My Favorite Wedding Moments
I love photographing weddings. Truly. Some people get overwhelmed with them and some don’t like the stress. But I think it is just so much fun to be able to see two people have one of the happiest days of their lives together. And I get to hang out with them through it all! That being said, there are some moments that always fill my heart with joy just a *little* more than others.
The First Look
First looks are almost always my favorite part. They are the sweetest moments between the couple. Most of the time, they have been running around all morning, being super busy getting ready, and they finally are just taking a moment before the ceremony to just see each other and breathe. They get to be by themselves (probably for the first time that day) and take in each other. It almost always gets really emotional and is seriously the most tender moment. (Here is a blog post that explains a lot more reasons to do one!)
The Vows
In almost every wedding I have been to, the vows have been personalized by the couple. And almost every time, they have made me cry. These words are some of the most loving ones said to each other all day. They are from the heart. They are usually raw. Sometimes they are simple, sometimes eloquent. But they are always full of love and emotion.
Leaving the Ceremony
Right after that first kiss has been given and the couple has been announced man and wife, the couple gets to walk down that aisle as a new single partnership, rather than two separate individuals. They are always full of huge cheesy grins, and often a fist pump or two. Watching the joy that they emanate always has everyone grinning just as much. I get to watch them go out, often to a separate room to sign the marriage certificate, and just be together as man and wife for the first time. I usually have them take a few pictures, but I always will make sure they get a few minutes completely alone before heading to the reception. They breathe a sigh of relief and are visibly more relaxed. And always so ready to get to the party!
Toasts
The reception can be a whole long party, one with excellent food and a lot of laughs. Toasts break that up for a time and we get to learn more about the couple. You get to learn about their family and their past and usually get a pretty good story thrown in there too. A lot of times the toasts are really creative and interesting to listen to (definitely a perk of social media, in my opinion). I love getting to hear the stories and see the couple interact with those closest to them. Sometimes the toasts even bring me to tears too!
