Smile - Click - Flash

When I think of picture day, I think of the last day that I was the subject for many pictures. That day was my wedding day, five years ago. My wedding was paid for by my scrawny subbing paychecks, so needless to say we did not have the money to hire a professional photographer. My husband and I, unsure of what to do, decided to rely upon our friends and family to record that day for us with digital cameras and disposable cameras scattered in the reception area. You see, I was paying for my own wedding because my parents have never liked my husband and did not approve of our union, so I could not look to them for monetary help. My husband’s family helped pay for my bouquet and our honeymoon, so I had to be creative with the rest of the details.
My dress was a prom dress I found on the clearance rack at Belk for $40, but it was perfect for me. It was a white strapless swing dress with black inserts on the sides that I paired with black and white chucks. I wore my hair down, like I always did, so no money was spent there, I purchased a plain veil at Hobby Lobby with a 40% off coupon, and embellished it myself, and instead of flowers to decorate the church I picked up tons of white candles from Michael’s $1 bins. My bouquet was a dozen “Black Magic” roses which were of a deep burgundy hue, and matched the burgundy carnations I used to create my matron of honor’s flowers. I used a Styrofoam ball and toothpicks to create a kissing ball for her. My husband, rather than wearing a traditional tux that required a boutonniere, wore a black shirt and black pants with a white belt and black and white chucks. My reception was given for me by my best friend’s family, who also played the music for me when I walked down the aisle. The most expensive part of my wedding was the church rental, which was $175, but it was worth it, as I had dreamed of being married in Hahira Methodist’s stained glass lined sanctuary since I was young.
Prior to the wedding, I had asked all of my friends and family to make sure they brought their cameras. I wanted to get as many different perspectives of the day as possible so I would have many pictures from which to choose for our final album. Part of me was worried about making sure I had good pictures, but I worried in vain. There were so many cameras that by the end of the day, my cheeks were sore from smiling so much. A few of the candid shots stick out in my mind, and some were even the best pictures that were taken that day. One such picture was the moment when I panicked in the waiting room. At that particular moment, my matron of honor, my sister, and my aunt had left me to go see to some detail. It was at that moment I realized that my mother and father were not coming. A wave of loneliness and despair filled me that I began to shake and cry. I stood up, pacing the room, gripping my cup of water, and trying to squelch the sobs. It was at that moment that my aunt whose quiet steps did not alert me to her presence startled me with the snap and flash of her camera. The shock jolted me out of my dark pit and I began to smile again.
Another candid picture that happened to be one of the best pictures at the wedding is of me and my best guy friend Sean. He showed up to the wedding looking strangely like my husband, wearing a black shirt and pants, with a burgundy tie. Black and burgundy were my wedding colors. During the reception, Sean and I were talking when my sister and one of her friends walked up. Looking directly at Sean, my sister said, “Did you dress like that so you could stand in if Lee didn’t show?” Her friend, who was armed with the camera, snapped the best shot of me laughing, and him with a beet red face.
Other candid pics found their way into our album and even on the wall. Even though we didn’t have a professional photographer, my husband and I found a way to record the best day of our lives perfectly. The wedding was a total marriage of the two of us, as a wedding should be, and the informal pictures fit in perfectly.