I just love weddings! Plain and simple. It seems almost everybody loves weddings and many people have their favorite parts which are their favorites for very different reasons. Weddings are incredibly emotional and bring out so many emotions in each of us.
I recently photographed a wedding in Groesbeck, Texas and as I worked through the images I felt an array of emotions which compelled me to write this list...The Top 5 Reasons Why I Love Weddings!
1. LOVE! I love weddings because there is so much love and happiness all around! The bride and groom are happy. They are filled with a tremendous amount of love. The family and friends are also happy - happy for their loved ones that will soon be united in marriage. At this wedding, the venue changed slightly due to flooding in the area. The wedding was supposed to be outside, however the grounds were very soggy and the weather on March 19th was pretty windy and chilly as well. This caused the wedding to move inside a small building. To some this might have caused the bride to become upset, however Courtney had a carefree attitude and was determined to make the small room absolutely beautiful for her wedding day. When I showed up the day before to look at the venue, she was super calm and just told me, "When you get here tomorrow this room is going to look so different...it's going to be crowded, but it will be beautiful." When I showed up on the wedding day and saw the small room, I was honestly shocked! I NEVER would have imagined it would have looked so amazing! Love kept her calm.
The Visitor's Center at the Historic Old Fort Parker site in Groesbeck, Texas was a wedding venue. The wedding had to be moved indoors due to recent flooding on the grounds.
2. THE DRESS! I love seeing the bride's dress at a wedding! There are so many beautiful dresses out there that and bride's look absolutely stunning in them! Courtney wasn't any different! The look on the groom's face when he sees his bride in the dress is priceless. Many people don't notice this since they are all looking at the bride as well. Seriously, how can you not look at her as she's coming down the aisle?
A beautiful bride in a beautiful dress!
3. DYNAMICS! I'm a people watcher. Everywhere I go, I watch people. I am intrigued by the way they interact with one another. As a photographer I get to watch people and photograph them interacting with one another. I can honestly say that in two years of photographing families, I have yet to find two that are the same. They might look the same at the surface, but their mannerisms and behaviors towards one another are completely different. This isn't a bad thing at all! Imagine how boring this world would be if we were all the same? This wedding was not only a union of a couple, but a union of a young family. Courtney has two children that Dustin married as well. Watching him interact with those young boys melted my heart. They are so lucky to have a man in their lives that cares for them that much. It is obvious just how much those young boys are loved by their parents, family, and friends.
The first family photograph!
4. KIDS' REACTIONS! Look at the photograph above. The look on the boy's face says SO much! Again, I'm a people watcher so I love watching facial expressions. This image cracks me up because the young man looks like he is telling the world, "This is MY mom and I will ALWAYS be here for her!" His mouth is clenched and his eyes are almost glaring at me. Either he really dislikes me (which I doubt because everyone adores me (: ) or he's giving the world a secret message that he protects his mom. I'm pretty sure she feels the same way about him too!
5. THERE'S ALWAYS ONE IN EVERY CROWD! At every wedding that I have attended, there is always one guest that is the entertainer. I LOVE watching them! They just have a fun attitude that draws attention. Well, this wedding there were TWO entertainers! Courtney is a lucky lady because she both of them as dads!
When Courtney danced with her dad, they had an upbeat song which was fun to watch them dance too.
Courtney's dad striking a pose.
Two fathers, both with big personalities!
I am sure you have your own top 5 reasons why you love weddings and I'd love to hear about them! Feel free to comment below.