Most of you know that I don't like to do what everyone else does. If everyone else is looking at A, I tend to turn around and look at B. Whenever everyone else is posing like C, I like to throw that one out and do D. I like the reaction to an event rather than the event itself. Case in point, beautiful bride is walking down the aisle and all eyes turn to her to see her in her gown. Yes, I'll photograph her as well because they want me to. But I've already seen her and photographed her getting ready, she's beautiful, she's glowing, she's happy. Most people can't take their eyes off of her. But that's when I turn my camera to groom. That's where all the action is.
Most of the time, this is the first time the groom has seen his lady love in her gown. A lot of the brides won't even let their guys see a photo of the dress.
This lady has spent a lot of time and money to perfect the way she'll look on that day at that moment. It's beautiful to see these grown men so speechless. So in awe. Many of them tear up. Some chuckle and nod their heads. They lose all fear of showing their emotions in that moment in time. Many of them walk up there scared, stiff, nervous, awkward and sometimes annoyed at the situation of having to stand in front of a crowd of people with all eyes on them. But at that moment, when eyes look away to focus on her, they let their guard down. They gasp at the sight of their best friend, the love of their life, looking more radiant and lovely than she'd every looked before.
It's one of my favorite moments of the day. It's one of the bride's favorite photos from the day. I should know because I don't have one of those from my own wedding. I often like to complain about the coverage I got on my wedding day 17 years ago next week. I often think to myself, "What would our own wedding photographer have done?" and then do the opposite.
Men are a bit different than women in one respect -- they don't plan this moment their whole life like some ladies. What little boy thinks as he plays with his G.I. Joe, "I'm going to play wedding and imagine the look on Joe's face when he sees his bride for the first time." Yet how many Barbie dolls donned a wedding gown and marched down a carpeted aisle toward Ken in a tux. (Okay my Ken didn't have a tux. He had one pair of red pants that were actually made for Midge, but they stretched to fit him so that's what he always wore.) This moment is a big deal for women!
I love these guys. I love their emotion. I love that no matter what they were doing a moment before when the bridesmaids made their way down the aisle-- trying to not look so nervous. Chuckling at the antics of the flower girl and ring bearer -- that once that woman of their life appears at the end of the aisle, the world disappears.
Go right ahead, guys, let that love show. I got you!
Lisa On Location Photography
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