As an Atlanta wedding photographer, I am honored to shoot so many weddings and be invited into people’s lives. I get to know the brides and grooms very well. I also get to know the family, especially the parents and grandparents. This week, I want to share one particularly meaningful interaction I had with a family member at a wedding I shot this past week. This conversation was special and it reminded me again of why it is such an honor to be a wedding photographer.

Recently I got to shoot a wedding at Naylor Hall. Naylor is a wonderful historic venue located in the heart of Roswell, Georgia with a professional and thoughtful staff. I have shot many of weddings there and each one has been special. This particular wedding was wrought with tough situations beyond everyone’s control. First the flower girl, at 14, was battling cancer who could not make it to the wedding. In addition to that, the bride lost her grandfather 2 weeks before the wedding.

So, moments like these really put things into perspective and cause families to band together. They help us appreciate the people that come into our lives and all the loved ones who come to celebrate the union of two families. This bride and groom were so gracious and so appreciative of the people who made it to their wedding, from the people who came from out of state to the family that was dealing with loss.

The moment that stood out to me at this wedding happened when talking with the bride’s 94-year-old grandmother. When I asked for the grandparents, she stood up and eventually shared with me that she had lost her husband of 70 years 2 weeks ago. I wanted to be as respectful as I could regarding her loss, but she was eager to tell me her story. The grandmother knew her husband was there for his grandaughter’s big day. She told me she had even brought her favorite photo of him in her purse and I asked to see it. I asked her if I could get a photo of the two of them. She said yes, immediately put the photo over her heart and gave the biggest smile. This is my favorite photo from the wedding and one of the most meaningful photos I have taken in a long time.

As the wedding went on, everyone was supportive of the bride and groom. They celebrated not only the love of the couple, but the joy of two families were coming together. That is what a wedding is supposed to be! I could not have been more honored to be at a wedding than I was that Saturday. I truly felt the love and support for all that attended.

Thank you so much for visiting this Atlanta wedding photographer’s blog. I hope you keep coming back and listening to the stories that make wedding photography such a honor. Please go to the contact page and drop me a line at https://www.atlantaartisticweddings.com/contact-atlanta-wedding-photographer I would love to hear from you!

Thanks again!

David