Do You Ever Get Tired of Weddings?

Recently one of my brides asked me this question. The easy (and I guess manufactured) answer is “No.” I mean come on… do you really want someone who’s bored or finds your love story mundane capturing such a phenomenal day?? Yeah ... I thought so too.

But I wondered how many people simply repeat the easy answer. I thought of the weddings I had piling up (yes, the first quarter has been great for me, so I won’t complain about how tired my eyes are or how my shoulder and neck hurt sometimes); I thought of the time I give up (and will be giving up) to not only shoot the weddings and engagement shoots and boudoir sessions but edit them (you know you want that pimple removed) – time I could be spending with friends going to the beach, sipping wine at their homes or my favourite wine bar, partying, and especially time with my daughter (although we have a silent understanding … I pop in a video we both want to see or don’t mind re-watching and I listen and as she watches).

Is that something you really want to tell your client? No. They’re not interested in what you give you for them… and rightly so.

But then I thought again on that question … and you know what? Call me corny, but it’s worth it. I am (as you can read in my “about” tab) a hopeless romantic. I’m a sucker for a good love story – and believe it or not, every single wedding I’ve shot (boasting over 200 and climbing) is different – and I want to hear all about it. I like that you met online and it worked out; I love that you guys were high school sweethearts, separated for 30 years and found your way back to each other; I love that she couldn’t stand you at first but you wore her down, got her to get out of her own way and give in to an awesome love; I love that he embraced your child (from a previous relationship) as his own, and the only way I even knew he didn’t birth the child was because you told me; I love that you guys met once and emailed, skyped and built an entire friendship and decided to take that leap; I love that you shared one dance that led to a never-ending song played in the orchestra of your hearts. Yes… I love love!

I love seeing young love – so hopeful and giddy, excited and just ready to take on the world. I love the mature love – steady, so calm, but trust me … mature love can be even steamier than the young love … mmmm mmm mmmm.

I love seeing the way the couple looks at each other. I love the way they share intimate moments throughout the ceremony. I love the way they have their own unspoken language and get lost in each other. And no matter if it’s just the two of them or over 200 people, I love scoping out those intimate moments that almost go unnoticed.

So yes, the answer is … NO… I do not get tired of shooting weddings. I will confess that sometimes I do get physically tired, but by the time I meet my bride, and I see my groom… I feed off their excitement and the fatigue melts into an endless pit of hopeless romantic energy.

And no, while I’m a hopeless romantic, I am not delusional. I know falling in love is easy, but staying in love is really hard sometimes, especially when life gets in the way. I know not everyone stays in love. But what matters most is that whether the love lasted a moment, a lifetime or beyond the grave, the important amazing thing, is that it existed.