The End!

This bride and groom ended their evening as beautifully as they began....


The end... and just the beginning....

Practicing walking, dancing... seating

Weddings take a lot of planning, much of which becomes evident during the rehearsal, where many of the most natural, comfortable and fun photos can be taken:


The groom's sister waits as the rehearsal continues...


The bride and groom make a few last minute adjustments to the details of their plans...


They practiced their first dance to make sure all the steps were perfected...

The Rehearsal Dinner... or a Birthday Party

One lucky bride... or should I say groom? ...had the good fortune of perfect timing and was able to turn the rehearsal dinner into a surprise 30th birthday party for the groom.




Either way--I was honored to take photographs of the momentus occassion:

Preparing for the most beautiful day of your lives!

Part of the magic of weddings is the care all those involved take to make sure every special touch is as beautiful as ever dreamed. Both the women and the men are transformed into people extraordinarily gorgeous in appearance, though we all know the beauty of their souls is what brings them into the wedding party.

While the ceremony and reception hold moments that must be captured, in my own wedding experience as well as the experience of those whose weddings I have photographed, much of the joy comes in the moments before the wedding as the preparations are being made. Later, everyone has fun remembering the flutter of pre-ceremony excitement and sees the transition into the peaceful exchange of vows and the energetic post-ceremony celebration.

Below are some pre-ceremony photographs of Arman and Mehrack's wedding:


Morning light shone on the bridesmaids as the make-up artist worked her magic.








The boys had a different experience:

The best man practiced his toast while one groomsman listened and another groomsman and his wife watched through the window.


The groom stayed cool by standing in front of the air-conditioning vent.

Blended-Cultures Wedding Photography

One of my greatest fascinations in life is the way two people in love can creatively blend their cultures and customs to create a marriage that celebrates their families' history as well as their personal love.

If you have any special requests for pre- or post-wedding rituals you want captured, just let me know and I will be there.

Below, a Persian-American wedding rehearsal included the American tradition of having the family "give" the bride to the groom (with the added Persian tradition of greeting each other with kisses on both cheeks).


Arman and Mehrack also incorporated the traditional Persian ritual of holding a beautiful cloth over the couple while family members sprinkle sugar onto the cloth, representing the sweetness of life coming to the lovely couple. (The cloth is improvised here with a table cover; thus saving the best for the magical moment to come the next day.)