Wedding photography is always a gamble in some respect… While the people always make up the biggest percentage of the finished product, there are surely other things that play significant roles; like lighting, for example, and the hopeful individuals that chose a backyard ceremony in the middle of a hot summer day with no shade… I don’t care who the photographer is, if you’re working with crap ingredients, you can only do so much.
I photographed Meghan and Wesley’s wedding in Guerneville, California, and it was as if the stars aligned. It started with them; her, a bit anxious, by her own accounts, but with the perfect balance of humility and good cheer to make even the ugliest of hearts bat their eyes in her direction and him, easy-going, unfiltered, warm, and inviting. Their family and friends were larger representations of themselves, all two hundred plus of them, and by the end of the evening, I just wanted to do whatever was in my power to be a part of their glittertown, p-town, wolf pack.
The day started with heavy cloud coverage and the whisper of rain, which worked out perfectly as we headed into the Redwoods for a few portraits. No patches of harsh light, just pure, even, flattering light that would surely make 1pm in Southern California a bit jealous. The sun began to peak through just as the ceremony started, with the ceremony being nestled in a perfectly shaded alcove adjacent to the Russian River and wrapped in trees and ivy. The whole day was one for the books, especially when the car we drove to the Redwoods in broke down and we had to ride back through town in the back of a pickup truck.
In any event, the entire day was built around trust and love and friendship. Everything from the bouquet and flower crown which were made the morning of the wedding by a friend to her hair and make-up also done by friends to the set-up and clean-up of the actual venue by both friends and family to the officiant who was the bride’s best friend to the band who was also a friend just made sense and highlighted the fact that everything was created and put together with love.
The wedding was a weekend event, with games and gatherings the day prior to the wedding and camping throughout the weekend; which really added to the already established sense of community and love. It was one of those weddings where everything felt real and authentic and important and you couldn’t help but get swept away in it all.
Toward the end of the night I was actually capturing video on my phone and bragging to Willy about how good of a time I was having. It hardly felt like work.
Many thanks to Meghan & Wesley for having me.
Interested in hiring me for a wedding or event? I won’t be taking on too many this year with the new baby on the way, but surly shoot me an email, guarantee me a good time, and you just may have yourself a photographer.
