I have always wondered about the garter toss....I have seen many weddings where the toss is a great laugh. I think now at weddings it is a great way to poke fun at the history of what the garter toss was and to just enjoy the laughter and moments that are created.



I am going to write about a story from my friends wedding. I am laughing while writing because the garter toss went all wrong...



Groom is all ready to take off the garter when someone suggests that he be blindfolded. Should still be a no brainer...but then it was suggested that they replace the bride with Grandma!! Why I have no idea!! Lets just say it went all wrong!!



I remember the groom stroking her leg as his hands were looking for the garter. Then the groom thought it would be cute to glide his hands over her hips and give her breasts a squeeze~did I say this went all wrong!!



This is a true story and I think that the blindfold should be done with caution and caution be taking if your wearing a blindfold!!



The history of the garter toss and the garter toss today is little different. Throwing the garter is derived from an old English custom called "flinging the stocking." Guests would invade the bridal chamber and steal the bride's stockings, then take turns flinging them. Whoever threw the one that landed on the groom's nose, would be the next to marry.



In France, throwing the garter became popular in the 14th century because it was considered lucky to get a piece of the brides attire. The stories go that the bride literally would get charged in hopes of a piece of her clothing for good luck. Brides then began to throw their garter and whoever caught it could expect good luck.



These days, the groom removes the garter -- generally worn at the mid-thigh level -- from her leg and tosses it to his bachelor pals. American tradition is to also place the garter on the leg of the single lady who caught the bouquet

Also the theory goes...both will be next to get hitched~not necessarily to each other.

Music and Photography...

This is part of the job that really isn't a job. I love to take pictures I love to listen to music. My friend and musician Lori Burke is going to be releasing her very own CD. She currently plays venues around Erie and Northwestern Pennsylvania. She also plays with a great band Tiger Maple String Band.

You can visit some of her music on Reverb Nation...link is attached below

http://www.reverbnation.com/#/main/global_search?q=Lori%20Burke&commit=GO

Please enjoy some of the pictures that we will be featuring on her CD cover. We were looking to have a country, earthy and natural look to the cover. We would love your feedback on the images you like best.

Again, visit Lori @ Reverb Nation and check out her up coming show scheduale.

Erie Wedding Experience

This blog is about what we can do in the down time on a long wedding day. Sometimes weddings are planned when the ceremony is about noon and the reception may not start until 5 or maybe 6pm into the evening. The planning may be determined based on what is avaliable for vendors or limited times to have the ceremony in a certain church. But either way as a photographer we love to have time to shoot and more is sometimes better...but when you have over 3 hours, and have been to three great shooting locations....it's time to just chill out and relax. Take a breath and enjoy the moment. Sometimes we will head to a picnic style spot, beach, park, or starbucks. One wedding party picked up Little Ceasers Pizza "Hot n' Ready"

The pictures in this blog are from Matt and Brianna's wedding. The ceremony was early, and the reception was not until 6pm.

After the church we headed to the park, then to the beach, then on a covered bridge location...everyone including myself were ready for a break.

Steak N Shake~ Everyone had a shake and a snack and had a chance to chat and it was memorable and we used these pictures in a spread of their wedding ablum and since, I have also got a lot of complements on the idea.

One thing to keep in mind: Most brides and groom do not carry a wallet...so photographers be prepared to pick up the tab. And it's a nice bonus to the service we provide as well.

As a guest to a wedding....do we like the short wedding ceremony/dinner/dancing all in a short span....or the entire day? Ceremony in the morning and Come back after a little siesta for dinner and a party?? I would love to hear your thoughts!

Location, Location....Africa, France, Moutain views

What does location have to do with it....

As a photographer with a lot of location experience I find that it has prepared me for any situation that can occur. But also sometimes the location is so fantastic that it is impossible to take a bad photo.

I am not just talking about weddings. I am talking about my photography workshops that I took in the South of France~impossible to take a bad photo. Or a blue sunny day on the top of Whistler mountain. Or travelling the back roads of Africa. Amazing views and culture and architecture surround me everywhere. So now as I am settled and shooting in Erie PA, sometimes you need to be able to see the views that others may not see.

In the future I will post a few other favorite images. I am currently working on a album from my 6 months in Africa. I have pulled a few to share that I had handy.

Traditions & Customs

Traditions & Customs...Did you know?

As a photographer, embracing customs is very important on weddding day. As someone who is documenting history it is important to know what to expect. Different cultures and ceremonies can have some very beautiful rituals that shouldn't be missed.

Shooting most of my current weddings in Northwestern Pennsylvania I don't see so much variation in the customs.

In Japan, for instance, purple is the color of love and a young bride may choose to wear an elaborately-embroidered silk kimono covered in purple iris-flowers.

In China, couples prefer to marry on the half hour~when the clock is on the up swing, symbolizing ascending fortune.

It is considered good luck in England for the bride to be kissed by a chimney sweep on the way to her wedding. Sweeps are associated with hearth and home, and thus domestic bliss.

A multi-layered fruitcake topped by a small cedar tree is a wedding tradition in Bermuda. The tree is planted after the ceremony and is expected to grow with love of the couple.

There are so many traditions in so many cultures, but all are centered around the basic concept of a new beginning, a new life together with a commitment of two people hand in hand in marrage.
What customs have you incorporated

into your wedding? What was the coolest tradition or custom that you have seen?

Groomsman~What is expected!

This is a picture that can explain possibly one of the duties of a groomsmen. Keep the wedding party hydrated!

I have had several different experiences with wild wedding parties. The groomsmen like to have a good time...and I WANT the groomsmen to have a good time!!

After the church and the drinks start flowing....anything can happen and I usually like to keep shooting eventhough these pictures often do not make the wedding album.

Without digging too deep into the tradition of the groomsmens' role, generally on the day of the wedding the groomsmen need to be sure the groom has arrived!! Rings, please be sure to have the rings. Seating guests as they arrrive.

Also in Canada a Best Man needs to be at least 18 and is a witness to the wedding and must sign the wedding certificate/license.

Sometimes it is an oversight to stock the limo or trolly, so if you have a groomsmen that does not have a task...be sure to assign him an important role on your wedding day! Cold Drinks!!

This blog is going to be geared to another one of those questions you should ask when shopping for a photographer. One main question I get from brides is, "are my friends and family allowed to take pictures while your shooting?"

I don't mind if guests take pictures.

This wedding that I am attaching photos to was a couple from New Jersey. She was Chinese and he was Japanese. I was beginning to wonder if I was going to measure up to the competition.

I think as a photograhper it is also important to realize that this is not just about the bride and groom and their day....(well it is really-) But it is important to remember it's the day of the family and friends too. It's important to let the guests get their shot.

Sometimes I will set the bride and groom up just for the perfect snap shot for the guests. This way everyone can get their shot and can then head on out to the reception.

In one wedding I had a guy...really nice guy who was on my heals shooting. It was a little more than distracting when I tripped over him, but I remained professional and was accommodating. I later learned he was an aspiring photographer from Ohio and also a groomsmen. So I told him that he can have the bride and groom for as long as he needed and I will then continue when he is done. LOL

The bride and groom would have no part of it. They knew we had only a short time before we had to get to the reception. They wanted the photography I could provide to them!! They told him to finish up and wanted me to take over again. After the wedding we exchanged e-mails and I was flattered when he was asking for photography tips.

My next blog I will continue with this couple and give details about different cultures and using an action to create a reaction.