically to ethnic weddings, and decided to bring famed Sacramento wedding photographer Sarah Maren along as my date (she’s kind of a big deal). Since I had considered buying out a booth to advertise to this crowd, I decided to attend the show as an audience member before committing the $1500 for a table. I’m glad I went as an observer, because I was able to walk around freely and enjoy the fashion shows, vendor booths, and checking out the other photographers who decided to advertise at this particular show (advertised as “Under one roof, you will find rows and rows of the Valley’s most elite talent from caterers to henna painters, officiants to pundits, photographers to mandaps, and more!”).

I did love a few people we met in our journey around the large showcase room.

Kevin Flanagan of California Photobooth
(kevin@caphotobooths.com – 559.676.1955)

Kevin has a great booth he’s built complete with pullback curtain; he had it set up to output a convincing strip of four BW photos for you and a friend to take home. We went in twice; the second time doing a scandalous yet fully clothed faux-boudoir shoot. It was pretty funny actually, especially after being petted down with some latex mitt covered in lotion by one of the passion party ladies! (Hopefully Kevin won’t decide to use our little faux-boudoir in his sample gallery!)

Ajooba Events
(ajoobaevents@gmail.com – 209.606.9430)

These ladies know how to work a party! They had a beautiful booth and had managed to wrap a tent frame in beautiful material they have hand-chosen in india… using only zip ties. We were impressed and wanted to take these ladies home with us right then and there. They’ll be an asset to any ethnic celebration!

Kanchan Kapadne – MeriSakhi Mehndi and Makeup
(info@merisakhi.com – 925.216.0568)
Not the best website at the moment (gah! sound effects! “call center” stock photos!!), but this woman seems very talented. She’s based out of Tracy, CA.

Ailin Yadegarian – Yonan’s Floral
(209.664.9325)
Ailin (pronounced like “Eileen”) put together a couple of organic-looking displays with a brown, green and white color palette that would look fantastic in many of the eco-friendly wedding plans people seem to be making these days. Sarah and I have seen a lot of arrangements in our time, and I’m not kidding when I say we walked by a couple of times just to look at that display again. It was beautiful. Yonan’s Floral is based out of Turlock, CA.

A few vendors that I found funny and quirky:

• an older lady in some sort of european country dance costume representing the Modesto Folk Dancers / Village Dancers of Modesto advertising simple $25 dance classes to couples.

• not one… but TWO passion party tables, products advertised by ladies in low-cut shirts.

• “Minister on Wheels” – nondenominational ministers who provide wedding flowers too, offer to wear appropriate attire for themed weddings, and will completely coordinate your wedding – videographer to limousine to catering, to church venue that holds 250 people. Hand-written show special on their 1/2 page inkjet printouts promise “1/2 off wedding flowers.” Extra points for the clip art logo with the monk crazily driving a bicycle wearing gladiator sandals. (link)

I have to be honest and say that I do not usually like wedding shows. I always feel kind of gross after seeing all the vendors trying to lure in customers with show specials and low, low prices. The DJs who show their videos and set up lights… the couples who are conditioned to grab all the free food samples, feign interest to get the candy you put out, or quickly flip through all your material while making snarky comments to their companions, and the “competition” vendors feeling one another up on the sly. I have not had any positive experiences with wedding shows, but I do enjoy the fashion shows that have now become a regular part of the event.

That said, I am on a quest to bring boudoir into the spotlight, so I’ll be representing at the wedding showcase on Sunday, March 8 in Boxborough. If you’d like to come out and meet me, talk about boudoir or wedding coverage, or just get a good laugh at all the little tables of vendors, come on out! Word on the street is that the Holiday Inn Boxborough (wooohooo!) is hosting some wine and cheese event simultaneously which is meant to draw in the crowds.

Posted in boudoir, ethnic wedding, event, press, vendor, wedding No Comments »

Ah yes, I think it’s time for another somewhat controversial topic over here at mergeweddings.  How about wedding planners?

I just came across this short article that touches on why it’s important to consider working with a professional wedding planner (Why Wedding Planners are Important) and the article reminded me of last week’s lunch conversation at the Taj with Boston-area wedding planner Heather Minicucci of Simply Inviting Weddings. I am part of a group of hipster Boston-area photographers who lunch and talk every month (we call ourselves ‘the lush club’) and this time I invited Heather, who coordinated Kate and Job’s fabulous College Club wedding last year, to join us for the afternoon.

Our conversation about being a wedding planner made me think back to weddings I have photographed. As an observer and someone who often sees the backend of the entire process of wedding coordination, I have to admit that there is a marked difference in the smoothness and elegance of a coordinated wedding versus one where the bride and/or family chooses to pitch in and contribute major pieces to the whole.

Now, I’m not knocking DIY situations where there is a concentrated choice to have homespun elements (oh, just wait for Seth and Maggie’s wedding!)… but I will offer the observation that the weddings where motivation for doing things yourself is purely budgetary usually means a stressed-out bride and somewhat haphazard decor. And groomsmen sneaking bud lights out of the can from the back of the truck in the parking lot to avoid cash bars.

After reflecting on the increasing trend for the bride to produce the entire wedding herself, I have come to the conclusion that a lot of this has to do with the simple fact that the information is available. If you google “make your own wedding bouquet” you come up with 301,000 links (literally – I just googled it!). You can mail-order rental linens and other decor items on your own. Friends and family have increasingly nicer personal electronics and offer to take photos or make a video. People want to personalize things like wedding invitations by making them from scratch and can find detailed instructions on various websites and magazines.

Just because you can doesn’t mean you should.

I am all for adding unique touches to your wedding planning, and couples integrating their passions and talents into the process. But when you’re losing sleep because you still need to Gocco 350 save the date cards… and the DIY centerpieces you thought would be so fab end up being a disaster the morning of the wedding… is it really worth saving $100 when you spend all that time researching, creating, and in the end disliking?  Having a wedding coordinator helps prevent this from happening by taking your direction and input and making projects and communication leading up to the wedding HAPPEN. And happen well.

What I want to say is that I’m a big fan of hiring professionals who love what they do, because your time is important.  We get so caught up in talking about the “economy” right now that people are making choices to cut things in their wedding budget, but in the end this often means we are spending so much time looking for the perfect solution and then trying to do it ourselves that it just doesn’t seem worth the savings (obviously a subjective statement).

Have your coordinator find someone to make those invitations for you! S/he can find a florist who gets your vision and will make funky and amazing centerpieces work. You can find a coordinator who will provide you with customized service to fit your wedding (for example, Heather offers packages called Wedding Mentor, Month of Director, Full Event Production, and a la carte services).  To me, it seems like a no-brainer investment.

What do you think? Would a wedding planner have helped you navigate your wedding process? Why did you decide to go with (or not go with) a wedding planner?

Posted in colleagues, random links, vendor, wedding 6 Comments »

I made my first trek out to Honolulu in December 2007. I was ready to take the next step in my photography career, and wanted to get images that would enable me to connect with clients getting married in exotic destinations. In preparation for the trip, I googled my little heart out in an attempt to connect with other vendors, photographers, and planners in the wedding industry who might help introduce me to the island or help me plan some photo shoots. I spent lots of time emailing to reach out to locals, and for the most part got very little response.

When I arrived in Hawaii, I stopped in at a place called The Wedding Café. It was a new concept – basically a marketplace for couples to come and review promotional materials from all sorts of vendors. The marketing for the Wedding Café seemed perfect – simple, elegant, and able to stand the line between classic and hip – and I loved their directory, WHITE, printed on heavy stock with a clean design.

In “WHITE” I found a profile about Elizabeth Uehara. In her self-description, Elizabeth talked about her multicultural heritage and how she loves to be a part of weddings. I remember emailing her from my room, and being delighted at a very prompt, very helpful, and very sincere response.  The next thing I knew, Elizabeth had arranged a day full of photo shoots for me and provided the hair, makeup, and styling for everyone pro bono – in addition to using her connections with a florist and dress shops to get everyone outfitted. I was impressed by the effortlessness of her arrangements, as well as her enthusiasm for the project. She wasn’t overly concerned with compensation, but rather turned the event into a fun and lighthearted adventure.

I fell in love with Elizabeth that day, and asked her to fly out to San Francisco to do my hair and makeup for our wedding (admittedly also to save me from the onslaught of Persian aunties who work in salons!).

If you’re getting married in Hawaii and looking for a dependable, professional, fun, and talented local hair and makeup artist for your wedding, give Elizabeth a call. She will hook you up. (Elizabeth Uehara, beautigoddess@gmail.com, 808-203-7398)

Posted in Hawaii, destination, vendor 1 Comment »

[ via heathergarland ]

Dedicated especially to Kristen, Fred, Jenny, and Matt… and my other musician/artist wedding clients!

I also have a couple of other random links from my RSS feeds…

offbeat bride and groom say:
“see each other for photos before the ceremony” – here here!

[ link - offbeatbride.com ]

Vintage Wedding Gowns – yum!!
[ via weddingchicks - thefrock.com ]

OK, last thing and totally unrelated to weddings. Last night my husband and I cozied up to a foreign film we found delightfully wonderful!  “Shall We Dance” (Japanese, 1995/96/97). Note: not the 2004 American remake with Richard Gere and the same dialogue/plot. Add the Japanese movie to your Netflix queue – even if you don’t usually like subtitles, you will not be sorry!

Posted in clients, for photographers, random links, vendor, wedding, wisdom No Comments »

Amy and I enjoyed our first visit to Florida to photograph Jennifer and Jeffrey’s wedding in Key West.

This first post is all about the women! I loved meeting and hanging out with Jennifer and her bridesmaids – they are an intelligent, beautiful, and interesting group of women. We spent about an hour or so with them as everyone was getting ready.

location: Key West, Florida
bride and groom: Jenny and Jeff
reception location: the Oldest House in Key West
event coordination: Kristin Artz, We’ve Got the Keys
hair and makeup: Marie-Pierre Sander
photography: Rachel Hadiashar, mergeweddings.com

photographer favorite images here.
full gallery here.
crazy silhouettes here.
ceremony (with BILL!) here.
reception here.

Posted in destination, vendor, wedding 1 Comment »

I cut way down on my RSS subscriptions recently in order to be more realistic about the amount of reading I can keep up with on a regular basis without becoming overwhelmed by the wedding industry. This morning while taking breaks from processing through photos from our fabulous Key West wedding, I caught up on some of my favorite wedding inspiration sites and found several links I must share with you!

Getting your Groom Involved
[ via offbeat bride ]

eye candy: floral arrangements that make my heart beat faster
[ via Oh Joy! ]

What to Wear on Your Head When You Wed
[ via A Practical Wedding and again ]

Alternative Wedding Ties from Etsy
[via what junebug loves]

Receiving Lines – a tradition we’d love to see vanish
[ via Blue Orchid Designs, Phoenix ]

ANOTHER ‘girls in mustaches’ wedding moment (remember erin and jared?)
[ via Daria Bishop Photography ]

Posted in colleagues, press, random links, vendor, wedding, wisdom No Comments »