This morning I googled the phrase "wedding photo" and was not surprised that what came up were lots of images of couples! Of course, this is hardly unexpected considering weddings are supposed to be all about celebrating two people's choice to exchange deeply meaningful vows that create a life-changing commitment to one another!
But maybe I've got this wrong though, because from the way certain elements of the wedding industry press are bleating on in the new post-COVID-19 world you might get the feeling that weddings are only about extravagant and expensive parties hosted to benefit the suppliers who pay their advertising rates.
Don't get me wrong, a handful of the images I found on the first few pages of my google search did show people having fun at glamorous receptions, but the truth is over 90% of the "wedding photos" were just images of couples looking wonderfully happy on their special day - the sort of photos people put on their walls and that become family heirlooms. And when are most of these "hero shots" captured? Yep, you've got it - mostly when the couple were off away from the pressures of hosting a huge party, sharing some quality time together.
Although your second cousin twice-removed likes nothing more than to get a skinful on someone else's bar tab and boogie on down at a big family shindig, the truth of the matter is that despite what some elements of the wedding industry believe, you don't need hundreds of guests to have a memorable wedding. You just need two people, very much in love, to say some tender and considered words to each other and the rest will follow naturally. Indeed, some of the very best weddings we have ever captured have been the smallest celebrations of love.
So, what do you actually NEED to make your day the best it can be? Spending time writing loving, meaningful vows will give you something to reflect on during the photo session and help to generate even more emotion. Elegant, perfectly fitting attire, with great hair and make-up, will definitely help too - giving you the confidence to really shine in your photos. And yes, a talented and discrete photographer to capture those precious fleeting moments is a must.
What you don't need though are extravagant forests of floral arrangements, expensive transport options or the monolithic confectionery creations you see in too many wedding magazines. Unless you want them that is. Otherwise, if you can do without them, give them a miss. Don't be bullied by bridal blogs into feeling your day is somehow inadequate if there aren't doves released at your ceremony or flocks of flamingos at your reception. If you end the day with a happy glow and a piece of paper that says you're legally wed, that's all you need to consider your wedding a roaring success.
The conditions imposed by this pandemic are nothing new. Marriages still took place during the 1918-20 Spanish Flu epidemic, as they did during both World Wars, and whilst weddings were, generally, more simple affairs in these times, but the love and commitment they represented was in no way diminished by the size of the celebration. Indeed, despite what much of the wedding "industry" would like you to believe, there is absolutely no correlation between the scale of your nuptial celebrations and the success of your marriage. Like most good things in life, that's just down to hard work, dedication and patience.
So, don't let a little thing like the restrictions imposed by a global pandemic get in the way of your happiness - go ahead, enjoy a simple and relaxing wedding day and then throw a massive party when all of this is over.
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