It occurred to me, as I was photographing this barmitzvah in North London, that barmitzvahs and weddings are extremely similar in many ways. Not only are they hugely important pivotal events in a person’s life, but they mean that family and friends gather from near and far, and the party takes on the size and cost of a full wedding. Speaking as a photographer, they also feel very similar to shoot; great details, great moments, speeches and over seven hours of being on your feet!
I mentioned this to Leon at our last wedding, I can’t help but fall a little in love with my clients. Perhaps it’s because I’m allowed in to document a special time in their lives, but I also see them at their most loving and happiest. This family was no exception. Not only do Marion and Sam adore each other after many years of marriage, but they have the most polite, respectful fabulous children that I think I have ever met. There was so much warmth and love in the air. Truly joyous.
(Be warned, this is a long post!)
There were two huge canopy marquees, one at the rear of the garden and one in the front garden.
Ben is the happy looking soul in the middle of the picture.
The beautiful and elegant Marion (on the right).
I dunno, you provide loads of fun games for the children and they can’t resist ‘adapting’ them 😉
Marion and Sam.
How amazing are these lights!
This couple brought their four week old! I was impressed at their fortitude…
I loved all the speeches. Ben’s older sister is the one on the right.
These two (Ben’s little brothers) gave the funniest speech, but had to keep being helped as they talked so fast 😉
The dinner buffet was phenomenal.
There’s something I love about the image below. I think it’s the expressions of the two on the sofa.
The heavens opened at about 9pm. It may have been inconvenient but it made for great pictures!
One of their fun entertainment ideas was to have a drum teacher teach the children a short piece, which they then performed for everyone in the other marquee.
Ben gave his speech while his proud grandfather looked on (and filmed constantly).
There is a LOT of dancing at barmitzvahs. I don’t know how the women managed as most of them had VERY high heels on.
The teenagers were very accomplished. I spotted this young man playing the Diddy Dirty Money track ‘Coming Home’ perfectly on the piano.
The image below made me laugh out loud when I took it. It’s Ben’s grandfather looking on in faux horror as his granddaughter (above) and her friends danced suggestively to Lady Gaga.
Thank you, Marion, for asking me to photograph this amazing event, it truly was an honour and an immense pleasure xxx
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