JAGDEEP AND MARTIN'S SIKH WEDDING AT HARDWICK HALL SEDGEFIELD COUNTY DURHAM

Well, what a great couple of days I had with Jagdeep and Martin for their Sikh wedding!

Two days shooting was pretty hectic - and the editing even more so, but the colour and the energy and the happiness of both families meant that I really, really enjoyed photographing their wedding at Hardwick Hall in County Durham.

On Saturday afternoon and evening, I was part of the pre-wedding celebrations when Jag and her family held traditional Sikh ceremonies with invited family and friends - I'll post photographs from that at a later date.

On Sunday I was up and out early to 'check-out' the venue and meet Martin when he arrived and then headed across to Wynyard where Jag was preparing for her wedding celebrations. The previous evening had been a great success - I don't believe too many of the wedding party had a whole lot of rest and sleep!

Many of the photographs at Asian weddings in the UK is taken up with traditional family photos - everyone LOVES to have their photograph taken and EVERYONE has to have their photograph taken with every other member of the family and with the bride and groom - so there's a whole lot of energy to expand during the day.

But the opportunity for great photographs are everywhere, and there's no point being shy at an Asian wedding either - you have to get right in among the fun and make sure you capture all the photographs that family want and expect - and the images that I need to capture to show the wedding celebrations is all it's glory!

Family members gathered at the hotel for the civil ceremony and when Jag turned up, male family members gathered to guide her to the room - and there were smiles everywhere as Martin and Jagdeep's eyes met in front of the registrar.

Little Olivia did a brilliant job with her speech and she made sure that the other bridesmaids stood with her at the front before the newly married couple, full of smiles, led the wedding party from the room to their reception.

After drinks the bride and groom and guests headed to the main area where more traditional Sikh ceremonies were held - grandparents and parents feeding cake to the bride and groom before the cake was cut and the dancing could begin!

The great thing about all the Asian weddings I have covered across the north east of England and north Yorkshire, is that it doesn't matter whether you are four years old or 84 years old - EVERYONE gets on the dance floor, and it's difficult to get them off!

Luckily, the first course of the food beckoned but as soon as they were finished, everyone was back on the dancefloor, and it was the same after the main course and the puddings too!

I was right in among all the dance contests between the men and the women and the general dancing fun too - it was exhausting but exciting.

At 6pm, Jag close members of her family headed off home, and half an hour later I followed Martin as he became part of a very emotional ceremony where tears flowed. Before that, outside the marquee he had to make his way through the younger female members of the bridal party, offering cash before he was able to be with his new wife! I think the girls and Jag were disappointed with the amount he was offering to be let in!

Once again, the newly wed couple were given money by Jag's grandfather and sweets from her mother, while her brother Peter gave gifts. Rice was thrown by jag to the four corners of the marquee before the tears flowed again and Jag and Martin left in a car back to Hardwick Hall with members of the Sikh community ceremoniously pushing the car from the drive as she left the family home as a married woman.

And then of course, it was back to the dancing and drinking and more fun .....

It was a great couple of days to be a wedding photographer. I was shattered - especially with two full days of editing afterwards whittling 2000+ images from the two days to a more acceptable 600 final edited images .. and I can show you only 17 in the space I have here.

I felt privileged to have been asked by Jagdeep and Martin to be a part of their wedding celebrations and I thanks their families and friends for embracing me and my cameras to capture such a great wedding celebration.

DIRK VAN DER WERFF

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INFO: To rehearse, or not to rehearse?

Traditionally speaking, rehearsals are a time to introduce families and friends, and spend time with those who are more intimately involved in a ceremony. From a practical standpoint, rehearsals allow you to work out logistics, anticipate problems and calm nerves.

WHAT - Definition of REHEARSAL - “The act of practicing in preparation for a public performance, or a detailed enumeration or repetition of actions.”(Merriam-Webster Dictionary)

At a minimum, the goals of a rehearsal are to:
1) Experience a no-pressure trial run of the ceremony. Test the sequence of events.
2) Foresee potential problems and address concerns.
3) Assess location and environment, such as the position of the sun or times of the tides; foot traffic and parking; need for signage, etc.
4) Prepare participants. Determine positions at beginning, during and at end of ceremony.

WHO - All participants of a ceremony are usually present at a rehearsal. This includes attendants, ushers, officiants and any additional parties such as children and other family members. Adjunct participants, such as musicians or photographers, may also be included.

WHY - Rehearsal goals include anticipating problems or concerns; practicing choreography; determining logistics; familiarizing participants with the unfamiliar; and calming nerves. There are many more traditional and pragmatic reasons for a rehearsal, as it is an opportunity to:

• Get to know the ceremony, participants and venue.
• Establish cues and pace. Who does what, when? How far apart will people walk and stand?
• Evaluate visibility. Use this time to work out placement of objects, equipment, props and people.
• Prepare children, people with special needs, animals, etc.
• Soundcheck and evaluate acoustics. Is amplification or a microphone required? Does a waterfall need to be turned off?
• Ask questions!

WHERE - Rehearsals are ideally held at the location or venue of the actual event. However, the location can be recreated or approximated almost anyplace convenient to the participants.

WHEN - Rehearsals are scheduled near the event date and time, to best recreate or approximate conditions of the actual event.

HOW - Officiants, hosts or masters of ceremony usually lead rehearsals. Many event planners and coordinators are available for rehearsals, but sometimes require an additional fee. Assertive, trusted and/or organized family members may also run rehearsals.

ADDITIONAL LIMITATIONS & CONSIDERATIONS:
Feasibility – Are you planning your ceremony from abroad? If you are traveling specifically for the ceremony, you may not have the time or resources for a rehearsal. Are you budget-conscious? Some locations and professionals may charge extra for a rehearsal.
Availability of participants – Work, travel and other obligations may dictate who is able to attend the rehearsal.
Availability of venue – Some locations have a limited schedule of days/times set aside for rehearsals.

IF YOU DECIDE TO NOT HAVE A REHEARSAL:
Ceremonies with a small number of participants (especially those without children or elderly) do not always require a rehearsal. Simple, straightforward ceremonies (those without additional elements such as rituals or readings) also may not need to rehearsed. However, be sure to at least visit the location of the ceremony prior to the event, and assess the situation to consider the variables outlined above!

venus, officant and Life-Cycle Celebrant® at A Non-Denominational Ceremony

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WEDDING VENUE WYNYARD HALL COUNTRY HOUSE HOTEL COLLECTS 4 STARS FROM AA

One of my favourite wedding venues, Wynyard Hall Country House Hotel has been awarded 4 stars from the AA Hotel Guide

in recognition of excellence in facilities and service

- just two years after opening.

The hotel has also

been awarded a prestigious AA Rosette in recognition of culinary excellence and it

becomes one of the few hotels in Tees Valley to be awarded this accolade.

Opening only 2

years ago Wynyard Hall has constantly shown an extremely high level of facilities and service and by

gradually building on an excellent reputation has now been rewarded for providing the highest of standards.

The recent inspection from one of the leading AA advisors earmarked Wynyard Hall for a potential fast track

to Red Star standard, one of the highest trademarks of superior quality the AA award.

The potential and

recognition for the Hall, steeped in centuries of history and tradition was welcomed by the owners and

management and pays fitting tribute to the exceptional development and rejuvenation of the family owned

estate.

Managing Director, Allison Antonopoulos, welcomes the good news and said ‘I was delighted with

the outcome of the inspection and am looking forward to the future development of the Hotel.’

General Manager Scott Davidson, who operates the Hotel daily enthuses over the award. Scott has been a

hotelier for nearly 20 years and this is his first experience of operating a venue to achieve AA recognition.

SCott said ‘After a lot of hard work from the whole team, it is a real honour for Wynyard Hall to have been

awarded 4 stars and one rosette within only 8 months of operating as a hotel, especially as it is such a high

commendation in the industry. Hopefully we can use this as a platform to put the Hall firmly on the map as

one of the finest venues in the North East, or eventually in the UK.’

The newly styled Wellington Restaurant becomes one of only a few in the North East to be recognised

within the Rosette scheme and is quickly becoming one of the grandest, but friendly and attentive dining

experiences around, where the highest levels of skills and service combine with traditional and local produce

to delight and impress.

Originally opened as a Conference & Banqueting Venue two years ago Wynyard Hall has surpassed all

expectations and is now one of the leading hotels in the North East commanding an enviable wedding venue

playing host to over 150 weddings in 2010 - and with virtually every Saturday and Sunday booked for the next FOUR YEARS!

The 16 beautifully appointed bedrooms are an attraction for

leisure or corporate business and the recently opened Essential Time Treatment Rooms add a touch of

relaxation to an already tranquil setting.

Jason Moore, Head Chef also expresses his delight. Having only been at Wynyard Hall for a few months he

has nurtured and developed the kitchen brigade to producing food worthy of recognition. Having achieved

awards at previous venues, Jason is acutely aware of the standards required. Jason said ‘The award of one

rosette at such an early stage in the Halls development is a credit to the Kitchen and Restaurant team and

shows the high level of culinary and service skills we demand daily. Hopefully we can achieve even more

recognition as we are constantly striving to exceed customer expectations’.

Wynyard Hall now plans to expand the hotel to 80 bedrooms.

WELL DONE INDEED TO EVERYONE AT WYNYARD HALL, WE HAVE MANY BOOKINGS FOR WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY TO COME, BUT YOU CAN SEE THE FUN AND LAUGHTER HERE AT CAROLINE AND ANTONY'S WEDDING, AND AT KIRSTEY AND MARK'S WINTER WEDDING HERE.

If you would like me to be your official photographer, in a relaxed and easy style, no bother, no hassle and with superb photographs capturing the happiness and the atmosphere of your grand wedding or your intimate midweek wedding at Wynyard Hall Country House Hotel - I'm here to help.

You can see photographs from Caroline and Antony's recent summer wedding at Wynyard Hall HERE

See the sneak peek of Kirstey and Mark's Winter Wedding at Wynyard Hall HERE.

A sneak peek of Niki and Steve's wedding at Wynyard Hall are HERE

For the latest news of Wynyard Hall ... see HERE.

If you would like natural, relaxed and happy wedding photography from a 25 year professional wedding photographer to capture your fantastic wedding at Wynyard Hall, ring me for free on 0800 8047270

Check availability for 2011 / 2012 / 2013 RING ME NOW FOR FREE: 0800 804 7270 or 0778 715 0966 DON'T LOSE YOUR DATE

DIRK VAN DER WERFF

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HEADLAM HALL WEDDING EXHIBITION

Headlam Hall is one of those very special exclusive use wedding venues with great reviews wherever you look.

The staff are magnificent, the location stunning, and the spa hotel west of Darlington on the edge of Teesdale and County Durham is in the top two of my favourite wedding venues for wedding photography.

My photographs above from Rachel and Jonathan's wedding and from Rhoanne and Andrew's wedding are just one photograph each from their weddings at Headlam Hall - see a more extensive selection of my favourite images from their weddings at Headlam Hall, HERE and HERE.

So, this Sunday, the annual Headlam Hall wedding exhibition will be held between 2pm and 5pm in the Edwardian Suite.

This is an first class opportunity to see the superb facilities of Headlam Hall and to talk with a member of their wedding team.

There will be an extensive range of high quality wedding service providers to make your wedding at Headlam Hall something really special.

If you would like me to be the official wedding photographer at your wedding at Headlam Hall, please ring for FREE on 0800 804 7270 or my mobile on 0778 7150966

MORE DETAILS ON MY WEBSITE HERE

My latest wedding news and photographs HERE

View recent reviews, wedding albums and video slideshows HERE:

DIRK VAN DER WERFF

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Anthony & Juliana - Twins - Baby Pictures - NJ Portraits by http://wwwabellastudios.com

Marianna and Jimmy had their babies July 6, 2010 at St Barnabas Hospital in Livingston. The twins were born at 34 1/2 Weeks. Their names are Anthony Francesco and Juliana Francesca. Anthony is named after his Grandfather and Francesco is after his Great Grandfather. Juliana's middle name is Francesca after her Aunt. They did quite well in the hospital being preemies. Little Anthony needed a little oxygen and was on a feeding tube for a few days and Juliana was eating through a bottle and needed no oxygen. Marianna and Jimmy couldn't be happier having twins. It was a difficult road for Marianna to get pregnant and with a little help they were blessed with not one but two beautiful children. Congratulations guys! Enjoy!

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Title: Anthony's Death

WATCH IAN'S EMBARRASSING VIDEO: http://smosh.com/videos

When an Easter egg hunt goes horribly wrong, Ian finds living life without Anthony is just too much. So he does what any good friend would do Part 1 of a 2 part series!

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SUNDERLAND PRE-WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY PORTRAITS FOR SHELLEY AND STEVE

Last week I spent some time with Shelley and Steve whose wedding at Langley Castle is in December - one I'm very much looking forward to.

Roker beach at Sunderland has a has a great siginificance for Shelley as she often came here with her father when younger and now brings her own children here too, to walk along the beach and touch the pier before walking back - just as she did with her father all those years ago.

So, we spent an hour or so walking a beach on a crisp and cold day in November and we created some lovely images together. The day was overcast - perfect for some nice moody images!

They are so looking forward to their wedding at Langley Castle - and I'm very much looking forward to being a part of their great celebrations. I hope you enjoy a few of the photographs ... and I must also remember to post a photograph of their fantastic wedding invitation!

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Bridal Portraits Should Not Look Like Yearbook Photos

I have to admit, I was not pleased with my bridal portraits. My first reaction when I got the pictures back from the photographer was "Why do these remind me of my awkward yearbook pictures?!"

Exhibit A: The dreaded school portrait head tilt.
You remember this from middle school. The photographer says "Ok, now, angle your shoulders away with me, but turn your face towards me, and then tilt your head...more tilt, more tilt". All the while, you're thinking "Is this right? Are you sure this is going to look good?"

(school portrait from Lifetouch)

Exhibit B: Awkward pose with a prop.
Senior portraits all seem to have some sort of ladder, tree, or huge class year numbers to lean on. Is this supposed to make it look more natural than the head tilt?

(school portrait from Classic Camera Photography)

School portrait poses asides, I felt like the majority of the poses we did were completely unflattering to my specific body type and more importantly unflattering to MY DRESS.

Most of the shots were taken by the photographer kneeling on the ground and looking up at me, making me look, well let's just say "larger than life". As I was looking down at the camera, it also exposed a nice double chin effect. What bride doesn't want that in her pictures?


The photographer was also a big fan of having me stand away from him, and then twisting my torso to face the camera or at something behind me. I'm pretty sure this is supposed to make you look thinner. But that doesn't take into account that my dress' boned bodice will not twist *with* my body; it will stubbornly stay faced away, pinching my skin and flattening out my under arm. The result is that my side looks like flab is spilling out over the dress and my arm looks like it doesn't understand the word "push-up". Fabulous.


I did come out of the session with some good pictures. The photographer stood on a chair and shot down at me while I sat on the ground. There's no gorgeous backdrop, but these are the only pictures where I feel like I came off looking pretty and like myself. Look, no double chin!

The best picture of the day was a completely candid shot as we were walking to the car to leave.

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