I’m going to write this post as if you’ve never planned a wedding before….so blog stalkers if you have, you probably already know all of these…but humor me!
Tara and Craig got married in the very church she attended growing up by the VERY person who married her parents….so this church held some history for them. It’s just an itty bitty church in the town of Avonmore, PA called the First Presbyterian Church. I’ve been to small churches before-in fact, in the rural areas, most of the churches are conservative and small….BUT with that said, there is typically always a few pews without people-it happens. NOT everyone comes to the church for the ceremony, some people only come for the party. In their case, the church became a standing room only event. Every single spot available in the pews were taken, there were people standing on the steps and down the sides of the church.
Because it was so packed, there was very little for Greg and I to do. We couldn’t walk up the sides and go “ninja” like we typically do–there simply wasn’t enough room and besides that the preacher didn’t exactly want us to move. He requested that we not move AT ALL. We had to stay in the back of the church with no movement..and no flash. SO, Brides I want you to realize that some of the churches/preachers/priests, etc. have rules and if those rules involve the photographer to not move or to use no flash…please make sure the person you hire is capable of working under any conditions. I hear so many horror stories and it makes me sad. The photographers have to abide by the rules they are given so if you hire someone who has no idea how to work under low lighting conditions without a flash..move on. Ok, I feel better now. All of the shots shown below are shot with no flash….and this is how I typically shoot. There is just something about available light that looks so much more natural. 🙂
So with a full house, Tara proceeded down the aisle. She was smokin…..I think Craig thought so too. I could see him holding back the tears. And that little guy standing beside the Groom…yep, that was the best man a.k.a. shorty. (that was my name for him! tee he he) I was warned the Craig doesn’t smile-or that he smiles very little……..ch-yeah, not if I had anything to do with it! Muahh ha ha ha!!
I LOVE that you post pictures like this, Jen! I wasn’t able to be at the ceremony because I was setting up the cake! (Tara is my cousin.) So, it’s a real treat for me to be able to see the two of them in their pics already. I’m sure you know that our grandfather passed away at the end of last week, right before the wedding. It’s so nice to be able to draw out the joy from the wedding through seeing the pics. You do such a wonderful job! If I ever do any cake consults with brides who don’t have a photographer yet I will definitely be recommending you!