Is it sane to hire a wedding photographer with Urban Clap? The two cents of a new age couple

 It all happened so quickly! We were on a weekend getaway at a beach located few hours from the city. While sipping on our cocktails, soaking up the beautiful, serene view of the beach and talking general gibberish, he suddenly popped the question and I agreed!

Next on our agenda was obviously to break the news to our parents. Thankfully they agreed and soon we realized that our wedding date on the calendar was just two months away. Yes, we were getting married in a jiffy.

Both my husband and I are sucker for memories and we obviously wanted our union to be unforgettable. So, finding the right photographer was important for us. We didn’t want to compromise on a good photographer and wanted to opt for the one who would be able to freeze our love story in time. 

However, neither time nor cash was a luxury for us. So where could we find good wedding photographers in Delhi, on a budget, and that too at such short notice? 

Does it make sense to hire a wedding photographer online?

Recommended by friends and with no time to look for a photographer through references, we took a chance with UrbanClap and simply loved the results! The most surprising part was that we were instantly connected with fantastic and professional wedding photographers in Delhi with UrbanClap, who matched our pocket and requirements.

Though we were a little unsure first, it eventually turned out to be a blessing in disguise with a fantastic photo album to match the results. With just a few taps on the phone, we had listed our specifications and had several professionals contacting us within few hours. The one we chose was quite abreast with new trends. Hence with a huge sigh of relief we happily selected him.

The photographer made our wedding day a memorable one…

Enchanting location and backdrop- Knowing when and where to take pictures is not always a given. That’s where our wedding photographer showed his mettle, taking the right pictures against the perfect backdrops. Every significant detail of my beautiful wedding outfit was well displayed against the perfect backdrop complementing, the colors. Our professional photographer even had plenty of ideas for a pre-wedding shoot offering us exquisite choices of places in Delhi for the shoot.

Image Credit: Envira gallery

Mesmerizing photos– Everyone looks forward to stunning photographs of those perfect moments during the most important day of their life. Our photographer from UrbanClap had all it takes to notice the small yet significant details which help capture the perfect moment. His trained eye managed all the conditions which enhance or spoil a good shot such as – poor lightings, dark skies, etc. I especially loved a shot where he managed to convert a gloomy winter day into a romantic view.

Image Credit: Pinterest

Wedding photography styles- We also got a chance to choose the style of photography we wanted. Keeping our millennial couple status quo intact we opted for a mix of contemporary and candid photography, with a few traditional shots. Opting for the modern style of photos got us a wedding album with images that looked like the ones come out of a bridal magazine.

Image Credit: Pinterest 

Booking online made sense

Overall the professional photographer from UrbanClap gave us peace of mind so that we could concentrate on the other pending tasks at hand. By capturing each candid wedding moment, the photographer exceeded our expectations.

Hiring a professional truly made sense as it got us great pictures with great quality. We also hired a few other services from the app like the bridal makeup artist and Mehendi artist as well. 

Thanks to modern day technology it was a memorable wedding where we could fulfill all our heart’s desires and also got unforgettable moments engraved forever.

Values and Vision Make All the Difference at Paul George Global School

If you have been following my blog, you would have noticed that I have been really impressed with Paul George Global School’s infrastructure and teaching style.  In this post, I will take you through the vision, mission, and the philosophy of the school.

 VISION:

To nurture young minds, to focus on their holistic development and to develop their moral, ethical, human and spiritual values so that each child may develop Character and Confidence with a deep-rooted passion geared towards the pursuit of excellence.

MISSION:
Paul George Global School (PGGS) seeks to create a challenging yet conducive learning environment that inspires excellence and encourages high performance through engagement of varied instructions that allows for individual differences and learning styles.

PGGS promotes a safe, caring, and supportive environment where every person- child, teacher or parent can learn from and respect one another. They have also designed the use of innovative techniques to enhance life-long learning through technology, multiple intelligence, varied instructional strategies and interdisciplinary connects.

They promote Sportsmanship and school spirit and they share their diverse cultural backgrounds to nurture growth and responsibility while at the same time celebrating diversity within a positive school atmosphere.

PHILOSOPHY:
Their philosophy is built upon “unchanging values in changing times.”

Paul George Global School is a unique amalgamation of traditional values and contemporary pedagogy. The school lays immense emphasis on nurturing core values of Courage, Compassion, Equality and Integrity in all its students. The school would facilitate its students to learn and imbibe along with their subjects of study, discipline, ethics, tradition, and culture. The school hopes to encourage students to become socially committed citizens.

In fact, the school epitomises these four core values that were synonyms with Late Shri Paul M George.

The institution believes in holistic education for your child, encompassing – academics, co-curricular activities, sports education, and life-skills learning. They endeavour to strike a balance between state-of-the-art infrastructure and an internationally acceptable education.

At Paul George Global School, they impart education to rear a breed of young minds that are bursting with self-confidence, motivation and are ever ready to take up challenges.

The campus, sports and academic facilities all bear testimony to this effort. To promote an international education, their key focus has been on faculty development – providing continuous teacher training in order to deliver real value education and excellence in academics. Teachers are trained not only to teach well but are also expected to inspire confidence and trust in their students and become role models. Further, the school inculcates in the students a respect for tradition and ensures discipline and good manners.

Paul George Global School encourages students to learn about themselves and their constantly changing environment, while at the same time offering support and guidance as they practice decision-making and social skills.

This school is indeed the best place for your child.

The school maintains an ideal student- teacher ratio that they achieve through dedicated and handpicked teachers. The teachers I met were motivated by love for children and passion for teaching.

I saw that children were encouraged to nurture their passion and learn from their own experiences. I also witnessed many interactive sessions that used modern technology like smart boards, smart pens and audio aids for the 21st century learner.

The school certainly has certain admission criteria. That you can see in the table below.

My own experience with the school, seeing the infrastructure, meeting the Principal, staff and the students left me totally impressed. But I would really like my readers to go and visit the school themselves and understand in depth what I am talking about.

Call them on their Toll-Free Number- 1800 212 3340. You can also sign up for a School tour.

Click on the link to know more about Paul George Global School -https://goo.gl/TeWCMp

Resorts of Coorg

I have written lots of travel posts in the past ranging from Maldives, Sri Lanka, Mexico, USA, Spain, etc. In India too I have travelled a lot. When I reminisce, one of my favourite destination to travel within India is Coorg.

They call it Scotland of India and I so agree with this. Coorg is insanely beautiful place. I would like to retire and live here forever. But when I look back now, I feel there were many beautiful and unexplored resorts in Coorg that should be discovered. I want to go there again and explore them.

If you want to fly to Coorg, the nearest domestic airport is the Mangalore International Airport, about 160 kilometres away. The nearest international airport is in Bengaluru, which is approximately 265 kilometres away.

Though Coorg does not have an airport of its own, you can get to the place using air services from the nearest airport. It also has international flights from destinations like Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai, Kuwait, and Muscat. 

I have also been writing about my inflight experiences and posting pictures of my flights. Somehow, one air carrier that I have not explored much and is big time on my to-do list is QatarAirways. Specially so, because I have heard lots of good things about it.

 Qatar Airways Overview

Qatar Airways is the flag carrier of Qatar having its hub at Doha International Airport. It was originally owned by members of the state's royal family, Committed to offering passengers with excellent on-board and on-the-ground service quality, the airline has garnered many awards and accolades, becoming one of only six airlines worldwide to have been awarded a 5-star rating by Skytrax. Qatar Airways flies 76 aircraft to 85 destinations across an ever-growing international route network.

Passengers travelling in Qatar Airways First Class and Business Class can expect to experience 5-star hospitality. Qatar Airways passengers are privileged with an access to airport waiting lounges that have all the comforting features and services that a passenger might be looking for. Onboard it offers a live digital satellite television for entertainment on the flight, having access to live news, sports, and general television programs. First class passengers also have the luxury of being chauffeured personally in a BMW right till the aircraft. Another in-flight entertainment service includes a DVD system having a collection of movies and series that can be enjoyed during the journey. Oryx, the multiplex in the sky is the entertainment system used to offer a wide variety of international movies, music and games on the personal screen. The passengers can use their mobile phone during the flight and have the flexibility of sending and receiving SMS or MMS messages, e-mail, or browse the Internet over phone or laptop using the new OnAir service.

Meals

Food menu is exquisite and includes caviar, lobster, Arabic mezzes and fine chocolates, complementing the delectable menu is a selection of fine wines & champagnes. For the First & Business class passengers the service is flexible and they are free to dine-on-demand or a la carte. The Economy class passengers are also provided a broad range of international selections from Europe, the Indian sub-continent, the Middle East and the Far-East with complimentary beverages (including an international selection of beers, wines & spirits). Qatar Airways offers more than a dozen Special-Meal Options to suit various culturally sensitive and diet-sensitive passengers.

So now 2 things are on my agenda:

1. To explore the resorts of Coorg

2. To travel by Qatar Airways.

Hope it happens soon.

Twist, bend and stretch

Running, cycling, swimming are my favourite exercises. Yes, I like to be outdoors in nature. Specially because most of my work is indoor in the studio. But I cannot neglect Yoga and stretching. We all need holistic fitness. What did you do for fitness today?

Involved Parents and Teachers Are the Key to a Child’s Success

Paul George Global School is an amalgamation of competent teachers, state-of-the-art infrastructure, and an experienced and efficient administration. The school is very innovative in its approach to educate young minds. In my previous post, I described Paul George Global School in Alaknanda and shared a detailed description about the infrastructure of the school.  

To gain deeper insight into the functioning, I visited the school and spoke to the Principal, Ms. Geeta Karunakaran, at length. The inputs she gave me were an eye-opener. I do not think any other school is adopting such an in-depth approach to connect with their students and their parents. They have undertaken path-breaking initiatives where teachers visit the students’ home for better understanding between teachers, parents, and students. These home visits really emphasize on connecting minds of all three so that children are taught in a similar manner at home and in school. Teachers visit each student’s home every six months so they can better understand the child and his environment. Teachers share their teaching methods with the parents, so that they are better equipped to handle the child.   There are many other aspects that the teachers and parents discuss and share thoughts on such as the teaching methods to learn writing, new languages, or hygiene.

Every month, a parent is invited to teach a session or participate- it could be telling a story, enacting a learning narrative, making chocolate shake or salad for Diwali. There is 1-hour interactive workshop for parents of each class every month. Parent involvement is key and the program has even won the school accolades.

The school lays a lot of importance on building strong child-teacher relationship. They teach very scientifically, methodically and have researched thoroughly on their ways of teaching. For example, children start writing initially with chalk and slate, then crayon, then bamboo stick on sand pit, tracing on sandpaper, and finally pencil. This is to perfect their motor skills.  They do not do what others do. They do what a child needs to do at his age. They believe that they do not have to subject their children to certain tasks just because others can do it. It was endearing to see how comfortable children were. They came and hugged the Principal; few others gave her a high five.

 Kids are taught the importance of environment and are made conscious of their surroundings. The school organizes visits to plant nurseries. Through street plays, they teach them importance of water conservation. Kids are sensitized by getting them involved with senior citizens, NGOs and a blind school, which are part of regular visits in their calendar. Sometimes the children from the blind school are involved in and participate in the school assembly.

There is a special passion time i.e. time from 2.30-3.30 pm for 1 activity- art or sport. It can range between tennis, swimming, computer, guitar etc. There are sports coaches that teach swimming, basketball, football, etc. Initially they get feel of all activities. Later the child chooses one activity that he /she does for 5 days for 1 hour.

 There is so much more to talk about the school. I am excited to share a lot more information with you in my next post and let you know about the vision of the school, how to get admission here, the values of the school and much more. So, stay tuned.
Click on the link to know more about Paul George Global School - https://goo.gl/TeWCMp Call them on their Toll Free Number- 1800 212 3340

You can also sign up for a School tour.

Father daughter time

At a family wedding, 

What I wore was top to toe, every bit, gift from my dad and his choice. 

The exquisite pieces he chooses in clothes and jewelry, we children still cannot choose. He has exceptionally good eye. Blessed to have him.