Abby started out her day at Central Synagogue, and then had her evening celebration at the New York Athletic Club on Central Park South (where 30 of us went upstairs to the Solarium for family photos – the Kanders are a big bunch).

Abby’s mom Julie spoke at the party about service and community. Turns out Abby comes from a family of trailblazers – her dad is the first Jewish board member at the NYAC! Unleashed, who Abby did her mitzvah project with, was featured at the party – you can see photos we took of Abby with Leo, a sweet puppy adopted through the organization. Check out Unleashed’s web site to get involved or foster a puppy.

Special thanks to Lisa at the NYAC and Caroline and the crew at Total Entertainment for being great to work with, to Noir Hanna Floral Design, who brought in beautiful cherry blossoms in peak bloom, and to Alyssa my 2nd photographer.

You can view the slideshow here:

Mazel tov to Abby and her family!

–
Central Synagogue
212-838-5122
652 Lexington Ave New York, NY 10022

Lisa Hollman
lisah@nyac.org
212-767-7165
New York Athletic Club
180 Central Park S, New York, NY 10019

Caroline Frank
Cfrank@totalentertainment.com
201-894-0055
Total Entertainment
77 W Sheffield Ave, Englewood, NJ 07631

Richard Myer
richard@noirhanna.com
646-429-9578
Noir Hanna International, Inc.
800 Sixth Avenue, New York, NY 10001

Dean Hatami
dean@greatneckgames.com
516-747-9191
Great Neck Games and Productions
275 Jericho Turnpike, Mineola, NY 11501

Videography by Conrad Burnham
burncrad4@gmail.com

Unleashed
info@unleashedny.org
646-580-5421
P.O. Box 8175, New York, New York 10150

Back to slowly updating my blog. This one’s from when Dia and Jeremy tied the knot last winter in 2012. I visited them last week, and Dia now is over 4 months pregnant! Yay. So this long overdue blog post is a little tribute to their love, and to the awesome baby girl they will be raising together in Park Slope – and (if they’ll let us) with help from friends and family, myself included. Congratulations, D+J!

The photos, by the way – these two wanted a quiet, intimate ceremony, so we started out the day with Dia and Jeremy getting ready at their home in Park Slope. It was a cold rainy day and we were running late, but we managed to catch a few just outside their apartment. Then we hopped in a cab over to the Islamic Cultural Center on the Upper East Side, where we were joined by some of Dia’s family and good friends, since both of their families live mostly overseas. It was my first time photographing inside a mosque – a beautiful space, as you can see. And an equally lovely ceremony – although, as I remember, a band of interlopers in the form of a tour group got to witness it as well! “Same time tomorrow,” Jeremy joked with them afterwards.

Speaking of Jeremy and Dia’s signature sense of humor, I don’t know if you can see it but the form being filled out in the photos lists as Dia’s dowry one “Le Creuset Cooking Pot (Large).” You guys.

Seriously, though. Getting to witness and be a part of something like this is maybe the biggest perk of being a photographer.

Much love to you two. You three!

–
Islamic Cultural Center
www.islamicculturalcenter-ny.org
1711 3rd Ave New York, NY 10029
(212) 722-5234

Last weekend I photographed Sari’s Bat Mitzvah, which was special for me because I photographed her older brother Josh’s Bar Mitzvah. This is the first year I’ve worked with siblings, and it’s great to watch families change and grow.

Sari and her family had the service at Park Avenue Synagogue, and their celebration at the W Hotel in Union Square. Special thanks to Donna, Mike and Meghan at the W, as well as Ava and the crew at Shine Events, for helping to put together a great night. Highlights include Sari’s custom Chucks, a customized photo booth provided by Shine, mini cones of Friendly’s ice cream for dessert, and Sari’s choreographed dance at the end of the night.

Check out the slideshow here:

Mazel tov again to Sari and her family!
–
Ava Popovich
Shine Events
ava@shineevents.com
845.535.3100 Ext. 11

Regina LaVecchia, Event Designer
Diana Gould LTD
regina@dianagouldltd.com
(212)629-6993
146 East 37th Street
New York, NY 10016

Vanessa Alsondo
cake@everythinglulu.com
Lulu Cake Boutique, Scardsale
914-722-8300
40 Garth Rd Scarsdale NY 10583

Simone Cioborara
Hair Stylist
917-364-5114
steasimona@aol.com

Meghan Houseal – meghan.houseal@whotels.com, 917-534-5806
Michael Vellos – michael.vellos@whotels.com, 917-534-5903
Donna Rybak – donna.rybak@whotels.com, 917-534-5901
W Hotel New York, Union Square
201 Park Ave S, New York, NY 10003
Phone:(212) 253-9119

Hi everyone,

Happy spring! It’s been a while since my last post, so I have a lot of photos (a year’s worth!) of photos to share. The set I’m sharing today is about Kate, who became a bat mitzvah last year on a snowy day in January. You wouldn’t know it from the photos – her celebration, held at the Yale Club, was Fire Island themed. (Special thanks to Dari from the Yale Club and Matt from Shine Events for being a pleasure to work with.)

First, though, here’s a few of my favorite photos from their family portrait session in Central Park the autumn before. In her infinite wisdom, Kate’s mom, Alissa, picked the best time of year for photos in the park. The leaves!

Even though I gave myself extra time to get to the Yale Club because of all the snow, when my second photographer Tara and I walked into the space, we wished we had arrived a whole hour earlier. I had known beforehand that Kate’s grandmother lovingly designed and made by hand all the Fire Island themed decor for the party, but to see it in person was something else. We rushed around trying to capture all the thoughtful details.

For example, guests could write Kate messages on vintage postcards. For place cards, each guest picked their name out of a board titled “Meet Me At…” with the name of a different location (like “Beach,” “Library,” even “Dr’s Office”), which matched each table’s unique centerpiece. There’s much more, but my favorite was the framed portraits representing family members, including grandparents and great grandparents, who were celebrating in spirit.

I could write a whole blog post just about the decor (maybe someday I will), but for now enjoy this handful of images. I hope we did them justice.

The celebration for this lovely family included a horah,a candle lighting and blowout,games,a sweet father and daughter dance,lots of hugs,an old fashioned photo booth,and a happy Kate surrounded by family and friends.
Feel free to check out the video of Kate’s Bat mitzvah here:

And the family portrait session in Central Park:

Congrats again to the Sherwins! Much love.

–

Congregation Rodeph Sholom
7 W 83rd St New York, NY 10024
212-362-8800

Yale Club
50 Vanderbilt Ave New York, NY 10017
drosalina@yaleclubnyc.org
212-716-2118

Shine events
719 W Nyack Rd West Nyack, NY 10994
845-535-3100
info@shineevents.com

Catching up on blogging, finally – been looking forward to posting photos from this lovely wedding. Sun, water, and greenery all around at Marlena and Barry’s wedding. They had a thoughtful ceremony, simple and bright DIY decorations, and a yummy brunch you’d expect of two food lovers. Friends and hugs everywhere! So sweet and so fun. Congrats again to M + B, and a big hug to you both.

Valley Green Inn
Valley Green Road at Wissahickon
Philadelphia, PA 19128
(215) 247-1730

Bredenbeck’s Bakery and Ice Cream Parlor
8126 Germantown Ave
Chestnut Hill
Philadelphia, PA 19118
sales@bredenbecks.com
(215) 247-7374

Elephant Heart Jewelry
1107 Fair Oaks Ave. #28
South Pasadena, California 91030
323-908-0828
support@elephantheart.com

Hi everyone! Hope your spring has been full of lying in the grass, working in the yard, beers on the front stoop while airing out your toes. I’ve got some good photo blogging coming up, but in the meantime, for something a little different…

I know that when you first sit down to think about planning a wedding or a bar mitzvah, it can be a little (or a lot) overwhelming. So I thought, why not interview someone who does this all the time, an expert if you will, and pass the advice on to you?

A few months ago I had the opportunity to talk to Ava Conoval, who works as the director of event coordination at an entertainment company. For those who don’t know, in the event industry an entertainment company is a one-stop shop for all things entertainment-related at a party, such as DJs, MCs, dancers, live music, lighting, multimedia, photo booths, gaming and other activities.

Here are Ava’s answers to the top three questions clients have about working with an entertainment company.

- 1. What should I splurge on, and what should I cut back on?

Invest in something that will transform a space and give it energy. Lighting, for example, changes the ambiance of a room in a heartbeat. You could also invest in something that will create an interactive experience for the guests, such as plasma screens that display zap shot photos & live simulcast of the event.

A party should be entertaining; it should encompass the right combination of entertainment elements that will naturally draw people together. We want to bring them into a space that makes them feel welcome and excited! Therefore, it is important to invest in the items that will make this happen.

Most importantly, you want the various elements of your party to complement your personal style! For brides and grooms, it is important to create a feeling in a space that is true to who you are; it should be a reflection of your two personalities as well as your individuality.

The same applies for Bar/Bat-Mitzvahs; you want all of the entertainment elements to complement your child’s personality as well as complement the dance floor (not compete against it). Talk to your child about what they envision for their party. Your entertainment provider can then guide you in the right direction of which activities and entertainment items will best suit your child’s personality (or the bride and groom’s personality), the crowd that is attending your celebration, and the space in which you are having your event.

- 2. What should I look for in an entertainment company?

First and foremost, look for a great MC whose style you like. The MC and DJ set the tone of the party, and when done right, they help people loosen up and have a great time. A great MC/DJ team can elevate a dance floor to the next level, and as a result, can turn a mediocre event into an incredible, memorable one.

Second, your contact at the entertainment company you hire for your event should be someone you feel comfortable working with long-term, since often planning a party begins a year in advance. Great service doesn’t start when your party starts; it starts when you start planning. So be sure to select a company that is focused on service and details, and can walk you through the entire planning process.

You should feel comfortable calling him or her up to ask questions. Creativity is key! He or she should listen to your thoughts and ideas, and then expand on them to turn your vision into a reality. He or she should guide you – not push you – in the right direction, by offering you great entertainers and entertainment options that suit your taste and your budget.

Third, if you are not working with a party planner, ask your entertainment company if they have event coordinators to be on site during the event. This can give you the comfort you need to know that all of the entertainment elements will be seamless, so that you can relax and enjoy the party you worked so hard to put together!

Finally, find someone whose business model you love. There are big name companies that do 20 events per weekend, there are boutique companies that focus on very personal attention and customizing the event to be as unique as the client who is hosting it, and then there is everything in between. Find what’s right for you.

And, of course, any great company will give you great references from past clients.

– 3. What should I avoid at all costs?

Avoid hiring a different company for every aspect of the event. There ends up being too many moving parts on the day of the event. Instead, hire one entertainment company who can provide all of the entertainment elements for you, as well as can recommend other vendors (ex: photographers, florists, decorators, venues) who provide the same level of quality customer service. As a result, you will have a seamless experience on the day of the event, rather than one that feels disjointed & fragmented.

A great entertainment company will make you feel like you are well taken care of from the very first phone call. We are here to make your planning experience as simple and as fun as possible, so let us help you plan the best possible event for you and your family!

Ava Conoval is the Director of Event Coordination at Shine Events, Inc., a boutique entertainment company, located in West Nyack, NY, that provides entertainment for events throughout the tri-state region. She has 10 years of experience in the event industry, and she says she loves how each and every event feels like she is producing a performance. She enjoys the challenge and satisfaction of putting together different entertainment components for each event, to make it a memorable, unique experience for each of her clients.

Check out some photos from Esther and Breandan’s lovely wedding out in the Hudson Valley in Rhinebeck, NY. What a beautiful day! They held a traditional Korean Paebak ceremony during the reception, followed by the Siege of Ennis, Irish dancing. The Rhinecliff, the reception venue, even flew the Irish and Korean flags in honor of their wedding. Congrats to Esther and Breandan!

Florist: Heather Forrest-Lundy of A Night in Bloom Event Floristry, 845.802.0750

Lovely family, and a beautiful day out in Long Island. Congrats to Perri and the Sheftels!

Philly reprezent! I went down to Philadelphia for the weekend last month for Marlena and Barry’s engagement session, and it was awesome. They’re awesome.

The Chestnut Hill neighborhood was perfect for our shoot b/c they’ve lived together there for years now. We got ice cream at Bredenbeck’s, who is also making their wedding cake, and even ended up in front of Barry’s barbershop. See you guys again for your wedding in October! Check out their engagement session slideshow for more photos.

Yay for catching up on blog posts! This bat mitzvah is from back in April. LOVE this family. You can also check out the slideshow of their event, and take a look at their family portrait session we did beforehand, one of my favorites ever.

Day-of-coordinator: Shira Citron
Venue: Pranna Restaurant
Decor: Stone Kelly
Entertainment: Untouchable Events
Transportation: Receptive Tours
Cake: Honeybee Cakes
Makeup: Bare Essentials
Hair: Jeffrey Stein Salon