Kiss + Tell with Susie Forrester

My friend, photographer Susie Forrester is one of these gifted, reflective observers who experiences awe when witnessing the magic of a loving kiss. She describes those kisses as, "filled with everlasting promise, desire, soulful connection and trust."

When so much beautiful emotion is present, it's easy for a talented photographer to capture it. Here are some of Susie's favorite kiss shots.  

 

Love how the bride's cakey fingers are held away from her groom...for now at least.

I choose you in the privacy of our hearts...

"The kiss is beautiful, always so happenstance, spontaneous.
It is filled with childlike innocence and delight.
It is filled with ageless wisdom and purity of faith.
I have photographed many newly wedded kisses.  

They are each different, yet resonate love, as love does so well!
My heart opens each time....always"--Susie Forrester

Susie Forrester is a celebrated fine art photographer based out of Stroudsburg, PA in the Pocono Mountains. She does wedding, event and portrait photography. See more of her work at her website http://www.forresterphoto.com

The Sofreh, the centerpiece of the Persian Wedding Ceremony

I recently had the pleasure of officiating the symbol-rich and perfectly-appointed wedding of Raha + Adam at Philadelphia's Kimmel Center of the Performing Arts.  An inter-faith couple, Raha wanted to incorporate some of the most meaningful elements from her family's Iranian tradition.

Raha's Sofreh was lovingly curated and prepared by her mother and two aunts.

The centerpiece of the Persian wedding ceremony is the Sofreh. During the ceremony, the couple sits in front of a table filled with family heirlooms and exotic items, each meant to serve as a blessing to the couple in their marriage. 

Raha's reflection in her Sofreh mirror as the bride and groom share a glance.

Among the many items present in the Iranian marriage spread are things like a candelabra with lit candles and a mirror to signify a bright and energetic future.  Wishes for wealth, health, family and a life filled with beauty are also represented by nuts, herbs, flowers, eggs and beautiful silks.

In the Kalleh Ghand tradition, a happily married woman, rubs two cones of sugar together over the bride and groom's head, showering them with blessings for a life filled with sweetness and love.

Wishes for the bride and groom to have a shared life filled with sweetness was shown many times throughout the day. One of my favorites was the tradition of the Kalleh Ghand. While Raha and Adam were still seated looking at their Sofreh, a beautiful silk was held over the heads while the bride's sister Sara (a happily married woman) generously rubbed two cones of sugar together, showering the couple with flakes meant to bless them with a life of sweetness and love.

Kahl Weddings

At the end of the ceremony, the bride and groom each dip their pinky finger in honey and touch it to the others' lips.  This is meant to show their intentions and hopes for a sweet future.

As I watched Adam and Raha partake in this ancient Asal ritual, I couldn't help but see it also as a personal promise to bring sweetness to the life of the other as they embark on the grandest adventure of all. 

A special thanks to Andy from Kahl Weddings for capturing so many beautiful moments. And congratulations to Raha and Adam--may your life be filled with enough sweetness and love so as to last a thousand years.

Kiss + Tell with Douglas Benedict

Although each of my couples inspires a unique ceremony, one thing remains relatively constant—the way each ceremony ends. No matter the religious beliefs, ages, size of the wedding or particular journey the couple took to get to this moment, all of my weddings end with the Declaration-where I announce that they are now officially and legally recognized as a married couple. Then they kiss. 

Most people recognize this part--the kiss--as the end of the ceremony. Crossing this threshold of life together, the couple kisses, the crowd cheers and claps, cue some awesome uplifting song and the glowing couple exits.

Although a couple will probably end up with many pictures together kissing and canoodling on their wedding day, there’s something really special when the stars align and a photographer can capture this moment as it is happening.

Here's some highlights from my Q&A with Lehigh Valley-based Photographer Douglas Benedict about his kissing advice and where he finds inspiration...

Alisa Tongg: Do you have any general advice for couples who want to have their ceremony kiss captured?

Douglas Benedict: Sometimes it's as simple as making sure they don't have their backs to the audience and the camera.

AT: When you're out on shoots alone with a couple, do you have any hints for helping them to relax and get lost in the moment? When being photographed most people feel like they have to pose, look a certain way, or get stuck in a hard smile (that happened to me recently, thanks for easing me back off the ledge C.J. Dewolf). Do you have a mantra or something that you share with people to help them enjoy?

DB: Very few people genuinely want to have their photo taken but everyone wants good photography. Wedding days are easier because couples tend to be all wrapped up emotionally in the day. On those days, I am all about the candid--catching moments as they really happen, staying out of the way and letting reality unfold.

"The body language in these photos show a moment of true intimacy between the couple. They are the only people in the world at that moment. The trick? It's the same trick you need for the entire day: Be lost in the moment. Dial out all the wedding day noise and let yourself get lost in the day. Don't worry about how your kiss will look - just kiss! You just got married!"--Douglas Benedict

Douglas Benedict Photography, LLC is a small independent studio in Bethlehem, PA. They accept a limited number of weddings each year in order to give each couple the personalized attention needed to capture their story in an artistic a beautiful way. For more information visit his website http://www.douglasbenedict.com/

Kiss + Tell... an ongoing series

My favorite movie growing up was The Sound of Music.  The main love story, (the one that made me hopeful in my own future romantic endeavors as a hard worker and skilled babysitter) was burned into my mind hundreds of times. Captain von Trapp has just decided that he really loves Maria, the plain novitiate who has brought music back into his home and love into the hearts of his (gulp) seven children. It’s a moonlit night and the Captain and Maria find themselves in the gazebo down by the river. You know the scene: dreamy Christopher Plummer and wholesome Julie Andrews in silhouette. They start singing:

Perhaps I had a wicked childhood
Perhaps I had a miserable youth
But somewhere in my wicked, miserable past
There must have been a moment of truth

For here you are, standing there, loving me
Whether or not you should
So somewhere in my youth or childhood
I must have done something good

Without fail, right before their lips would meet and things would be set right with the world again, my father would cover my eyes and say, “they’re just holding hands.” Every. Single. Time. 

I knew what they were doing. They were kissing. Like, really kissing. Like, kissing because they were in love and were going to spend their lives together. Rationally, I knew that a few minutes later Maria would make her way past the nuns singing a reprise of “How do you solve a problem like Maria” (which my father had charmingly changed to “How do you solve a problem like Alisa”) on her way to marry Captain von Trapp.  Knowing all of this however, didn’t take the sting out of missing their gazebo kiss or make it any less frustrating. 

Ok, so I admit it. There’s something kind of voyeuristic about it, and therefore me. I’m a big fan of PDAs. And as a fan, there’s something really satisfying about witnessing two people who genuinely love each other share a moment of tenderness, affection and connection. It gives me hope. 

As a Wedding Celebrant, I can’t think of a more socially acceptable time than at the end of a wedding ceremony when even the prudes want to see some good PDA. Unfortunately this is also the time that even the best of the make-out queens might feel a little distracted and thrown off their game. 

That’s why in the coming weeks, I will be featuring advice and inspiring images from some of my best photographer friends on how a couple might approach their "ceremony kiss" so that it conveys the feelings they wish, bursts the hearts of those watching and photographs well. 

In the meantime, you can check out my collection of inspired PDAs on my Smooches Pinterest Board

Creative Spotlight, Moi?

I was flattered to be featured in Danielle Pasternak's Creative Spotlight this week.  Danielle is a licensed wedding coordinator based out of Scranton, Pennsylvania who specializes in full-on wedding planning and can also be brought in for day-of coordination. Equipped with her checklist and fashionable yellow tote, we sat down for lunch to talk about inspiration, superpowers and of course, LOVE.

Here's the interview here:
 
http://dpnak.com/creative-spotlight-alisa-tongg-storyteller-and-celebrant/

18 Days

-->

Last month, I got a call early Monday morning from a bride who was looking for someone to perform her wedding ceremony.  Doris had only two questions: Would I be willing to conduct their service in the hospital? And if yes, could we do it this week?

Two days later I was making my way through the hospital corridors toward the groom’s room. Not knowing how mobile Tom would be, I had been prepared to do one of those bedside weddings that I had seen in the movies (and far too many sitcoms.) Tom informed me that he was going to use his Physical Therapy Session to get dressed into his ceremony clothes and that he would meet Doris and me in the hospital chapel.

I don’t know if that chapel had ever been used for a happy occasion like a wedding, everyone working there couldn’t seem to remember one. But on that day at 12 o’clock in the afternoon, with candles lit and sunlight coming through the stained glass, Doris and Tom remembered how they met through a personal ad many years ago, reminisced of their hunting adventures through Africa, stated their hopes for the future, and acknowledged the frailty of life.

They made vows to each other and exchanged rings. And even though I could tell sitting and speaking were starting to take their toll on Tom, when it came time to seal their vows with a kiss, he was there.

This weekend Doris called to tell me that Tom had passed away in her arms. She wanted to thank me for helping to make their dream come true.  I thanked her for showing me a deeper dimension of love and devotion. They shared 18 days together as husband and wife.

A Hawaiian Tradition In A Very New England Wedding

-->

When we first started talking about their December ceremony in Boston, Emily + Amy were sure they wanted to include something from Hawaii--something that would demonstrate the Aloha Spirit that Emily had experienced as a teenager living in Maui.  We decided that a hand-fasting would be the perfect fit for their ceremony.

Long ago when exchanging rings was only the possibility for the very rich, ordinary folks would pledge themselves to each other (often in a field) and have their hands bound together with a piece of ribbon, cord or tartan plaid from the bride’s family.  

In Hawaii, the custom is the same, only a lei is used instead.  Besides being beautiful to look at, leis are a symbol of love and respect, a way to honor someone and a way to mark a celebratory moment. 

I removed the lei from around my neck and wrapped Amy + Emily's hands together.

Emily ordered a maile lei to be delivered overnight from Honolulu for her wedding day, and as I took the lei from around my neck to wrap their hands together, I said, “May the spirit of Aloha, which means generous love and warm acceptance be plentiful in your lives together”.

 

Aubrey B Greene Photography www.aubreybgreene.com

Lovely bride Amy at her reception adorned with a maile lei.

They remained joined by the beautifully green and fragrant maile lei throughout the rest of their ceremony.  In a beautiful gesture at their reception, Emily draped the maile lei around the neck and shoulders of her bride Amy.  It was breathtaking. They were breathtaking.