Stylish Weddings

Kevin Jairaj is one of the best-regarded wedding photographers in the industry. His clients have fallen for his dramatic, fashion-inspired shots of every phase of the wedding day. Jairaj has also inspired countless photographers to take risks, take control, and take their image-making to the next level. In this book, Jairaj guides readers through the creation of 60 of his breathtaking images, as well as alternate shots for that scene, to educate readers on what it takes to create technically masterful photographs that magically and artfully capture the spirit of the wedding day. The book is equal parts technique and artistry; readers will learn how to recognize what constitutes a good shot, how to find perfect lighting (or produce it, when perfect light is not at-the-ready), how to create dynamic poses, and how to anticipate those can’t-miss moments that every bride and groom will want to remember their wedding day by. The book is broken down into four discrete sections, each with a unique focus: Brides, Couples, Details, and Moments. Readers can opt to delve into an area of focus that they are feeling particularly challenged by and find concrete approaches an insightful strategies to make their own with their own clients. In each section, readers will discover details on using a wide range of lighting approaches (natural light, strobes, video lights, speedlights, and window light). They will find an array of striking, evocative poses and compositions that draw the viewer into the image. They will also learn how and where to shoot from during every phase of the shoot—from the bridal preparations, to the ceremony, to the first dance, to the exit. Armed with these solid technical skills and artistic inspirations, readers will approach their own clients’ weddings with increased confidence and heightened creativity.

Find that knockout gown at a fraction of its original price, search for wedding invitations, rings, and flowers at reduced costs, read about creative ways to save on wedding cakes and reception menus, and locate incredible reception sites at affordable prices.

One of America's hottest little retailers." --Fortune magazine * Mary Carol Garrity lends her trademark advice on planning stylish, affordable, and memorable weddings in Nell Hill's Stylish Weddings Nell Hill's enterprising entrepreneur Mary Carol Garrity delivers practical yet elegant tips on creating lavish weddings without expending huge amounts of time, money, and energy. * Garrity puts forth shower, wedding, and gift ideas and presents readers with a call to action to spend wisely and create memorable experiences with maximum impact. The centerpiece of the book is Garrity's own daughter's wedding held at the Garritys' Atchison home. Garrity takes readers step by step through the planning of this summer event, with food, flowers, and friends gathered for the evening gala. Readers also learn tips from weddings that Garrity has attended and helped plan, including inventive ways to involve friends and family and creative touches that combine old family traditions with newfound keepsakes. * The Wall Street Journal has hailed Garrity as a "one-person economic-development force" in her hometown of Atchison, Kans. Garrity's stores have become landmarks in the decorating world. The Mary Carol Home Collection, an extensive line of home decor products, is distributed nationwide by the Gerson Companies.

An exquisite collection of nearly 400 iconic, inspirational wedding photographs of royalty, models, artists, actors, musicians and designers who have appeared in Vogue through the magazine’s 120 year history. Showcasing the work of legendary photographers such as Cecil Beaton, Patrick Demarchelier, Jonathan Becker, Norma Jean Roy, Mario Testino, Irving Penn, Arthur Elgort, Richard Avedon, Helmut Newton, and Annie Leibovitz, Vogue Weddings will transport you to a myriad of romantic settings around the world, from storied castles, palaces, and cathedrals, to weddings by the sea or in the countryside. Here are the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in London; Sofia Coppola and Thomas Mars in Italy; Kate Moss and Jamie Hince in the Cotswolds; Lauren Bush and David Lauren at the RRL Ranch in Colorado; Marina Rust and Ian Connor in Maine; Lauren Davis and Andrés Santo Domingo in Cartagena, Colombia as well as such iconic photos as Bianca and Mick Jagger in the car after their wedding in St. Tropez. A chapter on models’ weddings includes portraits of Natalia Vodianova, Coco Rocha, Maggie Rizer, Stella Tennant, Lara Stone and Cindy Crawford among others in their own wedding dress choices. Vogue Weddings also features behind-the-scenes details from Hamish Bowles; personal wedding stories from Mario Testino, Plum Sykes, Marina Rust and Sarah Mower; and fashion portfolios created by the magazine’s editors of bridal photo shoots, many including couture.

Spanning cultures across the 20th century, this volume explores how marriage, especially in the West, was disestablished as the primary institution organizing social life. In the developing world, the economic, social, and legal foundations of traditional marriage are stronger but also weakening. Marriage changed because an industrial wage economy reduced familial patriarchal control of youth and women and spurred demands and possibilities for greater autonomy and choice in love. After the Second World War, when more married women pursued education and employment, and gays and lesbians gained visibility, feminism and gay liberation also challenged patriarchal and restrictive gender roles and helped to reshape marriage. In 1920 most people married for life; in the twenty-first century fewer marry, and serial monogamy prevails. Marriage is more diverse and flexible in form but also more fragile and optional than it once was. Over the century control of courtship shifted from parents to youth, and friends, as opposed to kin, became more important in sustaining marriages. Dual-wage-earner families replaced the male breadwinner. Social and political liberalism assailed conservative laws and religious regimes, expanding access to divorce and birth control. Although norms of masculinity and femininity retain huge power in most cultures, visions of more egalitarian and romantic love as the basis of marriage have gained traction-made appealing by the global spread of capitalist social relations and also broadcast by culture industries in the developed world. The legalization of same-sex marriage-in over twenty-five nations by 2020-epitomizes a century of change toward a less gender-defined ideal that includes a continued desire for social recognition and permanence. A Cultural History of Marriage in the Modern Age presents an overview of the period with essays on Courtship and Ritual; Religion, State and Law; Kinship and Social Networks; the Family Economy; Love and Sex; the Breaking of Vows; and Representations of Marriage.

A budget-conscious guide to planning the perfect wedding explains how to create a stylish ceremony without paying a fortune, offering practical advice on on everything from wedding planners and flowers to photographers, entertainment, honeymoons, and caterers. Original.

When you imagine your wedding, what do you see? Maybe you dream of exchanging vows before an intimate gathering of family and friends at sunset, followed by a chic and elegant dinner under the stars in balmy weather. You can practically see yourself at the altar, taste the cuisine, smell the gardenias, and feel the music playing when you join your guests to party at the reception. But before your wedding comes together with all the romance and glamour you've imagined, you'll need to make decisions about the details. Is your color scheme bold and rich or soft and ethereal? Will you be married in your mother's garden at the end of a serpentine path or on an exotic beach with the ocean crashing in the background? Do you desire an elegant sit-down dinner or a fabulous cocktail party with a great DJ who keeps the party going late into the night? With so many choices, it can be hard to decide where to begin. Now there's no reason to get overwhelmed, because wedding designer extraordinaire Colin Cowie is by your side every step of the way. In Colin Cowie Wedding Chic, he shows how to weave a thread of style throughout your celebration, from determining the overall feeling and mood to the smallest and most personal details of the event. Following inspirational introductions from Colin about every part of your celebration, each detail is captured with magnificent photographs: bouquets; ceremony décor; centerpieces; reception décor; food and drink; cakes; invitations, favors, and gifts; appearance for the bride, groom, and attendants; ritual and ceremony; and music and after-party. Brimming with the kind of style that has made Colin the number one wedding planner in the world for celebrities, heads of state, and even royals, Wedding Chic finally gathers all of the options in one dazzling, easy-to-reference place. With photographs of more than 1,001 gorgeous details, it is simply the most comprehensive, varied, and beautiful resource a bride-to-be could ever wish for--one that is certain to make the wedding a celebration to remember forever.