Engagement Photos Places to Pose

while I don't like the whole idea of engagement photos, I am compelled to have them done as to get compfortable with the photographer that will be shooting our wedding day. These pictures will not be used for our save the dates as these have long been posted, but will be for us, for no other reason but to have great pictures together. And who knows...it could prove to be a fun exercise.

So here is the list of locations as suggestions by my photographer. So I would love some help in choosing where we should actually do it.

PLACES TO POSE:
Central Park SE corner at 59th
Central Park 72nd
Victorian Gardens in Central Park
Wollman Rink
Hippo Park
Central park Conservatory Gardens
Tribeca Streets for more Urban style (Staple Street)
Soho
Meatpacking District
NY Public Library and Bryant Park (for a few shots without Permit)
Brooklyn Botanical Gardens (permit likely required)
Brooklyn Bridge
Lower East Side

so let me know your thoughts on best places for engagement photos!

Vintage Save the Dates

I love these save the dates!! I've been researching for awhile for a unique looking save the date:

I love the vintage feel of them and as we are getting married in New York, these couldn't be more perfect.

The Wedding Photographer

So I'm in the midst of searching for a wedding photographer. This is important as you will remember the memories through these photos for years to come...

So our first interview was this evening. I received a postcard from a photog who got my name off of the knot.com (yes, beware, the knot sells your name and address out to vendors so get ready for lots of wedding mail) and my mom decided to call him and arrange a meeting at his walk up apt on west 46th street.

Even though we had an appointment with Anthony at Perceptions Photography there was another couple in the room (who he later said went to his High School in Long Island- red flag) and another girl who was coming in to pick up photos of her December wedding. When we finally sat with Anthony and started discussing budgets and pricing he declared "I'm overpriced"- Wow! that's a bold statement -especially in this economy. And way to win-over new prospective clients!

We got out of there pretty quickly after that. $12k + for wedding photos!! I'm sorry, unless Annie Leibovitz is shooting our wedding - you're right, you are overpriced.

Anyway, I live in NYC and photographers are a dime a dozen. Good luck Anthony with the great attitude and customer service!

The Wedding Dress

So Today I said Yes! to the dress. It started on Friday with two appointments at two bridal shops: Pronovias and Kleinfelds. The two bridal boutiques were worlds apart in customer service, atmosphere and selection.

First, book your appointment as it could take a few weeks before you are able to get one.

Next, do browse online so you have an idea of what you like or what you want. Also, if you are having an orthodox wedding, keep in mind you will need to cover up. I have to say I loved Ivanka's dress - it was classic, modest and simply beautiful.

Also, remember, the dress is NOT why you are getting married. Ladies, you are getting married to a man who loves you. Don't make him regret his decision as you walk down the aisle with a spectacle of a dress.

Also, keep a budget in mind and stick to it. It's not worth breaking the bank on a dress that I guarantee you will only wear once in your life.

I walked into Pronovias off of 5th avenue. My salesperson was Caitlin- she was cute, young and someone I could trust. She got me and my style and brought me things that fit the bill. When I tried on the third dress, my mom started crying and I knew it felt like the dress that suited me and the type of wedding I wanted: traditional and romantic.

Caitlin gave me a card with all the details, outlined the prices and costs and stapled it to her card. It was not a pushy sell, but she did mention that if I made a decision by the end of the day there was a discount (they are after all salespeople). But truly the experience was calm and not aggressive.

Kleinfelds was another story. When Renee, my salesperson, introduced herself I knew it was not going to go well. Renee was middle aged with bad hair and bad makeup. This was someone I would not trust to make any type of fashion recommendation or let alone dole out advice on what to wear on my wedding day. She was pushy and aggressive, and even though I gave her a budget, she brought me dresses $2k over what I had intended to spend.

She didn't listen to what I liked and didn't bring me anything that suited my style. In addition, when I said I needed to cover up, she was like "oh we can put tulle around your shoulders like a donut!" What??? I don't think I will be having a donut with my dress today!

The girls trying on dresses at Kleinfelds were even more embarrassing - 1 girl convincing her parents to get her a $10k dress that she looked disastrous in and 1 girl had 5 of her bridesmaids surrounding her and gushing. Please get me out of this bridge and tunnel hell!!

I called Pronovias back and told them to ring it up. I was done with my search. I had tried on plenty of dresses and I always think you come back to that first dress anyway. Why go through the motions of seeing more. I did it with the venue and decided not to with the dress.

At the end, customer service is what made the deciding factor. You want to feel special and not as though you are just another client. It is a big purchase no matter what the price tag is and should be treated as such. It is your wedding day, and you want to feel and look beautiful. Good Luck!

Setting the Wedding Date

OK so setting the date can really impact what kind of wedding you have: is it a winter wedding, spring, summer or fall wedding will all dictate what food you serve, decor you pick, and dress you wear (hopefully). But in New York and in a Jewish wedding your choices are minimized.

I learned, the hard way, that there are 3 weeks in the summer that Jews can't marry - OK, so how about the fall ? Well, this is nearly impossible between all the holidays and fast days (even ones that you are not familiar with- yes there are more fast days than just Yom Kippur) and then there is the issue of The Mikvah!! For those not in the know, apparently a woman is supposed to be clean/pure on her wedding day and must go to the Mikvah (or spiritual cleansing bath) 7 days after the end of her menstrual cycle - seriously????

This makes it nearly impossible to find a suitable day to actually have a religious ceremony- between NYC events calendar (you thought getting reservations at Momofuku was hard, try getting an event space on a weekend in the summer in NY), the Jewish calendar, and my period!!! Now you do the math.

But don't fret too much, I did lock in a date finally...let's just hope my cycle is on time...oiy vey!

The Wedding Venue

I guess, after the engagement, the first step is securing the locale. In New York, this is no easy feat.

So the wedding venue hunt began. I researched a few blogs for "best wedding venues in New York" and kept coming across the Angel Orensanz Foundation.


I made an appointment - it was the first place we saw and I fell in love immediately. I say I, because its a bit rough around the edges (crooked floor boards, chipping paint) and my other half wasn't initially convinced. Now, I've seen a lot of venues in New York, as it is part of my job. But Lawrence needed to do the rounds before we signed a contract.


So I called my very trusty venue hunter, Lisa of Successful Affairs and she took us to 10 venues around Manhattan including Guastavino's, The Manhattan Club, The Plaza, Capitale, The Lighthouse, Bridgewater, Tribeca Rooftop, Gotham Hall, The Palace, and The Hudson Theater.

We narrowed it down to Guastavino's and The Angel Orensanz. They were such different venues - one light and airy, the other vaulted and imposing. It came down to what we wanted to do at the end. Since my mother and I have worked with various florists, chefs and waitors over the years, we wanted to go with the venue that left the decision up to us, versus paying fees for bringing in caterers (which we had to do as our wedding has to be kosher), as well as hidden fees such as lighting.


I could begin imagining my wedding. The magical venue, the Lower East Side...it all started feeling right. In fact, Lawrence's mom said that everyone who she shared the link to Orensanz with were just blown away by the pictures.

I really had no preconceived notions of how my wedding day would be. And I think it was fun to go into it as a blank slate because it minimizes the set up for disappointment. We have a lot of out of town guests flying in, so keeping the wedding in NY just seemed to be the most convenient.


For us, we are having a Jewish wedding, and while we briefly contemplated having it in my synagogue, it just didn't allow for the flexibility that the Orensanz has. Orensanz still has the feel of being in a historical synagogue with the conveniences of an event space. Plus, allows us to do the ceremony the way we want it.


These are all important considerations to take in, especially when having a religious ceremony. Consult with your Officiates to know what their views are and how strict they are regarding certain elements of the wedding. For us a kosher wedding was something that neither of our Rabbi's would budge on so you have to add the catering costs into your budget. Going with a venue that doesn't make their money off the food may be more cost effective for you in the long run. Try to create a budget with all these elements in mind and be sure to ask about hidden costs. If you have friend that's a Lawyer, have them look over the venue contract. They may see things that could end up being real issues as the date gets closer. It's good to ask an expert when it comes to signing any contract.


Your venue sets the mood and tone for the kind of wedding you will have. Once you've made the decision, and this may be one of the bigger decisions you have to make as it will require the most financial commitment, you need to find a date that works...