For Wedding Guests Everywhere

Instinct tells me (I’m writ­ing quickly and from the top of my head) the day is about a bride and groom. But it’s for their friends and fam­ily (of which they are a part).

I think some­times that’s lost. Some­times there’s too much “your day, your way” going on. Your guests should be a part of your wed­ding day: not just spec­ta­tors, rather very spe­cial peo­ple in your lives, and those you want to share in your hap­pi­ness and enjoy it with you.

Here are some more pic­tures from Gail and Mark’s wed­ding which I fea­tured yes­ter­day. The focus this time around is on the wed­ding guests — cap­tured so beau­ti­fully by doc­u­men­tary wed­ding pho­tog­ra­pher Mar­tin Beddall.

Imag­ine a story: a proper story, writ­ten by an author, in a book and every­thing. Any won­der­ful story which grips your heart, makes you laugh and cry and think. It’s by some­one (the author), it’s about some­one (the bride and groom) and it’s writ­ten for some­one (the reader).

You’re the author.

Your wed­ding will be by you. You’re the author, the designer, the one in con­trol who decides how your story will unfold.

You’re the hero and heroine.

The wed­ding day is all about you. Get­ting mar­ried is a huge event in your lives. The focus of the story is you.

Your guests are the readers.

Your wed­ding guests are there to watch your story unfold. There are no pages to turn, but they’ll smile and laugh and cry along with you on the day. They’ll admire your dress and enjoy pre­cious moments with you, with each other too. As the author then, isn’t it your job to draw them in, to involve them, to make them feel a part of your story? To have them leave your wed­ding day with last­ing mem­o­ries, feel­ing elated, glad they came?

Because a great author cre­ates a rap­port with her reader. A great author makes the reader feel as though they’re in the story.

So wed­ding guests every­where: this one’s for you. This is how spe­cial you are. A wed­ding isn’t a show put on to enter­tain you. It’s a cel­e­bra­tion you’re invited to share in. It’s all about love, and you’re there because you’re loved.

A wise man once said, “Good pho­tog­ra­phy is about sto­ry­telling – it’s as sim­ple as that.“

I have to say I agree.

Have a good day every­one, brides, grooms and guests.

Claire xxx