Even after planning your event for months it's easy to get caught up in the "wedding' part of your day, and have the marriage part lose focus. With so many sites these days dedicated to the "perfect" nuptials, or the "top ten things you must do", couples often find their essence watered down and replaced by instagramable moments they don't really remember deciding upon or even caring about later.
That's why it's a rare treat when a couple like Ian Sophia and Scott ask me to be a part of a day so routed in their love, and the idea of love itself. When they first described their wedding to me they talked about how they mentioned how they viewed themselves as two complete individuals and were not getting together to make themselves "whole", because they were already that way, but so they could support the uniqueness of each other as individuals and celebrate the growth they would each experience in life. So fond of their friends just the way they are, they requested that guests wear something that made their soul happy and stuck to their guns even after some friends worried this would make the wedding look to busy or crazy. Rooted in the idea that they wanted people to express themselves and be in love with their choices on their day of love, they asked me to photograph only in black and white up until the reception when all the colors could come out and people's true personalities could shine.
I think when you approach your union to someone else as exactly that, a bond you are solidifying with an amazing person you want to champion, grow with, boost up and support, instead of a day that is supposed to be "perfect" (because let's be honest, when is life really ever societies idea of perfect?) you end up having a day that is perfect for the two of you. From the outside, as someone who attends a decent amount of weddings, it's always the days that feel the most like the couple that stick in my mind long after the event is over. It's these weddings that make me want to call my loved ones, and fill me with such sappy joy I smile more, hum to myself, and daydream.
For anyone struggling with wedding planning remember the day is about you and your significant other. It's about being surrounded by love as you join in love, and in the end nothing more than that. I get that when you are in the midst of it everything seems so important and it's hard to sort through what truly matters and doesn't. Take a deep breath and ask yourself if you could only pick one thing what would it be. When you have to eliminate options you begin to see what's truly important. Maybe like Ian Sophia and Scott you will realize that the true definition of love, self love, love of friends, love of someone you are joining your life with, is what really counts.
A big thank you to Ian Sophia and Scott for a beautiful reminder of how sweet genuine love and appreciation can be. I was so blessed to be able to capture your special day!
