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For a wedding Photographer an Indian Wedding in Menton is a true pleasure

What amazing colours and what an ambiance. Indian people really know how to create a great atmosphere wherever they go. It was nearly the last wedding of 2010, the weathers was changing with every possible type of sky you can impinge, all in one day.

Sick as a dog in the middle of the afternoon, I even thought at one point I might have to go to the hospital. I managed to last the day thanks to a big dose of painkillers and anti-inflamatories. And the celebrations continued into the following week, without me as I was laid up in bed.

A glimpse of a Fairy Tale in Monaco, Kelly and Gabriel’ s Wedding in Monte Carlo by PGPhotography wedding photographer France and Monaco. http://www.pgphotography.eu/

In May I  made a short trip to Geneva  to meet with Kelly and Gabriel and discovered a very nice and gentle couple but not very extraverted. That’s why I was very surprised to see them getting mad with the first  music of their wedding   in the Hôtel de Paris in Monaco . Everything had been made to make this wedding become one of the Top events of the season in Monte Carlo

Everything began on Friday when both families gathered at the Sporting d’Hiver totally flowered and brilliantly lit . Sunday afternoon Kelly and Gabriel got ready each on one side of the Hermitage Hotel. I remenber arriving on the Terrace of Gabriel’s flat on the top level of the Hotel. I had thought that even the prince in his palace on the other side of the harbour surely doesn’t have as nice a view over Monaco.

Des deux côtés l’ambiance pendant ces préparatifs etait déjà festive et c’est dans une joyeuse pagaille que les deux cortèges se sont mis en route pour se retrouver à la Salle Belle Epoque de l’Hotel Hermitage métamorphosée selon les directives averties d’Emma de Pulp-Event ®

qui supervisait de main de maître le déroulement de l’ensemble des opération. Jugez par vous même de la décoration de la salle difficile de faire mieux non? Il faut dire que l’équipe de Pulp Event®

partenaire de la Société des Bains de mer de Monaco sur de très nombreuses manifestations impliquant les ” Happy few ” du monde entier est plus que rompue à ce genre d’évênement Jet set

A la fin de la cérémonie et malgré l’aide musclée des gardes du corps nous avons eu bien du mal à extirper les mariés de la foule amassées autour de la Houpa. Il nous fallait nous échapper le temps d’une beaucoup trop courte séance de photo des mariés dans les jardins du Casino en compagnie du cameraman de la talentueuse équipe de Azur production vidéo et du sympathique chasseur de l’Hermitage qui nous servait de chauffeur.  Le pauvre avait bien du mal à préserver la Bentley de la curiosité des nombreux badauds et touristes un peu trop empressés.

Comme la veille pour le mariage de Gretchen et Andrew la météo a changé quelques minutes avant le début de la séance. Alors que le ciel avait été clément et d’un bleu d’azur toute la journée,  il est soudain devenu blanc  immaculé aux dernières lueurs du jour.  Quel dommage !  Une demi heure plus tôt nous aurions pu faire une bien plus belle séance !

Et nous voici arrivé à la soirée. Quelle fête exceptionnelle ! Pendant notre séance de photos les invités se sont rendus depuis l’ Hermitage jusqu’à la salle Empire de l’hôtel de Paris. L’assistance était prête à exploser dès les premières notes de musique. Et là que dire sinon que l’ambiance n’a pas pris cinq minute à démarrer sous l’impulsion de Francky Perez et l’orchestre Broadway

Kelly, Gabriel  I wish you the very best.  I’ve been covering some of the most wonderful weddings all over the world for so many years now but yours will certainly remain in my personnal Top Ten.

The Wedding Parade in Venice by PG Photography Wedding Photographer France

For a first edition it was undoubtfully a great succes  Despite freezing winds all participants were  really willing to make awsome pics. A week later everyone is back home and Facebook is exploding with all the comments from all over the country Next year we are planning a new edition and a few destinations have allready been proposed : Prague, Malta, Lisbon, Marrakech and maybe Venice again.

Here is the first Slideshow of this wonderful trip : The night Session

The wedding of Gretchen & Andrew from Boston  in Monaco by PGPhotography Wedding Photographer France and Monaco. http://www.pgphotography.eu/

Gretchen first contacted me early in 2009. After that we  probably exchanged at least 300 e-mails ! We first met when they’d come to The Riviera in May 2009 in order to prepare the wedding , find a Venue meet all the suppliers and also have two weeks holiday. They had chosen a hotel in Les Issambres and we met at The Motel Van der Valk  in the little harbour of Saint Aygulf.  They had not realised when booking their hotel online that it sometimes may take several hours to drive from Les Issambres to Monaco and they had to leave before having finished with their program.

I then offered to help with some little things like taking a few pictures for them at the anglican church of Saint Paul in Monte Carlo or finding a DJ and some musicians. That’s how I first discovered the restaurant : Les deux Frères in Roquebrune Village upon Roquebrune Cap Martin and it’s fabulous view of Monte Carlo.

Last april I had to fly to New York City and Montreal for the preparation of another wedding and an engagement shooting.  I thought it was a good idea to suggest  to them the same kind of shooting in Boston and at the same time visit Boston where I had never been before.  It was quite hard to organize at that time of year and finally after many many changes in my plans I flew directly to Boston with my colleague and friend Jean Baptiste Paye whom I already talked you about in several posts on that blog.  After two days visiting the City of Boston and also Cambridge together we met Gretchen and Andrew on James Street. We then went for a long circular walk along The Charles River and into the old Italian borrough taking amazing pictures all along the way. At the end of the day we all had dinner in Hannover Street just near where they both live.

In June they arrived in France a few days before the wedding and settled in La Turbie close to Monaco. We had dinner together at the old flower Market cours Saleya in Nice on Thursday night to review all the details and the schedule of the wedding day. They left me and went to pick up Andrew’s parents at the airport of Nice Côte d’Azur.

I now realize how much Gretchen ( who did not hire a wedding planner and organised it all by herself ) really did a good job. Planning that kind of event relly is a big deal because all attendees were  coming from different States in the US and also from London. No one had a vehicule and they all arrived at different times and by different means. Hiring a bus for everybody was a great idea despites the traffic problems for large vehicules in Monaco.

On the wedding day I arrived with Bruno Espagnol another friend, photographer in Toulouse, who had come to stay with me,  at my place. We met the girls at Jacques Dessange the famous hairdresser in Monte Carlo. The bride, her bridesmaids, several friends and the sisters had booked the place for a hairdressing and make up session. An Army preparing an overseas invasion would not have been more efficient and though the place is quite huge  it was entirely filled with a joyfull and smily troup of girls all  wearing electric blue dresses. Hey girls you’ve all been nice and smily and helpfull ! Thanks to Vanessa from Phoenix and her wonderfull smile and Heather the Californian who moved to NYC and did most of the make up. To Tarra from Philly who is so talkative after a little glass of wine or Patty from Texas who dances like a pro, Jean from Chicago (Gretchen’s maid of Honnor), Shannon from Frisco and Jennifer who both appear to be professionals when it comes to opening bottles of Champagne!

After the compulsary picture of the group in front of the Casino we all headed to the hotel in La Turbie to begin the process if Getting Ready. I was very glad that Bruno had come to help because the hotel was so crowded and all attendees moving from one room to another. It was quite hard to find who we were looking for :  The Groom first, then the Bride and finally her dress that had dissapeared. Derek and German were self proclaimed Super Express Ironers and kidnapped the dress to give it new life in a room on the level below. After a moment of panic Gretchen warmly thanked them for having “saved her day”.

What to say about the ceremony ? That  it was very touching for everybody but mainly for Gretchen’s mother,  the Vicar, an english canadien, had a great sense of humour and both violonists where absolutly amazing.

The weather had been perfect throughout the day except after the ceremony when we went with the Bride and Groom to the casino for some pics. The sky had turned to cotton white, probably  an other application of Murphy’s law ? I will have to add some colour to all the skies in thoses pics ! Some days I am glad that photoshop exists.

The reception was fantastic. I  must tell you about the restaurant Les deux frères. I absolutely recommend it for small and intimate weddings. Besides it’s fabulous view, the food was wonderful and I am sure that Pascal my friend of Promusique will agree as he tasted everything with delight. The owner of the place who had been a little distant the first time I came to visit revealed to be a perfect host; nice,  funny, cheerful with a great  sense of humour. Everybody danced all night and again I will highlight how american and english weddings in general are different, more lively and dynamic than the average french wedding.

Also I admire the abillity of anglo saxon people to prepare and recite wonderful, smart and humourous speaches.  That was the case again this time and I want to tell about Jon’s speach. He recited a poem from Paul Valery : The Footsteps

———-

The Footsteps

Your footsteps, children of my silence,
With gradual and saintly pace
Towards the bed of my watchfulness,
Muted and frozen, approach.

Pure one, divine shadow,
How gentle are your cautious steps!
Gods! …all the gifts that I can guess
Come to me on those naked feet!

If, with your lips advancing,
You are preparing to appease
The inhabitant of my thoughts
With the sustenance of a kiss,

Do not hasten the tender act,
Bliss of being and not being,
For I have lived on waiting for you,
And my heart was only your footsteps.

——————-

Gretchen and Andrew from Boston (MA)

When, where and how did you first met? We met freshman year of college at Boston University. We lived in the same dorm. Neither of us can agree when and where exactly.
Did you hit it off from the get go? No–we were friends first and then dated on and off toward the end of college.

However, it did not get serious until a year after we graduated when Gretchen was living in Chicago and Andrew was living in Boston.
Transportation: Carnia Express
The Venue: Les Deux Frères, Roquebrune Cap Martin, France
How did you find your venue and why did you choose it? We Googled like mad and then went with our gut and chose the place

. We placed a deposit in the winter of 2009 and visited that May. Luckily it was perfect–the view and food–5-stars.

The Church: St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Monaco
Wedding Planner: No wedding planner–we did it ourselves.

Menu: Guests were offered a choice of the following:

Cocktail hour: aperitifs and marbled duck foie gras hordoerves

Appetizer Course:

Duck breast on an arugula salad with creamy morel mushrooms sauce

A trio of lobster, fresh green beans, cream sauce and basil

Main Course:

Grilled beef fillet, sauted vegetables with herbs in a Barnaise sauce

Sea bream stuffed with spinach, sundried tomatoes, cebette onion and Parmesan cheese in virgin olive oil

Bresse chicken with pistachios, spaghetti squash, in Port wine

Dessert:

Tart apples with cinnamon and bourbon vanilla ice cream

Fresh pears served warm with almonds in creamy caramel sauce

And wedding cake

Cake:Les Deux Frres – Three layers, three different flavors: strawberries and cream, chocolate with chocolate cream and lemon chiffon with lemon curd

Engagement Ring: Tavit’s Settings, Boston, MA
Wedding Rings: Tavit’s Settings, Boston, MA
Hairdresser: Dessange, Monaco
Make up: The lovely Heather.
Shoes: Christian Louboutin (bride) and Allen Edmonds (groom)
Brides underwear: Some shop in Courmayer, Italy!
DJ: Pascal Serri at Promusique Animation (he was great, highly recommended)
The dress: Harper Della-Piana at SEAMS in Wenham, Massachusetts (design from a dress shown in the movie “The Black Book“)

She created it strictly from screenshots I sent her via email–fabulous.

Grooms attire: Tommy Hilfiger

Florist: Florazur, 9 Rue des Combattants en Afrique du Nord, La Turbie, France–They were so nice and made beautiful arrangements–two days before the wedding!

Very affordable and highly recommended.

Best man: Jonathan Salois (Andrew’s brother)

What to say about him: Jonathan is pretty much the coolest guy on earth and dominates at ice hockey. He’d say “Go Bruins!”

About his speech: It came from left field–totally amazing!

Maid of Honor: Jean Mattes
What to say about her: They met freshman year of high school at Loyola Academy during gym class.

About her speech: Heartfelt sincerity–beautiful!

First Dance Song: “I Will,” by the Beatles
When, where and how did Andrew proposed: The day after Gretchen ran the 2008 Chicago Marathon: October 13, 2008–he did it at her parent’s home in Chicago in front of her family.

Best moment of the day

For Gretchen: From morning until evening and into the early morning–it was a perfect dream! I was elated to see Andrew at the ceremony after a chaotic weekend; I was instantly calmed.

For Andrew: Seeing Gretchen in her dress for the first time and watching my parents cut a rug in the dance circle.

Honeymoon: Our European excursion was one huge honeymoon where we managed to hit: France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland and Iceland!
Advice for future couples who want to get married: Don’t be pressured by anyone to do anything you don’t want to do. It’s your day and no one else’s–completely worth it.
Anything you would like to say about preparing for this day: A LOT went into planning this day. A lot of patience and a few moments of panic but it all worked out beautifully.

If you get organized, it’s not so daunting.

————————–

Some of the best pics of the day

Wedding in Sanary sur mer By PG Photography Wedding photographer France.

After much deliberation, Stéphanie and Paul decided to get married in the last week of August. Luck for them, the horrible weather of the previous weeks had finally cleared up and the sun had come out at last. The priest was slightly late in arriving for the ceremony and so the guests had were all waiting on the sea front where it was bizarre to see so many people with umbrellas, on the beach, on such a glorious day. Paul really should have metioned when we first met that his dad was an old colleague of mine who has now taken his reitrement. Luckily I had completely forgotten this as it surely who have made me a little stressed. The only worry that we had on the day was that the CD player in the church would not play the music that had been prepared for the cermony. Luckily I had brought my laptop with me and so the best man and myself franticly ran across the Port and into the town centre where my car was parked to collect it. Whilst running back to the church, at much the same pace, i was carrying the open laptop in my arms so that we could burn a new CD “En Route”.  At my age this task was quite taxing and I looked rather like Danny Glover in the film “L’arme Fatale”.

The evening got off to a great start in Pierrefeu at a superb venue which was previously unknown to me. I would recommend this venue to other couples as the prices were, for once, quite reasonable.

____________________

Stéphanie and Paul from Sanary sur mer

Where, when and how did you meet?

It was the 24th Novemeber 2007 in 113 Café during a drunken evening for Paul and a girls night out for me. He literally fell at my feet that night (hee hee hee) when he was walking over to come to talk to me!!!

One week later we met up again. Both my friends and his friends had advised us individually to play it cool.

Even so, Paul gave me his number perhaps because I didn’t want to give him mine. The next day, he came by to the shop where I was working at the time, under the pretext that he wanted to buy something (his smelly feet were the first thing to be put in the hall of shame!!!) but I reassured myself that he had not actually come to buy anything and that in fact he had come because he wanted to see me again. That evening we danced our first slow dance together and we have been together ever since.

Our first kiss was on the 4th of December in a shisha bar where we seemed to be the only two people in the world.

Wedding location : Civil ceremony was held in the mairie in Sanary sur mer

Religious ceremony : Saint Nazaire church in Sanary sur mer

Reception : Le domaine du Pourret in Pierrefeu du Var

Menu du repas de la soirée :

Mille-feuille de St Jacques au curry

Turbot pôché au lait, risotto du domaine et brochette de reinette poêlée

Trou normand

Filet de boeuf rossini chartreuse d’asperge et friture d’herbes aromatiques

croustillant de chèvre salade de jeunes pousses quenelle de mousse de noix

Pièce montée déguisée de choux et nougatine

fontaine de chocolat accompagnée de fruits frais, bonbons, mignardises et verrines

Jewelry:

Engagement Ring : Histoire d’or

Wedding rings : Marc Orian

Hair : Jean Louis David Salon in the shopping centre at  Mayol

Make-up : “L’instant pour moi”

Shoes : Dejean for me , for him Marine Nationale (hee hee hee)

Lingerie : Wacoal et Chantelle

DJ and lighting: Melvis Bouvey Professional impersonator of Elvis Presley

Wedding dress : Déborah Marseille, rue de Rome ( Cosmobella )

Grooms Suit : Tenue de cérémonie Marine Nationale

Florist : Fleuriste Sanary sur mer

Witnesses for Groom: Taylor Bravo friend from the army and Sébastien Carrugi childhood friend

What can you tell us about them ? : Taylor is like an iron hand in a velvet glove, he has a big heart and  Sébastien is a very complex guy but he is very kind

Witnesses for the bride : Ophélie Renaud  and Jimmy Chianese both very close friends of the bride

What can you tells us about them: Ophélie is an adorable crazy blonde and Jimmy has all the class of an Italian in every circumstance, I have unforgettable memories of both of them

How and where did Paul propose ? : We were at Disneyland in Paris during an easter break. We were in the Cinderella hotel amongst Disney PRinces and Princesses and in front of a tearful, surprised crowd, It was very moving and the hotel said it was the first time someone had proposed there.

What is your favourite memory of your wedding or the best moment for you :

Stéphanie: the floods of tears I shared with my Dad before entering the church

Paul: my arrival at the mairie

Honeymoon : a tour of Las Vegas, San Francisco, Los Angeles which was a gift from all of our guests

____________________

I wish you both all the best and should your honeymoon overlap my trip to America we must try to met up again in Vegas to take some crazy photos

Here is a slideshow which sums up some of the best moments of the wedding followed by some of my personal favourite photos