Not Just the Kiss: Why I’m Obsessed with the Background Moments
I’m not just there for the first kiss. Or the “I do.” Or the moment you walk back up the aisle as newlyweds with your face hurting from smiling. Don’t get me wrong, those are magic. But for me, the real joy of photographing a wedding comes from capturing everything. The big, the small, and all the glorious in-between.
Because your wedding isn’t just one moment. It’s hundreds. Maybe thousands. It’s the way your hands shake slightly when you're getting ready. It’s your aunty crying before you’ve even walked down the aisle. It’s your best mate doing up your cufflinks while cracking jokes to stop you from tearing up. It’s the table you spent weeks planning, the flowers your nana helped pick, the perfume you wore because it reminded you of someone you love.
It’s the way the day feels.
I care about the decor, the details, and the thought you’ve poured into every part of it. The handwritten vows tucked into your pocket. The heirloom brooch on your bouquet. The disco ball above the dance floor that you hunted down on TradeMe. That’s the stuff that tells your story. And I want you to have photos that bring it all back.
But more than anything, more than the dresses or the grazing table or the perfect sunset, I care about the people. The ones who show up and stand beside you, who cheer the loudest and cry the hardest. The quiet looks between you and your person. The kids doing flips on the lawn. The proud parents. The tipsy aunties. The best friends with mascara running down their faces because they love you that much.
That’s what I’m watching for. That’s what I’m gently, quietly, joyfully capturing.
Because weddings are never just about two people saying yes. They’re about all the people who helped get you there, and all the bits of you that show up in the celebration. So yes, I’ll photograph your kiss and your cake and your first dance, but I’ll also be catching the teary hugs, the stolen glances, the chaotic dance moves, and the thoughtful little touches that make your day yours.
If you want a photographer who notices the quiet stuff, who sees the way your cousin tucks her shoes under the table so she can hit the dance floor barefoot, who remembers that you mentioned your late grandad’s cufflinks, then I might just be your girl.
Let’s bottle it all up together. The big, the small, and everything in between.
