Arriving at the wedding venue, we entered the little bridal shed where Brianna was to prepare for her special day. Ready for this special event with our Canon DSLR’s tingling under our fingers ready to capture each important moment, our eyes were drawn to a beautiful spectacle.
Hanging on a hook from the rafters was Brianna’s wedding gown, the sun showing through a tiny window and lighting up the shimmering display of spirals ands swirls. Crowning the top of the neckline was a brilliant frill of sparkling jewels that would no doubt place the spotlight on the lovely bride’s happy face.
As wedding photographers, the environmental conditions can often be the biggest challenge. You hope for an overcast day, no rain in the forecast, and wind gusts to hold off until after the outdoor pictures. As a professional, you have to be prepared for the worst conditions. The show must go on and your wedding couple is counting on you. I often say to our wedding clients, “Don’t worry about it if rains, just look at your soon-to-be wedding partner in the eyes and remember why you are here.” This is the same advice that we as professional wedding partners stand by for our own work ethic. We don’t throw our hands up in the air, swear at the weather, and give up any hope of producing beautiful images for our clients. We remember why we are there — for those two people who are about to commit their love to each other forever — and we are going to make every effort, and sometimes extra months of work, to present them with stunning images.
Before the bride and her bridesmaids arrived at the scene, we joined with the guys all spiffy in their formal attire. It is always important that we have a bit of fun and the groom, Ryan, and his groomsmen seemed to enjoy some arm wrestling.
Shortly after this image was captured, the bus arrived with the girls. Little did Brianna know that Ryan left her a surprise — a letter with a large bouquet of red roses. As photographers, these emotional moments are unique to the couple and we are extremely blessed to be part of these special times. We intently watched her facial features as she read the letter — holding down the camera button and shooting exposures in rapid succession — the images capturing her surprise, her tears of love for Ryan, and a glowing smile as the excitement of her wedding day was under way.
After these shots I unexpectedly heard a voice saying, “Dennis and Denise, I have something for you. This is a thank you gift from Ryan and me.” We look down and Brianna is holding a basket of goodies — including snacks for our cats! I was shocked to see a bride — who should be focusing on herself and her day — stop and take the time to give her photographers gifts. Thank you Ryan and Brianna for such a thoughtful gesture!
We delighted in watching Brianna and Ryan taking their vows in front of a gorgeous wooden wedding arch adorned with red and white flowers. Although the weather conditions were challenging for us — with blustery winds and intense brightness casting shadows to the extreme, we worked to take advantage our the techincal capabilities of our equipment to overcome the conditions and capture beautiful photos of the day.
In the evening, Ryan and Brianna were able to relax as a married couple and have a good time. This is where we also have fun, capturing fun, candid shots of the reception party. It was indeed an amazing day to celebrate and we wish Ryan and Brianna all the happiness in the world!
Thank you Ryan and Brianna!
