Jamie & Rich
The Venus de Milo in Swansea, Massachusetts
August 15th, 2015
If there's one thing you can count on as a wedding photographer it's that, eventually, at least one of your friends will get married and ask you to photograph their big day. It's a tricky situation because, in a creative business like photography, you want to separate your personal and professional lives but, if done right, it can be an incredibly fun and rewarding experience.
And I don't think there's any other way I can sum up the wedding of Jamie and RIch. Two uproariously funny individuals, I knew from the moment I agreed to shoot this wedding that it would be unlike any I've photographed before and I was right.
Jamie and RIch had an awesome day and gave me opportunities for some of the best wedding photos of my career to date.
To say I'm glad I was the photographer chosen is an understatement ...
Like all of my non second-shooting weddings, my day began with the bride in her hotel room as she got her hair and makeup done. Unlike most brides, however, Jamie isn't the traditional "girlie girl" and I knew that this part of the day, while long because of the sheer size of the bridal party, would offer ample opportunity for fun candids and non-PC jokes. It did just that.
But that's not to say Jamie didn't conform to some of the traditional bridal beats. No, in fact, Jamie and RIch picked out an incredible black, white and red color scheme and it leant itself to some of the nicest flower and ring shots I've ever taken. I was absolutely in love with Jamie's bouquet and if you look above, you can see why. Stunning.
Jamie was fairly relaxed for most of the prep session but, like many brides, once the wedding dress went from hanging on a door to being tied up, the day got real ... real quick.
But the nerves didn't stop the fun. Even though we had a good half-hour for bridal portraits, Jamie smiled and cracked jokes the entire time with her laidback bridesmaids and man of honor and when it came time to board the trolley, it was clear she was ready.
And with good reason. Her soon-to-be husband Rich was waiting for her at the end of the altar and, once the two saw each other, the rules of a traditional wedding ceremony were out the window and it was time for their personalities to shine.
Jamie and Rich had a great ceremony, one where the smiles never left their face and it makes perfect sense. I don't think the two of them could have picked a better day, weather-wise, for their big event and the water of the Venus de Milo provided the perfect backdrop for a quick formal portrait session.
Even though we were running a bit late and I didn't get nearly as much time with Rich and Jamie as I would have liked, we absolutely made the most of the time we had, taking a ton of fun photos and some especially nice ones of the wedding party itself.
It sure helps when the party is game for any and all of my suggestions ...
Wrapping up our formal photo session with some perfectly-timed sunset shots, the traditional portion of the evening was all but over and it was time for the reception. Needless to say, this was the part of Jamie and Rich's wedding I was looking forward to most.
After a beautiful first dance to "I Won't Give Up" by Jason Mraz, Jamie and Rich sat down to listen to the toasts of their best man and man of honor, respectively, and the love in the room was obvious to anyone listening.
And that's essentially where the standard wedding beats end because, for the rest of the night, Jamie and Rich did what everyone knew they would do ... and partied like rock stars celebrating the night of their lives.
When I think back on Jamie and RIch's wedding later this year for my "Best of 2015" list or in future years as I scroll through the photos, I know I will undoubtably have a ton of positive memories of the experience.
I couldn't have asked for a better, more chill bride or a more humble groom. The pair were totally trusting of me as a photographer and gave me carte blanche to photograph the wedding as I saw it through my eyes and I think the results came out wonderful.
What I'll appreciate the most, however, is being given the chance to capture the biggest day in the lives of friends of mine.
I got into photography to tell the stories of my clients on their wedding day and this shoot was a big reminder that that is, indeed, what I'm meant to do. Who could ask for a better feeling?
-PJS
* To see the full gallery of photos from Jamie & Rich's wedding, please click here.