Nothing excites a new bride to be than hearing romantic stories of other’s proposals. So, please, share! Tell us the story of your proposal! I’ll give you a few phrases to help get you started or jog that memory!
When you were proposed to:
He/she said/did:
You said/did:
Then we did/went to:
I know you are out there reading! Don’t go with out sharing your story! We’d love to hear some fun, happy and cool stories! Bring ‘em on!
In our search to bring you great wedding advice, we usually come across interesting traditions and folk lore.
Here are some traditions about your wedding cake you may have never known…
- Custom is that the bottom of a three-tiered cake is for the reception, the top is for the bride and groom and the middle is for guests to take home.
- The bride and the groom hold the knife and cut the first slice of cake together; it is the first task they perform together in their new marriage.
- Each feeds the other a bite of cake to show they will nourish and provide for each other.
- The top tier of the cake was traditionally fruitcake saturated with liquor to preserve it, the wrapped and stored in a tin. It is shared by the couple on their first anniversary. Today you can freeze the cake.
- Personal note: My great-grandparents had the fruitcake top tier. Instead of eating the cake on their first anniversary they took a small piece of cake and poured a cup of rum over the cake and returned it to the freezer. They ate from that top tier for over 25 years. I like rum but 25 year old run-fruitcake doesn’t sound appetizing to me!
Here are a few beautiful cakes from cakewrecks.blogspot and Google search.
*From “The Bride’s Book of Lists”
Here are a couple of photos from Erica & Gabriel’s wedding that I love so far!
Our office will be closed from Monday through Wednesday. I will be available to answer emails occasionally during this time.
I caught some morning dew on some of the star jasmine and other flowers growing in the back yard. It made for some nice pictures.
I found some images of my first camera online today! It was a Kodak Instamatic 100.
Here is a picture of me with my camera at Disneyland in 1978. Unfortunately to straighten the crooked image I had to cut some of my camera off. But there I am, with 2 of my favorite things, Disneyland and pictures!
Looks like we were meant to be!
We had such a awesome time last night at Erica & Gabriel’s wedding!!
I feel like I have a hangover but I didn’t drink a thing! That’s how awesome this wedding was!!
To view images from the photobooth, click HERE.
To view images from Erica & Gabriel’s engagement session, click HERE.
To be notified when the images from the wedding are available, please register HERE. Registering to view the photos before they are released will get you a $5 credit that you can use for purchasing photos from the wedding. Print credit does not cover shipping and handling from Pictage.
Wedding photos take several weeks to be edited and uploaded. We thank you for your patience and understanding!
If you have any issues registering or logging in to Pictage, please call 877-277-5224. My support team at Pictage will be more than happy to assist you with registering, logging on and even ordering by phone.
Life has been in the whirlwind the last couple weeks. It is so fun and exciting working on new part of the business and some new adventures!
Tomorrow we have a wedding that I have been looking forward to for a long time! Erica & Gabriel will be getting hitched! I shot Erica’s twin sister’s wedding a couple years ago and it was a blast! I know tomorrow is going to be amazing!
AND we have the honor of the Human Rights Campaign auctioning off two of our photography packages at their Los Angeles Gala tomorrow evening. We hope to help raise money for all the causes that HRC supports. Most of them are very dear to our hearts.
The setting of the boutique is quickly falling into place! Soon I’ll be needing some vendors’ beautiful artwork in our little studio!
Life is going quick and I sure do need a nap!!
Have a wonderful weekend everyone!!
I love watching the sun come up though I’m never up in time to see it!
I love tiny puppies and baby laugh. Nothing makes me smile more than baby laugh!
I love finding a comfortable work shoe that looks decent!
I love Italy, more than I can ever explain. I would drop everything and move to Italy if I had the chance! Yes, Jimmy and the kids can come too!
I love having friends that I can tell my past to and yet they are still my friends!
I love photographing weddings! I’d love to see one of my weddings published! I have to reach for that goal!!
I love how two people can look in each other’s eyes and have and entire conversation without a word!
If you haven’t noticed yet, I like exclamation points!! It means I’m excited!
I love to travel! Distant places amaze me. I love western Europe.
I love Disneyland, even though the thought of parking, walking, riding a tram, more walking…makes me tired just thinking about it.
I love having friends that I know I will always be friends with.
I love night shots with my camera. Learning some new tricks that might spice up a wedding!
I love standing at the foot of the REAL Matterhorn at 5:00 a.m. To get some sunrise photos. Even though it was -2 degrees and I had no jacket! It was totally worth it!
I love that I have 4 of the cutest nephews and an amazingly gorgeous niece only 5 weeks old.
I love coffee!
I love Apple!! I am a Mac man for life!!
I love singin’ in the rain!
I love that no matter where you look, you WILL find love.
And remember, All you need is love!
Here is a wonderful article from the blog of AWESOME wedding photographers Justin & Mary Marantz.
When you are choosing a location to prepare for your wedding do you choose home or a hotel?
Here is what they have learned over the years Link!
Enjoy!
I am very excited to be surrounded by creative people. In fact, they are SO creative I’ve decided to take our extra little room and turn it into a wedding boutique!
I have friends that create hand made jewelry, sew table runners and create incredible items for your wedding.
In time we hope to be able to offer the following items:
Jewelry
Table Linens
Bridesmaid’s Gifts
Hand Made Invitations
Centerpieces
Handmade Unity Candles
Bridal & Bridesmaids Bouquets
And eventually a whole line of products to make your wedding planning quite easy!
In the future, we plan to offer services beyond photography, such as:
Wedding Planning/Consulting
Wedding Coordination
And possibly services you didn’t even know you needed!
We would love for you to come in with your wedding ideas in mind sit down with our designers and choose your linens, invitations, jewelry, bridesmaid’s gifts and wrap up the details for your wedding with full support.
As this new venture evolves we will keep you updated on what we have created and what we have to offer.
If you have any specialties that you would like to share or suggest, feel free to contact us.
Soon we will be Paul Manke Photography & Wedding Boutique!
AWESOME!!!
In the mean time, take a look at these cakes! I think my favorite is the cake with the butterflies!!
We are extremely excited to be shooting Erica & Gabriel’s wedding. A couple years back we shot Erica’s twin sister, Erin’s wedding.
When we had our first consultation with Erica & Gabriel, they told us the romantic story of how they met.
Erica & Gabriel met in Napa. What a beautiful place to meet and how romantic!
“Oh, no” said Erica, “we met at Napa Auto Parts! I had a crappy car at the time!”
Well, so much for romance! At least we’ll make up for the romance at the wedding!
We spent a couple hours with Gabriel & Erica a couple weekends ago and had an amazing time at the Fullerton Arboretum.
You can see these two are in love!
In the prime of my life….shot down….by a bug. A tiny, teeny bug that knocked down the giant!
The tiny bug, pneumonia has knocked me on my ass! The third bronchitis case in 4 months gave me pneumonia.
At least it was wrapped in a pretty tiny box…with a ribbon!
With all the drugs I’m on I should be back fighting within a few days.
I’ll keep you updated!
Dramatic Much?
I love small thing, especially small animals. Baby animals are some of my favorite things!
I loved this photo!
Unfortunately it is time for me to hit the doctor. I am still down with bronchitis and hating every minute! Hopefully I’ll be back to normal, whatever that means!
