Don't Tell The Bride

A fresh series of 'Don't tell the Bride' started on BBC3 this week and I can't not watch it. I find myself slightly obsessed with the different choices that people make around their wedding day. 'Don't Tell The Bride' is perhaps slightly different because it is the joy in the poor choices of the groom-to-be that drives the show - I find myself having to shout at the TV 'Stop going to the pub and book a hairdresser!'. Why am I like this?
Four years ago I'd probably been to 3 weddings in my life and one was my own, then I started photographing them. I'm now totally fascinated by the day. They are a unique challenge for a photographer - the way I shoot I want to capture the day as it unfolds and not to disrupt the flow of the day - everything is happening in 360 degrees around you and you have to be aware at all times of the dramas and emotions that are playing out throughout the day. And it's capturing that unique story of the day that is where the interest and challenge lies for me. I don't want to create a generic set of 'wedding' images by manipulating the bride, groom and guests to recreate poses that look like everyone else's wedding album but to show the genuine emotions that playout through the day - it's the harder route (8-10 hours shooting) but the more satisfying.
I find every wedding day different. On the surface the structure of the day may be the same but the reasons behind choices or the relationships between people are all unique and specific to the couple whose day it is. Some weddings are loud, exuberant affairs; others quiet and subtle but I find the emotions are the same, just expressed in different ways - and it's that that makes me keep going back for more. 'This is the best day ever!' may be expressed between one couple as an enormous hug and squeeze, for another pair it might be something as subtle as holding each others little fingers - and it's my job to capture both different expressions of the same thing in an interesting and compelling way - that's why I'm obsessed with it.
Who wouldn't want to have the job of showing the joy and celebration as two people say they love each other. It's an honour.