I am excited about this series of blog post, not only because it allows me to show my clients what they can expect from start to finish in their set of wedding photos, but also because it allows me to relive some of my favorite moments from recent weddings. Last week I posted about the bride getting into her dress, so it’s only fair that this week’s post is devoted to the groom… Because my style is largely feminine with soft tones and textures, the groom and groomsmen intimidated me a bit at the beginning of my career. I like for my photos to look a certain way, and I take that too seriously sometimes. It was honestly a little annoying for awhile that groomsen acted goofy and were not as naturally graceful as the ladies. However, it didn’t take me long to realize that they weren’t intentionally being rude or irreverent; they just tend to celebrate these occasions a little bit differently.
The groom and his friends have usually spent a bit of time making themselves as dapper as can be, and they are usually feeling pretty good by the time I find them. They have somehow channelled an inner James Bond (or James Dean) and they may or may not know what to do with him. While they may act annoyed about being photographed, they really want to do it, and I find it quite easy to load a roll of black and white film and just capture the men being real and having fun together. Now and then I will ask the groomsmen to give the groom a bit of advice for his wedding day, which usually tends to elicit some hilariously genuine laughter, but often just a simple “be cool” will do the trick. Then there’s that imminent moment, when one of the groomsmen insists on doing something cheesy for a photo… I tell myself to lighten up, and we go with it, all in the name of having a good time. When the photos are printed and delivered, I want both the bride and the groom to remember how much fun they had on their wedding day. I want them to smile and remember what was going on at each real moment captured. My groom and groomsmen photos are classic, natural, and fun. And I’m proud to include them in each set I deliver.
However, I am a little bit stubborn (or maybe more than a little), and I have found a way to bring the groom back into that soft and beautiful style that I love (after he’s had his 10 or 15 minutes of masculine good times). When the guys have had their turn, I ask the groom to go and find his mother for a photo. And then, just like that, I’m back into the sweetness, because we all know that a boy and his mama will always be just that: a boy and his mama.
