This was one of my favorite weddings, but not for reasons you’d think. The day itself was a bit dreary and rainy, which in itself always makes everyone involved in wedding photos a little bit more stressed out. This wedding day though, stressed me for another reason. You see, I didn’t get to meet Kara and Matt until minutes before their ceremony. Kara was literally saying “it’s nice to meet you” as she walked into the church toward the aisle. This was a first for me. I always like to meet with a couple in person at least once before their wedding day, to get a sense of how they are with each other and for their personalities. Kara & Matt though, live away and we just couldn’t coordinate our schedules to meet up during their trips home before their big day. Mind you, we of course spoke on the phone and chatted about their plans and expectations, and I was entirely comfortable working this way, but there was that tiny bit of self-doubt I’m sure every photographer or artist feels when entering the unknown. Will I be able to “read them”? Will I be able to capture their connection? Will I be able to make them feel comfortable and relaxed, even on the forecasted dreary day?
So, what makes me proud of their wedding day coverage isn’t for any crazy-amazingly-epic backlit photo, or some gloriously warm sunset photo to end their reception. This wedding of strangers was a favorite simply because I can see in their photos,… their happiness and connection. Bottom line. That makes me proud.