Monthly Archives: October 2012

Real Jewish Weddings | Waltham, MA

Meredith and John were married on a gorgeous summer’s day at the Lyman Estate in Waltham, Massachusetts. Meredith got into her lovely lace gown in a private room and then met John for their First Look on the staircase. They went outside for some portraits in the wildflowers and the fields on the grounds. The bridal party met them in the gardens for more portraits and they all modeled beautifully for the camera. The bridesmaid dresses popped against the green grass, and the bouquets were simply amazing! A combination of succulents and blooms are really to die for!

They signed the Ketubah in a private room and then were married under a chuppah on the lawn near sunset. Despite seeing each other prior to the ceremony, the look exchanged between Meredith and John when the bride made it down the aisle was priceless! The party that followed was so much fun and it shows in the way that everyone had their dancing shoes on to celebrate!

Mazel tov, Meredith and John!

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waltham,-massachusetts-jewish-weddings

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waltham,-massachusetts-jewish-weddings

waltham,-massachusetts-jewish-weddings

waltham,-massachusetts-jewish-weddings

waltham,-massachusetts-jewish-weddings

waltham,-massachusetts-jewish-weddings

waltham,-massachusetts-jewish-weddings

waltham,-massachusetts-jewish-weddings

waltham,-massachusetts-jewish-weddings

waltham,-massachusetts-jewish-weddings

waltham,-massachusetts-jewish-weddings

waltham,-massachusetts-jewish-weddings

waltham,-massachusetts-jewish-weddings

waltham,-massachusetts-jewish-weddings

waltham,-massachusetts-jewish-weddings

waltham,-massachusetts-jewish-weddings

waltham,-massachusetts-jewish-weddings

waltham,-massachusetts-jewish-weddings

waltham,-massachusetts-jewish-weddings

waltham,-massachusetts-jewish-weddings

waltham,-massachusetts-jewish-weddings

waltham,-massachusetts-jewish-weddings

waltham,-massachusetts-jewish-weddings

waltham,-massachusetts-jewish-weddings

waltham,-massachusetts-jewish-weddings

Venue: The Lyman Estate
Photographer: Krista Photography
Caterer: East Meets West Catering
Floral Designer: The Frugal Flower
Invitation Designer: Cordially Yours
Dress Salon: Vows Bridal Outlet
DJ: South Shore Entertainment
Shoes: Nordstrom
Jewelry: DeSumma and Wexler Fine Jewelry, Kate Ketzal
Veil and Headpieces: Hair Comes the Bride
Hair Stylist: MiAlisa Salon

Editorial Partner: Two Bright Lights

How To Find Out Her Ring Size

Gentlemen, if you’ve found this post yourself, I bow down to you. If your lady friend “accidentally” left this window up on your computer, well, thank her later because I’m about to share with you how you can purchase an engagement ring in the approximate right size without her knowing.

Chances are, you do not know her ring size. And why should you? Purchasing a ring is not like purchasing her Starbucks order. Coffee happens several times a week, and cream and sugar is a learned ratio with repeat orders. But rings don’t get purchased every week, and it’s a much more serious purchase than a grande nonfat soy vanilla latte, no sugar added. Yes, coffee makes your love perk up, but a ring with bling MAKES. YOUR. LOVE. PERK. UP.

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So with such a monumental item, you want it to be perfect, right? You’re spending time researching the 4 Cs (carat, color, cut, and clarity) and creating the ideal setting, but wouldn’t it be awful if it doesn’t slide past her first knuckle or it could double as a bracelet? If you weren’t already on your knee, you’d drop to the floor in defeat. The size may not be exact and precise — it’s likely she’ll need fine tuning of the size to accommodate body temperature and hand movement — but being able to put it on after the big moment is definitely the goal here.

Chelo Keys Photography

So, how do you find out her size without ruining the surprise?

Ask Her Peeps:
It’s more than likely she has a confidant or two who have catalogued this data for this exact instance. Her best friends, sister, or mom may have that information tucked away. Ask them. They’ll be more than glad to help fill you in. Beware: girl squealing may ensue. Prepare yourself. It’s the first of many occasions so you may as well get used to it.

Rob Her:
Go into her jewelry box and play jewel thief. It’s like the game, but in real life. Find another ring you’ve seen her wear and the jeweler will be able to size it when you buy the real deal. If there are many rings to choose from, make sure it’s a ring she’s worn on her fourth finger. A thumb ring size is different than an engagement ring size. Try to choose a ring she doesn’t wear every day so that she doesn’t notice that it’s missing.

If you don’t have faith in your robbery skills, you can trace the ring on a piece of paper. The jeweler should be able to estimate the size based on your work of art. Yeah, it’s a little ghetto, but it’ll do the trick.

Be Sneaky:
While she sleeps, take a string — floss will even work! — and tie it around her left ring finger. Knot it where the ends meet. Ta da. You just made your own DIY ring sizer. This is probably your last resort method, but if it’s successful, it will work in determining her ring size. Just don’t wake her up, whatever you do. To achieve this, I suggest you don’t breathe, make noise, or let your nerves leave you shaky. Be stealth and pretend it’s the most important game of Jenga of your life. What if she wakes up? Well, A) you’re not that slick and, B) have a story ready to go. She’s going to want to know why you’re flossing her finger. Construct your alibi or your plan goes bye bye.

Chelo Keys Photography

If none of these ideas will work for you or your betrothed, you can just be honest. She won’t exactly mind that you’re trying to do things correctly when it comes to buying her engagement ring. If it’s common knowledge between you two that getting engaged is inevitable, just say something like, “So that I know for when the time comes, what is your ring size? I want to make sure I have all the right info.” She’ll be glad to share this number with you and she’ll probably G-chat all of her friends that day that OMG IT’S HAPPENING.

Good luck! Wishing you big, fat mazels in advance!

Kim Fox Photography

Honoring Friends & Family With Wedding Day Duties

This is a very good problem: You have childhood pals you’ve known since nursery school and you have sorority sisters from your time away at college. You have a cousin who’s like your clone and you have high school friends who you are still in close touch with. And then you and your partner both have siblings and they’re also in your inner circle. Poor you! You are loved by too many people and you can’t possibly have them all in your bridal party. Well, you could, but not only would your processional be longer than your ceremony, but your photographer might kill you. (Am I right, photographers?)

First, pick your bridal party. This may be difficult because you really have to narrow down your fan club, but check out this post that may help you feel better about it. After you’ve secured a reasonable amount of bridesmaids and groomsmen, then think about who else you’d like to honor with VIP status.

Is one of your favorite people a good singer, speechmaker, or musician? Ask them to “perform” at some point during your wedding weekend. You may ask someone close to you to give a speech or sing a song at your rehearsal dinner. There might be a point in the ceremony that someone could recite your favorite poem, or sing as you walk down the aisle. Someone special could also do the motzi over the challah or the Birkat HaMazon, the blessing after meals, thanking God for the food and His support in general. You’ll want to limit the amount of speeches during your reception (too many makes it a snoozer!), but think of other special times during your wedding events that can include putting your favorite people in the spotlight.

Pick your ketubah signers! Typically, there are two of them, and this is a huge honor. Their signatures will be on your beautiful ketubah forever and if you choose to hang it in your home, you will be reminded of these people whenever you look at it. They are invited into the room where you sign the ketubah and this is usually a private event before the chuppah ceremony. I’ve personally signed the ketubah twice for my two best friends and it was a joy to be part of the official Jewish marriage portion of the day. Remember, the ketubah signers must be Jewish and not be blood relatives. Your ketubah signers should be able to tell your rabbi or cantor their Hebrew names, and can receive help on the wedding day if the ketubah calls for writing their name in Hebrew.

Choose your marriage license witnesses. These can be the same people as your ketubah signers or you can extend the honors to two separate people. These people don’t have to be Jewish and are there to sign the marriage license that you must have with you on the day of your wedding. Your officiant should mail it in for you, and after the wedding, you should receive the certificate of marriage, but you’ll need two witnesses. This is also a really big deal for the signers since the document makes the marriage official in “the system.”

For fellas who are close to the bride or groom, there is a job for them that makes them some of the most popular men at the party. Designate some hefty dudes to hold you two up in the chair during the Hora. This doesn’t always have to be an invitation-only ritual, but it might be a fun way to honor some men who didn’t make it into the wedding party. Plus, they’ll be in all the fun photos of the chair lifts!

There are always the more job-like honors: ceremony ushers, guestbook facilitators, and escort cards host. These really are more like tasks, though, so think long and hard if it’s more of an honor or a chore for the people you ask to do this. Depending on the size of the wedding, and the style and locale, you may or may not want to ask people to do this. Sometimes it’s not necessary, but you know your wedding and your friends best, so make the decision based on the facts. These are just last-ditch ideas.

Think outside the box, too! Perhaps there are fun and unique details you’re choosing to include in your wedding day. Ask yourself how you might weave in your favorite people to honor them and then create an exciting way to ask them. Hopefully, this solves your terribly unfortunate problem of having so many wonderful people in your life!

Real Jewish Weddings | Los Angeles, CA

Today’s Real Jewish Wedding is a submission from the couple’s super talented cinematographer, Ahava Films, who expertly tells the wedding day story through moving pictures and sound.

Many people talk about the revival of downtown Los Angeles. The setting of Lauren and Daniel Packer’s wedding shows the beauty and diversity of the L.A. downtown environment. From the portrait session where we toured the various sites of downtown LA to the outdoor ceremony surrounded by massive buildings, the feeling is at times humbling and yet energizing. Lauren and Daniel were on fire the whole day, from the moment makeup was applied to the last dance ending with Daniel carrying Lauren off to a romantic “happily, ever after” ending. While John Solano and team were rousing the wedding party for high-energy photos, Ahava Films was putting together a cinematic masterpiece to delight all the senses. Adding meaning to the day was the charismatic Rabbi Shlomo Seidenfeld who has known Lauren since she was a toddler. And leave it to Nefesh Music to add soulful music to the wedding ceremony, and a rockin’ hora/dance set for the reception.

Mazel tov, Lauren and Daniel!

Lauren + Daniel from Ahava Films on Vimeo.

Photo stills from the Ahava Films masterpiece:

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los-angeles-orthodox-wedding

Video: Ahava Films
Reception Venue: Omni Los Angeles Hotel
Photographer: John Solano Photography
Music: Nefesh Music
Makeup: Zulica
Wedding Dress Salon: Marylinn’s Bridal Salon
Floral arrangement/Chuppah Decoration: Elegant Thorn

Armed With Love

One of the main differences between a traditional Jewish wedding and a non-Jewish wedding is the wedding processional. A Jewish wedding needs a little wider of an aisle to accommodate the bride and groom as they walk down the aisle… with their parents.

It is a Jewish custom that both the mothers and fathers of the bride and the groom walk their children down the aisle. Naturally, if a parent is deceased or if there is a step-parent situation unique to the wedding occasion, that’s a different story and one to discuss with your partner and rabbi.

We love this beautiful tradition, as a child is still a child, even on his or her wedding day. Together, the parents raised the child to become an adult who is now taking on the mitzvah of marriage. It’s so nice that the groom doesn’t make the walk alone down the aisle; his parents showed him the way to be a man and on his wedding day, they show him the way to meet his bride under the chuppah. Likewise, the relationship between a mother and daughter is so unique and special, that it’s only fitting that the mother joins the father as they both link arms with their daughter in her wedding gown.

These are the tender moments that always send me to a waterfall of happy tears every time I attend a Jewish wedding. Here we’ll share with you some of these priceless, milestone moments. The photos give you a peek into this miraculous and lovely relationship between parents and their children. While I love looking at the the beautiful aura of the bride or the dashing and in-love groom, admiring the parents during one of their proudest moments gives me goosebumps! Grab a hankie!

Image courtesy of Kim Fox Photography

Image courtesy of eight20 photography

Image courtesy of Dahl Photography

Photo courtesy of Kim Fox Photography

Image courtesy of Sweet Monday Photography

Image courtesy of Jay Kelly Photography

Photo courtesy of Next Exit Photography

Image courtesy of eight20 photography

Image courtesy of Sweet Monday Photography

Image courtesy of Next Exit Photography

Image courtesy of David Michael Photography

Image courtesy of Sweet Monday Photography

Image courtesy of Dahl Photography

Image courtesy of Sweet Monday Photography

Image courtesy of Next Exit Photography