I was seventeen when I photographed my first wedding in 2017. I guess you could say this was the start of it all.
The story actually starts even earlier, back in my eighth-grade math class, that's right, EIGHTH grade! I was not the best math student, in the way of not understanding at all! Introducing Ms. Bovee (now Vaughn), an excellent teacher who poured so much time into her students and really cared for us. She helped me out a lot that year and definitely the years following. We kept in touch, and she was there for me through some difficult times, even though I was no longer her student. Now, let's skip ahead so I don't get caught up in the emotion.
I knew she was engaged before she told me! She gave it away with the "I have big news to tell you!" when she picked me up for dinner, but I wasn't going to let on. I thought that was it: I was way too young to attend a wedding on my own, and she just wanted me to know. A couple days later I got a text: "So we've been thinking, how would you like to photograph our wedding?!"
Gobsmacked, I couldn't do that. I only had a Kodak single lens camera and it didn't even zoom. To my surprise, they wanted to buy me a camera as payment, both to give me experience and because it would mean so much to have me take the photos. I graciously accepted! But I didn't feel ready because I didn't have all the knowledge yet, and I was definitely nervous.
The wedding was in Louisiana, and I had just moved to Massachusetts, so I took a Greyhound bus to Baton Rouge. The trek got longer than planned because of delays, and I missed a connecting bus in Atlanta. I got terrible sleep the night before and arrived at the bus station the morning of the wedding, where Ms. Bovee picked me up, ever so happy to see me.
First, we stopped at a townhouse they had rented so I could grab an hour or two of sleep. Then we headed to the venue, and it was gorgeous: a cute, cozy house surrounded by mossy trees, with white folding chairs set out for the guests.
I had gotten the camera before the big move, and I practiced on everything and everyone. But when I got it in my hands at the venue, the nerves came flying back with thoughts of "what if they all suck, what if she hates them?" Then I put my eye in the viewfinder and those thoughts just flew right out.
Thankfully, I didn't have to do it alone. Another former teacher was there in case I had any questions, and she guided me on posing and on helping the bride and groom feel comfortable and confident. She gave me my signature pose, the couple walking away from the camera together, which I try to get every time I photograph a wedding now.
While I got my bearings with the camera, the bride, who skipped the traditional bridal party, was surrounded by her closest friends. They even gave her a framed set of pictures, one with each of them.
The ceremony was short and simple, and beyond that, it's a bit of a blur. When you're running on a couple hours of sleep and looking through a viewfinder, the whole thing becomes a series of shutter clicks. The one thing I'll never forget: the officiant didn't move.
I had a wonderful time doing the portraits. Once again, the big mossy trees were the perfect backdrop, and you could just tell how in love the two of them were. Her ring was a simple wire-wrapped band with no diamond, and he knew exactly what she wanted.
I didn't edit any of the photos back then. Ms. Bovee, true to form, took the memory card so I wouldn't have to juggle editing with school. Her friend edited them, and she has them printed in her home. I know one of the photos she displays, so much for "what if she hates them."
What I know now
A couple of years ago, I asked to edit them myself, and I finally got to do it in a way that's true to my vision now. Looking back at 26, there's not much I misunderstood at 17, except one thing: shoot in RAW. I shot that whole wedding in JPEG, and I regret it to this day.
A big thank you to Mrs. & Mr. Vaughn for giving me the incredible opportunity that I still talk about today.
