No Wrong Way to Say I Do - by Jesse Holland
Tuesday, January 17, 2012 at 07:58PM 
Although I really don’t consider myself an expert on weddings or marriage, I have been married a year-and-a-half now, and in the last three years I have attended over 40 weddings, so I do have some experience.
As a wedding photographer, I’ve seen a range of weddings.... From the simple and frugal to the all out GLAM, and I love the variety in seeing what people do for their big day. I think it is great that couples haven't lost sight of the fact that you really can do whatever you want.
If you are a bit of a traditionalist, you are free to go to the chapel and get married. However, if you want to break out of the box and walk barefoot on a beach somewhere far away from home, then you should be able to do that too - guilt-free!
All weddings are going to follow a general format: Get married, take some photos, eat something and have a party. That said, there is a lot you can do to make your wedding feel personal. The important thing is to show off who you are as a couple. You really can do whatever you want! Truly!
The only legal requirement at your wedding is signing your marriage license. (And you can even do that beforehand or after the fact!) You have absolute free reign for the rest of it! However, you should never feel like being different means you have to break the bank planning a ton of details.
One of the things that makes a wedding stick out from the rest is when a couple approaches a traditional aspect in a fresh new way. This doesn’t mean a ton of DIY details or vintage-style décor, it can be as simple as having a custom drink that reflects something special about you as a couple.
At one wedding I recently shot, the couple served beer-geritas (I’ll let you figure that one out – I’d never heard of them before either, but they were delicious)! Another wedding I photographed was an afternoon picnic in the park. And at one wedding, in a church no less, the bride walked down the aisle barefoot... In fact, she didn't wear shoes the entire day!
A dear friend of mine got married this past summer and I had the honor of photographing it. One of the things that I loved about Anita’s wedding was that every part of it was a reflection of her and her husband. In some ways, her wedding was similar to other modern weddings, but she found unique ways to do her own thing as well.
My favorite deviation from the norm was instead of eating cake, my friend and her husband made an ice cream sundae together instead. Why not? If you don’t like wedding cake, or you are part of the growing population of people who find themselves skipping flour due to gluten intolerance, maybe ice cream is a good substitute.
With so many wedding blogs out there, it can get really overwhelming to make decision. But just because you see everyone else utilizing mason jars, burlap and ribbons in trees, it doesn’t mean you have to follow their lead....
One of the weddings that I am most looking forward to next summer is in Zion National Park. The couple is hiking up the Narrows but will spend zero dollars on ceremony décor because Mother Nature is taking care of it for them. Sometimes Mother Nature really does know best! If the weather is permitting at your ceremony location, why stress out and try to improve on something that is 4.5 billion years in the making?
In the same way that it is important to find a photographer that suits your style - and let's be honest, your budget as well - my advice is to not feel pressured into doing something at your wedding that doesn't reflect who you are.
I know it seems like there are a lot of wedding photographers who spend a lot their time ooohing and ahhhing over how great the details are at a wedding, but it really comes down to this: you, your spouse and the people you love and value and want to share your special moments with.
As a photographer, I am with you on your wedding day to chronicle the two of you in one of the most intimate and memorable moments you will ever experience. Hopefully, when you look back on your wedding photos, you will remember that amazing feeling of being surrounded by all those people who love you and who want to be witnesses to a milestone in your life.
It really should be about the people you love, and not about stuff that dressed it all up.
Article written by Jesse Holland of Jesse Holland Photography
Reader Comments (2)
well said ... well said!
Those photos were great! It was very great to see those couple eating cakes, They both appeared awesome in that image. You had shared a very fascinating blog. Thanks a lot.