Monday, February 2, 2009

The answer is probably obvious, and I will bet that you will get this answer a lot if you ask around in wedding photography circles, but I love weddings. Weddings represent all of the great things in life. They are a celebration of love. They bring together everyone that the Bride and Groom care about into one new family. Weddings are primarily, at their core, a statement of hope and optimism for the future. They are a destination and a departure at the same time. With so many great things and feelings all coming together, how can anyone not love a wedding?

Aside from how great weddings are in general, there is also the fact that I didn't have a "real" wedding myself. Now, I don't say this to garner sympathy. At the time I did not want a wedding. I actually tried to convince my husband to elope in Las Vegas, but he said no. He wanted to just go to the courthouse and get married, then tell everyone that we were engaged and have an actual wedding at some point in the future. I balked at this idea because of logistics. I planned to take his last name and I was pretty sure that my family would notice when all of my official paperwork had a different last name on it. So, we compromised and got married two weeks later in our backyard. My family and friends still haven't forgiven me for not giving any of them enough time to make travel arrangements and attend. They may actually never forgive me. I had just graduated from college then, we were in the process of relocating to another state, and the last thing that I wanted to do was go through a planning process that lasts a year and is mainly governed - let's be honest - by the wants of others (usually those footing the bill).

I loved our wedding. My mom gave me away, we gave my friends (all 5 of them) disposable cameras, and after we had hamburgers and cupcakes. But, at the same time, part of me really still wants the elegant white dress with the train and the church and all of my friends and family to share it with.

So, I love the fact that as a wedding photographer your job is to be a part of one of the most special events in a couple's life. A wedding is an event that really showcases the personalities of those involved, and you get to capture all those little details that make them and their day special. You also get to see and capture moments that may have been missed in the hustle and bustle of the day that the couple can then discover later.

Most people, when asked what one thing they would save if they had to flee their homes, choose photographs and I think that alone should tell you what an important investment that they really are. I love that I can provide that to my clients. The photographs, albums, and portraits that we as photographers capture are all moments in time that will never be again. You are not just giving someone a picture, you are giving them a little piece of their life to hold onto forever. That is why I chose wedding and portrait photography.

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