More than Just a Backyard Wedding

A friend of mine reached out to me knowing that I was a Baltimore (Maryland) photographer. Her daughter was getting married and as she explained to me, "this would be a small backyard wedding."

I've had the opportunity to photograph many weddings over the years, from Courthouse weddings to destination weddings. If it's one thing that I have learned from wedding photography, it's that not every wedding is the same.

I chatted with my friend a few times before we finally decided to move forward with hiring me as their wedding photographers. We spoke only a few times before the wedding, so I honestly expected it to be another backyard wedding, you know, the DJ in the corner, BYOB and plenty of flies & mosquitoes to make a frog happier than a kid on Christmas morning.

When I arrived, at least an hour early, they were far from ready (this is to be expected). I did what I always do and agreed to help where I could. My mother instilled in me to ask when appropriate, "Is there anything I can do to help?" I was quickly put to work with a number of tasks, including moving the heaviest trash bin I have ever moved in my life!

Pretty soon, the guest began to trickle in and it was easy to see that this was not going to be what I expected, but better! It was more of an emotional feeling that I began to feel. The guests brought more than gifts, they brought love, joy, and anticipation to see these two exchange vows.

So many hugs and kisses (pre-COVID19).

This was not your traditional wedding where the bride and groom would first see each other at the alter. The young and beautiful couple came out before the wedding started to greet their guest and thank them for their support. The bride to be was complimented on the decorations that she had personally hand made. You could tell that she made each piece with perfect love, passion and pride.

Like most wedding, the ceremony was short and sweet. While I would normally need to gather an entire group of groomsmen and bridesmaids for formal pictures, I only needed to grab the bride and groom as they chose not to have a traditional wedding party.

These two were so natural in front of the camera (and off camera). It was as if I were capturing two love birds right in front of my eyes. Simply beautiful!

Weddings shouldn't be confused with real estate; meaning that "location, location, location" is not the most important thing when planning a wedding, it is the love and admiration that two people share between each other that makes a strong marriage last. Whether or not you are getting married next to an ocean or a bathtub, be sure that LOVE is present.