VMPhotography

Blackening the Bride

2012-03-01T19:55:00.001-08:00

Every wedding celebration has to have a few pre-wedding rituals to get things started. Some are a bit more odd than others, of course. In Scotland for example, the usual bridal showers that we have in America aren't customary. Instead, Scottish brides are put through a far more unorthodox agenda.

The day before a Scottish woman's wedding, she is taken out by her friends and family. During such an outing, she is taken by surprise and covered with all sorts of foul substances at some point. These substances include eggs, feathers, and various sauces. Afterwards, she is taken around town for all to see. In the end, it's clear that pre-wedding rituals can vary wildly, yet they all involve a great deal of laughs and fun.

By Julia Dankov

Fiji's Wedding Dresses

2012-02-16T20:22:00.000-08:00

Every culture has its own style and way of dress. When it comes to wedding attire, it's very interesting to see what every part of the world deems customary for their wedding rituals. For example, the Fijian culture offers a selection of two quite specific, cultural wedding dresses, bias cut gowns and tapa cloth gowns. The designs of both are incredibly unique, making the tradition of wearing them truly special.

These gowns can be seen being worn by brides all over Fiji. The bias cut gowns are long, silky dresses with a low-cut back. They come in all shapes, sizes, and colors, and can therefore be customized down to the very last stitch. Because of this, the phrase "it's perfect" can be applied wholeheartedly. The tapa cloth gowns are long, colorful dresses constructed of tapa cloth made from mulberry bark and decorated with geometric prints. They're a bit more exotic of the two Fijian wedding dress types, however for those looking to really stick to old traditions, it's the perfect choice. It's easy to see why both dresses are so popular among Fijian brides; they've been around for several centuries and have remained as beautiful as ever through the years.

By Julia Dankov

Cake for the Couple!

2012-02-11T11:41:00.000-08:00

The sharing of the first slice of cake among the bride and groom is a tradition that's been around for quite a while. We've all heard of it, for it's not only extremely long-standing, it's immensely popular as well. The tradition originated in Rome several centuries ago, where people believed that it would signify the creation of a special bond. To this day, such a belief continues to stand strong.

This activity usually takes place right after the wedding ceremony and at the very beginning of the reception. Once the cake is revealed, the bride and groom dig in together. They feed each other small pieces of the cake, smiling and laughing away. The wheat that's used to bake the cake is often symbolic of fertility and a fruitful union, and the overall sweetness of the cake is thought to offer sweetness to the marriage. It's a quite fun and sweet tradition because of such symbols, and can be seen all over the world because of this.

By Julia Dankov

Father Daughter Dance

2012-02-02T17:43:00.000-08:00

When most people discuss father daughter dances, they refer to the wedding dance that takes place between a woman and her father on that woman's wedding day. This tradition has been around for several centuries, for its bittersweet and meaningful attributes have been touching the hearts of fathers for quite the while. Many choose to incorporate such a tradition into their weddings for this very reason.

The father daughter dance is traditionally the very first dance that takes place at a wedding. Soft music plays as a young woman and her beloved father sway, enjoying a quite touching moment together. Such a moment means a lot, for it symbolizes a father handing his daughter over to his new son-in-law and losing his long-standing protective embrace over her. The tradition is very common in the Catholic religion, where special emphasis is put on the relationship between a girl and any fatherly figure in her life, let it be a father, grandfather, or uncle. Of course the tradition stands at large in many other religions and cultures, for it's a massive part in the majority of weddings all over the world nowadays.

By Julia Dankov

Chinese Wedding Night Ritual

2012-01-26T21:44:00.000-08:00

The night after a wedding celebration is that of one filled to the brim with smiles, laughs, and love. In certain cultures though, the night after a wedding is far more important and means much more. Take the Chinese culture, for example. After a traditional Chinese wedding, the couple in question is to follow special rituals and customs throughout the duration of the night. Each ritual has a specific reason to it and symbolizes quite the lot.

After a Chinese couple's wedding celebration ends, the couple is put into a room in which they spend the entire remainder of the night. This room will be filled with lit dragon and phoenix candles, which are believed to drive away evil spirits and ensure a healthy and undisturbed marriage. The newlyweds spend their night drinking wine from two glasses tied together by a red string. This symbolizes the formal wedding vow in Chinese culture. They also feast on all sorts of food, including half-raw dumplings. These dumplings, although not very tasty, ensure happiness and indicate family prosperity. In between it all, small games, dances, and other such activities are done by the couple throughout the entire night. All in all, the newlyweds simply enjoy each others company, which is ultimately the most important factor of the night.

By Julia Dankov

Old, New, Borrowed, Blue

2012-01-19T20:18:00.000-08:00

Something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue; does this sound familiar? Most couples would say so. The tradition of having the bride wear something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue on her wedding day is quite popular. It dates back to Victorian times, when it was invented to offer a few symbolical signs of happiness, health, wealth, and more. Nowadays, as the purpose of the tradition remains the same, many couples choose to incorporate it into their wedding.

Something old should traditionally come from a happily married woman, so as to transfer happiness and wisdom. Something new should be the wedding gown or other such apparel, symbolizing a new beginning. Something borrowed should usually be an object of gold, so as to guarantee wealth and fortune. Something blue signifies the heavens and true love. Put all together, the objects are a symbol of all that a married couple should ever hope for. This tradition is a sweet and fun way of portraying such hopes, and so it's quite popular all over the world as well as in my own family!

By Julia Dankov

The Flower Girl

2012-01-12T19:46:00.000-08:00

Young, innocent, whimsical, those are all words people have come to associate with flower girls. It is because of this that they symbolize so much at weddings. It is also because of this that they have been around for so long, for they have been incorporated into just as many weddings nowadays as ever. When you think about it though, you come to wonder how the tradition started in the first place.

In medieval times, it was customary for royal weddings to have large amounts of particularly young guests. It became tradition of sorts for these young guests to bring herbs and flowers of all kinds with them to scatter before the wedding reception as a way of adding a bit of sweet and subtle beauty to the marriage ceremony. The flower girl we see nowadays mainly evolved from such traditions seen at Victorian weddings, back in the mid seventeenth to early eighteenth centuries. Then, a young girl was chosen to walk down the aisle right before the vows and exchanging of the rings wearing a white dress with a colored sash, carrying a decorative basket filled with flower petals. This same tradition is seen quite commonly all over the world now, as many people cannot help but wish to incorporate such a sweet and innocent image into their wedding celebrations.

By Julia Dankov

Video about our workshop in Kharkov, Ukraine

2012-01-06T08:42:00.000-08:00

www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOBHtOQQXuY

Gorka!

2012-01-05T20:24:00.000-08:00

Most would agree that all the real fun at a Russian wedding begins after the rings have been exchanged and the vows have been spoken. It's only then that the bride, groom, and wedding guests begin their feast and celebration. It's also then that the wedding guests weave a particularly old however heartwarming tradition into the celebration. With their glasses raised, they make a special toast in honor of the bride and groom, and begin to shout "gorka", meaning bitter. They repeat this over and over until the bride and groom have shared a kiss, or a few at that.

This tradition has been around for several centuries, however its message continues to remain the same. The tradition stands as a symbol of how any bitterness can be easily diminished by a few simple kisses, a few plain acts of love. To this day, many choose to incorporate this tradition into their wedding, and by doing so choose to symbolize something quite sweet and heartfelt.

By Julia Dankov

Finnish Bride-To-Be's

2011-12-26T18:50:00.000-08:00

Looking back on last weeks discussion, it is interesting to learn and quite important to remember that as widespread as the tradition of tossing the bridal bouquet is, there are other incredibly special ways of crowning "bride-to-be's" all over the world. For example, in Finland a tradition quite similar to and just as beautiful as the act of a queen passing her crown down to her descendants exists. This tradition is incorporated into weddings all throughout Finland, and quite commonly at that.

On her wedding day, a Finnish bride traditionally wears a golden crown. She keeps it on her head through the duration of the entire wedding; during the exchange of vows, through the feasts and dances, etc. It is only at the very end of the wedding that the bride finally removes her crown. After being blindfolded, she stands in the center of a circle of her closest female friends as they dance around her. After a little while, the bride takes her crown off and, still blindfolded, lowers it onto the head of whichever lucky woman happens to be closest. This woman is then considered to be next in line for marriage. The tradition is quite old yet is just as beautiful as it ever was, for there is just something absolutely charming about "crowning" a future bride.

By Julia Dankov

Why Do Brides Throw Their Bouquets?

2011-12-21T19:47:00.000-08:00

It's customary all around the world for brides to carry bridal bouquets with them at weddings. Even someone who's never attended a wedding would know that. This someone would also know that at some point during a wedding, the bride tosses this bridal bouquet of hers into a crowd of her closest female friends. It's believed that whichever woman catches the bouquet is next in line to marry. This tradition is old and long-standing, but how did it all start?

Ever since the general idea of weddings was introduced, people have considered brides to be particularly lucky people. Everyone wanted a piece of that luck. When a bride and groom would gather to throw their wedding, they would of course invite wedding guests. During the wedding, these guests would go to quite desperate measures to try and symbolize their desire for a piece of the brides luck; they would go so far as to chase her down and try to tear off bits of her bridal gown. Naturally, the bride would oppose this. That's why the idea of tossing the bridal bouquet came to mind, as a way of distracting the guests and leaving the bride with plenty of time to get away unscathed. Over the years, the activity evolved and replaced the act of tearing off bits of the bridal gown. Now, the tradition is seen at almost every wedding and still continues to symbolize the sharing of the brides luck.

By Julia Dankov

Poor Scottish Grooms

2011-12-15T18:12:00.000-08:00

Weddings are usually very elegant, luxurious events. Long white gowns and sleek black suits are worn, exquisite flowers and other decorations are arranged, classic music is played, and so on. Pre-wedding events however, aren't quite so. The Scots know this well.

A few days before a Scottish couples' wedding, the groom is taken out by his friends. During this outing, the grooms is ridiculed at the hands of his friends in extremely public places, such as restaurants, clubs, etc. The groom is sometimes dressed up in a padded outfit to resemble a pregnant woman, and other times is the victim of silly practical jokes. By the end of the night, all the men are heavily intoxicated. In this state, and stripped of all his clothing, the groom is dropped off in front of his house by his friends. Most wouldn't consider this a very pleasant way to end a night, but the Scots would beg to differ. At least they sure know how to throw a quite unique bachelors party!

By Julia Dankov

Smashing Plates in Greece

2011-12-08T20:39:00.000-08:00

Most couples, when at their weddings, choose to eat off of plates. You're probably thinking, so what? That's a seemingly normal thing to do. Greek couples, however, would disagree. They wouldn't choose to use their plates for a "normal" activity such as eating, they would instead choose to use them for a far more unique purpose. At Greek weddings, it's not uncommon to find the bride, groom, and whomever else is attending smashing plates all over the place. As wholly violent as the activity may sound, it has a lot of history and deep meaning.

The tradition of breaking plates at weddings and other such important events dates back to ancient times. Back in those days, people smashed plates at funerals all over Greece as a way of saying "good riddance" to the angst and pain they felt due to their losses. A little while later, the tradition of smashing plates began being incorporated into weddings all over Greece. Newlywed couples would stand in the doorways of their homes and smash plates on the ground to symbolize abundance and to summon a happy future together. Even now, the tradition is seen all around the world at Greek weddings, where plates are smashed during the reception. So next time remember, for many people, plates are only for meals!

By Julia Dankov

Spanish Miniature Brides?

2011-12-03T21:31:00.000-08:00

The Spanish culture is rich with all kinds of traditions. The tradition of the miniature bride is just an example of this. In Puerto Rico, many couples incorporate a miniature doll wearing a replica bridal dress into their wedding. This doll could be found standing on the head table or the cake table at the reception of a wedding. Capias, which are somewhat like favors for the wedding guests, are attached to the doll. During the wedding ceremony, the bride and groom pin a single capia on each of their wedding guests to represent their gratitude. So if you're ever looking for a unique way to thank your friends and family for attending your wedding, you should look into this old Spanish tradition.

By Julia Dankov

Day 10 - Capri

2011-12-03T10:42:00.000-08:00

It was November, but I wanted so badly to jump into the teal waters of Capri.

By Julia Dankov

Day 9 - Pompeii

2011-12-03T10:37:00.000-08:00

Saw the ghost of what once was Pompeii, with stone skeletons here and rocky corpses there.

By Julia Dankov

Day 8 - Rome

2011-11-26T15:39:00.000-08:00

I've never seen a church made almost wholly of gold, the St. Peter's Basilica changed that.

By Julia Dankov

Day 7 - Assisi

2011-11-26T15:28:00.000-08:00

Assisi; everything you would expect from a small countryside town, with narrow alleys and quaint shops.

By Julia Dankov

Day 6 - Florence

2011-11-26T15:20:00.000-08:00

The Duomo could be described in a few words; beautiful and easy to get lost in.

By Julia Dankov

Day 5 - Paris

2011-11-26T15:11:00.000-08:00

The Mona Lisa is a lot less intimidating than I thought she would be in person.

By Julia Dankov

Day 4 - Paris

2011-11-22T17:07:00.000-08:00

Had French coffee this morning, thought, "what the hell have I been drinking all these years?"

By Julia Dankov

Day 3 - Paris

2011-11-21T14:54:00.000-08:00

Nothing's better than the Eiffel Tower at night, not even the crepes I had this morning.

By Julia Dankov

Day 2 - London

2011-11-20T15:40:00.000-08:00

Apparently, even getting pooped on by birds isn't enough to make a Buckingham Palace guard laugh.

By Julia Dankov (who had to learn this the hard way)

Day 1 - London

2011-11-19T15:52:00.000-08:00

Visited the place where Charles Dickens grew up, then rode a double decker. Accomplished? Hell yeah.

By Julia Dankov

Europe Here I Come!

2011-11-19T15:48:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone. I, Julia Dankov, will be going on a two-week trip to Europe, visiting everything from Italy to France to England, quite soon. While on this trip, I'll try my best to update the VMPhotography blog as much as possible and keep something resembling an online travel log or journal. Every day I'll write 16 words, no more and no less, summarizing that day. When the idea first came to my head I was sure that I would have the easiest time and that it would really take no effort whatsoever. Oh, was I wrong. Of course, I still accept the challenge and promise to do all that's in my power to succeed in it! See you all soon.

By Julia Dankov

Tying the Knot

2011-11-13T17:59:00.000-08:00

Marriage really symbolizes and celebrates the unity of two people and their eternal binding. Of course almost all would agree with this statement, however the Guatemalans and Mexicans take it a step farther and truly actualize it. As a symbol of the strong bond that marriage brings, many Guatemalan and Mexican couples choose to incorporate the old tradition of 'atando el nudo', or the 'tying of the knot' into their wedding ceremonies.

This tradition refers to the act of literally tying the bride and groom to one another, either by their shoulders or wrists. After having been bound together, the couple is blessed by the priest. In Guatemala, long silver ropes are used to do the deed and in Mexico, extra long rosaries are used instead. In the end however, the general idea is still the same. To any couple that really wishes to get across a message of strong unity and binding, this tradition is just what's needed.

By Julia Dankov

The Hora

2011-11-05T08:40:00.000-07:00

There are many essential things to a wedding. The exchanging of the rings, the feast, the dancing, these are all activities seen at almost all the weddings that take place all over the world. No Jewish wedding, however, is complete without one specific activity; the Hora.

The Hora is a traditional 'chair dance', where few strong and wedding guests hoist both the bride and groom above the dancing crowd while singing the traditional Jewish song 'Hava Nagila'. Some people choose to fill their wedding nights with food and dancing, however the Jewish people choose to add something quite unique, fun, and altogether that much more special; the Hora.

By Julia Dankov

Love Padlocks

2011-10-27T18:40:00.000-07:00

Throughout the ages, people have been searching for extraordinary ways to express their love for one another. Whether it be by means of breathtaking proposals accompanied with a gleaming rings or romantic vacations filled with laughs and entertainment, these people have succeeded in doing so. In the mid 1900s a fresher idea than the rest was introduced to couples all over the world; love padlocks.

The tradition was first believed to have been established in the city of Pécs in Hungary, where students hung padlocks of all shapes and sized onto various fences and railings. Sources later confirmed that this tradition dated farther back and was actually introduced in China, where old padlocks are still seen hanging on numerous stretches of the Great Wall of China. Now, these love padlocks are seen all throughout the world, in Germany, Ukraine, Russia, Italy, France, Japan, Korea, Spain, Sweden, The United Kingdom, the USA, and more. Each padlock is individually decorated with all sorts of heart-warming personal touches, really giving each and every hunk of metal it's own story and background. Love really is an extraordinary thing, a miracle, and these little padlocks are able to capture their own bits of it.

By Julia Dankov

Наш Мастеркласс в Фотошколе ИЦФ в Харькове

2011-10-25T09:00:00.000-07:00

Начало 4 Ноября.

http://digitalphotoart.com.ua/vyberi-kurs/author/svadba-viktor-miloslavskij/

The Irish Honeymoon

2011-10-20T19:28:00.000-07:00

The tradition of going on a honeymoon after a wedding is quite old and has been around for a while. Every couple dreams of going on a romantic trip of some sort with their loved one, whether it be to the tropics, the mountains, ect. The real question is though, how did such a tradition come to be? Well, we've got the Irish and their 'month of honey' to thank.

Ever since the very beginning of Irish civilization, the 'month of honey' has been around, referring to the month after an Irish wedding in which the couples drink mead, a brew made of mainly fermented honey. The friends and relatives of these couples are the ones to supply significant amounts of mead, as well as special goblets to drink it out of. Such a tradition was believed to enhance virility and fertility, as well as simply set the marriage off to a good start. Although our ideas of honeymoons are quite modernized and varied, the idea and message remains the same.

By Julia Dankov

Sweden's Unusual Wedding Bouquets

2011-10-13T19:17:00.000-07:00

Flower bouquets are customary additions to weddings all around the globe, whether they stand in pots around the room for decoration or in lay in the hands of the bridesmaids. The Swedes, however, have quite an unusual take on the average wedding flower bouquet. If you ever choose to attend the wedding of any Swedish couple really wishing to follow one of the oldest wedding traditions in the book, then get ready to spend your entire night trying to breathe as little as humanly possible. Why, you ask? Well, it might have something to do with the fact that the Swedes often replace lilacs and lilies for smelly weeds.

This old wedding tradition requires the bridesmaids to carry bouquets of putrid-smelling weeds in their arms for the entire night, just as any common wedding requires the bridesmaids to carry around bundles of pretty little blossoms. This is done to supposedly ward off trolls and other such evil spirits. You can only imagine how much fun the guests have at weddings like these, having to hold their breath for large portions of the entire night. On the bright side, at least they'll be sitting in rooms or restaurants that are virtually evil spirit free!

By Julia Dankov

Why the Veil?

2011-10-07T18:18:00.000-07:00

So you're at a wedding, waiting for the alliance of your good friends or relatives to be blessed and deemed official. You're sitting in a church or restaurant, wherever it may be, socializing amongst the other wedding guests. Out of nowhere, music starts playing, chatter subsides, and heads turn towards whatever entrance the venue has. There, the beautiful bride begins her way down the aisle or hall. Hushed whispers and proud smiles dance around the room as you look the woman over. You notice her flowing dress or any other attire, her polished accessories, and usually, her long, sweeping viel.

Now, veils are very common accents to the wedding attires of brides all over the world. You may be wondering, why are they so popular, so important? The tradition of wearing a wedding veil is very old, dating back to as far as the ancient times. Yellow in ancient Greece and red in ancient Rome, the traditional wedding veil came in many varied shapes, sizes, and styles. Even in present day, wedding veils are available in thousands of different colors, materials, ect. There are many stories of the wedding veil's true origin. Some say it was worn to protect the bride from evil spirits on her day of marriage, for it concealed her face and confused these spirits. Others say it was worn to protect the bride from 'the evil eye' and to symbolize purity, chastity, and modesty. No matter the wedding veil's origin or where, when, and by whom it was worn, it really only stood for, and continues to stand for, one thing and one thing only; a truly happy event in any couple's life.

By Julia Dankov

Stealing the Bride

2011-09-30T19:25:00.000-07:00

Playing games, fooling around, other such things along those lines, they're all simply essential for a wedding. Weddings can't be taken too seriously, they're a time for celebration and having fun, right? The Russians, for one, sure seem to agree with this statement. Amongst several other activities, almost all Russian weddings include a specific game called 'Stealing the Bride'. At these weddings, if the groom doesn't keep too good an eye on his bride, she's eligible to be 'kidnapped' by the friends and family of the groom. In order to get her back, the groom must carry out the hilarious and sometimes even humiliating tasks demanded by the brides' 'kidnappers'. Dancing, singing, reciting poetry, solving riddles, and other such 'missions' are good examples of how the groom must 'pay a ransom' to get his bride back. Often getting all of the attending wedding guests doubling over with laughter, this game is a good installment to any wedding. Although the tradition is old, it's still a common activity at many Russian weddings.

By Julia Dankov

Canada's Notre Dame Cathedral

2011-09-19T15:36:00.000-07:00

So, we've all heard of the famous Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France, have we not? From the very beginning of the church's existence, from it's assembly in 1163 to present day 2011, the building has stood strong and has served as a universal icon of religion and culture. Along the way, however, a replica Notre Dame Cathedral was constructed in Montreal, Canada. The main construction of the church took place between 1824 and 1829. In 1830, it was finally opened to the public, and two towers were added later on, the first in 1841 and the second in 1843. To this day, the old cathedral is open to tourists and other such visitors.

A few weeks ago, my family and I went on a trip to Canada and while there, stopped by the Notre Dame Cathedral in Montreal. After waiting for what felt like hours upon hours on a line to get in, I finally made it inside the building I had heard and read so much about. It didn't take long for me to realize that waiting on that long line was very much worth it. The church was 259 by 151 feet of pure beauty, what with it's impeccably designed Gothic Revival interior, it's mesmerizing decorations and decorations and sculptures, it's grand organ, etc.

By Julia Dankov

2011-09-15T10:38:00.000-07:00

Street dancers. Flamenco. Toronto Canada

Julia and Pavlo Wedding

2011-08-22T17:24:00.000-07:00