One of the biggest things I emphasize with my clients is that we need to be friends. The more I get to know about you and understand you, the better I can serve you on your wedding day by bringing out the things that are going to matter to you the most. When talking to Jake and Mollie, there was a lot of emphasis on the quiet moments of their lives. Both lean towards the more introverted parts of their personalities and both prefer not to be the center of attention. They both expressed wanting to do some form of first look on their day and also expressed a nervousness about saying their vows in front of everyone else. So together we came up with the perfect plan that both Jake and Mollie agree was the best part of their entire wedding day. I believe Jake even said, “That moment was the entire wedding day for me. I didn’t need anything else.”
Private Vows the Morning of Their Wedding
Just vows and two cups of coffee. No makeup done, no hair done, no fancy clothes. Just two people in their most authentic forms, enjoying each other’s company exactly as they intend to for the rest of their lives.
Perfect for My Introverted Brides and Grooms: Break Tradition Without Breaking Tradition
So here is the thing, these were not their only vows on their wedding day. Private vows can just be the most personal, intimate, inside joke fueled, cheesy, romantic, “whatever you want them to be” vows you share in this private, separate moment. Meanwhile, you can still have traditional vows during your wedding ceremony and make the “big” vows with your witnesses. I feel like private vows are intimate promises for an intimate moment, while public vows are big promises for the big moment. While Jake and Mollie promised each other the more specific promises that apply to their relationship, and their relationship only during this private vow moment, they then still had their “until death do us part” moment in front of witnesses. And I love that. I would almost argue that everyone NEEDS a private vow moment for this reason.
The Freedom to Be Their Most Authentic Selves
As you can see in the photos, there was no holding back. I want to point out again really quick, how important OUR connection is. Like, there is a third person in this room, and it is me, haha! You cannot be your most authentic selves unless you are comfortable with the third person in the room. But I’ll save that rant for another blog post. Back to Jake and Mollie: Having a more private moment like this allowed them to laugh…to CRY (Jake), and to just be silly, goofy, lovey dovey, serious, intentional….just…ALL the emotions they might have held back if they were in front of 100 people staring them down.
Now, I don’t like to interrupt real life, authenticity for posing simply for photos. However, right as Mollie started giving her vows, she hiked up her ONE leg onto Jake’s laugh and the entire time I was like…this…this is so unflattering, haha! But she was already in it, and the emotions were flowing and it was LESS important to correct it than interrupting her vows. And I’m SO happy I didn’t, because as soon as she was done, I pointed it out and we had the BEST laugh about it, and now they have photos of this hilarious and authentic moment in time. And obviously, I took the photos so you didn’t see just how bad it was, but I did leave one photo for memories’ sake, haha!
Ready for the Rest of Their Wedding Day
Both Jake and Mollie agreed that they couldn’t have started their day off in a more perfect way. This was THEIR moment. The wedding day really, more often than not, is NOT about the bride and groom (believe it or not). So often people get caught up in the traditions and fulfilling expectations and other’s well-intentioned input or desires. And truly, there isn’t necessarily anything wrong with that, IF you have balance. Most of these things come in a very well-intentioned, love-driven package from people who just want the best for you. So my recommendation is balancing that with bringing the day back to what it’s really supposed to be about, the two of you. Don’t let it get lost. This day is to celebrate a bride and a groom committing their lives together. That’s HUGE. Don’t let it get lost. These two taking the time to start their wedding day like this set the tone in the best possible way.
If you love the intimacy of this moment, and are ready to book your own moment, contact me today and let’s chat about how we can bring the most special and intimate moments of your wedding day to life! I’d love to help capture your special memories. Contact me soon before my books fill up! I can’t wait to meet you.
