Seventeen years ago, I photographed my very first wedding. It feels surreal even typing that, seventeen years! Back then, I was still figuring out my style, my technique, and, frankly, my nerves. The couple? They were amazing. Friendly, funny, and with a sense of humor that matched mine (a rare and precious gift).
The weather that day? Well, let’s just say it wasn’t ideal. It was cloudy, like, really cloudy. The kind of day where you look up at the sky and think, “Did the sun call in sick?” As a new photographer, I panicked a little. Would the couple notice? Would their album feel as gray as the sky?
I worked so hard to make sure they wouldn’t. I wanted their photos to radiate warmth, even if the sun refused to cooperate. And for years, I second-guessed myself. I’d look back at those images and wonder if they deserved better, better light, better skills, a better me.
But here’s the twist: I still hear from this couple. After all these years, they’re still a part of my life in small but meaningful ways. And that, to me, says it all. Maybe my work back then wasn’t as polished as it is now, but it captured them, their love, their joy, their humor. And that’s what really matters.
It’s funny looking back. That wedding taught me so much, not just about photography but about life and business. Growth is a journey, and perfection is a myth. Clouds or not, it’s the connection and the story that make an image timeless.
So here’s to the firsts, the lessons, and the couples who trust us even when we’re still finding our footing. And here’s to that cloudy day seventeen years ago, it turned out pretty bright after all.
