Alison and Mark, A Canvey Island Wedding

So this is how this one worked. The bride got on a website where the bride can fill in her details and the vendors she is looking for and those details are forwarded to a select few people, then those vendors contact the client and provide them with a quote for their product and/or services. Alison submitted a request for photography quotes on 23 March. She was getting married on 9 April. All in 2010. I gave her a call and she explained to me that she was having a rather cozy day with close friends and family and just wanted about an hour and a half of professional wedding photography. So I said, no problem. Hey, some people don't want the whole day covered. Some just want the super important bits and leave the rest to friends and family to do the pics. I think that's fine, because it's what the couple wants. After all, it's their day, right?

So Alison had a look at my website, called me back and the contract was in the post. Easy Peasy.

I headed out that day with my normal kit, all organised, reset and lenses clean. As I was cruising along with my sat nav (I can't get anywhere without it, I swear!) I went to pop in my Pink CD, as I normally do on the way to a wedding. "So What" just pumps me up and makes me feel like a Rock Star! I feel like that's a good thing, because if I feel like a Rock Star, it's easier for me to make my couple feel like Rock Stars, savvy? Alas, there was no Pink CD anywhere in my car to be found. It got me thinking about what my horoscope said that day:
"You feel motivated yourself, maybe by the actions of a famous or historical figure. It's possible that the motivation you're feeling is a matter of competition, but the underlying theme is pushing for greater achievement. Develop a plan and follow it if you want to achieve your goals. Don't buckle under criticism. No matter what, don't get into playing ego games with others today: they won't appreciate it." It also said that my compatibility sign for the day was Virgo.

I thought, Hmmmm. What could all this mean?
Well, I found out when I started shooting the group photos. I had some harsh critics around me (none of them Virgos, I imagine!) and one of them was on a roll. Now I don't think too much about what just happened and I don't worry too much about things that haven't happened yet when I'm shooting. I get very focused and try to make the best image I possibly can. I can't tell you how hard I tried to ignore this guy and get people to listen to me as I explained several times that if a person couldn't see me because there was someone taller in front of them, then I couldn't see them either and their face wouldn't end up in the picture. Cest le vie. The rest is what it is.

Despite some of the challenging personalities that we deal with as wedding photographers, I have to say, this was a great group. I don't really have any nightmare stories and maybe that's because I just roll with the punches. The bride was stunning and I just LOVED her dress. The groom was in his Navy uniform and that just made the whole experience feel even more important. The mothers of the bride and groom were ever so lovely and nice and the kids, some tired, loosened up toward the end of my day with some fun, playful shots.

So what did I learn? ('Cuz I always learn SOMETHING!) I learned that patience truly IS a virtue and that if you stay focused (both mentally and in camera, hehe) you can get the results you're looking for. I had a wonderful couple to photograph on a weather perfect day. What else can you ask for? And if a certain Uncle is reading this blog, I hope your pictures came out great too:)