By Steve Burns

Who’s the most nervous at a wedding during the procession?  Is it the photographer as the bride and her father approach?  Is it the groom in anticipation of his bride to be?  Is it the bride anticipating joining with her groom at the alter?  Is it the father of the bride who is about to give his loving daughter to another?

Well the photographer should be a bit nervous, as should both the bride and the groom.  The photographer, is possibly nervous because they can’t control the moment though they have honed their craft so well that they could function on autopilot if called to so.   They are ready, their gear is ready, and their back up gear is ready and their mind is engaged.   The bride and groom may be a bit nervous in anticipation of their moment together at the alter, however they have a relationship that has been on going and is about to grow even more to support them.

The most nervous person is actually the father of the bride.  Even though he is beaming with pride and confidence as he walks his daughter down that isle where he will shortly give her away to his soon to be son in law; he is full of nervousness.  It doesn’t matter if they are the elder statesman President Clinton as he was walking Chelsea,  or if they are the simplest of common men.  They are all nervous  as they are about to give their child that they raised away.

When we are nervous, things can catch us unaware. It happens to all of us, and it should not be looked at as a fault, or an embarrassment as it’s simply a part of life.

For all of the fathers out there, here is something to be aware of.  I’ve seen this happen twice in as many years.  As you walk your daughter down that isle, she is going to be on your left arm. Your family is to the left side of you as well.  When you reach the head of the isle you will give your daughter a kiss and give her away to her groom.  As you do this she will cross a bit in front of you to join the groom.  As that happens you will turn to your left and go join your family.

If she is wearing a long veil it might blend in with the floor.  So as she walks slightly right and up to the alter, her veil will cross in front of you, and it is going to be difficult to see.  You might possibly step on it, or get tripped up in it.   If this happens the comb and veil will suddenly be ripped out of your daughter’s hair.  Oh-oh!

Thankfully the bride’s father did not fall.   And because I was immediately behind them I was was able to pick up the veil as the bride approached the priest waiting at the alter. As I approached her from behind, I took a quick look at the priest, who gave me a nod.  So I quite simply put it back into her hair at the alter as if nothing had happened.  Think auto pilot.   From there on their day went on as planned, two wonderful people were married, and we attended a wonderful reception a bit later that evening.

The engagement season is slowly gaining it’s momentum. Right after Thanksgiving is usually when wedding photographers start getting flooded with inquiries for their services… because the Seasonal Sweetness is in the air, families get together and many guys pick that time of the year to take that precious ring out and get down on their knee. That means brides will soon start planning! Maybe they already know what the centerpieces and bridesmaids dresses will look like but for those who are (or soon will be) looking for inspiration for their gorgeous 2010 wedding, here’s a collection of shoe shots from the depths of my archives. All photos taken during the seasons of 2008 and 2009. Enjoy! I hope you find this post worth tweeting about

The quote used for the title of this post is by Imelda Macros.

[ by David M ]

Rings. Wedding bands. They symbolize belonging, unity, trust, love with no end. They are probably one of the strongest tokens associated with the very idea of marriage, a sign of the unbreakable vows. Most of the time they are also an important detail for the photographer. Creating a ‘special’ image of the rings for each couple is a challenging task. Inspiration can come from almost anything. Personally, I always try to talk to the bride or groom and ask what is their “thing”. That’s how I end up shooting the rings on baseballs:

…watermelons:

…hershey candy bars:

…and chestnuts:

Sometimes I get inspired by what is around me or what is going on around me at the time of shooting:

…and sometimes I look for the weirdest possible graphical element or illustration:

Whatever happens during the ring photography, dear grooms and best mens – please make sure you have them with you before you leave for the ceremony

Paul Gauguin, one of the most prolific 19 century painters, at some point in his life in his longing for savage and unexpected beauty, made a conscious choice to escape the sufocating world of European civilization for South Seas. He settled on Marquesas Island in French Polynesia where he created some of his best works. His vividly colored, highly abstract paintings lead Impressionist painter Camille Pissarro to remark, “He’s in another world.”

Some hundred years later I share Gauguin’s fascination entirely. This past April when I arrived in Manzanillo, Mexico to document a super intimate destination wedding of Hope and Cody, my creative muses were flying high!

It is the lush colors of exotic locales, the technicolor light, the gentle fragrant whisper of mango blossoms, the tropical balmy air, the calming and never ending crashing of the waves that makes the couple, their families and friends feel and look marvellous. The sweet artistic challenge of the photographer is just …. to absorb it all, share the fun and the inspiration will follow, resulting in dramatic, juicy images. The visual appeal of Cody and Hope’s wedding was enhanced by Gaby www.simplyperfectmexico.com