“Justin & Emily’s Wedding….” Part 1

Was it crazy to think I could be the photographer at my own daughter’s wedding?  YES!!!  But could I have gone through the day without my camera?  NO!!!  I’ve been teased that even when I don’t have my camera with me I have my phone up to my face taking pictures.  Alright… so thank goodness I had help.  Cassie Faris and I met before the wedding to go over gear, ideas and the sequence of events of the wedding.  I have always admired Cassie’s (many) talents and was excited she agreed to help me.  Thank you Cassie!!!

The actual ceremony was gorgeous, surprising, unique… and went without a hitch (will post more about ceremony in Part 2 of “Justin & Emily’s Wedding”).  This, however, cannot be said about the preparations that morning.  They were just crazy.  I was at the house waiting for Emily and the girls to arrive… meanwhile… they’re at the Cracker Shack waiting for me to arrive.  I don’t remember how we figured that one out.  Emily is usually late (can I get an amen!!) but alas, she was early that morning!!  Once this was discovered a half hour later I was like, “It’s all good, no harm, let’s get the party rollin’!!”

OK… so Emily was adamant not to see Justin on the wedding day until walking up the isle.  The guys were getting dressed at the barn and the girls were at the Cracker Shack getting ready.  Emily, of course, has to make a run to the house for who-knows-what.  She’s driving up the driveway as I’m talking to the groomsmen, “Where’s Justin?”  “Oh, he just texted and he’s almost here.”  OH NO!!!  I can just see their two trucks meeting head on, on the driveway!!  I’m texting Emily: “ALERT!!  Groom to come down the driveway…HIDE!!”  All the while thinking: I know she doesn’t have her phone with her, and if she does I know its not charged up…  Justin arrives… a few minutes later Emily returns… passing like two ships in the night.

That near disaster avoided we get back to business.  Sarah, my FABULOUS makeup artist is here and gets started on Emily’s hair.  The girls are scampering around trying to get ready… not under the best of circumstances.  We had one little mirror for four girls to share, limited electric plugs for them to use and only one room with air conditioning.  April burns herself on the hot iron.  Emily’s (large) dog keeps sneaking in and wants to be with her and everyone keeps having to use the bathroom which means more trips to the house.

All the while I’m getting really nervous.  We’re going to totally run out of time.  And there are still A LOT of images I want to have time to capture.  Well, I don’t know how it happened; it’s really all a blur to me… but everything came together so beautifully.  The next thing I knew there stood my daughter, in her wedding dress, looking so storybook perfect… she just took my breath away.  Then I had the pure pleasure of photographing the daughter I used to rock to sleep at night EVERY single night of her life until she was about 4 years old.  THAT is what my heart wanted to do.  Capture that beauty, her shinning radiance… she was stunning.  Capture the last few moments of her being Emily Fredrick.