Catherine & Iman's Micro Wedding
This was special for two reasons. The first being that I've known Catherine and her family for about fifteen years and have watched her grow up. Secondly, this was my first micro wedding. It provided a memorable combination. After speaking with Catherine through text and then some follow up phone conversations with her mom, I knew it would be a very small affair with just immediate family present. They requested just a few pictures of the ceremony and some family portraits after." We will definitely add some bride and groom portraits too, if she's agreeable", I thought to myself. ;) I was very excited to experience this approach to a wedding.
It was scheduled on a Tuesday at 9:00 am. and was held at our church in the sanctuary. The weather was a brisk, but beautiful morning. The sun shining and the sky was blue. "So perfect", I thought to myself. I entered the church around 8:45 and headed into the sanctuary to see the family there and Catherine and Iman casually talking as their was last minute decorations being settled into place. It was a simple moment I will never forget. The focus was clear and it was that Catherine and Iman were there to get married.
Sometimes, in the midst of large weddings the busyness can be a distraction from the couple we are there for or the reason why. Oh, of course, we don't need to be reminded why we are dressed up and what's going, but it appears to me that the busyness can steal the show a little. With all of this not a factor here, Catherine and Iman had nothing to compete with and were the center of attention and their reason was able to be expressed loud and clear.
We waited a little past nine o'clock for two more family members to arrive who were stuck in traffic and then the ceremony began. Even though Iman had already seen Catherine dressed and ready to go it was like he saw her for the first time as she walked down the isle towards him. The ceremony was traditional,simple, and weighty with the reality of what was being promised and the covenant being made. Then the first kiss as man and wife with the announcement of Mr. & Mrs. Iman Miller. The couple made their way back to sign the marriage license and then we began family portraits.
After spending several minutes finishing those up, I began the bride and groom portraits. The lighting situation in the sanctuary can be a little challenging to work with and taking them outside was not an option due to the cold. I took several shots of the couple on the stairs of the stage but I was wanting more. More depth. More emotional connection. It felt like I was just scratching the surface of what was possible. As I started to quickly look around for other lighting options, I noticed a window in the far corner of the sanctuary where natural light was pouring in. That. Was. It.
In complete transparency I get very excited whenever I see light like that. "Must remain calm and professional", I tell myself, haha! Truly it makes my heart skip a beat because this is where magic happens. Moody light evokes mood naturally. As we moved over to the far side of the sanctuary I gently guided and posed them. The size of the wedding matters not to me. I'm always very intentional with my posing for portraiture. Capturing and creating art for all of my clients is extremely important to me. Here in this space I could see the change happening before my eyes and my feelings proved true about what I felt like was more to be told.
As we finished up I hugged Catherine and offered my congratulations again to both of them and headed outside to my car. It took me a couple of minutes to load my gear into the backseat and get myself in and warm the engine. As I looked into my rear view window I saw that they had made it outside and was getting ready to leave. Catherine had put on a short white fur jacket and the two of them were smiling as they were talking by their car. Just as it had happened in the very beginning of the day, it ended in the same way. Today was about Catherine and Iman becoming husband and wife. It was about them.
