Family Wedding
This was the second smallest wedding I'd ever been hired to photograph. On this day, there was just immediate family. Every person present was an important person in the life of this couple. When we met, they told me that their wedding wasn't about the details. It was about the people present. Especially about them and their three children. One thing is for certain, there is something special about having your children present while you commit yourself to one another for life.
I love that last one...the bride's little girl playing on the steps while the father of the bride dances with his little girl.
I love small weddings.
~ Dana
Real Love
This was a family wedding in the truest sense of the word. The ceremony was held at the farm that had been in the family for generations. Everyone played a part. People stepped up and offered to help in whatever way they could to make this the dream wedding for Ryan and Claire. The list of volunteers was longer than any list of vendors I've ever seen in a wedding blog post. That warmed my heart. Everyone was on their side. There to help make sure that the day was unforgettable. And, it was...what an honour to witness it. I once went to theatre school. I don't talk much about that time of my life, but the groom went to the very same theatre school(some years later of course). It was such fun to attend a wedding and see some familiar faces from my past life. It made me all nostalgic for the theatre days. I loved all of the singing...the lovely Andrea House sang the Beatle's Real Love...and it stuck with me for most of the day. Such a fitting song for the day.
'From this moment on i know
Exactly where my life will go
Seems that all i really was doing
Was waiting for love'
~The Beatles
Best chicken dance ever(every wedding going forward should have a man in a chicken costume make an appearance during the chicken dance...that is a sure fire way to get the party started). It was a day of people in costumes. There was an anime convention in town and some of the 'characters' stopped to pose with us. I thought it appropriate given that during their ceremony, the groomsmen(who, along with the groom form the band The Be Arthurs) sang this song from The Muppets. As a wonderful surprise to the bride, the groom had some of the guests jump up and sing along. I wish I did video. It was so sweet. Instead, I thought I'd share the bit from the muppets themselves.******UPDATED: I replaced the muppet version with one recorded by the actual people who did it on the wedding day. Aren't they awesome?
I love weddings that are full of personality. I would love to photograph more of them...
Thank you Ryan and Claire for including me. Your day was so genuine and thought-full and filled with loving, gracious people. What a joy.
~ Dana
PS--The parsley has a special meaning for them...I mentioned it in their engagement session post: http://danapugh.com/2013/06/parsley/
Letting Go
Sometimes I have a hard time letting go of certain sessions...for varying reasons, but usually because I feel like there is so much potential there and I am desperate to get to the heart of that potential. I am not sure if that makes sense, but this wedding was one of those sessions. The portraits of just the two of them just sing to me...a song I could listen to on repeat :) Felt like sharing one of my faves. I love how the fall leaves are poking out of the snow.