We recently came across a Save The Date card by one of our very own Harsanik.com vendors, BGS Productions. Brian Starkman of BGS is currently planning his own wedding and we fell in love with his creative Save The Date! So we reached out to Brian to find out more about how he got the idea and learn more about their experience!
“Danielle and I have planned our wedding pretty fast considering I have been filming weddings for about 12 years. One of the things we were mixed up on was the save the date because Danielle wanted something traditional, using some of the photos from the night we got engaged. I had seen these for years and really wanted something different so we put the topic to rest for the night. As we were about to fall asleep, I said 'I got it, you are going to wear a suit and I'm going to wear a wedding dress with a card saying join us for the real thing'. Danielle LOVED it!
I then called my friend Brandon of Couture Foto and he was super excited to photograph this funny experience and even let us use his wife's wedding dress. We got a bouquet with our colors, a suit jacket from the goodwill and away we went. To say we had a great time taking pictures is an understatement. The dress was falling off, Brandon was laughing while taking pictures, and the two of us could not believe how we funny this really was going to be. Not to mention we were by a park, and people were riding their bikes and running past us with the most odd faces. After sending the card out to all of our friends and family, it has been a huge hit and definitely something different, fun, and got a lot of laughs.”
We absolutely love the creativity that went into this Save the Date! Congrats to Brian and Danielle on their upcoming wedding!
We're excited to introduce a new blog series from Vrej Sarkissian, CEO of LA Banquets & Anoush Catering. We are partnering with Vrej to get fresh content to help bride-to-be's with their wedding planning. This week's blog is focused on giving you tips on how you can beat the wedding day stress!
It's the morning of your wedding. Even before you open your eyes, only one thought buzzes through your brain: Today is The Day —The Day you’ve waited for your whole life. Your excitement and anticipation made sleep nearly impossible as you lie there thinking over all the details:
• Orchids and lilies delivered — check!
• Handmade favors in the reception hall — check!
• The construction of your five-tier dark chocolate mousse cake — check!
Then you realize that something, everything could go awry. Did the band get the playlist? Did the photographer get the right address? Has the champagne been chilled? You bolt out of bed, about to call every vendor to triple-check orders and...
Stop.
Before you let stress consume you on The Day, remind yourself that you’re already prepared.
Preparation Beats Perspiration
Remember finals week in school? Think of your frazzled friend, cramming at the last minute. She was so stressed out, she couldn’t concentrate on even eating. Then think of your other friend who stumbled into the classroom in flip-flops, coffee cup in hand, looking like she just came from the beach. Both had studied and were equally prepared, but who usually scored better? The friend in flip-flops, of course. She knew she had prepared, so why stress about it? Her calm confidence helped her more than any last-minute cramming would.
On your wedding day, emulate your second friend. No, don't wear flip-flops down the aisle (unless tropical beach is your wedding theme). Just remind yourself that you’ve done all that you can and anything that doesn’t go according to plan is beyond your control. Florist deliver flowers in the wrong shade of pink? Only you will notice. Instead focus on the life-changing event that matters: marrying the person you love.
Instead of sweating the details you're savoring every moment. And while you're getting your hair and make-up done, try on a pair of flip-flops – they'll remind you that everything will turn out better than even you expected.
On Saturday March 30, the 38-year-old ER actor Mekhi Thira Phifer tied the knot to his beautiful bride, Reshelet Barnes. Mekhi portrayed Dr. Greg Pratt on NBC's long-running medical drama ER and was also one of the stars in the movie 8 Mile starring Eminem.
Eric Film, one of our very own Harsanik.com vendors, was the videographer for the wedding. The wedding took place at the Montage Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. The couple said "I Do" in an intimate outdoor ceremony in front of 100 friends and family members, followed by a beautiful reception at the hotel.
Eric sent us a few photos he took at the wedding so we wanted to share them with our users! Once the details of the wedding are revealed publicly, we will be sharing a highlights video from the wedding!
This week we are excited to feature Hamlet Productions on our blog! Hamlet Productions offers a variety of photo and video packages for all your needs. We had a chance to meet with Hamlet recently and asked him to reflect back on one of his favorite recent photo shoots in the last 6 months. See what Hamlet had to say!
"Zareh’s and Meghedi’s wedding was the perfect way to end 2012. Even though it was the winter season, it felt like a bright summer day, especially with the choice of colors for the day. This is by far my favorite event of last year."
"The pre-wedding shoot was extraordinary. Set in Big Bear, it was very different from the actual wedding day: quiet, green, and very peaceful. It showed how different, yet alike this couple is."
"Downtown, LA was the perfect backdrop for this couple’s special day: diverse, unique, and full of life! The chemistry between these two individuals was amazing. Their personalities added character and unbelievable emotions to every shot. We had an unforgettable time and most importantly, we developed a distinct bond that will last far beyond the wedding day."
Last weekend, the Harsanik.com team presented the 4th annual Premier Bridal Event at the Universal City Hilton Hotel. We partnered with Fancy That! Events to produce the show and we hosted over 60 of the finest wedding vendors in Southern California. We are so thankful to all of the vendors who participated in the show and made the event look absolutely stunning! And special thanks to all of the brides and guests who attended the show on Sunday March 10 and made it such a success!
We always love the energy and excitement at our annual bridal shows! We kicked off the event with a live performance by Mamikon who played some traditional Armenian music, followed by two performances from Armenian pop stars Sako and Tigran Asatryan. The lovely ladies at Lovella Bridal put up an amazing fashion show showcasing some of the latest trends in bridal gowns. Heartbeat DJ was spinning on stage for the entire show, and we had a beautiful dance performance by Dynamic Duo Dance Studio. We ended the event by giving away incredible raffle prizes to many lucky guests!
Check out the highlights video from our 2013 bridal show! Special thanks to BGS Productions for the video recap.
In case you missed the show, we have a few photo highlights from the event featured in our blog, and you can find all of the official photos from the event on our Facebook page!
We are thrilled to announce that The 4th Annual Premier Bridal Event will take place on Sunday, March 10, 2013 from 12 to 5pm at the centrally located Hilton Hotel in Universal City. Harsanik.com is once again partnering with Fancy That! Events to produce our annual bridal show. While there are hundreds of things we are looking forward to, we wanted to highlight 3 things about this year's bridal show that make us very very excited about our upcoming event!
1) Location: We have selected the Hilton Hotel in Universal City as our venue of choice this year. One of the main reasons we selected this hotel was because of its size. The Universal Hilton Hotel is one of the largest venues in Southern California and we are looking forward to having lots of space for all of our guests to browse around and mingle with our vendors.
3) Entertainment:We have a great variety of live music, dance, and fashion to keep you entertained! Once again Lovella Bridal by Ines di Santo will be presenting our fashion show. They always put on such an amazing show! We have two live performances by singers Sako and Tigran Asatryan. Heartbeat DJ will be spinning on stage for the whole event. And we will have a dance performance by Dynamic Duo Dance Studio. Make sure to be there by 1pm latest so you don't miss out on the entertainment!
We are anxiously waiting for Sunday March 10th to arrive. We promise you it's going to be an amazing show and we can't wait to see all of you at our bridal show!
We recently received a question from a bride-to-be asking us for advice on her upcoming multicultural wedding and we thought the topic would be a great one for a blog post! We reached out to one of our very own Harsanik.com vendors, Marriage Ceremony Minister Rev. Ogannes, and asked him to share with us some tips on how to have a successful Armenian and non-Armenian wedding and marriage. We are excited to share Reverend Ogannes' advice with all of you!
Top 5 Tips To Help Make Your Armenian And Non-Armenian Marriage Perfect
5: Inform and include the extended family.
It is your life and you will and should make the final decision with your spouse to be, but nothing helps reduce stress like having your parents on board with your game plan. The easiest way to have them on board is to keep them informed of what you've decided to do, how you've planned to raise your children, what different holiday events you want to celebrate, etc. You can even swallow some pride and ask for their advice, if you like. You will be surprised at how much wisdom your parents and in-laws have to offer because you are asking and making them a part of the process. These are people who love you. It may not always be easy to see, but they ultimately don't want you to fail. Then, make sure you invite them over for a yummy Armenian dinner - it can be homemade (extra points for men or women) or picked up from a local restaurant in your area. Teach your in-laws about how you celebrated Easter as a kid and how special it is for your future kids to learn and be a part of it. Do whatever you like, just involve them! Including your family in small ways can really help ease tensions.
4: Educate yourself about your future spouse’s culture.
As important as it is to educate your extended family, it is even more critical to teach yourself about your spouse's faith and culture. It comes in handy when you are asked to explain an aspect of his or her religion to your parents, or to your kids. Learning about your spouse's background also leads to a greater understanding of their feelings and why various things are important to them. It shows that you care and are willing to share your lives together in marriage.
3: Participate. Once you start to learn more about your partner's religion, don't stop there. Involve yourself in your interfaith family's rituals and celebrations. Go to services together as a couple or family. By taking an active role, you not only make your spouse feel good, but you also will give yourself a great feeling of satisfaction. There is no better way to feel included than to participate. Celebrating and learning together bonds the marriage and creates family traditions right from the beginning.
2: Be open to learning.
Speaking of feeling included, it is a common fear before getting married to a non-Armenian. Being worried that if you raised your children in a faith other than Christian. That you would somehow feel detached (tip: you will always be a proud Armenian and your children an extension of you). Will my kids think of me as different? It turns out that they won’t know any better unless you and your spouse have taken the time to learn about each other’s culture and religion so you can teach it to them including speaking your respective languages to them. The next time you start feeling insecure, try to remember this lesson.
1: Communicate and enjoy your relationship.
Well, it's so important, I'm saying it again - Communicate! Even if you've been in a relationship for many years, it's still crucial to express your thoughts to your spouse on a regular basis. Always say “I Love You” once a day. If something doesn't feel right, don't keep it bottled up. It can only lead to resentment and life is too precious and short to constantly be distracted by the differences with your spouse. Focus on what is right and not what is wrong. While building the framework for your marriage, enjoy it and have fun.
We want to thank Minister Rev. Ogannes for sharing his words of wisdom with us. For anyone who is either planning an upcoming multicultural wedding or has recently began their multicutural marriage, we hope you find these tips helpful and we would love to hear from you on whether you have any additional tips you would share with others in your similar situation. To share your thoughts and offer more tips, please send your comments to
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
or post a comment to our Facebook wall.
This week we are excited to feature Arka Photography on our blog! In speaking with Arka Photography, they were thrilled with an amazing 2012, which allowed them to photograph over a hundred events and photo shoots and capture many unforgettable memories. When asked what was their favorite memory from 2012, Arka Photography was quick to let us know it was photographing their niece’s wedding, Tamar.
“One of the most illustrious highlights of this past year was the marriage of our beautiful niece, Tamar. We were fortunate enough to have been given the opportunity to capture Tamar and Oliver’s exquisite wedding and to experience their remarkable relationship from behind the camera lens. Their pre-wedding shoot only slightly prepared us for all the love and laughter these two shared on their special day. Their passionate romance mixed with their playful personalities brought depth and charisma to each of the two photo shoots.”
One of our favorite parts of Tamar and Oliver's pre-wedding photo shoot is that it’s personalized to reflect a basketball theme since the couple is a huge Laker’s fan! We always love when couples incorporate their interests, passions, and things that are important to them as part of their photo shoot.
Make sure to check out Arka Photography’s website to see more photos from recent weddings and events. And you can now follow them on Facebook, Instragram and Pinterest to get their latest updates and photos.
.
We are proud to announce that our first vendor reached their 100th review! Congratulations to Jay Jay Productions for this amazing achievement! Jay Jay has not only reached 100 customer reviews, but he also has an average 5-star rating, which is a huge accomplishment and really telling of his amazing photography and videography services.
In honor of this milestone, we are featuring a few photos from a recent wedding by Jay Jay Productions. Edvart & Anna's wedding took place on October 20, 2012 and we picked just a few of our favorite photos! To see more photos, visit Jay Jay's blog!
We also want to thank every single one of our users who have taken the
time to share their honest feedback about their experiences on Harsanik.com. Your reviews help make our website a helpful resource by making it for others to pick the
right vendor for their needs!
This week we are excited to feature the Hosharian Brothers Band on our blog! We recently had a chance to meet Greg Hosharian and speak with him about his band and his personal background. We always love getting to know our Harsanik.com vendors and sharing their amazing talents with everyone.
The Hosharian Brothers Band has been around for over 20 years and they are known as one of the most entertaining bands based out of Los Angeles to perform at weddings, birthday parties, and all other special occasions. The band currently consists of Greg Hosharian, a composer, and his brother Peter Hosharian, who is an attorney by day and a musician by night. The origin of the Hosharian Brothers band is their late father Edward Hosharian who founded the Ed Hosharian band in the 1960's.
When speaking with Greg, he described his band as having an eclectic sound,
where they mix up a range of music from current popular music to
traditional or "kef-time" Armenian music, the music their parents and
grand-parents enjoyed. In addition to Armenian music, the Hosharian Brother Band plays music in a variety of languages, including Russian, Arabic, Persian, Spanish, Greek and American.
We had some time to get to know Greg and ask him a few questions about his favorite memories from Armenian weddings and some tips about how to choose a band:
Q: What is one of your favorite memories from performing at an Armenian wedding? “We played a wedding in Sonoma California in 2010. I have to say this was one of the best weddings we have played up to date. The energy of the crowd, the setting, the lights, the decorations... Nothing was over the top. Everything had taste and was just the right amount. Everyone danced the moment we started playing and continued till the end of the reception - non-stop!”
Q: Other than the music, what do you love most about Armenian weddings? “I love the dancing. I know that it has a lot to do with the music but I believe they go hand in hand. A lot of weddings we play for have a candle dance at the end of the wedding. It's such a special moment for everyone in the room and creates a warm atmosphere and a closeness among the guests.”
Q: What advice would you give to a bride & groom to be as they are trying to make a decision on the music/entertainment for their wedding? “The best thing would be to look for a band that has an eclectic sound. To me, a variety of music is what always makes the wedding fun. Another aspect to look out for would be to hire a band that is very energetic and creates a fun atmosphere.”
So if you're looking for a fun band who can play a good mix of Armenian, American, and International music, definitely contact the Hosharian Brothers Band to get more details on how you can have them be a part of your special day!
Blog 
