B and J Wedding

I am going to be honest, this was my first actual wedding shoot. I know, I know--a professional should NEVER tell their clients that they've never done something before. But you want to know something? We all start out somewhere, and to have had this opportunity was wonderful.

When my sister, the owner of Butterfly Sisters Bakery, told me she was working on the wedding cake for a friend of hers, I tentatively asked whether this friend had already hired a photographer for her wedding. My sister thought about it for a moment, then told me she didn't think so but she would ask.

What came next was a mixture of worry and excitement--worry that the bride had already hired a wedding photographer and I would not get the opportunity to both provide someone with photos of some of the memories many of us wish we had captured, but also the opportunity to build my portfolio; excitement because, what if she hadn't hired a photographer?

My sister messaged me with a quickness and said the bride had not hired a photographer and that they were going to rely on friends and family taking photos with camera phones and compact digital cameras. I was aghast! Haha. I offered my services to the bride as a way for her to have professional shots of her wedding and for me to build my portfolio and experience/skill set. Everything is a learning opportunity, anyway. I was lucky enough that she agreed, and I began researching.

Let me tell you, Wedding Photography is no easy business! There is so much to prepare for, and I was wholly unprepared in general. I had maybe a week or two to plan and
work things out in my head. I was extremely lucky that the bride and groom are friends of my sister's, and they had no problem with me bringing my kids along (my brother-in-law kept an eye on them while we were there, and I guess my kids had already met the bride at some point when my sister had been watching them). 

The Ceremony and Reception were held out at the Tombstone Monument Guest Ranch, here in Southern Arizona. It was small, intimate, and beautiful.I absolutely love natural lighting, and being able to shoot a wedding ceremony held outside just made my day! I was so happy to be  moving around in the fresh air, getting dirt on my knees, and hearing the birds and the bees and the sounds of the desert around us.  It all added to the wonderful experience of watching two people, who are madly in love with one another, make the ultimate show of their commitment to one another.

I was treated like a close friend, even though I had only met the bride and groom moments before they were ready to tie the knot! The bride was relaxed and, though she fussed a bit, she was calm and positive--definitely not what I imagined a bride to be on her wedding day! I have heard the stories of what can go wrong and all of the things that need to be done, but J was positively joyous and radiant and so loving!

Before the Ceremony, I explained that I prefer to do candid shots--get the moments that people wouldn't generally think of getting. I anticipated some of her desired shots, and got the ones that she hadn't thought of documenting. She had some thoughts and ideas of certain things she wanted, and dang this girl has an eye for good photo-ops! Not to mention, she was just gorgeous in her dress, and the lightning was absolutely perfect.

 
I had to get shots of the picture-perfect cake my sister created for the couple--it took so long to make and decorate, and yet it was gone in moments! Gotta love how some of the most beautiful things made are made for consumption and not constant admiration--which is why I documented it!

I love how it was decorated to mimic a Birch tree! It was perfect for this casual and rustic barn wedding! I also adored the cake itself, which I was able to sample before it was brought to the location--I was an official taste-tester for my sisters while they made the cake. It was a marbled chocolate and vanilla, three tiered affair. The chocolate parts had the taste and consistency of brownies, which was amazing and delicious and awe-inspiring!

Overall, my first experience photographing a wedding was amazing. I understand that it won't always be sunshine and dandelions and smiles--I know that there is always the possibility for things to wrong, but this experience has taught me that I can do it! I learned so much from the experience, it was definitely educational. A few things I learned:

1. Get the details. Not just the garter, or the bouquet, or the decorations--get the couple signing the Marriage Certificate, because this (legally speaking) is truly the moment where Man and Woman become Husband and Wife.
2. Photograph the cake! A lot of time, blood, sweat, tears, and money went into this delicious piece of artwork, and it is something that brings joy to everyone involved. Don't just get the cake cutting or cake smash, dedicate a few minutes before the guests arrive at the reception to get the cake itself.
3. Get the calm moments. If you can, snap a few photos of the bride waiting for her queue, get some close ups of her jewelry, her nails, her hair. It's not all about the dress, you know!
4. Something I already knew but had no way of preventing before this session was the need for additional batteries. But I did learn that my camera tells me when it gets too hot! That is nifty. I was lucky that my battery started to crap out at the end of the reception, though.
5. And finally, make sure you build a relationship with the bride and groom weeks, if not months, before the actual wedding date. I have no doubt in my mind that more shots would have been taken, more wants and artistic license would have been filled, if we had been connected before the Wedding. Make sure you take into account all of the couples photo opportunities and ideas because this isn't about your paycheck, this is about capturing the moments they will cherish for the rest of their lives.

I cannot wait for the next opportunity I get to photograph a couples Big Day! It is such an honour to be tasked with the responsibility of documenting both the details like decorations and the cake as well as the big moments like the Kiss and signing the Marriage License! If I have one piece of advice for a budding photographer going into their first wedding session, go in with an open mind and heart, and a smile on your face. Just remember, KEEP CALM AND PHOTOGRAPH ON!