Denver, Colorado Wedding & Portrait Photographers Markham Photography
Don’t worry, Rachel & Nolan weren’t that nervous.
Wedding season is fast approaching, and my own nervousness and excitement gave me the idea to write a post about the dreaded wedding day nerves. I attended a wedding recently as a guest, where the groom was visibly sweating and shaking at the alter. I can’t think of many other circumstances that will lead people to be that happy and that nervous at the same time. Weddings are a big deal. No doubt about it. You’re basically planning a huge, expensive, and meaningful party for everyone who’s important to you. They take months of planning, and are social etiquette minefields. Top that off with the monumental significance of being wed to your favorite person. It should stress anybody out.
I seem to have some magic power (luck?) that attracts the most laid-back couples in the world, but every now and then, someone is understandably frazzled. And that leads me to my point….
A lot of people (including photographers) seem to think if you have a big and expensive enough camera, it will do all the work for you. But that’s just not the case. At all. People skills are where it’s at. I love shooting weddings because it gives you a hundred opportunities to gain someone’s trust and show them that it is, in fact, possible to take a good picture of them. So many people (often grooms) default to a sort of panicked, deer-in-headlights pose with big, unnatural smiles and terrified eyes. I think it’s completely understandable to be very nervous. Just because it’s my 12th wedding that summer, it’s probably still pretty weird for them. I feel for them, for sure. But that’s the key to helping people relax. Remind them that they’re having a good time, and that they’re nervous not because something bad is happening, but something wonderful. So when you notice that huge camera pointed at you, remember: It’s the biggest party you’ll probably ever throw for yourselves. All your friends are there. You’ve been groomed and dressed to your own personal perfection. You couldn’t look any better. There’s an open bar! Relax, enjoy. It’s your party. They can’t start without you.