A Picture’s Worth

Here’s the thing, I made sure that my guests knew they could take pictures at our wedding. I knew that some of them would be S C A R Y. And there were some scary ones taken!  One particular picture that I’ve seen makes me chuckle inside. I look nervous, my dress is crooked, and my overall appearance just screams discomfort. Which is laughable. Because I was a happy bride, thrilled to marry my best friend, and enjoying the ceremony without too many butterflies.  And I smile, because does it really matter that every picture be pristine and perfect? Not in my book.

I wanted the guests to take numerous pictures, because I wanted to see what they saw. I definitely had an official wedding photographer (there is great value in a professional!), but I wanted the pictures that my guests took during the wedding as well. 

They took wonderful pictures and (in the Pinterest world) very far-from-perfect pictures. And I’m so thankful for both.

Because if the guests didn’t take pictures alongside the wedding photographer,  how else would a bride end up with several different angles of the very same kiss?

And then the finale:

From the eyes of a person, this is where the worth of a picture lies. I truly admire  professional photographers who can make any wedding day look perfect as though no blemish was present at all during the ceremony & reception. After all, I anticipate the pictures that our wedding photographer captured! I can’t wait to see her work that I know will be fabulous.

But I also admire regular, ole pictures that are snapped by guests who aren’t professional photographers at all. They raise their camera when they feel a picture needs to be taken. And whatever picture they take is the end of the effort. The peaking point of their photo career.  I’m glad that our guests took numerous pictures, because now I have a collection of photos from the eyes of many people. And that’s beautiful.

So to any upcoming bride, let your guests take pictures. You will see the wedding festivities from their eyes and that will be worth it. You will see realness in what they capture.

The photos won’t be perfect, and you’ll laugh at some of them. You may even cringe at one or two. But there will be a couple snapshots that make you smile from ear to ear. You will go through the unprofessional collection of pictures and be so grateful that your guests felt free to take them.

Because honestly, the same kiss in different angles is just too fun to pass up.

Read more about our wedding here OR click on this funny one about my insanity leading up to the wedding day.