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Love Isn't Canceled, and Neither Is your Wedding-Covid-19 Wedding Planning

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Love Isn't Canceled, and Neither Is your Wedding-Covid-19 Wedding Planning

I think we can all agree that the last couple of months have sucked! As a Fort Worth Dallas wedding photographer, social distancing is the exact opposite of what we do and how we make a living. And because we don’t know how long this may last, the full impact is still “in the air”, no pun intended. Obviously it’s not “business as usual” for all the vendors and wedding photographers in Dallas Fort Worth.

Bet let’s try to be positive and remind us that this is temporary, Covid-19 is not cancelling your love or commitment to each other.

As we are all in this together we have to come up with solutions and support each other, and our community in this temporary reality. That’s what we are doing at IGOR Photography.

With so much uncertainty surrounding us, I share and understand the frustrations and worries of what comes next with my engaged couples and fellow wedding vendors. I definitely understand the anger and heartbreak that many of couples are experiencing right now.

A lot of engaged couples have postponed and even cancelled their weddings altogether, it’s very sad but understandable. I think that we need to adapt to our new temporarily reality and come up with solutions that will ease the stress and frustration, and allow us to have beautiful weddings.

Couples still fall in love and want to get married during Covid-10. We just have to be both safe and flexible during these challenging times. This is a true testimony of their love “in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health.”

This is what we recommend at IGOR Photography:

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Kentucky meets Texas, Fort Worth Stockyards Engagement session

 

Our couple Jennifer & Denny met initially at a Fundraiser rugby game in Minnesota, where the bride was participating.

A mutual friend had brought Denny to the game, our bride Jennifer had explained to us that if you didn’t play rugby and came to this event you were treated as an outsider. So initially Jennifer (Bride) treated Denny as such, and wanted nothing to do with him.

He introduced himself, several times over several gatherings and again Jennifer ignored his efforts.

She finally decided, “I’ve given this guy a rough start and a lot of attitude” and wanted to be nice.

One night, he asked if he could take her to the Toby Keith Bar to hang out, it wasn’t an official date yet.

But when she walked out in a little yellow dress and boots, he said “Boy, I was in trouble” they danced all night in fact they were the only ones 2-stepping on the floor.

They decided to see where this new-found interest would take them, they dated long distance for almost a year before deciding to both settle in Texas.

They have been together for almost 5 years now, and Denny’s romantic proposal was in a hot air balloon on the soon to be brides birthday, as they neared landing there was a banner that read will you marry me!

 

We sure are glad Denny was persistent in his efforts with the beautiful Jennifer, we can’t wait to watch you two join as one on April 14th at the beautiful wedding venue Wild Wood Inn in Denton, Texas.

The Engagement session featured with Bride Jennifer and Groom Denny, in Fort Worth, Texas

She mentioned they were both a “little country” with bride being from Kentucky and groom from Texas, so what better way to showcase country love then the famous Fort Worth Stockyards.

Please contact Meaghan or Igor to discuss receiving ,the best Dallas Fort worth wedding photography in Texas for your wedding. we want to give you stunning images for years to last, your love story deserves amazing wedding photographers !

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Botanical Gardens- Mei & Z

 

We met the lovely Siqi Mei & Zhiqi, whom we called 'Mei & Z' when they inquired through email needing pictures immediately because they were getting married in China in less then a few weeks! We were more then happy to fulfill their request and the deadline.

Our bride didn't want a typical engagement session, since she was getting married in China and had been living in Texas for the last 2 years of her life going to school and studying she wanted to capture her life here with her groom. She decided to dawn a gorgeous bridal gown from Pence & Panache and Z wore a suit from Neiman Marcus .

We began with hair and makeup provided by very talented Destinee Seawolf at our Studio in Fort Worth, Texas. Then we headed to the Fort Worth botanic garden, the bride was adamant about having a lush green scenery with pops of color, she chose the perfect location!

At the botanical gardens in Fort Worth we lucked out in the fact they had just finished a wedding ceremony, it provided the white chairs and gazebo covered in flowers and greenery.

Once the sun started setting, our bride got a little bit cold and we thought it was sweet that our groom kept her warm between each location change, he helped her with her coat, and we thought it would be nice to capture these tender moments we finished with the handsome groom catering to his beautiful bride by placing her coat over her shoulders.

We wish Mei & Z a lifetime of happiness, and a wonderful wedding & life In China & congrats on their expecting a child :)

Let IGOR wedding photography capture each special moment, from your graduation, wedding, family gatherings to first child.

 

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Bridal Portrait Session at the W Hotel in Dallas

 

I have never shot at the W Hotel before, but while driving in Dallas I had passed this hotel with it's vertical high rising structure and funky, urban features many times before.

This hotel is any photographers dream, or anyone who appreciates cool features like mirrored walls, modern furniture and vibrant up-lighting. This was the perfect location for our fine art bridal sessions!

Our gorgeous bride Julie, featured here had a stunning dress that we really wanted to do justice, as well as capture all of the neat features that W hotel has to provide.

The W hotel has a stairwell, that gives a small ode to Texas with a toy horse & cowboy curtain framing the window in which we got some brilliant natural light.

While waiting for the sunset, we took advantage of the light outside and placed our bride in these cool swinging wicker chairs on W hotel patio area, to capture her natural beauty as well as some detail shots, such as her beautiful shoes.

As the sun started to lower in the sky, we decided too take a ride in the elevator to a level they called 'Altitude' once reaching the floor, I understood why, we were at least 30 stories high and the wind was howling.

Greeted with cloud covered walls, we moved outside to see a blue infinity pool. The winds were probably at their highest this day but Igor Wedding Photography sought this only as a creative challenge, to produce some true Fine Art Images.

Our Bride Julie, mentioned the 33rd floor. We once again got on the elevator, after arriving on the 33rd floor, Julie relayed that this is where she was having her wedding reception. The walls are textured metallic mirrors, and is like a swanky, luxurious club, but the real standout of this room is when you transition to outside, with amazing panoramic views of downtown Dallas.

We choose this area to give our Bride Julie some stunning Bridal Imagery of her dress and encapsulate the scenery of downtown Dallas.

As we were leaving and saying our farewells, the Photographer in me never stops my eyes from wondering to top what I just created, after seeing that I was surrounded by floor to ceiling mirrors, I asked my bride to just look at herself & admire her own beauty in the ceiling mirrors, to create a last look to wrap up this session.

 

If you would like to experience Igor Wedding Photography, and create one of a kind Fine Art Photos, please contact us right now to book your Bridal ,Engagement, Boudoir or Wedding photography today.

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An Indian Wedding at Southfork Ranch

 

We love to shoot Indian weddings in Dallas, and this Indian (Hindu) wedding in particular was one for the ages. Indian weddings usually last several days, they have a lot of guests, they incorporate a lot of traditions and rituals, and most importantly they are a lot of fun, with an abundance of colorful clothing, decorations, plenty of food and with much joy, singing and dancing. Weddings are one the most important celebrations in Indian culture, and they know how to celebrate it in grand style.

Rachna and Prasad's Hindu Wedding Event lasted 3 full days!

I'm here trying to briefly explain how this Indian wedding was celebrated, not all Indian weddings have the exact same rituals and traditions, and I'm sure I have forgotten some parts of it, but this is how essentially most Hindu weddings unfold.

Day one: The Pithi and Mehndi Ceremony, at Noah's Event Venue in Las Colinas, Irving.

First on day one was the Pithi ceremony for Rachna, the beautiful Indian bride.
It's a cleansing ceremony, generally held one or two days before the wedding, in which the bride and groom are rubbed with turmeric paste in a beautification process.
It's a celebration of love and happiness for the one's who are being married where the relatives come and prepare for the ceremony. The Pithi ceremony indicates that now the girl or boy has entered into adulthood and is ready for the marriage. The groom also has a well-planned Pithi ceremony, but in this case we only covered the Rachna's Pithi.

After the Pithi ceremony they started the Mehndi part of the ceremony, which is a casual event where henna paste ("Henna Tattoo") is placed on the guests, family and the bridal parties hands/feet in intricate patterns. Mehndi is one of the sixteen adornments of the bride,  it's a women's function, which takes place a midst musical beats of Dholak, with women singing traditional songs for a prosperous marital life of the bride.

After the ceremony they had dinner and social mingling with the guests.

 

Day Two: The Ceremony for the bride's family at the SLPS Community Center in Irving.

This was a full day of rituals, ceremony and gift giving in front of more than 800 guests. Including the Mayara, also called the ‘Maternal Uncle’s Ceremony,’ , where the uncle brought gifts for the mothers of both the bride and the groom, including the dresses and jewelry they where wearing at the wedding day.” This is also the first time during the 3 days that the groom and bride saw each other. There was also a large buffet dinner after the rituals and a lot of social mingling.
 

Day Three: The Indian wedding Ceremony (Vivaah Sanskar), at Southfork Ranch in Parker.

The Indian culture celebrates marriage as a sacrament (Sanskara), a rite enabling two individuals to start their journey in life together.

In order to best understand an Indian (in this case a Hindu) wedding ceremony is to think about it as a romantic story where the bride and groom arrive separately and meet and fall in love. The traditional host for the wedding ceremony are the bride's parents. The groom and his family are the guests arriving. The ceremony shows the transition for the Bride and the Groom, from the first stage of their lives, to their second stage of their lives as a married couple. Indian weddings are also about two families being brought together socially, with as much emphasis placed on the families coming closer as the married couple.

 

This is how this wedding day unfolded:

Baarat (The Groom's Processional):
Prasad, the groom arrives at the venue in a car with a lot of dancing and cheering from the guests and family members.

Ponkvu:
Bride's mother receives the groom and performs a traditional puja to offer her blessing. She will place a clay pot on the ground during the Baraat for the groom to step on and break, This will assess his strength before he takes the brides hand in marriage, this is an important symbolic part.

Jaimala, the Pre-Wedding Garland Ceremony:                                                                          Bride and groom exchanges garlands as he arrives. The Families lift up the bride and the groom on their shoulders. The groom is lifted higher than the bride to show that the bride cannot take the groom from his friends and family.

Madhuparka:                                                                                                                                 The groom Prasad walks then with Rachna's mother to where the ceremony is to be held (the Mandap). His feet are then washed and the bride's brothers and sisters then tries to steal his shoes, if they succeed, the groom must then offer money to get them back. This was a wild part of the day, they really tried to steal his shoes, it's no joke!
The groom went to sit on the stage until the brides arrived.

Kanya Agamana:                                                                                                                                The bride Rachna is then walked down the aisle with her uncle, with one flower girl and no bridesmaids. She then sits across from the groom with a sheet (the Antarpaat) in between so they can't see each other. Once the sheet is lowered, family members started trowing flowers at them in celebration. The couple them exchanged garlands for a second time, this time at equal level.

Madhupak:
The bride’s father now offered the groom yogurt and honey as the expression of welcome and respect.

Kanyadaan:                                                                                                                                         The Brides father now performed the Kanyadaan by tying the hands of the couple together in a marital knot (the Hast Melap) he ties a marital knot between the bride and the groom. With this gesture, the father of the bride is giving away his daughter to the groom.

Mangalphera:
The couple then walks around the fire four times in a clockwise direction representing four goals in life: Dharma, religious and moral duties; Artha, prosperity; Kama, earthly pleasures; Moksha, spiritual salvation and liberation. The bride leads first, signifying her determination to stand first beside her husband in all happiness and sorrow.

Then the Groom tied the Mangal Sutra (beaded necklace) around the bride's neck, after that the Bride with the groom's help touched 7 betel nuts with her feet.
The groom then applied a small dot of vermilion, a red powder (Sindhoor), to the bride’s forehead and welcomed her as his partner for life. They are now a married couple!
Then the married couple went to the front of the stage to bow to family and friends to get their blessings.

The rest of the day was more like a traditional American wedding day, they had the family photos taken, that took some time since it was a large family.
After that they couple went to clean and change clothes while the guest and family had a casual cocktail hour with games for the guests to play, by the famous Southfork Ranch Mansion (from the TV soup opera Dallas).

After the cocktail hour the wedding reception started with speeches, entertainment, cake cutting and a lot of dancing and singing.

This was certainly a wedding to remember! Contact us today if you are getting married and need stunning wedding photography coverage!

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Fort Worth Water Gardens - A Modern Bridal Session


Looking for the perfect modern location for your Engagement or Bridal portrait session? Be inspired by the Fort Worth Water Gardens, an unique urban park and fee free location with a variety of photo backdrops to choose from.

Featured here is our beautiful bride to be Danielle, the elegance of her bridal gown was able to be showcased with the simple backgrounds of the Fort Worth Gardens - at the quiet, "blue meditation pool" that is encircled with cypress trees and towering walls and at the "aerating pool" that features multiple illuminated spray fountains under a canopy of large oak trees, and because at Igor Wedding Photography we love to incorporate modern lines and beautiful architecture as well, the pools, concrete walls and the vertical depth of the stairs added a dramatic, yet modern flair to her bridal photos.

We would love to talk to you about any ideas , locations or any questions you may have, The limit is never to far, we like to be pushed outside the box of creativity. Contact us soon about your upcoming bridal portraits, engagement session or wedding, let's make something special together.

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Ceremony Vows

Thinking about writing Vows on your own ?
Find a quiet place to reflect on your relationship with your significant other, when did you first meet ? How did you feel when you first saw him/her ? Let these emotions inspire you as you write your vows. Below are questions to consider while writing :

  • Why did you decide to get married?

  • What hard times have you gone through together?

  • What have you supported each other through?

  • What do you want to accomplish together?

  • When did you realize you were in love?

  • What do you most respect about your partner?

  • How has your life gotten better since meeting your mate?

  • What about them inspires you?

  • What do you miss most about them when you're apart?

  • What qualities do you most admire in each other?

 Come up with something you promise to do each day or promise to do in the future.
This is the whole purpose of writing Vows and reciting them to each other , "Include promises that are broad in scope, such as 'I promise to always motivate you,' also something very specific to the two of you, like 'I promise to say "I love you" every night even if you are away on a business trip.

A Dallas Bride writing a love letter to the groom.


Write everything out and start structuring a speech:
You have all your bullet points now, it's time to try to make it all flow together and to write a first draft, probably the first of many.  Affirm your love, uplift your partner, offer promises and close with The final vow. Write this almost in the format of an essay ,where you write a short love story, then come back to it at the end.
 

Do away with Cliches:
You have a first draft or two, it's time to make edits. Borrow from poetry, books, religious and spiritual texts, even from your favorite romantic movies, but try not to let someone else words compete with your own, Remember that your vows need to sound like they come from you and that they define your relationship.
 

Too Personal?
It's your wedding day and family,friends and loved ones are present to hear you solidify your bond, so be aware that everyone wants to feel included in this moment. That means putting a cap on inside jokes, deeply personal anecdotes and obscure nicknames or code words. If you are not sure and trust a best man or maid of honor to read it aloud back to you, hearing your words may help you revise your vows, and get the feel for how something comes across, ask for their feedback as well if you feel comfortable.
 

Fight the urge to write a novel :
Vows are so important, but they should not run on and on where someone will have to eventually cue the music. Say all the meaningful things and then wrap it up. This is also why reading it aloud will help you edit, if you run over two minutes, it's time to edit. If you have more to say , write it in separate message with a gift and have it delivered to your fiance on the day of your wedding.
Fin
You've written epic vows, you have tears in your eyes from crying or laughing, either is good.
Now read it aloud with her or him in mind and rest easy that you have one more thing checked off your wedding list.

 

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Green is the new White, Eco-friendly Weddings

 

Want to leave a green foot trail on your big day?

We have compiled a list of fun and inventive ways that actually cushion your bank account, accommodate your guest and add lasting memories to your wedding in an Eco-friendly way.

When it comes to being more Eco-friendly most people associate this movement with more cost but it doesn't have to be.

  • Glam-squad

Did you know there are environmentally conscious makeup lines, with green in mind? For instance a company named RMS $36, the product not only nourishes your skin, they put special care into the packaging which is made from recyclable glass & recyclable aluminum lids.

- The Lip Bar Lipstick $20, sounds like a lot but compared to other brands like Mac, they are about the same price, except The Lip Bar provides the ecological factor, using natural & organic ingredients.

  • Say Cheese - Eco-conscious Wedding Photography

When it comes to our wedding photography, we try to leave a green thumbprint in many ways as well! Here at IGOR Photography we provide you a link to a gallery that lets you, friends, family and loved ones access your pictures, share and download them and choose the ones that you want printed or framed. Try to cut down on the paper-trail by asking your photographer for digital photos. That way you can look at them online and choose which ones you would like to print, before requesting them all to be printed. If you want more ways to be Eco-friendly, you could also see if your photographer fits your green values with this simple check list.

Does your wedding photographer use:

- rechargeable batteries,

- non-toxic ink

- 100% post-consumer waste paper

- LED or CFL bulbs

- Recycling

Are we there yet?

Not only do we want all of our guest to arrive on time and safely at the given destination, but why not add a green stamp to it as well? We can kill two, or 3 birds with one stone with these simple ideas.

Have you choose a venue for the ceremony or reception yet? If not, try to choose a venue that can be acceptable for both or if it has to be two different locations try to make them close and have one large van that can transport everyone in one large or a few short trips instead of everyone taking their own car. Carpooling, or an energy buss/trolley work for this purpose as well to cut down on emissions.

  • Be Charitable.

Be Eco-chic. Most brides never think of this last option and for some it may not even be an option! But if you are one of the few who decide that you took pictures of your beautiful gown and that's the  best way it will be remembered, you possibly would like to donate your gown after the big day. Let someone else make memories of their own in your dress.

other options:

- Family gowns have fit and altered.

- Eco-friendly wedding designers (they exist)

- Eco-couture gowns

-One time wear bridesmaid dresses

  • Something to remember me by.

Party favors:

This simple element of every wedding can be extravagant or as small as you'd like, but let's be honest most of these trinkets are destined for the garbage can, adding to the already amounting waste we have in the world.

Think green! Give gifts that are sure to be used or at least re-gifted.

- Soy candles

- Potted plants

- Edibles

Charity Donations:

After all, wedding favors can cost upwards of hundreds of dollars for all guest, another non tangible idea could be making a small donation in honor of each guest to a charity that is important to you and your groom.

No matter what your style and taste, there or endless ways that your wedding can echo volumes to the contribution of the green revolution.

　

　

 

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Best Wedding Photographers in Fort Worth

 

I'm very honored and happy to have been selected to be among the top 3 best wedding photographers in Fort Worth by The Three Best Rated.

I have been reviewed and rated by an independent review company, threebestrated.com, they handpick the Best Wedding Photographers in Fort Worth, Dallas and other cities. They check customer reviews, testimonials, history, complaints, ratings, client satisfaction, trust, value and the general excellence as a top wedding photographer in Fort Worth.

I  definitely get happy whenever I get an award, a positive review or any type of recognition as a top wedding photographer. After all the hard work and commitment, It's a good feeling when you get recognized as a great wedding photographer. The clients direct feedback is the most important but industry and organizational awards are also important.


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Indian wedding photography in Dallas & Forth Worth

 

This is why I love to photograph Indian weddings and receptions! The colors, the dresses, the jewelry, the henna tattoos, the decorations, the food, the traditional Hindu dances and last but not least the incredible celebrations and joy that's always in abundance. View some of my Indian wedding photos below and you will understand why it's so much fun photographing Indian weddings in Dallas and Fort Worth.


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Dallas Engagement pictures at Las Colinas

 

I had tons of fun doing Jessica and Wesley's engagement session by the beautiful Mandalay Canal at Las Colinas in Irving. The area around the Mandalay Canal has always been one of my favorite spots for engagement pictures in Dallas. The area has such a great southern European charm to it and is perfect backdrop for a classy engagement portrait session. I can't wait to photograph Jessica and Wesley's wedding at the Old Red Museum in Dallas, they are so much fun to shoot.

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Hotel Adolphus Dallas Wedding

 

The wedding of Alice and Cedric was at the historic landmark Hotel Adolphus in downtown Dallas. It was a beautifully decorated wedding, very classy and classic. The wedding venue Hotel Adolphus, was a perfect match for the perfect match that the bride and groom are. It was a terrific day of joy and celebration and we got some super great photos from their wedding day.

Dallas wedding photography by wedding photographer Igor.

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