Documenting Weddings with Stories

I recently captured the wedding of Sarah and Chris at The Ashes Wedding Venue in Endon, Staffordshire. Chris had asked me to deliver Sarah a set of cards which contained a series of promises. After Sarah recieved the cards I captured some pictures of her as she opened them. This particular photograph really stood out for me during the moment.

I really love this photograph for many reasons. We can’t see whats written on the card but we can see the effect it has had. It’s a private message to Sarah from Chris. I used the mirror to eflect the moment because I didn’t want to get into the space and be too intrusive. Sarahs hand in front of her face is such a vulnerable position. We use our hands over our faces to hide our expression and you can see from Sarahs eyes that this card, this promise contains a very special message for Sarah. Something that really means a lot to her. Then we have Sarahs mum in the background just leaning in to comfort Sarah with her arm on her shoulder.

It’s a lovely moment that I think really helps to tell a story about what this day means to a bride.

When someone is reading a letter or opening a gift it can sometimes be quite a private moment and whilst I want to capture whats happening- I need to be careful not to affect the moment. I need to make sure that I’m not moving around too much or being too intrusive. The equipment I use on a wedding day for this type of moment really helps to make sure that I can preserve the moment but retain the integrity of it. Small, silent cameras using available light become essential in situations like these.