Shalom! That’s about the extend of my Hebrew.  Luckily for me most folks in Israel speak English.  Strangely a lot of them speak American English as well.  So I fit right in.  Yes, this is Emma and Effi’s Tel Aviv wedding.  I had never shot a ‘destination’ wedding before.  I suppose I’ve been to Scotland and Wales but as neither require a passport I didn’t really see it as international.  Leave it to me to not go in with a half hearted effort instead traveling 5 hours by plane to the Middle East for my first attempt.  What an attempt it was as well.  If only someone could have sneaked a few shots of me unaware.  There were times when my mouth was just wide open in amazement.  Things like overlooking the skyline of Tel Aviv and the Mediterranean sea.  Wandering through Old Jaffa – a most amazing and historical religious and cultural location.  Working along side two other photographers plus two videographers.  Watching the videographer physically move the Rabbi and the Rabbi just went with it (if only my Vicar this coming Saturday could have seen that).  The whole experience…the light, the heat, the Israeli way of doing things.  All of it was just amazing.

If nothing else I now have a new catch phrase…a mantra if you will.  Later in the evening I was speaking to the videographer who moved the Rabbi.  I teased them about how in England they would have been removed from the premises (at least at a CofE wedding).  He said ‘in Israel we have saying…if the Rabbi is in the way, its time to move the Rabbi’.  Magic.  Can’t wait to use that one.

For my part it all just went too quickly.  In a flash it was over.  I met some great people and have been swapping emails with Ronen from TLV.  I need to extend a warm thank you to Emma and Effi for having me along to a most amazing experience.  Perhaps I should extend a special thanks to Effi…who was, at first, dubious but soon realised I wanted only the best for him.  Now we’re like long lost brothers :)  Everyone made me feel so welcome!

I would buy light like this if I could!

I was bricking it for this.  If those shoes fell they would not have been retrievable!  I was shaking by the end of it!

Me to the left of me, sea to the right, here I am stuck on the balcony with you

TLV!

Shortly after mum showed me the lemon pucker!  Take that as you will!

Remarkably…completely unposed.

Had to work that in…surely

It became clear that this would be no ordinary wedding for me

Loo-loo

Ronen.. (one of) my Israeli counterparts..and fabulous photographer

Old Jaffa and the Mediterranean Sea — with a little help from Asif who is holding a reflector!

Here you might feel lucky to get a seat outside…but not if you don’t like it at 34C

Effi’s Mum

I know you’ve seen it before…but I still love it

Grandad (in Effi’s words) fought cancer to be there — magic!

This is NO great shot…but it was just to give you a context

Groom-Rabbi Quality Time

This takes walking down the aisle to a whole new level

The best ring shot I’ve ever got…but with 5 ‘media’ people someone was bound to be in the way — I suppose on the flip side I’m on the other side of his lens as well

Time to shoot the Rabbi

Effi prepares to smash a hot dog from Yankee stadium…oh wait…no…its a glass

Through all the commotion, hugs and celebrations, one thing stays constant

Even the (moved) Rabbi is loving it

Time for a little walking tour of Jaffa…sadly with the ceremony starting late we had to do this ASAP

By the end of it I was playing the  “I know you from the EasyJet flight” game!

Shay givin’ a speech (daft football double entendre)

Look hard…its (or rather he) is there

Hey look…its my favourite videographer..AGAIN!