Weddings During a Pandemic

Heading into 2020 I was on track to have one of my busiest years yet. The pandemic hit and suddenly all my wedding gigs lined up were in limbo. Couples scrambled to reschedule their date and then reschedule again. I felt for them as they tried to coordinate with the venue and all their vendors. The planning process can be stressful enough during normal times.

As the spring rolled around, couples began to think about backup plans. What I truly admired was that so many were determined to celebrate their love and get married anyway. Backyard and courthouse weddings became the new normal. Instead of 200-person guest lists, it was 8 family members. Instead of 20 people in the bridal party, it was just the bride and groom. Gone was the frenzy of rushing to multiple locations around the city in a bus or attempting a 25-person family photo when everyone just want to get to cocktails. The pandemic wedding was a wedding stripped down to its core: two people professing their love in front of those closest to them. 

Under normal circumstances, I have so much running through my mind during a ceremony that it’s hard not to have a one-track mind. I’m totally focused on the photos; where I need to be when to get the best possible photos. To be honest, I’m quite detached from the ceremony itself. I’m always contemplating the next shot while taking cues from the officiant. That completely vanishes during a backyard wedding. I found that it was hard not to get emotional. I’m glad I had the camera covering my face because I definitely teared up on several occasions. I cannot help but feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude that couples would trust me to capture such important moments for them. I have always had this feeling over the years, but perhaps the intimacy of the event magnifies it. I felt a certain pride in humanity watching couples determined to create a joyful day for themselves and their families during a global pandemic. 

I have no doubt that weddings will eventually return to raucous party buses, shared buffets, and packed dance floors, but I also think that the last year will cause couples to rethink what the “ideal” wedding day looks like. Perhaps some will opt for an intimate event simply to remove some of the chaos associated from a typical wedding. Whether you event is big or small, I remain committed to capturing the day in a way that tells your story authentically. Thank you to all the couples who trusted me to photograph their events in 2020. You truly made the year memorable and I’m very grateful for that.