The last wedding I did of the lovely Michelle and Vadim was wedding number 90 for me. I like to think I’ve learnt a lot along the way from the very nervous photographer who took up knitting in the week prior to my first wedding with my trusty assistant Chris by my side (who also had no idea what he was doing) to the photographer who still occasionally gets lost or breaks a leg. All in a days work and the show goes on. I’ve worked with some fun assistants over the years since Chris moved up north to pursue his dream of becoming a Chef. 22 different photographers to be exact. Both males and females, short and tall and younger and older than me.
I found you can never relax completely at a wedding when you are the photographer, as every couple is different, you’re surrounded by different people who sometimes have issues with each other at weddings, gear and Google maps fail, the weather doesn’t often play ball, brides go crazy with stress, hairdressers don’t turn up, kids have tantrums, things get forgotten like the time the Groom’s Mum forgot the music and the wedding was delayed, and the funny time the Bride’s Dad lost his trousers to his ankles when he reached the end of the aisle. It certainly was an awkward moment for the lovely old guy. You just have to put as much thought and preparation into the day for each and every wedding and never get complacent. Always check your gear, plan ahead, have backups and be flexible.
I’ve also picked up some helpful advice and ideas along the way – one of the biggest being: Have a makeup trial ladies. This isn’t just to see what suits you for the wedding day but to test the products on your skin. One bride skipped this step and looked like she was crying most of the day as her eyes were watering with mascara that was creating havoc on her face. A friend of mine did a wedding where the bride forgot to get money to pay the florist and it delayed the wedding for an hour and a half. Meanwhile at the other end of the day, when the sun sets whether you are ready or not, all the photos had to be shot in the beautiful vineyard in the dark. Just because of one simple detail like money to pay the florist was overlooked. Planning is essential.
So celebrating 90 weddings with number 91 happening this Saturday with another lovely couple. Looking forward to it.