people always ask if I have a favorite moment in getting to photograph weddings. honestly, no. the whole day is typically orchestrated so well that there are usually more than a few favorite moments at every wedding I get to be a part of.

but.

there are a few moments in almost every wedding I get to photograph that get me emotionally. I can't help but get wrapped up in what I'm photographing and can't help but look twenty years down the road and know that the photograph I'm taking is going to be a window back to a moment that was so special to who I'm taking that photograph of.

this past saturday I got to spend photographing greg + andrea's incredibly beautiful wedding. they were surrounded by so many loved ones and friends that were legitimately celebrating these two committing to love each other for the rest of their lives...the joy was tangible and there were many favorite moments.

but the three moments that I'll share for the first look that got me teared up from behind my camera were these:

her sweet mom getting to have her last few moments helping her daughter dress in her most beautiful wedding gown. being a mom to maddie has changed how I view most weddings now, but especially how I take in this tender moment between mom + daughter. I couldn't help but mentally contrast andrea's young and soft hands to her mother's gentle and slightly worn by the years hands as her mom helped her into her dress - that's what "got" me. I knew as a mother that her mother's hands have held her as an infant and rocked her to sleep too many times to count. I knew that her mother's hands have picked her up when she skinned her knee's + palms and kissed them better. I knew that her mother's hands had prayed, had hugged, had cheered, had worked hard and had held andrea's hands for twenty something years. the last act that those now well-worn hands would have as she gave her daughter away to be married would be in fastening that beautiful satin button at the nape of her daughter's neck. her mother pulled away from fastening her daughters beautiful dress to look into andrea's eyes and the tenderness and "letting go" of her daughter was so beautiful to witness.
andrea's dad as he walked her down the aisle. I had gotten to chat a little bit with him before he walked his daughter down the aisle. and what I recognized about him was that he was a good man. it was most obvious as he talked that he loves his daughter. and even more she was his baby and the last of his four children to get married. his eyes misted over as he said that and you could see the memories and pride he had as he talked. again, thinking of my own two kids and thinking of when matt would walk maddie down the aisle, the flood of emotions and memories that can't help but play like a mini-movie in that man's head as he looked at his daughter as he walked her towards her love must have been overwhelming because I could see it on his face as he looked at her one last time, hugged her and handed her over to greg. that moment definitely "got" me.
and the last moment (or moments) was when greg saw andrea for the first time and then throughout the rest of the day. this man treasures his wife. he was legitimately in awe of her beauty and brought her hand to his lips often and whispered you're beautiful more times than I could count and meant it each time. and then, after he took in her beauty and smile he brought her in close and the very next breath they closed their eyes and thanked God in the most natural way possible. it was like they had done that hug/prayer a hundred times before. these two are good people. these two throughout the day made obvious that they treasured each other and they treasured their day committing their lives to each other.

I cannot wait to share more from this day, but here are a few until I finish.

SO many congratulations, greg + andrea!