I Got Married! How Being a Bride Informed How I Will Photograph Weddings

I got married.
That sentence still feels a little unreal when I see it written down.

This season of life has been tender and overwhelming and grounding and chaotic all at once. It’s been beautiful in ways I expected, and emotional in ways I didn’t. And while this experience shifted me personally, it also reshaped the way I understand weddings professionally.

Because now I’ve lived it.
Not just documented it.
Not just witnessed it.
But felt it in my body, in my nervous system, in the quiet moments and the loud ones.

And that changes everything.

The Moments That Don’t Look Big (But Are)

There are moments on a wedding day that look ordinary from the outside.
A pause.
A breath.
A glance.
A hand finding another hand.

As a photographer, I’ve always chased those moments. But as a bride, I felt how much weight they carry. How fast everything moves. How easily the day slips through your fingers. How you’re constantly trying to be present while also being pulled in ten directions.

It made me understand, on a deeper level, that the photos aren’t just documentation.
They’re proof.
They’re grounding.
They’re memory when the memory starts to blur.

What It Feels Like to Be Observed All Day

Being photographed all day is vulnerable. There’s no way around it.

You’re emotional. You’re overstimulated. You’re trying to soak everything in while also managing timelines, family dynamics, expectations, nerves. You’re aware of being seen constantly, even when you don’t want to be.

Experiencing that firsthand changed the way I think about how I show up for my couples.

It’s not just about giving direction.
It’s about knowing when to soften your voice.
When to step back.
When to create space.
When to protect a moment instead of interrupting it.

It confirmed something I’ve always believed: the best wedding photography isn’t just about beautiful images. It’s about emotional safety.

The Timeline Isn’t Just Structure — It’s How the Day Feels

I’ve built timelines for years.
But living inside one is different.

You feel every rushed moment.
You feel every extra buffer of breathing room.
You feel the difference between being pulled along and being able to actually exist in your day.

Now when I talk to my couples about timelines, I’m thinking beyond logistics. I’m thinking about how they will feel at 3pm. How exhausted they might be. How emotional. How much they’ll need space to just be together.

Because you don’t just deserve pretty photos.
You deserve to experience your wedding.

Sharing Pieces of Our Day

This is where I get to share a few moments from our wedding — the pieces of the day that still feel soft when I think about them. The in-between moments. The emotional ones. The ones that didn’t feel big in the moment, but mean everything now.

What This Changed in Me

Being a bride didn’t change my love for photographing weddings.
It deepened it.

It made me slower.
More observant.
More protective of moments.
More aware of how much trust exists in this work.

And now when I show up to weddings, I’m not just showing up as a photographer who understands the flow of the day.

I’m showing up as someone who knows what it feels like to stand exactly where you’re standing.