Philadelphia Wedding Photographer | Manayunk Brewing Company | This Must Be Love
Early on in my pregnancy, I decided a cutoff date was in order for me to tell brides I will no longer be shooting weddings. This was partly for their benefit (who wants to see THAT on the dance floor) and partly for my benefit (I do not want to see THAT on the dance floor). But then I got a call from a very special bride to shoot a wedding at the amazing Manayunk Brewing Company. Someone who I have known since I was a teenager. How could I say no? How could I put my silly fears of amniotic fluid on the dance floor in front of being able to be the one to document the joyful conclusion to her life-long search for love? How could I tell my husband I turned away a chance to dance with the same girls he spent his entire childhood with?
I couldn't. So, I strapped on my cameras and tied my knees together as tight as they would go, and I proceeded to photograph one of the most joyful, fun, sweet, loving weddings of my career. Now, who at this wedding would have made it so? Who at this wedding made this a night to remember?
Was it the bride who was completely unaware of how gorgeous she was, from her flaxen hair all the way down to her purple dancing shoes? Or was it her best friends, by her side for this wonderful life's journey she is setting upon? Or was it the rascally Best Man, dapper and charming as the ever supportive sidekick.
Well, yes. They were all responsible for making this day all the more wonderful and memorable not just for me but for everyone in attendance.
But it was that groom. That groom who brought joy to all those around him with his sense of humor, his overabounding joy, and his...there is no other way to describe it...ham-like behavior! He was a HAM! And this is coming from the Queen Ham Sandwich, so I know what I am talking about.
I do not need to explain, you can see it in their gorgeous Philadelphia engagement portraits and all over the pictures below. It made photographing this couple all the more wonderful because while it was great when he was making me laugh (although making a 36-week pregnant woman laugh is a treacherous thing), it was even better was when he wasn't hamming it up. When he was so engrossed in the beautiful girl who was promising forever to him, he was unable to do anything but emote his true unadulterated feelings. When he was so overcome with joy, he dropped his comical facade and let us see his true self.
Although, that ham-like behavior is so much a part of him, I think we did see his true self the entire time but it made the quiet introspective moments all the more special.
A great big special thank you to Megan Pinto of Holding Hope Photography for agreeing to take me up on the challenge of shooting with a crazy pregnant lady!
