This past Saturday was a wonderful day! For the first time in a very long while Ryan and I attended a wedding. That’s right – we attended one and it was such a blast! I’ll be honest it was hard to keep my camera in it’s bag. Ryan actually refused to let me take it into the church during the ceremony (haha) and the whole time I couldn’t help but think of all the great shots I was missing.

It’s an interesting experience to attend a wedding as a photographer. To see how someone else works and either learn some new things or solidify some of your own beliefs. I know one of my very strong beliefs is that during the service a photographer shouldn’t be seen or heard. Their job is to silently capture the event without drawing attention away from the ceremony. When Ryan and I work a wedding I usually find a seat near the aisle, towards the front. I try to stay in my spot and avoid ducking out into the aisle. Ryan is usually stationed somewhere in the back with our telephoto zoom lens. That way he can stay in the back and isn’t running around causing a distraction either.

The other thing I find incredibly important is communication. I always keep in touch with my bride before the wedding to be sure of what the plan is so that both of us are less stressed on the big day. One of the most important things about talking to the bride is figuring out the timeline for the day. Wedding days are already long so if I can keep pictures quick and painless and get them over with quickly (especially for little guys and gals) I will. I also find it crucial to talk with the videographer, minister, and dj to make sure we are all on the same page. Things always go more smoothly if everyone knows where everyone else is coming from and what the plan is. It causes less problems, less frustration and less stress. So it makes for a more fun and well planned evening.

A perk to not working this wedding was being able to wear a dress and heels. When I work a wedding, I always wear dress slacks and comfortable shoes. I may be laying on the ground or up somewhere high and I’m on my feet for 12 hours… so dresses and heels really aren’t an option for me when I’m working. So this Saturday I wore a dress and heels for the first time since probably my wedding day (4 years ago).

So here’s your chance… Me and Ryan dressed all pretty… and me in a dress and heels. Savor this moment – who knows how long it will be before I dress like this again 😉

I hope you all are having a wonderful Monday!!!

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