#tried to combine both the groom and bride's outfit

[mramur]

tried designing a wedding suit for my wlw oc

[hand-picked-star]

The 13th Anniversary Arshi Fiesta

Moodboard : Historical AU

Whispers of the Heart | Chapter 08

I am not very good at writing ffs. I even read ffs very selectively. But it was an attempt of me to participate in the 13th-anniversary arshi fiesta.

I might be wrong about certain aspects of that age and era, but it's a fantasy, so why not? I don't own Arnav and Khushi and the story is purely fictional and has no relation to any living or dead. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Chapter 8

It was a joyous affair, brimming with colour and laughter. The blushing bride and groom faced each other, ready to begin their jaimala ceremony. Khushi's radiant smile lit up her face, her eyes sparkling with mischief and laughter. She was delighted to witness not only her brother's wedding but also one of her childhood friend's special day. She was somewhat relieved to see Arnav loosen up a bit as well.

Khushi was ecstatic when Mr. Ganguly and his family left early to catch their train, unable to stay for the late-night pheres. They promised to keep in touch once back in Calcutta. She secretly hoped they would break their promise.

As soon as the Pandit asked them to proceed the ceremony, Akash lifted Aman to prevent Anjali from placing the jaimala around his neck, causing ripples of laughter among the crowd. Suddenly, Arnav appeared from behind and lifted Anjali up, surprising both brothers. As a result, Anjali successfully placed the mala around her future husband's neck.

It was such a trivial moment, but Khushi couldn't help but blush as the muscles of his arms bulged beneath the black kurta from the exertion. The corded muscles of his back and shoulders rippled with strength as he moved. The sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, revealing his defined forearms sprinkled with dark hair. He had gotten a haircut a few days ago, and the neatness of it accentuated the ruggedness of the two-day stubble, making him look irresistibly handsome.

Khushi's gaze lingered on him, captivated by the effortless masculinity he exuded. Her thoughts began to drift, drawn into a vivid daydream. She imagined him dressed as a groom, standing tall and proud in a mandap adorned with flowers and lights. She saw herself standing beside him, her hands adorned with henna, dressed in a resplendent bridal outfit. The image was so vivid and beautiful that it made her heart ache. But as quickly as the vision appeared, she shook her head to dispel it. Khushi lowered her head, her cheeks still warm from the blush, and tried to focus on the present, determined not to let her imagination run wild.

A soft knock interrupted Khushi's struggle with an earring, prompting her to turn around from where she was sitting in front of her dressing table. There, on her doorstep, stood Arnav. The warm light above her head, combined with the fading evening glow, created a soft halo around her.

But as she tucked her loose hair behind her left ear, her fingers brushed against the earring she was wearing. Her mind went back to Arnav again and what transpired between them a few hours ago.

Arnav stood transfixed for a moment, taking in the marvellous sight before him. Khushi always possessed an effortless beauty, but today she looked truly ethereal in a maroon-red saree that draped elegantly around her figure. The colour seemed to illuminate her skin, giving it a radiant, almost translucent quality. Her raven-black hair flowed like a silken waterfall down her back, enhancing the allure of her appearance. For a brief moment, time seemed to stand still.

"Arnav," her soft voice broke his reverie.

" Um...I'm here for Aman's sherwani. He needs to get ready. It's almost time," He replied in a thick voice.

" Oh! it's on that table."

Nodding his head, Arnav moved towards the designated table but his attention was suddenly diverted by the sound of Khushi's distress.

" Hai !! Devi maiya!!! e kya ho geya???? What will I wear to the wedding now? " she whined.

"what happened? "

"See, my earring broke," she exclaimed, turning her whole body to the left.She displayed the broken pieces with an adorable pout. The corners of Arnav's lips lifted of their own accord.

He kneeled in front of her, "Let me see."

Handing him the earring, Khushi clutched the side of the stool she was sitting on. His proximity sent a shiver down her spine as his familiar scent swirling around her, tinged with a hint of musk and sandalwood. Despite her previous distraction with the earring, she couldn't help but notice how impeccably he had dressed for the occasion. The black kurta he wore draped his frame with subtle elegance. Was it the kurta that made him look so debonair, or was it he who made the ordinary kurta look spectacular? Before she could find an answer, she heard him ask. "Do you have any safety pin?"

Her hands darted out to find one. Once she handed it over, he deftly coiled its wire into a circle and used it to mend her broken earring, restoring it to its former charm. Khushi's entire face lit up, eliciting a sense of accomplishment in her companion as he gazed at her.

Taking the earring from him, Khushi turned back toward the mirror. Her fingers trembled as she attempted to secure it on her left ear. Each time she tried, the delicate jewellery slipped through her grasp, frustrating her efforts. Arnav remained kneeling before her, his gaze fixed on her struggle with a calm intensity. With a sigh of exasperation, Khushi tried again, determined to succeed this time. Sensing her struggle, Arnav reached out and gently grasped her hand. "Let me."

Carefully, he retrieved the earring from her trembling fingers and brushed her hair aside, exposing her left earlobe. He delicately secured the earring in her piercing. The warmth contrasted with the coolness of the jewellery. His fingers lingered, causing goosebumps to rise on the back of her neck. Their noses nearly touched as Khushi turned to meet his gaze. The air around them came alive, vibrating with an almost palpable energy.

Arnav's gaze drifted to the centre of her eyebrows; her bindi had become slightly askew from her previous struggle. Without breaking the moment, his left hand moved gently to adjust it, his touch gentle and focused, almost as if in a trance. After ensuring the bindi was perfectly in place, his fingertips trailed down her cheek in a tender caress. The closeness between them was intoxicating, and most importantly, Khushi's mind was free from any haziness. Even in the dim light, she could see the subtle dilation of his pupils and how the golden streaks in his irises blended seamlessly with the rich caramel brown. And how every tiny muscle in his face appeared to unwind, shaping his features into an expression she hadn't fully familiarized herself with yet.

"Oh, Sanka Devi, jaldi niche aao, aur kitni deer se taiyaar hogi ?"

Buaji's voice shattered the moment in an instant. Arnav swiftly rose, grabbed the sherwani, and hastily left her room. But, a spark of hope lightened her heart. It was the expression on his face, which had remained constant since he had come back to Dehli for the wedding. She always prided herself on being intimately familiar with every subtle nuance of his expressions, akin to knowing the back of her hand. However, this particular expression was unfamiliar to her—although she vaguely recalled seeing something similar when they kissed. But, She couldn't be sure, uncertain due to her hazy memory. Determined, she now felt compelled, more than ever, to utilize her expertise in deciphering Arnav's emotions from his facial expressions.

The laughter of the flocks around her brought Khushi back to the present.

After the jaimala ceremony, everyone moved closer to the mandap, where Arnav found himself standing beside Khushi. As the moment for the gatbandhan arrived, Khushi eagerly stepped forward but felt a firm resistance on her forearm. Turning back, she was surprised to see Suvadra Malik holding her elbow. In that instant, she noticed another familiar hand in her peripheral vision reaching for his Nani's forearm. As soon as Suvadra met Arnav's eyes, she released her grip on Khushi. Arnav encouraged Khushi with a subtle nod, prompting her to go forward.

Arnav turned back to his nani and said through his teeth,"What is your problem now? We talked about this earlier, didn't we?"

Suvadra glared at her grandson. "That girl is a bad omen, Apni baap aur ma dono ko nikal gayi."

''So is your granddaughter ''

''Khabardar jo anjali ki bare main ulta sedha bola toh! I just don't want any harm come to my Anjali bitiwa".

"I don't say anything, but that doesn't mean I can't. We are both here for her sake because we both want her to be happy. Don't create a scene. You'll only hurt your crystal-clear reputation." With a raise of his eyebrows, he drove his point home with his nani and left her fuming.

After that, the wedding went off without a hitch. Arnav was overjoyed for his little sister. Despite their difficult past, she had found love in an honourable man. No one knew Aman better than Arnav, and he was relieved that Anjali had found a husband like him.

As the final notes of the ceremony faded away, Arnav found himself engulfed in a profound sense of melancholy. Each moment, each fleeting glance, reminded him of what he was about to lose. With no reason to stay any longer, he knew he had to leave soon.

After the wedding, an impending doom loomed over Khushi, with each passing hour. To worsen the situation, a telegram arrived on the third day informing them that Mr. Ganguly had taken a liking to Khushi and wished to marry her as soon as possible. On one hand, Arnav was going to leave soon. She would probably never see him again. On the other hand, the marriage proposal became a pressing concern for her, despite Babuji's reassurance that they would not proceed without her consent. Yet, whether today or tomorrow, marriage seemed inevitable. Khushi couldn't afford to procrastinate on the marriage issue any longer, especially considering the impact it could have on Babuji's reputation. She always felt immense gratitude towards Amma and Babuji and couldn't bear the thought of them ever regretting raising her.

Khushi's heart pounded this time with urgency, urging her to summon her courage and confront Arnav once again with the knowledge and awareness, she didn't have before. She knew she owed it to herself to try, despite the fear and uncertainty. She needed answers, at least a closure, perhaps even a reckoning with the truth. It was her final chance to lay bare her heart and demand the honesty she deserved, regardless of the emotional toll it might take. She had nothing left to lose anymore.

That urgency and determination brought her to Arnav's door in the middle of the night, just a day before he was scheduled to leave.

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@featheredclover @arshifiesta @phuljari @jalebi-weds-bluetooth @chutkiandchotte @arshisrabbave @arshiradio @msbhagirathi @deliciouspistachios @titaliya

[siumerghe]

Historically, what was the color of wedding dress in China?

In the Chinese costume doramas, no matter the historical period, the bride and the groom usually both wear splendid bright-red clothes. 

However, what is shown on screen is not always historically correct. Red does have a festive meaning in China, but at different times there were also different customs and traditions, and the red color became prevalent for weddings relatively late - only during Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1912) dynasties.

Historically, the colors of wedding dress in China were:

From the Western Zhou to the Qin and Han dynasties - black (with red details). The Wei-Jin and the Southern and Northern dynasties - black with red, but also white. The Tang and Song dynasties - green for the bride, red for the groom. The Ming Dynasty - red for the bride, green, blue or red for the groom. The Qing Dynasty - red for both the bride and the groom (or the groom wore his official uniform if he had one).

From the Western Zhou dynasty to the Qin and Han dynasties the wedding clothes followed the Xuanxun principle 玄纁: "xuan" means black, and "xun" means scarlet. The wedding clothes were black, possibly decorated with scarlet patterns, the inner clothes could also be scarlet. 

This color combination was considered solemn and sacred: in ancient times  black was associated with the sky; and red meant the Earth, so the Xuanxun clothes symbolized the unity of Heaven and Earth.  

The preference for the black color was also connected to the fact that the true deep black color is difficult to achieve using simple herbal dyes. Back then it required mineral dyes, and the dyeing process was long and complicated. That’s why black fabric cost a lot and was used only for special occasions.

In the Qin dynasty, the first Chinese emperor Qin Shihuandi promoted the Five Elements theory. He believed that the Qin dynasty belonged to the Water element, which corresponded to the black color, so the flags and the official clothes of the Qin dynasty were black. This also contributed to the high status of the black color.

During the Han dynasty, the base color of the wedding attire was still black. However, due to the development of embroidery craftsmanship, wedding clothes gradually changed. They could be not only pure black but also reddish or yellowish, covered with exquisite embroidery. 

During the Wei and Jin dynasties, ethnic integration accelerated, and metaphysics and Buddhism grew in popularity. At that time, people longed to be as free and unrestrained as The Seven Sages of The Bamboo Grove, eager to return to nature and live a simple life. The aesthetics of this period was based on concepts of "nothingness”, “reverting to simplicity”, “pursuing freshness and elegance", so white became popular as a daily dress color. Eventually, even a tradition of a "white wedding" emerged. 

From today's point of view, it's a complete subversion of the "red for joy, white for funeral" custom. However, in the Chinese culture white dress didn’t always mean mourning. In fact, traditional mourning clothes were made not from bleached fabric - but from undyed, unbleached, coarse and plain fabric.

This “white wedding” custom wasn’t that widespread, and the black and red color combination prevailed till the Tang dynasty.

Tang was a very prosperous dynasty, the peak era in the development of ancient China. It embraced foreign cultural influences and was the most open and inclusive of all Chinese dynasties. Dyeing techniques were improved, the aesthetics was that of luxury and extravagance, and required bold and bright color combinations. So the tradition called “red man, green woman” 红男绿女 appeared: the groom wore a dark-red outfit, while the bride - a dark-green one. (Now 红男绿女 became an idiom meaning “young men and women in beautiful clothes”.) 

The Tang dynasty was the first time when the red color started to be used as a primary wedding color - but only for the groom. During the Tang dynasty, the ceremonial clothes of high-ranking officials were red, so for the groom, this color was considered auspicious and symbolized lofty status. 

Female wedding clothes were bright, many-layered, with various decorations, embroidery, etc, and included outer wide-sleeved garment - daxiushan - and the long and wide scarf - pibo. The hairstyle was decorated with ornate combs and hairsticks.

The Song dynasty inherited from Tang the "red man, green woman" tradition, but the wedding clothes became much simpler - in accordance with the Neo-Confucian teachings that advocated frugality and were accepted as the state ideology during this era. Brides were dressed in green, or green with red elements, and wore “lotus crowns“. Gradually “phoenix crowns“ also grew in popularity and soon became indispensable for female wedding attire.

During the Mongolian Yuan dynasty, the majority of the population was prohibited from wearing green, red, purple, and other bright colors by sumptuary laws. Most people had to wear dark brown in their daily life, and the wedding clothes of those who didn’t belong to aristocracy or didn’t have a high official rank were dull and plain.

In the Ming dynasty, the old color scheme of the Tang dynasty became reversed: the groom was usually dressed in green, and the bride - in red:

During this period the sumptuary laws made an exception for weddings: for this festive occasion people could wear clothes that were otherwise forbidden for someone of their status. Ordinary men were allowed to wear the lowest official uniforms when they get married. In the Ming dynasty, official uniforms were divided into three ranks: the highest rank was red, the middle one - blue, and the lowest rank - green. 

So, during the Ming dynasty, depending on the grooms’ social status, he could wear either green (in most cases), or blue - if he were an official of the middle rank, or red - if he were a high-ranking official. 

The bride’s clothes were red. The bride wore a “phoenix crown” or flower hairpins, a red veil over her head and face (or covered her face with a round fan), and also embroidered shoes as a symbol of good luck.

After the Manchu conquered China and established their Qing dynasty, the clothes and hairstyles changed drastically. The Han Chinese were forced to partially shave their heads (in the traditional Chinese culture cutting or shaving hair was considered a huge disrespect to the ancestors) and to adopt the national Manchu dress. The Han Chinese clothes - hanfu - were abolished (later the ban was partially lifted). On a plus side, the Manchu tried to eliminate the foot-binding tradition - unfortunately, without any success. Eventually, even the Manchu women started to imitate this custom by wearing the so-called “horse-hoof” shoes.

As time went by, the integration of the Manchu and the Han people deepened. The Qing dynasty ruled for a long time, and eventually the Manchu and the Han Chinese cultures pretty much blended together.

During this period, female wedding attire reminded that of the Ming dynasty, being red, with “phoenix crown” on the head, while men would wear formal official clothes of the Qing Dynasty. 

[scvrllet]

fairtytales / j.p

Pairing: James Potter x Fem!Reader

Summary: James always loved fairytales but one day, he finally learns why he shouldn’t believe in them so much

Prompt: “I can’t pretend about something that feels too real.” 

This is a submission for @approved-by-dentists‘ writing challenge which I’m so sorry for taking forever to finish

James Potter Tags: @hec1930 @jellybeanduck99 @jjklefttoe @mads-bri @dracoo-malfoy @niniabc

General HP Tags: @birdie-writes @lunaralpha270 @tinylumpiaa @slytherin-chaser @bloodblossom73 @pcseidcnsvoid @mischiefsemimanaged @accio-rogers @iamak20 @klaus-m-trash @obsessedwithrandomthings @susceptible-but-siriusexual @masterofthedarkness @lupins-sweater @hariosborn @vernon-dursley @slytherinwriter618 @missmulti @sambucky8 @a-c-lee @criesinlies @sokkasdarling

Permanent Tags: @sleep-i-ness @emmaloo21 @62442-am @flowersgrewbackasth0rns @un-limit-edd @angelicbabybutterfly @a-golden-sunflower-vol-6 @aliyahcat111 @hogswartshoe22 

Key: (Y/H/C) = your house colour

White lily flower petals littered the green grass, acting as an aisle for the bride to walk down as the guests waited impatiently in their seats. 

James was probably the most anxious out of everyone there. He had been in-love with you since sixth year back at Hogwarts and now here he was waiting for you to arrive at the wedding. 

Silver chairs were wrapped with pieces of white and ivory fabric, a combination you’ve always adored, and white tulips lined the aisle. There was a makeshift stage in front of them, where the bride and groom would stand and finally be one. The setting looked like something straight out of a fairytale. 

After a few minutes, you had apparated along with your parents. Since it was still in the midst of a war, you opted out of the traditional wedding dress your parents had wished for and opted for a simple but elegant dress instead. James held his breath as he watched your father walk you down the aisle and right pass him. 

***

Christmas was always your favourite holiday. Back home with your parents, the days counting down to Christmas were spent together as a family and gift exchanges were the best. You would’ve thought that this tradition would end after you got accepted into Hogwarts but your muggle parents had managed to get used to using the owl and were able to share the experience with you. 

With Christmas just a week away, your parents had already sent 7 owls, making the house elves who tended to the school owls very exhausted, and were sending another owl soon.

“They seem to really enjoy using owls.” James said as he watched an owl fly in through the Common Room and drop off a package into your lap. 

“I thought they would’ve been wary of using animals to send stuff but turns out I was wrong.” You replied as you opened the paper package. Since you were away from school, your parents had decided to switch the order of activities you’d all do. You were supposed to be baking cookies with your mom while your dad sang Christmas songs around the kitchen on this day.

Inside the package were two knitted sweaters, one a deep crimson and the other a (Y/H/C). Raising a brow at the second sweater, you searched the package for a note and found it in-between the two. 

Dear (Y/N),

Hi honey, your father and I hope you’re doing well at school. 

We know that today was supposed to be baking but we’ve heard that it’s been getting pretty cold up there in the highlands so we decided to send you your sweater earlier. Your father had also decided to knit an extra one for that James boy you’re always mentioning. We hope you both like them and we can’t wait to have you back home in two days! 

Love you.  Mom and dad. P.S: Why not bring James home for Christmas? We’re always happy to have guests over.

“You alright there (Y/N)?” James asked, causing you to look at him. You hadn't noticed that you were so focused on the letter in front of you until James pointed it out. “What’d they send today?”

“Oh just sweaters. They also knitted one for you.” 

James' face lit up and he practically dived into the spot beside you on the couch to grab said sweater. He held it up to look at it before quickly putting it on. It fit him perfectly. 

He had always loved the sweaters your parents knitted so now that he was able to have one of his own he couldn’t seem to hide the smile that graced his features. It suited him, both the sweater and the smile. He smiled often but it was more mischievous but this one was genuine. You liked seeing him like this. 

“I need to thank them. What’s a good gift I could get them?” James' question broke you out of your daydream. 

“You could come over?” It sounded more like you were reading off of a script rather than just asking him. Merlin why were you so nervous around this boy. 

“What?”

“For Christmas dinner. My parents wanted to invite you to our Christmas dinner. You don’t have to go of course, they were just suggesting it since I-”

“I’d love to.” 

Realizing what you were about to reveal, you were thankful for James cutting you off. You simply smiled at him and tried your best to contain your excitement as he went back to marveling at the sweater. 

“Bollocks, I have practice in ten,” James sighed. Pulling the sweater off his head you couldn’t but stare at the bit of exposed skin as his undershirt rose. “I’ll see you after practice love. Oh and the dinner! Send me an owl what time.” He said as he ran out of the Common Room a little too loudly. A few students shushed at him but by then he was already running down the halls towards the changerooms. 

***

“(Y/N) are you done yet?” Your mother called from downstairs. 

You were in your bathroom after your sixth outfit change of the night. For some reason the first five outfits weren’t what you had envisioned them to look like. After an hour of hair, makeup and six outfit changes, you finally felt content with your appearance and was finally  ready to go downstairs. 

James was supposed to arrive in less than an hour which meant you had more than enough time to get the table set and help put up any last minute decorations. Perhaps your parents took Christmas a little too seriously you thought to yourself, looking out the window at the giant candy canes and lights that lit up the entire yard. It looked like something out of a bloody Christmas story. 

“I’ll get it!” Your father announced after hearing the doorbell ring. Your mother chuckled and walked to join him at the door while you stood behind them, silently praying that they won’t embarrass themselves in front of the boy they knew you liked. 

“You must be James.” You heard your father say in a monotone voice. From the small space between your parents, you could see James' charming smile falter as he grew nervous. 

“Yes sir. It’s a pleasure to meet you Mr. and Mrs. (Y/L/N).” He said, surprisingly without stuttering, as he offered his hand out for them to shake. 

“Come in dear, you must be freezing.” Your mother said. Pushing your father to the side, she pulled him inside and offered to hang up his jacket. He politely declined and did it himself. 

Your father looked back at you and nodded at you causing you to roll your eyes. Tonight was going to be interesting.

“(Y/N)!” You heard James call out. Turning your head in his direction, you watched as he approached you with open arms and a smile. Wrapping your arms around him, you pulled him into a warm hug which made you shiver when you realized that he was freezing. “I got this for you and your parents.” He said as he handed you a fairly large gift bag. 

Setting it on the couch, you opened it up to see a few bottles from his parents beauty line along with some baked goods. He even bought two candles in your favourite scent and candy. He knew you too well. 

“Dinner is ready!” 

Perhaps your parents were a little too excited for this dinner. Their eyes went wide as they watched James pull out the chair for you before taking the one beside you, facing your parents. While your father grabbed food for himself and your mom, James filled up your plate with foods he knew you liked. Your parents shared a knowing look before starting to pester the poor boy with questions. 

The questions started off as generic: What are your goals, what is your plan for the future, what are your favourite classes, what house are you in and etc. Your parents acted as if they hadn’t already known the answer to these questions due to the amount of times you’ve told them about him.

“Are you dating anybody?” Your father had decided to ask, ignoring how your eyes went wide and signed for him to stop. 

“Oh I actually am.” James replied and your father raised a brow. Your mother looked both shocked and hurt for you. “She’s in Gryffindor like me, Lily Evans. We’ve been dating for two weeks so far.” 

“That’s great, I’m sure she’s lovely.” Your mother quickly regretted saying that as the rest of the dinner was spent talking about Lily Evans. James would not shut up for a second talking about how lovely and amazing she was that you were more than relieved when he noticed the time and had to leave. 

After the door closed behind him, your parents barely had a chance to call for you as you ran up the stairs and into your room. You didn’t come out until the following afternoon when they bribed you with waffles despite it being 3 pm. 

***

After the Christmas dinner with James the news of his new relationship quickly spread. You started isolating yourself from him, not that you had to even try considering he’d spend all his time with Lily. As weeks went by you’d start talking to Remus, who you grew a sibling-like relationship with the more you talked ot each-other. It started off with complaining about how James essentially ditched you and his friends to spend all his time with Lily and barely even remembering to say hi to them. Then as it progressed you both started to actually spend time with each-other and talk without any mention of James Potter or Lily Evans. 

During this time, James' two other friends, Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew, were still trying to get a word with James but after one too many failed attempts, decided to join Remus. You quickly befriended them both, just like how you did with Remus, and the four of you spent if not all, most of your free time outside of classes together. It was like you had replaced the void James’ left in their group. 

Before his relationship, James was often said to act like a mother to the boys but when you joined, it was actually Remus who became the mother hen. He was the one nagging you to study and telling Sirius to actually pay attention in class and stopping Peter from wanting to raid the kitchen every other hour. As much as he’s grown to love you, he did not hesitate to complain about how childish you acted but you would only stick your tongue out at him before finally starting to do what you were supposed to. You really did become the sister he never had and despite him getting annoyed every few minutes, he truly did love you and wanted the best for you. 

Maybe that was why he had snapped at James when the boy came crawling back to his friends. News spread like wildfire around Hogwarts that James had broken up with Lily and despite you being one of the first few people to hear about it, you didn’t care.

“What do you mean I can’t tell her?” James asked. Remus and Peter were in their dorms, previously in a conversation before James barged into the room asking for their forgiveness of how he’s been treating them the past few months. 

“I said, you’re not going to tell (Y/N) that you’re in-love with her.” Remus replied calmly before turning back to Peter. 

“But why.”

“Because she’s dating Sirius now that’s why!” James fell silent and could only look at Remus in shock. “The two people you’ve hurt the most are together now. And they’re happy as well so there is no way in hell I’m going to let you ruin it.” 

“Moony I’m in-love with her, what do you want me to do.?”

“Suck it up. Act like you’re not. You were amazing at completely ignoring us for the past few months anyways.”

“This is different I can’t pretend about something that feels too real. Moony you’ve got to understand that I’m in-love with her.” 

“Well that’s too bad,” Remus said as he stood up. Regardless of how much he loved his friend, he not only hurt him but others in ways that no one deserved to ever go through. “Because I’m not letting you ruin what they have going on. You actually had a chance, back when she gave you that sweater. She was still in-love with you until-”

“The dinner.” 

Remus nodded and motioned for Peter to stand up. “I’m sorry.” He said before walking out the door with Peter in tow. 

James watched as his friends left the room. He didn’t even know he was crying until he had tasted the tears on his tongue  but just like his feelings, he realized a little too late. 

***

You walked right past him and onto the makeshift stage with the help of your husband-to-be, Sirius Black. Standing behind him was Remus, the best-man, who had a bright smile as he watched his two best-friends finally get married. 

James tried his best to be happy. He really did. But how was he supposed to be happy when he was attending the girl he’s been in-love with for years, especially when he wasn’t the one she was getting married to. Sure he was able to make amends with them but that was about it. He went back to being her friend when he could’ve been more. He was even given the chance at one point but he blew it. This is all my fault. He thought to himself as he watched the newly wedded Mr. and Mrs. Black walk back down the aisle as the guests threw petals in the air. 

The scene before him looked like an image straight out of a fairytale. James used to love hearing fairytales growing up but today he learned something about them; they aren’t real.

[odanurr87]

My thoughts on... Hotel del Luna

From left to right: Pyo Ji-hoon as Ji Hyun-joong; Yeo Jin-goo as Gu Chan-sung; Lee Ji-eun (IU) as Jang Man-wol; Bae Hae-seon as Choi Seo-hee; and Shin Jung-keun as Kim Sun-bi.

Released in 2019, Hotel del Luna was my introduction to the works of the Hong sisters as well as actors Yeo Jin-goo and Lee Ji-eun (IU), and what an introduction it was! The first episode of the show was excellent, giving us a hint of Man-wol’s tragic past that left me wanting to know more, then moving forwards in time to reenact that scene from Beauty and the Beast where Belle’s father is caught trying to steal a rose from Beast’s garden to give to Belle, and finally reaching present day as Man-wol tries to recruit Chan-sung and introduces him, and us, to this world of gods, ghosts, and souls with lingering grudges, that reminded me of the wondrous world of Harry Potter. Everything clicked for me in this episode, from the beautiful cinematography and music to the strong performances, particularly IU’s as Man-wol who knocked it out of the park and, incidentally, has a most impressive wardrobe and an uncanny ability to look amazing in every single one of her outfits. This was a highly promising start for my next modern fantasy show after Goblin and I couldn’t wait for the next episode. But what is this show about and why should you watch it?

Plot synopsis

21 years ago, Gu Chang-sung’s father cut a deal with the beautiful and mysterious owner of Hotel del Luna, Jang Man-wol, so that she would save his life in exchange for his son. Regretting the deal afterwards, the father left the country with his son hoping to spare him his fate. Believing himself to be safe, Gu Chan-sung has returned to work as assistant manager in one of Korea’s top hotels but Jang Man-wol is intent on collecting on the old debt by having him work in her hotel instead. However, Hotel del Luna is not your typical establishment, as Gu Chan-sung soon finds out, providing a service for souls who need healing or have grudges left to settle before moving on. While initially afraid of the prospect of becoming assistant manager at a hotel that serves ghosts, Gu Chan-sung finds himself intrigued by the challenge and curious about the story of the beautiful owner who runs it.

A magical atmosphere

Stepping into the world of Hotel del Luna feels like taking the train at Platform Nine and Three-Quarters and attending Hogwarts. In fact, our intrepid hero, Gu Chan-sung, also receives a magical letter welcoming him as Hotel del Luna’s new manager, and while there’s nothing magical about the subway that takes him there Jang Man-wol does use a little magic to ensure their first encounter goes undisturbed. The hotel itself reminded me of Hogwarts, not because it is filled with ghosts and can only be found by them (and the very much alive and fearful human manager), but because of the feeling of perpetual wonder knowing that behind every door lies a new magical mystery waiting to be discovered, be it a room only people who are alive can enter but not exit, the sky lounge, a swimming pool that is actually a beach in some undetermined plane of existence, or a beautiful garden with a magical tree that holds one of the hotel’s biggest secrets. Of course, one should not forget CEO Jang Man-wol (if one wishes to live) who, while certainly a very different character from Albus Dumbledore in terms of personality, always knows more than she’s letting on and is usually in control of any situation, even if the outcome isn’t always the one she anticipates. There is also the wonderful supporting cast in the form of the different incarnations of the deity Ma Go-sin (played by Seo Yi-sook, who looks like she’s having a blast playing the different sides of the goddess), a reserved but diligent Grim Reaper (played by Kang Hong-suk), and the welcoming staff of the hotel, represented by the trio of Kim Sum-bi (the bartender), Choi Seo-hee (the room manager), and Ji Hyun-joong (the hotel receptionist).

In the same way we cannot divorce Harry Potter from its music, given its distinct signature by that legend that is John Williams, I cannot forego mentioning Hotel del Luna’s mysterious, magical, and ethereal, instrumental soundtrack. Let me take you on a brief musical tour, shall I? Let’s start by taking subway line 4 and going to Hotel del Luna. The receptionist seems to be asleep so why don’t we let ourselves in? Wow, looks like the hotel’s throwing a party, apparently they’re welcoming human guests for the first time in years and the staff is particularly excited about it. That explains how we managed to get in (remember, this is not really a hotel for living, breathing, people). I can see that the bartender is busy receiving food orders and members of the staff are decorating the hall with real flowers. Hey, where’s that kid sneaking off to? Let’s follow him. Oh, that’s the Samdocheon Tunnel, which marks the boundary between this life and the afterlife. The Grim Reaper and the manager are there to bid farewell to one of the hotel’s guests. Apparently, there’s a bridge beyond the tunnel that takes 49 days to cross! I’m not eager to cross it just yet so let’s return to the hotel. Wait, why is there water everywhere? Looks like a water god managed to get past the receptionist (not that difficult when he’s asleep) and the CEO isn’t very happy about it. Yup, she definitely doesn’t look happy. We’d better make our exit before she figures out we shouldn’t be here.

To complement this excellent instrumental soundtrack, my favourite among all the kdramas I’ve watched to date, there’s an amazing selection of songs by artists like Red Velvet, TAEYEON, Heize, Punch, Chung Ha, and Paul Kim, among many others. IU herself sings an absolutely beautiful song that plays in one of the most highly-anticipated scenes of the show but which, sadly, has not been released. However, just as important as having a great soundtrack is using it well. If you’ve read my reviews of Angel’s Last Mission: Love or Strong Woman Do-Bong Soon, you should have an idea of how much I value using the right music at the right time to convey or accentuate the proper emotions during dramatic, comedic, or romantic scenes. Correct music usage can lead to your soundtrack being memorable, whereas incorrect music usage will surely render it forgettable. Fortunately for us, Hotel del Luna knows precisely when to use its music and how. It knows when levity is called for and when it’s not, when to highlight the wondrous side of magic and when to show its darker side, when to use Heize’s “Can You See My Heart” or Punch’s “Done For Me.” I believe it was John Williams, when talking about the music of the original Star Wars trilogy, who said that he wanted the score to tell the story of what was going on in the screen. I believe Hotel del Luna’s score achieves this feat.

Another aspect that contributes to the magical atmosphere of the show is, without a doubt, its incredible cinematography (from camera angles, through its beautiful use of lighting and colours) which, combined with its excellent score, can create scenes that are best defined as poetry in motion. I particularly liked how it favoured studio sets for shooting many of its scenes, giving the sensation that we’re watching a superb play that encourages us to send our imagination into overdrive. Even some of the more noticeable VFX work, like the city view from the hotel’s sky lounge plays into the notion that one cannot always tell what’s real and what’s fake in Hotel del Luna, as Man-wol warns Chan-sung that the view from the sky lounge is not from this world, but the fall will kill him just the same (Man-wol being Man-wol). Because I’m not knowledgeable enough to explain the show’s cinematography in technical terms, I’ll leave you with a trailer that captures some aspects of it and, luckily, also showcases Jang Man-wol’s incredible selection of dresses.

A part of a greater whole

In my review of Bring it on, Ghost I mentioned the show followed a certain formula that is often poorly executed in Western shows. There is a main story-arc that encompasses the whole of the show and there are side stories where our protagonists confront the “ghost of the week.” One of the strengths of Bring it on, Ghost lied in how these side stories would sometimes tie into the main story or would be used to expand on a character’s backstory so that they rarely came across as filler. Hotel del Luna executes the same formula with a lot more thought and care, often laying out the groundwork for events later down the episode, what is expected, or even later down the show, what is a bit more impressive. The Hong sisters remain true to their initially-stated intention throughout the show and reinforce this with the aid of these side stories, preparing both Gu Chan-sung and us for the inevitable dénouement of the show. Let me try to illustrate my point by way of an example. I don’t want to give more for fear of completely spoiling the show for you.

Episode 5 tells the story of a ghost bride whose parents want to give a soul wedding so she will be able to peacefully pass into the afterlife. Unfortunately, the chosen partner for this soul wedding ends up being Gu Chan-sung’s best friend, Sanchez, so while Man-wol goes shopping as Audrey Hepburn with the parents’ black card (our girl has very expensive tastes), Gu Chan-sung tries to figure out a way to spare his terrified friend. After some twists and turns, what is often the case with this show as the truth is not always what it seems, it is revealed that it is actually the groom’s parents who want to marry off the bride so she’ll let go of their son, who’s in a coma. For those who’ve watched Bring it on, Ghost, the parallels with the ghost side story from Episode 10 are fairly evident, as the ghost bride needs to find the strength to let go of the person she loves and she ultimately does so in one of the most beautifully composed scenes of the show. This is one of those “poetry in motion” scenes I was talking about. As the groom runs away in shock and fear, the bride gathers the courage to cut the red string of fate tying them together, under the intent gazes of Gu Chan-sung, dressed as the groom, and Jan Man-wol, dressed as a bride (in red).

You need a stronger will to let go than to hold on.

This scene is a portent of events yet to come, when the day finally arrives where Chan-sung and Man-wol will also have to part ways. Indeed, several episodes later, the room manager will remind Gu Chan-sung of the words Goddess Ma Go-sin then told the ghost bride, “You need a stronger will to let go than to hold on.” The bride’s selfless act of letting go of the person she loves, breaking free from her earthly tether of her own volition, can be seen as a challenge to Man-wol, whose hatred for the man who betrayed her has been her sole drive for the past 1,300 years but also a curse that has bounded her to the hotel and prevented her from dying. Could she, like the bride, unburden herself by letting go of her hatred? Is it possible for someone with such a long and deep resentment to simply let go? This is a recurring question throughout the show and one that puts her at odds with her increasing desire to protect Gu Chan-sung, as she fears her actions, born of her hatred for the people who wronged her, might end up harming the man she loves.

Side stories such as this one often give us further insight into Man-wol, whether it be a glimpse of her past or challenging her beliefs, making her question herself and her actions, however briefly.

A fairy tale romance

Man-wol is a tsundere character, both a Beauty and a Beast, who has been nursing a thousand-year-old grudge against the people who betrayed her and consequently filters every human interaction through a lens of cold cynicism, expecting the worst from people. Chan-sung on the other hand, is a proper gentleman, a type of character we don’t often see in kdramas and a natural consequence of his training as a hotel manager. He’s friendly, cultured, well-mannered, kind, clever, and someone who's very much in control of his emotions most of the time. The evolution of the relationship between these two characters is the centrepiece of Hotel del Luna, a breath of fresh air in a landscape that often feels the need to use love triangles, or other polygons, as a shortcut to properly fleshing out the relationship between two characters. While there are elements of a love triangle present, such as expressions of jealousy for the sake of comedy, Hotel del Luna chooses to forego this trope and commit fully to the main characters’ fairy tale-like romance.

When you tell her you’ve been dreaming about her.

Another trope the Hong sisters mostly dispense with is that of misunderstandings, which are kept to a bare minimum, as Man-wol and Chan-sung are very open with each other regarding their thoughts and feelings, although Man-wol is, understandably, less transparent about her feelings in the beginning. It was incredibly refreshing to witness two characters that could guess each other’s thoughts and were willing to have an open and honest conversation about it rather than to hold back for the sake of drama. Of course, this did become somewhat frustrating for Man-wol (and fun for us) when Chan-sung started gaining more confidence, feeling at ease with Man-wol, and rebuking her selfish or materialistic actions. Their playful banter and bickering throughout the show is, to my mind, a clear indication that they’re comfortable with each other, as strong a sign of the chemistry in their relationship as half a dozen kisses, if not a better one, what is a good thing because those are few and far between. On the other hand, it makes those moments much more valuable and meaningful. The love between Man-wol and Chan-sung comes across in the gestures they make, in their facial expressions, in the words spoken and left unsaid. When Man-wol tries to comfort Chan-sung but doesn’t know how (Video), when she confesses she wants him to stay with her till the end and they share an intimate hug (Video), when Chan-sung breaks down and cries at the thought of not being able to see Man-wol ever again (Video), when the two have a conversation on the balcony under the moonlight (Video)... These are a precious few examples of the beauty, strength, and depth of feeling, of their relationship.

When the adult catches you in a lie.

While Man-wol is not the same ruthless person she was at the beginning of the show as she is at the end, she still retains some elements or traits of her personality throughout the show (there’s still a little tsun in her dere), as it should be. In one episode Chan-sung is remarking upon how much nicer she has become and she replies, “Gu Chan-sung, you’ve made leaves and flowers grow and have changed me a lot. But you won’t be able to change my core personality. Don’t even expect that.” Even as she says this you can see her looking a little uneasy about something, a little girl about to be caught in a lie by the adult who’s trying to keep her out of trouble. It is thanks to Gu Chan-sung’s patient and enduring love, that protected her from the worst aspects of her own self, that Man-wol is able to let go of her anger, both literally and metaphorically. But Man-wol also deserves praise, as she reciprocates Chan-sung’s love and equally tries to protect him from the dangers of this new world he has entered but most of all from herself, to the point she is willing to renounce her revenge and extinguish her existence to ensure she can never harm the man she loves.

Conclusion

It should be evident by now that I absolutely love this show and it is, without a doubt, my favourite out of all I’ve watched thus far, including Goblin. This is not to say the show is without flaws. Its almost single-minded focus on the story of Man-wol and Chan-sung has some collateral damage, most notably in the form of a character’s loved one, an event used as a means to highlight the pain experienced by those left behind, anticipating the day when our main protagonists will be forced to part ways. In another case, a poignant encounter for Chan-sung is not properly fleshed out, perhaps intentionally so but it seems like a wasted opportunity. Additionally, the introduction and development of the secondary villain’s arc (Man-wol is both the love interest and the main antagonist) felt a little weak, but is still a functional plot device that leads to some of the show’s best scenes. Finally, there is also the way the Hong sisters handled the riddle of Chan-sung’s dreams, which I may address in a separate post because it has too many spoilers.

If you’re a fan of fantasy dramas like Goblin, there’s simply no reason for me not to recommend this show and, hopefully, I’ve given you a few to persuade you as to why this is such a standout drama and, to my mind, the Hong sisters’ best work to date. It’s even on r/KDRAMA’s banner as one of those must-watch shows. If you do decide to watch it, I advise you to pace yourself so you don’t have to say goodbye to Hotel del Luna’s wonderful family too soon.

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Archaic Expectations: Freeing Female Roles From A Dollhouse In Society Hill

Not much was known about the dollhouse in a dark, back passageway of Powel House at 244 South 3rd Street until Mickey Herr went searching for its history. | Photo: Michael Bixler

If  “play is the beginnings of knowledge” as the 19th century anthropologist George A. Dorsey espoused, what can we learn from the toys of our childhood? What can we learn from the toys of our ancestors? The #MeToo movement has found many women (and hopefully a few good men) looking back on lessons learned, both implicit and overt, and pondering: What ideas have we received about how life should be lived and where did these messages originate? From Victorian Fashion Dolls to Barbie’s Dreamhouse and the newest American Girl “Truly Me” doll, are we still in our childhood playrooms acting out the same narratives in a world that struggles with change? A challenge to look more closely at a dusty old dollhouse, a lucky find at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, and a trip to the Philadelphia Museum of Art has me rethinking the ideological advances of women in society and the retrogressive nature of our current era.

The dollhouse in question resides in a back passage of Philadelphia Society for the Preservation of Landmarks’ Powel House on South 3rd Street. As a former house site manager I spent time thinking about this dollhouse, and, honestly, I never much cared for it. The toy model has a forlorn creepiness compounded by its shadowy location. And despite its relative remoteness inside the museum, the dollhouse always seemed in the way, especially as it has nothing to do with the Powel family history. I mostly ignored it and gave a rote answer when visitors inquired about it. Referring to a guidebook I would respond, “Owned by the Cadwalader family, whose family portraits and furniture can be seen in the Powel Room at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Used by six generations of daughters, all named Anne,”

In the bottom left corner of the dollhouse is a text panel listing seven generations of women named Anne. It���s a frustrating list with no context of dates or relationships between the women. Were they mothers and daughters? Aunts? Cousins? Were they named Anne so that they all would inherit this object? Was this dollhouse really built in the early 19th century or was this all just a fabrication?

The Cadwalader family is an old Philadelphia family. Sophia Cadwalader, along with other relations, was among the earliest supporters of Frances Anne Wister’s vision in creating the Philadelphia Society for the Preservation of Landmarks and the renovation of the Powel House into a house museum in the 1930s. Through the years I have met a Cadwalader descendent or two who were dismayed by my lack of excitement about “their” dollhouse. Two more recent encounters would finally cause me to reconsider my apathy. First was a discussion with Dr. Hilary Lowe, a professor at Temple University. Her training in history combined with women’s studies allowed her to see what I could not. This dollhouse is more than an outdated plaything. It is a goldmine of information. This notion was driven home on a recent visit to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, when I came across an astounding passage in a memoir written by Mary Cadwalader Jones.

The following is a first-hand account of the dollhouse written sometime in the early 1900s, looking back to the 1850s. Mary Cadwalader Jones was born in 1850, and her mother died in 1861.

“At proper intervals my mother took me to see my grandfather, Judge John Cadwalader, where his mulatto butler, Burns whose manner would have become any bishop, often ushered us into his office, two large rooms on the ground floor, fairly over-run with law books…. My grandfather was very kind, but after a while I was glad to be allowed to go upstairs to the fourth storey [sic] to look at the old baby-house.”

This list notes seven generations of Annes that have owned the dollhouse at Powel House. | Photo: Michael Bixler

“This doll’s house had been made for some child of the family about 1800, and although generations of little hands had been hard on its furnishings much of them still remained and would have been the joy of a “period” decorator. I believe it originally had two side wings, in the Southern fashion, but they had disappeared, leaving a square box with a front which opened in the middle disclosing a dining-room, kitchen, drawing-room and bedchamber. The dining-room table, sideboard and chairs were good Chippendale; from the drawing-room ceiling a charming crystal chandelier hung over furniture covered with faded brocade; in the chamber there was a four-poster bed with chintz curtains, a wash-hand-stand with china ewer and basin, a toilet table with looking-glass, and a low chair by the open fireplace with it tiny fire-irons. I think there was also an open hearth in the kitchen; cooking utensils were gone, but a coloured cook, her head covered with a once-bright bandanna, stood waiting, and a coloured butler also waited in the dining-room for the coming of the bride and bridegroom who were upstairs; she in a very yellow white satin and the remnants of a lace veil, and he in what had been a bright blue coat, with silk stockings and minute buckles on his shoes. These dolls were of wood. Everything in the house was in scale and the rooms, as I remember them, were each about two feet square.”

This lengthy, detailed recollection is fairly astounding if you consider the intervening years. While the “good Chippendale” is no longer there, many of the pieces she described are. Her overall description of the house, especially her description of the bride, groom, and their attending servants, is spot on. Mary, born Mary Cadwalader Rawle and known as Minnie to differentiate her form her mother Mary Binney Cadwalader, was born in 1850 in today’s Society Hill. Her personal account of her childhood in Lantern Slides, published in 1937 by Merrymount Press, provides incredible insight into the closely-knit blocks on which she was raised. Minnie was born into a world of extreme privilege. Her forebears—Cadwalader, Rawle, Binney, Tilghman, Chew, and Biddle among others—formed a tight web of influence which created and propagated the American legislature as lawyers, politicians, and military leaders. While James Buchanan was a local friend before his presidency, a 12-year-old Minnie was taken to the White House by her great-uncle General George Cadwalader to meet President Lincoln. She wed the socially-connected New Yorker Freddie Jones and became a mother to a beloved daughter. After she divorced Freddie she kept her sister-in-law, Edith Wharton, as a lifelong best friend. Ultimately, she transformed into a premiere Manhattan saloniste with friends ranging from John Singer Sargent, H.G. Wells, Nikola Tesla, and Theodore Roosevelt. 

The Feminine Ideal

When I recently visited the Little Ladies: Victorian Fashion Dolls and the Feminine Ideal exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art the metaphorical lightbulbs started flashing. While many visitors saw beautifully crafted dolls with exquisitely outfitted trousseaus, I found the nexus of a forlorn dollhouse, the ultimate society doyenne, and generations of trained little girls. While the dolls and their accoutrement are indeed stellar to behold, I was most captivated by the accompanying text panels that provided context to the dolls. Sarah Josepha Hale and her careful editorial direction of Godey’s Lady’s Book, which taught young privileged girls how to conquer the business of society, was front and center. A panel featuring an 1869 Godey’s quote from Victor Hugo, (Les Misérables, 1862) set the tone.

 “A doll is one of the most imperious wants, and at the same time one of the most delicious instincts, of feminine childhood…. The first child is a continuation of the last doll. A little girl without a doll is nearly as unhappy and quite as impossible as a wife without children.”

Miss French Mary doll from the Philadelphia Museum of Art exhibition, Little Ladies: Victorian Fashion Dolls and the Feminine Ideal. | Photo: Mickey Herr

The quote was only topped by the text which accompanies “Miss French Mary” wearing her Queen Victoria-inspired white silk wedding dress with wax-and-paper orange blossoms. This doll holds the most prominence standing smack in the middle of the exhibit floor. It literally can’t be missed.

This accompanying passage was written by the pseudonymous writer Melva in Home Whispers: To Husbands and Wives published by the American Female Guardian Society in 1859.  

“To fail of love, honor, peace, and happiness in her domestic relationships is with most women to make a failure of life. Therefore marriage is to her a great event—the great event of her life.” 

Here we are reminded that the only acceptable “career” for girls in the 1800s was marriage and motherhood. The Civil War created intense competition as women greatly outnumbered men. It is here that I paused to envision such pressure. I imagined what it felt like to be dismissed as an old maid by the age of 23 and to be constantly reminded that your appearance would be observed and judged wherever you went. I also thought of my own beloved Madame Alexander bridal doll and tried to remember now as a middle-aged woman and a “wife without children” how I once felt.

I continued to read exhibition text like this: “Victorian society saw women as the preservers of order, decency, and elegance. They were responsible for upholding the period’s strict social customs, which dictated precise behavior and dress for every occasion, from morning calls to mourning dress.”

I asked myself: how much has changed? And so I turned back to that lonely dollhouse, the one I had ignored for years, to follow the line of women named Anne and see if I could make any sense of their collective journey as women responsible for upholding genteel society.

Not Just Women Named Anne

Minnie Cadwalader Jones was correct when she stated that the dollhouse had been made for one of the children of the family around 1800. Yet, it did not originate in the Cadwalader family, but with Sarah Teackle and her husband Charles Nicoll Bancker. The first Anne in the list of seven was their daughter, Anne E. Bancker (1813-1869). I have yet to find proof that the house was specifically made for Anne as she was one of four sisters, including Henrietta, Sarah, and Virginia. Regardless, she never married and had no children so things weren’t off to an auspicious start. It was left to her eldest sister, Henrietta Marie Bancker (McIlvaine) Cadwalader (1806-1889) to ensure the dollhouse became a legacy. As the widow McIlvaine, Henrietta married Judge John Cadwalader in 1833, bringing along her eight-year-old daughter Ellen Maria McIlvaine and presumably the dollhouse. John also had a four-year-old daughter, Mary Binney Cadwalader (mother of Minnie Jones). Henrietta and John would add seven more children to the marriage, including three daughters Sarah, Frances, and Anne. While the youngest Cadwalader daughter, Anne (1842-1929), would be listed as the second Anne on the list, she married the Reverend Henry J. Rowland in 1821 and had only one daughter, Elizabeth.

(left to right) Henrietta Marie Bancker McIlvaine Cadwalader, Anne Cadwalader Rowland (Anne #2), and Anne Bancker Camac Nicoll (Anne #3) with daughter Margaret (mother of Anne #4). | Images: Ancestry.com

At this point the legacy states the dollhouse was given to Anne Bancker Camac (born 1856), who was Henrietta’s granddaughter through her first daughter Ellen Maria McIlvaine and Ellen’s husband Dr. William Camac. From Minnie Cadwalader Jones’ written account, we find the “old baby-house” still residing in the fourth-story of Henrietta and John’s house during the 1850s. Perhaps she, like her cousin Minnie, simply played with it on visits to her grandparents’ house. Anne Bancker Camac does take possession of the dollhouse after she married Dr. Henry Denton Nicoll and takes it to New York where she gave birth to three children: Margaret, Anne, and Leonard Nicoll. The fourth Anne (1882-1912) married Gordon E. Wightman, but she died relatively young and does not appear to have had children. This is when her sister Margaret (1878-1962), now the widow Dudley, marries her cousin John Michener Cadwalader, grandson of Henrietta and the Judge. Margaret and John’s daughter Anne Nicoll Cadwalader (1912-1990) becomes the fifth Anne. The house comes back to Pennsylvania after her marriage to John H. W. Ingersoll in 1933. John had two sons by a first marriage, and they added two daughters to the family. The youngest was named Anne Nicoll Ingersoll. It remained at the Ingersoll’s home in Penllyn for many years, until the fifth Anne decided to place the dollhouse in the Powel House, sometime in the 1960s, after the sixth Anne’s daughter, Anne Nicoll Glendinning (the seventh Anne) was born.

And while the sixth Anne, born in the 1930s, absorbed the lessons of how life “should be lived” she did not pass those down. According to the seventh Anne, born in the 1960s, her mother’s story is like many women of that generation. She dutifully married a man from the “right” family and had his children, yet divorced early on. She went back to school and became an academic, raising her children while working. I reached out to the seventh Anne to inquire about her knowledge and memories of the dollhouse. She remembered her grandmother, Anne Ingersoll, as the last of a generation. One still concerned with upholding genteel society. Neither of the last two Annes on the list remembered playing with the dollhouse. In fact, it was only in recent years that they were reminded of its existence and made a pilgrimage together to the Powel House. Like me, neither was overly impressed. Yet, now I hope this dollhouse will take on new meaning. Through 200 years, and eight generations, the ideals of how life “should be” became reality. With hopes and dreams, realized and unmet, of mothers who died too young, spinsters, widows, divorcées, wives without children, aunts, cousins, sisters, and nieces. And now, as part of a museum collection, the dollhouse is no longer an ideal, but perhaps an expanded vision of what it is to be a woman.

About the author

Mickey Herr lived in many places until her heart settled in Philadelphia. She has led the development and communications efforts for several significant non-profit cultural institutions in Philadelphia. Current interests involve elevating the hidden-histories of women. She is at work on a novel, and gives tours for Hidden City Philadelphia, both of which are allowing her to research incredible untold stories of women. She believes in ghosts, synchronicity, and taking chances. Read her writing on Philadelphia, history and geneology at mickeyherr.com.

Source: https://hiddencityphila.org/2019/02/archaic-expectations-freeing-female-roles-from-a-dollhouse-in-society-hill/

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Techniques – 10 Characteristics of Great Photos (2019 Update)

People often ask us how to take “good” photos. As a studio, we’ve tried to develop a methodology so that we can consistently create amazing images. While studying our art over the last decade, we compiled a list of ten characteristics most often found in the best photos. While we use examples from our wedding and engagement portfolio for the images below, these rules apply to all genres of photography.

If there is one overarching characteristic whose importance precedes that of all the characteristics listed in this article, it’s that every image needs to have a purpose. The image should tell a story or capture a unique moment in a meaningful way. If you comb through your portfolio and find yourself wondering why you captured a particular image, then there’s a good chance it’s lacking some or all of the following characteristics.

While it is highly unlikely that a given image (even an amazing photo) will include all of these characteristics, try to combine as many as possible and always keep composition in mind.

Without any further delay, here are 10 Characteristics of Great Photos.

10 Characteristics of Great Photos

1 – Compelling Composition (Must Have)

Most basic photography guides include common compositional concepts like the rule of thirds and rules of symmetry, but what other techniques can we use to create compelling compositions? Some less common techniques involve negative space, leading lines, depth of field, and framing. I mention this rule first because it doesn’t matter which particular style, technique, or rule you follow, so long as every image is thoughtfully composed. There will be times when composition takes a back seat in order to just grab the shot, but it should otherwise be considered whenever possible.

  The image above uses one of the most common compositional rules, the rule of thirds, in two ways. First, the dunes occupy two-thirds of the image horizontally, leaving the sun & sky to fill the final third. Secondly, the couple has been placed near the upper left intersection of the horizontal and vertical thirds. Although the rule is commonly practiced, this image exemplifies why it is so effective, especially in this scene from Dubai.

  This image features the dynamic symmetry of continuous spiral, which is often found in both nature and architecture. There are mathematical equations concerning ratios that explain in technical terms why this is pleasing to the eye, but it’s easy enough to notice how the lines effectively lead to the subjects, who’ve been placed in the lower left third of the image. Of course, the dramatic lighting also plays a role in minimizing distractions and drawing the viewer’s focus to the brightest part of the photo.

  The photo above features several compositional components, including leading lines, the rule of thirds, and unique framing. The leading lines in the scene draw the viewer’s eye to the couple, who occupy the space framed by the walls on either side of the walkway at the Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. In addition, the entire composition is framed using thirds, the left third where the couple resides, and the right two-thirds occupied by the wall and leading lines. The couple’s reflection in the wall on the right also adds a sense of (nearly symmetrical) balance to the image.

  Framing is key in the image above, as the couple is framed inside of multiple layers of squares. They’ve also been placed at the intersection of the lower left thirds, and lighting has been used to draw focus to the couple.

  In the image above, bokeh, which basically refers to the out-of-focus parts of the image, works in tandem with a shallow depth-of-field to separate the subjects from the background (and in the case of this shoot-through, the foreground as well). The subjects occupy a very narrow margin of space that remains in focus, which also happens to reside in the lower-right third of the image.

  Here, we have a great showcase for the power of symmetry. The couple has been placed on the apex of the triangular rock formation in the foreground, creating the first layer of symmetry. The mountain range in the background also adds to the symmetry of the image in that it echoes the triangular shape in the foreground while also providing its own symmetrical element.

You can find more information on composition and how to combine compositional elements here.

2 – Display Of Emotion

As human beings, we are drawn to emotion. Whether we’re laughing or crying, emotion ties each and everyone of us together. Images that capture genuine displays of emotion often prove timeless, and these meaningful moments will always capture the audience’s attention.

  The image above was captured during a Vidaai, which marks the end of the Hindu wedding ceremony and the beginning of the bride and groom’s journey as husband and wife. Vidaais can be intensely emotional as the bride’s friends and family wish her farewell (as illustrated above).

  On the flipside of sad emotions, genuine happiness also effectively connects viewers to the subjects in images. Usually, the more candid and natural the capture appears (even if it was actually directed), the larger the impact of the image.

[Related Reading: How To Pose And Direct For Natural Portraits: 10 Tips From Working Professionals]

3 – Simple Storytelling

Some of the greatest images simply tell a story. Rather than relying on great composition or featuring other unique characteristics, they instead focus on storytelling. Some of the best storytelling images are found in the news and other sources of photojournalism. From the triumphant shout of a newly crowned sports champion to a protester standing in front of a tank in the Tiananmen Square massacre, these images capture and freeze moments in history for everyone to become a witness. Here are a few examples from weddings we’ve photographed.

  You can almost feel the anticipation in the air as the bride’s father walks her down the stairs to the ceremony site at Malibu Rocky Oaks. From this unique perspective, you can see the story unfold as the bride’s family, friends, and groom-to-be anxiously await her arrival.

  What is bride prep without a little help from the bride’s friends or family? Here, an ensemble cast of bridesmaids admire the bride’s beauty from all angles while helping her with the final touches in preparation for her big day.

  For wedding photographers, the first look at the altar offers a perfect opportunity to capture the anticipation and surprise of the bride and groom seeing one another for the first time on their wedding day (depending on whether or not they did a first look earlier in the day). It’s one of the staple moments of the entire day.

4 – Elliptical Storytelling

Most images that tell a story are already worthwhile, but images that tell stories while leaving something to the viewer’s imagination are even better. You’ve probably heard people say that the book is always better than the movie because it allows us to use our imagination to create the most amazing and personalized special effects in our minds. Images that leave something to the imagination tend to do the same thing. They offer just enough information to fuel our imagination as we fill in the missing pieces.

  This image was shot at a local airport during an engagement shoot. While we can’t be sure of the subjects’ identities, we’re given enough clues to imagine they’re embarking on a long-distance trip. We don’t know where they’re going or under what circumstances, but that’s also why the image works so well. The limited clues let you imagine the rest.

  We’re given very few clues to determine the situation in the above image, but it’s enough to allow for creative speculation. The close proximity between the subjects implies a close relationship, and the style of the shoes and wardrobe combined with the graffitied background lend an urban feel to this untold story.

5 – Iconic Moments

When capturing an iconic moment, you are capturing a moment created or modeled after meaningful moments in pop culture and/or history. Whether it is a reproduction of a scene from a classic movie or a moment based around something trendy, these shots allow the audience to feel emotionally connected to the moment within the imagery.

  While James Dean never rode a motorcycle in his movies, plenty of photos exist of the star as he sits atop an old Triumph, exuding the cool guy, rebel persona he’s often associated with. In the James Dean-inspired shot above, viewers are transported back to the era of cool as we spy a glimpse of a couple in the rearview mirror, just before they ride off into the sunset.

  The couples portrait above recalls the golden age of Hollywood through its use of dapper outfits, editorial posing, dramatic lighting, and on-set props (like the retro-style light, which was part of the decor in a room at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel).

6 – Unique Moments

What’s an easy way to create an interesting image? Simple, shoot something that is unique to the respective audience. For example, while a Christian wedding may seem quite common in the United States, a traditional Hindu wedding isn’t so common and therefore is automatically more interesting to an audience in the states. Other unique moments might reveal themselves during unusual events or at one-of-a-kind locations.

  During his pre-wedding baraat, a Sikh bridegroom peeks through the strands of his Sehra to take in the sights. While baraats are quite common in Hindu and Sikh weddings, they’re unique to those who’ve never witnessed them. In addition, the ornate and colorful clothing worn by most in attendance make for unique photos.

  It’s not often that you get to capture family portrait framed under a spectacular fireworks display. The image above took place outside the venue during a wedding reception and used a backlight to separate the family from the background.

You can find more tips on how to capture portraits under fireworks here.

  The image above was captured at sunset just after the clouds began to clear at Malibu Rocky Oaks. By using off-camera flash to highlight the couple, we were able to capture a unique couples portrait in an environment whose look and lighting changed by the minute.

You can see how we captured the image above here.

7 – Juxtaposed/Contrasting Concepts

Some of the most interesting images juxtapose (compare) completely contrasting objects and concepts. Examples of this might include a beautiful bride in a completely white and flowing wedding dress shot in front of a background littered with trash and graffiti, thus juxtaposing beauty and purity with ugly and uncleanliness. Or perhaps a homeless person downtown sitting with all of his belongings with a glowing Merryl Lynch sign in the background, contrasting utter poverty with a symbol of wealth and power. See the images below for more examples.

  You might be wondering what’s going on in this image. We’re looking out from a makeshift shanty in downtown Los Angeles. This might not be the first place one would imagine using as a backdrop for an engagement portrait, but it aligns with the urban engagement theme and presents a unique setting for lighting and framing the couple.

  The image above was shot at the Long Beach Performing Arts Center against a graffiti-esque wall mural. The dapper wardrobes of the bride and groom in this editorial style shot contrasts well against the painted background.

8 – Unique Lighting and Color

Lighting and color is really where a lot of great images start. Great lighting can turn a mundane scene into an amazingly colorful scene full of texture and life. In nature, these types of scenes happen all the time during sunrise and sunset, and while we can’t control the lighting of those fleeting moments, if you happen to be in the right place at the right time, you just may be able to capture it (see point number six above). However, we can control and create unique lighting on our own with the proper knowledge using off camera lighting, flashes and more.

  The image above was created using a whip pan technique, which can be used to add dynamic motion with shutter drags. While the backdrop in this image was already appealing (taken outside of the Monarch Beach Resort), the added light technique makes this portrait standout from others captured in this same location.

  By lowering the ambient exposure in-camera and illuminating the couple with off-camera flash, we were able to capture this unique couples portrait under the beautiful Arizona sky.

  Silhouettes are backlit images that are easy to capture and produce amazing results. In the image above, captured in the dunes outside of Dubai, we placed the subjects directly in front of the setting sun and lowered our exposure to reveal the outline of the couple riding a camel across the sand. White balance also plays an important role in this image as it adds a desert feel with the bright orange sky.

We cover these and other lighting techniques in Lighting 201, as well as our Unscripted Series.

9 – Attention To Detail

In our time and society where everything is about speed and efficiency, images that capture overlooked detail can be enough to make someone stop to smell the roses. While pictures of unique and unseen detail is amazing and breathtaking, you can often get the same reaction out of your audience by simply shooting the detail in everyday life.

  This detail image of a bride’s shoes was captured on a hotel tabletop during a wedding in Huntington Beach. The dramatic lighting and reflective surface elevate this photo to a product shot you might expect to see in an ad for the shoes.

  While they’re often used to photograph flowers and insects, macro lenses open up a world of possibilities for photographing all kinds of tiny objects, including wedding rings (as seen in the image above). The best part is, aside from purchasing a macro lens, you can use inexpensive lighting to get your desired look.

[Related Reading: 10 Creative Wedding Ring Shots For You To Try]

  In the image above, an Indian bride takes a brief pause before heading out to the ceremony site. The ornate dress and accessories, as well as the henna on the bride’s hands and arms, are packed with detail and deserving of a closer look.

For more information on how to photograph details like those featured above, see our Photographing the Groom and Photographing the Bride wedding workshops.

10 – Unique Perspective

Most of us live our lives viewing the world with relatively the same perspective. This is what makes unique perspectives so interesting to the audience. Instead of shooting a child from an adult’s perspective, why not get down low and shoot them from the child’s perspective. Very low bottom-up and higher top-down can often create a much more unique and interesting image.

  This image was shot during an event as some of the kids were having a little party of their own. What better way to shoot kids, then to shoot it from their perspective. You can imagine how this shot wouldn’t be nearly as special were it shot from a standing (grown up) perspective.

  No drone was needed for this overhead shot of a bride and groom dancing in the rotunda at the Monarch Beach Resort. Whether you have to use a drone, balcony, or even an extended monopod, capturing your image from a higher perspective can elevate your image from ordinary to extraordinary.

  The image above was shot from a low angle to capture this unique perspective and show the beautiful background above the couple. Remember that backgrounds can be above or below you!

  In this portrait taken at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, we’ve used a wide aperture panoramic stitching technique called the Brenizer Method to showcase the couple. Without using this technique, it would be difficult to capture this large of a frame with such shallow depth of field.

We discuss this technique more in-depth in our Panoramic Stitching Workshop.

  We hope you enjoyed this article! If so, please share this article to show us your love! Also, please add your additional ideas on creating great images in the comments below.

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Guide To Wedding Jewelry Mountings

Many women have been contemplating their wedding day way before they even have an inkling of just who it is they will eventually say "I do" to, and much of that deep thinking has been focused upon how they will look and feel on their big day. Everything is given much consideration over all those years well before it is actually time to start making the actual wedding plans. MAHI RAJPOOT has given information on Top Best Fashion Jewelry For Wedding Gown.

Their fashion jewelry for wedding gown! In some cases, they totally forgot about their jewelry until a few weeks before their wedding. Not only this, but they really have no clue about what to look for and how to match to their wedding dress. If they success to find a good jewelry style with their dress it will purely by luck. Knowledge Fans

Once that very important decision has been made and the dress has been bought, the wedding day jewelry also plays a big part of the big wedding day. The jewelry needs to be bought by carefully matching it with the type of wedding dress, and must be chosen with careful attention, even as carefully as when the dress was chosen as they go hand in hand. On the above article, MAHI RAJPOOT gave provide on Top Best Fashion Jewelry For Wedding Gown. Click here to read about mountings settings Aberdeen III . If you have decided upon a strapless wedding gown, there are actually many ideas for the bride's jewelry necklace. One expert suggests that a bridal choker is a perfect way to enhance the beauty of the line of the top of the dress. A choker brings a nice touch which when added to a pearl bridal sparkly choker, a beautiful strapless gown is both elegant and quite sophisticated. Heather Levine has said about 5 Tips for Picking Wedding Jewelry You’ll Love.

When it comes to style, we’re all for breaking the so-called “rules.” But that doesn’t mean there aren’t still tried-and-true tips to help you look your best, including for your wedding day jewelry. So if you need a little guidance when it comes to accessorizing your gown, read on below. The Knot

Wedding experts agree that bridal jewelry should be a true reflection of the inner and outer beauty of the bride, and pearls are most recognized throughout history and modern times as symbols of purity, love, sensuality, devotion, and prosperity. Industry consultants found that brides worldwide strongly prefer pearl jewelry over any other wedding accessories to best represent the essence of the bride, her groom, and their life together. Today's bride has many options to consider for the type of wedding jewelry she should wear on her wedding day. Her choices typically include gold, silver, diamonds, and pearls, or a combination of these. Most often bridal accessories are determined by the color and style of the bride's and bridesmaids' dresses and her personal taste. RITA KOKSHANIAN has given information on Find the Best Jewelry to Wear Based on Your Wedding Venue.

If there's one fashion maxim we abide by, it's that jewelry can completely change an outfit. A pair of earrings can take a simple black shift from desk to cocktail party in the same way that a statement necklace can elevate a pair of dark jeans and a simple white button-up. And your wedding day look is no different. Instyle

Watch this video for more information about How to choose your Wedding Jewellery:

[mialipsky-blog]

A Charming Italian Villa Meets a Rainbow of Pastel

Any time that Brancoprata is involved in a wedding, it’s a given that all out beauty is sure to follow. And this celebration of a fellow wedding mastermind so lives up to all that hype. It’s a mix of old world beauty, modern touches and the softest, prettiest pastel hues set against the backdrop of an Italian Villa. Pore through the vault filled with two gorgeous ceremonies and one of the prettiest tablescapes to ever grace SMP all right here.

Share this gorgeous gallery on

  Colors

Seasons

Summer

Settings

Castle

Styles

Destination

From the Bride… Working in the wedding industry and being exposed to different styles of venue, décor etc meant we had already discussed in advance the type of place we wanted the wedding to be and roughly how it would look. I love photographing the details when I attend weddings so really wanted to focus on creating those in our own. We wanted a relaxed outdoor wedding and so going home to Italy (from the UK) was a must.

Every Sunday when in Italy, my family and I all go to an agriturismo (a farm where they cook you fantastic food) for lunch and we wanted to recreate this at the wedding. These lunches have a very villagey feel often to them and so I wanted the dinner to be relaxed featuring long tables with boards of amazing food in the middle. Our vision for the day was to include our interest of art, music and our respective cultures (Scottish, Italian and Indian). It was also an opportunity for both sides to get to know us better as a couple. We have been together for years and know each others families very well but there are lots of interests, memories, life events you share as a couple that often people don’t see. I love Ancient, Etruscan and Renaissance art and so I knew I wanted to incorporate elements of these into the design and feel of our wedding.

We also love a large variety of music genres: R&B, rat pack, classical, bossa nova, Indian instrumentals, West African music and Madagascan reggae, and knew we wanted the day to reflect and work with these. We sectioned each part of the day with a different style of music. Classical, West African and Madagascan Reggae during the different stages of our wedding ceremony followed by Bossa Nova for cocktail hour, Indian for the Hindu ceremony, Italian and Rat pack over dinner and R&B for the dancing.

I looked to my home and wardrobe when choosing the color palette for our wedding before playing around with textures, material and color samples on a physical mood board to narrow down. We chose a mixture of pale pink, ecru and off white for our main colors with pops of champagne and silver. I did have a few concerns because the colors were also the colors that make up the brand colors in my business and I thought that might seem a little strange (A little “I can’t leave work at work”), as well as being colors you’d typically associate with weddings and I considered that I may want something a little different. However in the end they are color combinations I find most beautiful and they are also rarely seen in Indian weddings so I liked that we could create a visually unique version of the Hindu ceremony.

I went totally overboard with the DIY details. I had the strange idea that it would be super romantic to handcraft a wedding for the love of my life. I am known to get a little carried away and whilst working on one thing I’d get an idea to do another. I really love making things but in the lead up to our wedding both parents got quite sick and so I found I hadn’t budgeted enough time for DIY and unexpected life events which added a little more stress than I had anticipated.

I created all the stationary from invites, programs, signage and table stationary as well as made my garter and made hand dyed silk ribbons for the bouquets as well as napkins and tablecloths (Sofia kindly helped me with the latter last minute). I also painted plastic garden urns with a concrete based paint mix (for easier transport) for the tables. We made the garlands for the Indian wedding ceremony and my mum made the muslin curtains for the wooded ceremony.

The most fun project was designing my Indian wedding outfit. I knew I wanted something a little different and less heavily decorated than the usual. I couldn’t find what I wanted anywhere so I decided to create it myself. I travelled the length of the UK to source the right fabrics and it was amazing to see it come to life! The detail we got the most comments on were the personalized letters we wrote for each of our guests in lieu of having actual favors. This also doubled as their name card at their allocated seat. We chose to describe a favorite memory with them or/and give thanks to them in a specific way and I think that touched quite a lot of the guests. Your wedding is the one opportunity where you will both have all your loved ones in one place and we thought it was the perfect opportunity to not only share with them how we felt about each other but how we felt about each of them too. 

Seeing my husband to be, teary eyed at the end of the aisle was a beautiful moment. As well as reading our personalized vows to each other. Giuseppe from Blessings from Italy helped us create the most unique and personal ceremony and I didn’t realize quite how emotional it would be. There were a lot of tears. We did quite a lot of homework for the ceremony and it felt really special that every word truly reflected us as individuals and as a couple.

My favorite crafted detail had to be the stationary and our wedding timeline board. I took a calligraphy class and practiced for weeks before handwriting all the stationary myself. The stationary took around 3-4 weeks so quite an arduous and stressful job but once finished I was quite happy with them given I am a total calligraphy amateur! With our wedding timeline I painstakingly painted a serif-roman style font onto a sheet of thick glass and it was displayed amongst the foliage and crumbling arches of the Convent.

I had huge apprehensions about my gown. I knew a lot of the styles I liked wouldn’t be best suited to my petite but curvy body type. I decided to step away from Pinterest and try some on so I would really know what felt right. I had planned on just browsing and getting an idea so that when I went with my mum and bridesmaids, I’d not be swayed heavily by their opinions. Hence, off I went to visit the Coco & Kate Atelier. Sophie and I have worked together quite a few times and every time I have visited her atelier I have fallen in love with at least a handful of her grown up dresses. I walked in and spotted my dress. It was the first I tried on and was different to what I had anticipated I would want (I imagined soft tulle with three quarter length sleeves) but I have always loved the heavily beaded gowns from designers like Elie Saab, so what better time to wear such a lavish dress. Sophie encouraged me to try on more and her honest opinion of each was incredibly appreciated. I really liked the fact that I had went alone. It made the decision seem so easy.

There were no preconceived ideas about what I should wear. Luckily, once I had softly decided and sent a photo to my mum, she loved it too. My seamstress worked wonders in recreating the v-neck at the front to bring it a little lower and to shape it in at the waist and under my bottom to give a little more height to my petite height.

The flowers I chose were quite simple. I love foliage like eucalyptus, olive leaves and ruscus so I wanted to create a look that was foliage heavy. I decided to go for white, creams and pale pinks to keep in with the rest of the décor. I loved our ‘concrete’ urns so wanted these to be the focal point of the tables. I had actually under ordered the amount of flowers we needed but yet Sofia created the softest and freshest looking tablescape and really saved the day!

For our wedding cake, we chose to have a pandoro table in multiple sizes along with my favorite Italian pastries, bigne. Pandoro is traditionally a cake you would eat at Christmas but I love the taste and we just wanted to have food that we enjoyed eating rather than worrying if it was typically wedding or not. I also wanted our guests to experience all the parts of Italy that I have grown up with and love.

Don’t be fooled by thinking that DIY is a more budget friendly option. It really isn’t. Unlike the professionals there is a lot of trial and error and there were times when the stress and time it took was quite a lot of pressure. If you are like me and absolutely adore making things, then I strongly recommend working out how much time you have and planning jobs that take only half that time because life does get in the way, unexpected things crop up and the stress of not having enough time to do things can overshadow the fact you are marrying the love of your life! (The satisfaction of making all the details is lovely though). If you are having a destination wedding too without doubt I would recommend hiring a wedding planner throughout your wedding planning journey. The week running up to our wedding we had quite a few issues and it really created so much stress. You definitely can plan a wedding yourself but sometimes it is worth every penny to outsource!

Photography: Brancoprata | Videography: Marco Caputo Films | Event and Floral Design: Brancoprata | Shoes: LK Bennett | Jewelry: Poetry Jewelry On Etsy | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Jenny Yoo | Hair and Make Up: The Hair And Makeup Atelier | Celebrant: Blessings from Italy | Bride's dress: Coco & Kate (Jenny Yoo Collection) | Catering and Furniture Hire: Love Banqueting | Ceremony and Reception venue: Convento Dell' Annunciata | Day of Coordination: Revelry Events | Flower Girl Dress: Zara | Groom's shoes: Churches | Groomsmen's Bow Tie: Gucci | Maid of Honor Dress: Monsoon | Maid of Honor Dress: H&M | Music: Italian Wedding Music | Ring Box: The Mrs Box | Scent: Eau des Merveilles by Hermes | Sent: Chanel | Tux Jacket: Dobell | Veil: Custom Made By Helen Martin | Watch: DW

© Style Me Pretty, 2017. | Permalink | Comments | Add to del.icio.us Post tags: Post categories: Destination, Real Weddings, The Blog

A Charming Italian Villa Meets a Rainbow of Pastel published first on their blog to my feed

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A Charming Italian Villa Meets a Rainbow of Pastel

Any time that Brancoprata is involved in a wedding, it’s a given that all out beauty is sure to follow. And this celebration of a fellow wedding mastermind so lives up to all that hype. It’s a mix of old world beauty, modern touches and the softest, prettiest pastel hues set against the backdrop of an Italian Villa. Pore through the vault filled with two gorgeous ceremonies and one of the prettiest tablescapes to ever grace SMP all right here.

Share this gorgeous gallery on

  Colors

Seasons

Summer

Settings

Castle

Styles

Destination

From the Bride… Working in the wedding industry and being exposed to different styles of venue, décor etc meant we had already discussed in advance the type of place we wanted the wedding to be and roughly how it would look. I love photographing the details when I attend weddings so really wanted to focus on creating those in our own. We wanted a relaxed outdoor wedding and so going home to Italy (from the UK) was a must.

Every Sunday when in Italy, my family and I all go to an agriturismo (a farm where they cook you fantastic food) for lunch and we wanted to recreate this at the wedding. These lunches have a very villagey feel often to them and so I wanted the dinner to be relaxed featuring long tables with boards of amazing food in the middle. Our vision for the day was to include our interest of art, music and our respective cultures (Scottish, Italian and Indian). It was also an opportunity for both sides to get to know us better as a couple. We have been together for years and know each others families very well but there are lots of interests, memories, life events you share as a couple that often people don’t see. I love Ancient, Etruscan and Renaissance art and so I knew I wanted to incorporate elements of these into the design and feel of our wedding.

We also love a large variety of music genres: R&B, rat pack, classical, bossa nova, Indian instrumentals, West African music and Madagascan reggae, and knew we wanted the day to reflect and work with these. We sectioned each part of the day with a different style of music. Classical, West African and Madagascan Reggae during the different stages of our wedding ceremony followed by Bossa Nova for cocktail hour, Indian for the Hindu ceremony, Italian and Rat pack over dinner and R&B for the dancing.

I looked to my home and wardrobe when choosing the color palette for our wedding before playing around with textures, material and color samples on a physical mood board to narrow down. We chose a mixture of pale pink, ecru and off white for our main colors with pops of champagne and silver. I did have a few concerns because the colors were also the colors that make up the brand colors in my business and I thought that might seem a little strange (A little “I can’t leave work at work”), as well as being colors you’d typically associate with weddings and I considered that I may want something a little different. However in the end they are color combinations I find most beautiful and they are also rarely seen in Indian weddings so I liked that we could create a visually unique version of the Hindu ceremony.

I went totally overboard with the DIY details. I had the strange idea that it would be super romantic to handcraft a wedding for the love of my life. I am known to get a little carried away and whilst working on one thing I’d get an idea to do another. I really love making things but in the lead up to our wedding both parents got quite sick and so I found I hadn’t budgeted enough time for DIY and unexpected life events which added a little more stress than I had anticipated.

I created all the stationary from invites, programs, signage and table stationary as well as made my garter and made hand dyed silk ribbons for the bouquets as well as napkins and tablecloths (Sofia kindly helped me with the latter last minute). I also painted plastic garden urns with a concrete based paint mix (for easier transport) for the tables. We made the garlands for the Indian wedding ceremony and my mum made the muslin curtains for the wooded ceremony.

The most fun project was designing my Indian wedding outfit. I knew I wanted something a little different and less heavily decorated than the usual. I couldn’t find what I wanted anywhere so I decided to create it myself. I travelled the length of the UK to source the right fabrics and it was amazing to see it come to life! The detail we got the most comments on were the personalized letters we wrote for each of our guests in lieu of having actual favors. This also doubled as their name card at their allocated seat. We chose to describe a favorite memory with them or/and give thanks to them in a specific way and I think that touched quite a lot of the guests. Your wedding is the one opportunity where you will both have all your loved ones in one place and we thought it was the perfect opportunity to not only share with them how we felt about each other but how we felt about each of them too. 

Seeing my husband to be, teary eyed at the end of the aisle was a beautiful moment. As well as reading our personalized vows to each other. Giuseppe from Blessings from Italy helped us create the most unique and personal ceremony and I didn’t realize quite how emotional it would be. There were a lot of tears. We did quite a lot of homework for the ceremony and it felt really special that every word truly reflected us as individuals and as a couple.

My favorite crafted detail had to be the stationary and our wedding timeline board. I took a calligraphy class and practiced for weeks before handwriting all the stationary myself. The stationary took around 3-4 weeks so quite an arduous and stressful job but once finished I was quite happy with them given I am a total calligraphy amateur! With our wedding timeline I painstakingly painted a serif-roman style font onto a sheet of thick glass and it was displayed amongst the foliage and crumbling arches of the Convent.

I had huge apprehensions about my gown. I knew a lot of the styles I liked wouldn’t be best suited to my petite but curvy body type. I decided to step away from Pinterest and try some on so I would really know what felt right. I had planned on just browsing and getting an idea so that when I went with my mum and bridesmaids, I’d not be swayed heavily by their opinions. Hence, off I went to visit the Coco & Kate Atelier. Sophie and I have worked together quite a few times and every time I have visited her atelier I have fallen in love with at least a handful of her grown up dresses. I walked in and spotted my dress. It was the first I tried on and was different to what I had anticipated I would want (I imagined soft tulle with three quarter length sleeves) but I have always loved the heavily beaded gowns from designers like Elie Saab, so what better time to wear such a lavish dress. Sophie encouraged me to try on more and her honest opinion of each was incredibly appreciated. I really liked the fact that I had went alone. It made the decision seem so easy.

There were no preconceived ideas about what I should wear. Luckily, once I had softly decided and sent a photo to my mum, she loved it too. My seamstress worked wonders in recreating the v-neck at the front to bring it a little lower and to shape it in at the waist and under my bottom to give a little more height to my petite height.

The flowers I chose were quite simple. I love foliage like eucalyptus, olive leaves and ruscus so I wanted to create a look that was foliage heavy. I decided to go for white, creams and pale pinks to keep in with the rest of the décor. I loved our ‘concrete’ urns so wanted these to be the focal point of the tables. I had actually under ordered the amount of flowers we needed but yet Sofia created the softest and freshest looking tablescape and really saved the day!

For our wedding cake, we chose to have a pandoro table in multiple sizes along with my favorite Italian pastries, bigne. Pandoro is traditionally a cake you would eat at Christmas but I love the taste and we just wanted to have food that we enjoyed eating rather than worrying if it was typically wedding or not. I also wanted our guests to experience all the parts of Italy that I have grown up with and love.

Don’t be fooled by thinking that DIY is a more budget friendly option. It really isn’t. Unlike the professionals there is a lot of trial and error and there were times when the stress and time it took was quite a lot of pressure. If you are like me and absolutely adore making things, then I strongly recommend working out how much time you have and planning jobs that take only half that time because life does get in the way, unexpected things crop up and the stress of not having enough time to do things can overshadow the fact you are marrying the love of your life! (The satisfaction of making all the details is lovely though). If you are having a destination wedding too without doubt I would recommend hiring a wedding planner throughout your wedding planning journey. The week running up to our wedding we had quite a few issues and it really created so much stress. You definitely can plan a wedding yourself but sometimes it is worth every penny to outsource!

Photography: Brancoprata | Videography: Marco Caputo Films | Event and Floral Design: Brancoprata | Shoes: LK Bennett | Jewelry: Poetry Jewelry On Etsy | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Jenny Yoo | Hair and Make Up: The Hair And Makeup Atelier | Celebrant: Blessings from Italy | Bride's dress: Coco & Kate (Jenny Yoo Collection) | Catering and Furniture Hire: Love Banqueting | Ceremony and Reception venue: Convento Dell' Annunciata | Day of Coordination: Revelry Events | Flower Girl Dress: Zara | Groom's shoes: Churches | Groomsmen's Bow Tie: Gucci | Maid of Honor Dress: Monsoon | Maid of Honor Dress: H&M | Music: Italian Wedding Music | Ring Box: The Mrs Box | Scent: Eau des Merveilles by Hermes | Sent: Chanel | Tux Jacket: Dobell | Veil: Custom Made By Helen Martin | Watch: DW

© Style Me Pretty, 2017. | Permalink | Comments | Add to del.icio.us Post tags: Post categories: Destination, Real Weddings, The Blog

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Techniques – 10 Characteristics of Great Photos (2019 Update)

People often ask us how to take “good” photos. As a studio, we’ve tried to develop a methodology so that we can consistently create amazing images. While studying our art over the last decade, we compiled a list of ten characteristics most often found in the best photos. While we use examples from our wedding and engagement portfolio for the images below, these rules apply to all genres of photography.

If there is one overarching characteristic whose importance precedes that of all the characteristics listed in this article, it’s that every image needs to have a purpose. The image should tell a story or capture a unique moment in a meaningful way. If you comb through your portfolio and find yourself wondering why you captured a particular image, then there’s a good chance it’s lacking some or all of the following characteristics.

While it is highly unlikely that a given image (even an amazing photo) will include all of these characteristics, try to combine as many as possible and always keep composition in mind.

Without any further delay, here are 10 Characteristics of Great Photos.

10 Characteristics of Great Photos

1 – Compelling Composition (Must Have)

Most basic photography guides include common compositional concepts like the rule of thirds and rules of symmetry, but what other techniques can we use to create compelling compositions? Some less common techniques involve negative space, leading lines, depth of field, and framing. I mention this rule first because it doesn’t matter which particular style, technique, or rule you follow, so long as every image is thoughtfully composed. There will be times when composition takes a back seat in order to just grab the shot, but it should otherwise be considered whenever possible.

  The image above uses one of the most common compositional rules, the rule of thirds, in two ways. First, the dunes occupy two-thirds of the image horizontally, leaving the sun & sky to fill the final third. Secondly, the couple has been placed near the upper left intersection of the horizontal and vertical thirds. Although the rule is commonly practiced, this image exemplifies why it is so effective, especially in this scene from Dubai.

  This image features the dynamic symmetry of continuous spiral, which is often found in both nature and architecture. There are mathematical equations concerning ratios that explain in technical terms why this is pleasing to the eye, but it’s easy enough to notice how the lines effectively lead to the subjects, who’ve been placed in the lower left third of the image. Of course, the dramatic lighting also plays a role in minimizing distractions and drawing the viewer’s focus to the brightest part of the photo.

  The photo above features several compositional components, including leading lines, the rule of thirds, and unique framing. The leading lines in the scene draw the viewer’s eye to the couple, who occupy the space framed by the walls on either side of the walkway at the Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. In addition, the entire composition is framed using thirds, the left third where the couple resides, and the right two-thirds occupied by the wall and leading lines. The couple’s reflection in the wall on the right also adds a sense of (nearly symmetrical) balance to the image.

  Framing is key in the image above, as the couple is framed inside of multiple layers of squares. They’ve also been placed at the intersection of the lower left thirds, and lighting has been used to draw focus to the couple.

  In the image above, bokeh, which basically refers to the out-of-focus parts of the image, works in tandem with a shallow depth-of-field to separate the subjects from the background (and in the case of this shoot-through, the foreground as well). The subjects occupy a very narrow margin of space that remains in focus, which also happens to reside in the lower-right third of the image.

  Here, we have a great showcase for the power of symmetry. The couple has been placed on the apex of the triangular rock formation in the foreground, creating the first layer of symmetry. The mountain range in the background also adds to the symmetry of the image in that it echoes the triangular shape in the foreground while also providing its own symmetrical element.

You can find more information on composition and how to combine compositional elements here.

2 – Display Of Emotion

As human beings, we are drawn to emotion. Whether we’re laughing or crying, emotion ties each and everyone of us together. Images that capture genuine displays of emotion often prove timeless, and these meaningful moments will always capture the audience’s attention.

  The image above was captured during a Vidaai, which marks the end of the Hindu wedding ceremony and the beginning of the bride and groom’s journey as husband and wife. Vidaais can be intensely emotional as the bride’s friends and family wish her farewell (as illustrated above).

  On the flipside of sad emotions, genuine happiness also effectively connects viewers to the subjects in images. Usually, the more candid and natural the capture appears (even if it was actually directed), the larger the impact of the image.

[Related Reading: How To Pose And Direct For Natural Portraits: 10 Tips From Working Professionals]

3 – Simple Storytelling

Some of the greatest images simply tell a story. Rather than relying on great composition or featuring other unique characteristics, they instead focus on storytelling. Some of the best storytelling images are found in the news and other sources of photojournalism. From the triumphant shout of a newly crowned sports champion to a protester standing in front of a tank in the Tiananmen Square massacre, these images capture and freeze moments in history for everyone to become a witness. Here are a few examples from weddings we’ve photographed.

  You can almost feel the anticipation in the air as the bride’s father walks her down the stairs to the ceremony site at Malibu Rocky Oaks. From this unique perspective, you can see the story unfold as the bride’s family, friends, and groom-to-be anxiously await her arrival.

  What is bride prep without a little help from the bride’s friends or family? Here, an ensemble cast of bridesmaids admire the bride’s beauty from all angles while helping her with the final touches in preparation for her big day.

  For wedding photographers, the first look at the altar offers a perfect opportunity to capture the anticipation and surprise of the bride and groom seeing one another for the first time on their wedding day (depending on whether or not they did a first look earlier in the day). It’s one of the staple moments of the entire day.

4 – Elliptical Storytelling

Most images that tell a story are already worthwhile, but images that tell stories while leaving something to the viewer’s imagination are even better. You’ve probably heard people say that the book is always better than the movie because it allows us to use our imagination to create the most amazing and personalized special effects in our minds. Images that leave something to the imagination tend to do the same thing. They offer just enough information to fuel our imagination as we fill in the missing pieces.

  This image was shot at a local airport during an engagement shoot. While we can’t be sure of the subjects’ identities, we’re given enough clues to imagine they’re embarking on a long-distance trip. We don’t know where they’re going or under what circumstances, but that’s also why the image works so well. The limited clues let you imagine the rest.

  We’re given very few clues to determine the situation in the above image, but it’s enough to allow for creative speculation. The close proximity between the subjects implies a close relationship, and the style of the shoes and wardrobe combined with the graffitied background lend an urban feel to this untold story.

5 – Iconic Moments

When capturing an iconic moment, you are capturing a moment created or modeled after meaningful moments in pop culture and/or history. Whether it is a reproduction of a scene from a classic movie or a moment based around something trendy, these shots allow the audience to feel emotionally connected to the moment within the imagery.

  While James Dean never rode a motorcycle in his movies, plenty of photos exist of the star as he sits atop an old Triumph, exuding the cool guy, rebel persona he’s often associated with. In the James Dean-inspired shot above, viewers are transported back to the era of cool as we spy a glimpse of a couple in the rearview mirror, just before they ride off into the sunset.

  The couples portrait above recalls the golden age of Hollywood through its use of dapper outfits, editorial posing, dramatic lighting, and on-set props (like the retro-style light, which was part of the decor in a room at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel).

6 – Unique Moments

What’s an easy way to create an interesting image? Simple, shoot something that is unique to the respective audience. For example, while a Christian wedding may seem quite common in the United States, a traditional Hindu wedding isn’t so common and therefore is automatically more interesting to an audience in the states. Other unique moments might reveal themselves during unusual events or at one-of-a-kind locations.

  During his pre-wedding baraat, a Sikh bridegroom peeks through the strands of his Sehra to take in the sights. While baraats are quite common in Hindu and Sikh weddings, they’re unique to those who’ve never witnessed them. In addition, the ornate and colorful clothing worn by most in attendance make for unique photos.

  It’s not often that you get to capture family portrait framed under a spectacular fireworks display. The image above took place outside the venue during a wedding reception and used a backlight to separate the family from the background.

You can find more tips on how to capture portraits under fireworks here.

  The image above was captured at sunset just after the clouds began to clear at Malibu Rocky Oaks. By using off-camera flash to highlight the couple, we were able to capture a unique couples portrait in an environment whose look and lighting changed by the minute.

You can see how we captured the image above here.

7 – Juxtaposed/Contrasting Concepts

Some of the most interesting images juxtapose (compare) completely contrasting objects and concepts. Examples of this might include a beautiful bride in a completely white and flowing wedding dress shot in front of a background littered with trash and graffiti, thus juxtaposing beauty and purity with ugly and uncleanliness. Or perhaps a homeless person downtown sitting with all of his belongings with a glowing Merryl Lynch sign in the background, contrasting utter poverty with a symbol of wealth and power. See the images below for more examples.

  You might be wondering what’s going on in this image. We’re looking out from a makeshift shanty in downtown Los Angeles. This might not be the first place one would imagine using as a backdrop for an engagement portrait, but it aligns with the urban engagement theme and presents a unique setting for lighting and framing the couple.

  The image above was shot at the Long Beach Performing Arts Center against a graffiti-esque wall mural. The dapper wardrobes of the bride and groom in this editorial style shot contrasts well against the painted background.

8 – Unique Lighting and Color

Lighting and color is really where a lot of great images start. Great lighting can turn a mundane scene into an amazingly colorful scene full of texture and life. In nature, these types of scenes happen all the time during sunrise and sunset, and while we can’t control the lighting of those fleeting moments, if you happen to be in the right place at the right time, you just may be able to capture it (see point number six above). However, we can control and create unique lighting on our own with the proper knowledge using off camera lighting, flashes and more.

  The image above was created using a whip pan technique, which can be used to add dynamic motion with shutter drags. While the backdrop in this image was already appealing (taken outside of the Monarch Beach Resort), the added light technique makes this portrait standout from others captured in this same location.

  By lowering the ambient exposure in-camera and illuminating the couple with off-camera flash, we were able to capture this unique couples portrait under the beautiful Arizona sky.

  Silhouettes are backlit images that are easy to capture and produce amazing results. In the image above, captured in the dunes outside of Dubai, we placed the subjects directly in front of the setting sun and lowered our exposure to reveal the outline of the couple riding a camel across the sand. White balance also plays an important role in this image as it adds a desert feel with the bright orange sky.

We cover these and other lighting techniques in Lighting 201, as well as our Unscripted Series.

9 – Attention To Detail

In our time and society where everything is about speed and efficiency, images that capture overlooked detail can be enough to make someone stop to smell the roses. While pictures of unique and unseen detail is amazing and breathtaking, you can often get the same reaction out of your audience by simply shooting the detail in everyday life.

  This detail image of a bride’s shoes was captured on a hotel tabletop during a wedding in Huntington Beach. The dramatic lighting and reflective surface elevate this photo to a product shot you might expect to see in an ad for the shoes.

  While they’re often used to photograph flowers and insects, macro lenses open up a world of possibilities for photographing all kinds of tiny objects, including wedding rings (as seen in the image above). The best part is, aside from purchasing a macro lens, you can use inexpensive lighting to get your desired look.

[Related Reading: 10 Creative Wedding Ring Shots For You To Try]

  In the image above, an Indian bride takes a brief pause before heading out to the ceremony site. The ornate dress and accessories, as well as the henna on the bride’s hands and arms, are packed with detail and deserving of a closer look.

For more information on how to photograph details like those featured above, see our Photographing the Groom and Photographing the Bride wedding workshops.

10 – Unique Perspective

Most of us live our lives viewing the world with relatively the same perspective. This is what makes unique perspectives so interesting to the audience. Instead of shooting a child from an adult’s perspective, why not get down low and shoot them from the child’s perspective. Very low bottom-up and higher top-down can often create a much more unique and interesting image.

  This image was shot during an event as some of the kids were having a little party of their own. What better way to shoot kids, then to shoot it from their perspective. You can imagine how this shot wouldn’t be nearly as special were it shot from a standing (grown up) perspective.

  No drone was needed for this overhead shot of a bride and groom dancing in the rotunda at the Monarch Beach Resort. Whether you have to use a drone, balcony, or even an extended monopod, capturing your image from a higher perspective can elevate your image from ordinary to extraordinary.

  The image above was shot from a low angle to capture this unique perspective and show the beautiful background above the couple. Remember that backgrounds can be above or below you!

  In this portrait taken at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, we’ve used a wide aperture panoramic stitching technique called the Brenizer Method to showcase the couple. Without using this technique, it would be difficult to capture this large of a frame with such shallow depth of field.

We discuss this technique more in-depth in our Panoramic Stitching Workshop.

  We hope you enjoyed this article! If so, please share this article to show us your love! Also, please add your additional ideas on creating great images in the comments below.

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