A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words
My love letter to this photo
As a wedding planner I spend a generous amount of time looking at, analyzing, and appreciating wedding photos. I have developed a keen eye. Yet this one stunned me.
A picture is worth 1,000 words, and this picture is exactly that. To pay homage to this photo, here are my 1,000 words.
A picture is worth 1,000 words, and this picture is exactly that. To pay homage to this photo, here are my 1,000 words.
Weddings are days that are full of emotions.
Couples bring together all of their most important and varied relationships on this day. This photo captures what a wedding is really like, the layers, the complexities, the joys, the beauty. This one, captured moment really says it all to me.
I see a bride with her parents.
The woman in red is radiant, a bride in traditional red with gold, dressed and bejeweled, smiling and present. She stands tall and beautiful, the vision of an Indian bride. Yet she is more than putting on a costume, she has hand selected every aspect. Each necklace, each bracelet, the style of the length, her hairstyle, lipstick, and even the color of her nails. She has chosen who she is today. She has chosen who shares her final moments with her before she walks down the aisle and embraces a new chapter of life. A new chapter where she will be a wife. She will be responsible for another person now, always, once she takes the sacred vows. She will trade the comforts of a parents protective embrace to instead be the protective embrace for others.
Her mother and her share a moment, seeing each other with joy, fulfillment, respect.
The father overcome by appreciation of this amazing moment turns to his wife, the one who created the life of his daughter that stand before him, the one who carried her for 9 months, and who they raised into this healthy, happy, loving person standing before them. Someone who is independent, found her heart and soul mate in this world, and has decided to embrace the one most significant commitment that is in each person's control, marriage. She has chosen her partner, they have discussed and shared their values, hopes, and dreams. The parents support her and this growing of their family, and the possible next generation of their family.
Every detail for this day has been cared for, the outfits, jewelry, location, lighting, jewelry, timing, and everything, but nothing can prepare you for the love you will feel when it all comes together.
Mother-Daughter sharing the love.
Father-Daughter recognized, acknowledged, and loved.
Mother-Father, sharing an expression of deep affection, care, and love.
Daughter-Marriage, her heart is open as she prepares, as the daughter and extension of proud parents, to welcome her soulmate to officially be her partner in all ways – in daily life, in big decisions and small, be by her side with her family, with her friends, with her career decisions, with decisions on where to live, what kind of family to have, where to spend the holidays, how much to spend on vacation, and more.
Look at each person. They are leading with their hearts, chest open and exposed, welcoming their hearts to lead the way.
I can feel the love in this room.
I can see the future unfolding.
I wish them every happiness for their day, their decisions, their lifetimes.
This is a beautiful moment. Thank you for sharing it.
Carrying her traditions with her.
Carrying her parents well wishes with her.
Carrying her parents love with her.
Carrying her parents gaze with her.
Mother wearing her mangal sutra, carrying tradition with her.
Daughter wearing traditional red and gold, bringing that tradition with her.
This bride looks like she is preparing to move forward, her body is turning away from her parents, even though her eyes stay locked in one place. She is almost taking a step moving from the nurturing gaze of her parents to the next phase of life, holding onto her skirt as she begins to make a move. This is a move that she takes on her own, no hand holding by parents, just she, herself, to take these steps. With joy from her upbringing she moves towards this next chapter. Recognizing, appreciating, loving, and respecting her past, she is ready to move forward.
She will now shift from the days of a child sitting behind her parents at a pooja, to having her own place at the havankund today. She will be their greatest gift. She is their pride and joy.
The father’s heart beams towards the women in his life. He grips his wife’s hand – affection, gratitude, connection, strength, and it goes beyond that. We rarely see South Asian parents sharing affection beyond a nominal gesture, this is a rare and special moment. Here we see a generous sharing of care. He kisses her forehead, gentle, loving, tender, sincere, leaning towards her, hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder, open heart to open heart. The sharing of life and love. I can feel the layers of this love flowing through the room. How a father can see his wife, mother of his child, a grown daughter, embracing a life-changing commitment with all he can give her and more blessing from her mother, and God and beyond. It started with two, and now it involves the whole world. Cherishing his wife, the two of them created this moment, they have been creating this moment throughout their lifetime. Now this woman and wife and life that you cherish, is something your daughter is now on the path to explore. With all of his blessings he adores his wife and his daughter who will now become a wife to someone too.
It is rare to have a photo capture a moment so perfectly.
The roles of each person.
Their relationships.
Their progress in life.
What they carry with them into the next phase.
I wish that you one day experience a moment like this, and appreciate it. Let yourself flow with the love in the room, the moments you share, the truth of what is unfolding in your life in that moment. And if you are especially lucky, perhaps you will have a photo to remember that moment. And if there is no photo, then simply remember it in your heart and cherish it just the same.
Couples bring together all of their most important and varied relationships on this day. This photo captures what a wedding is really like, the layers, the complexities, the joys, the beauty. This one, captured moment really says it all to me.
I see a bride with her parents.
The woman in red is radiant, a bride in traditional red with gold, dressed and bejeweled, smiling and present. She stands tall and beautiful, the vision of an Indian bride. Yet she is more than putting on a costume, she has hand selected every aspect. Each necklace, each bracelet, the style of the length, her hairstyle, lipstick, and even the color of her nails. She has chosen who she is today. She has chosen who shares her final moments with her before she walks down the aisle and embraces a new chapter of life. A new chapter where she will be a wife. She will be responsible for another person now, always, once she takes the sacred vows. She will trade the comforts of a parents protective embrace to instead be the protective embrace for others.
Her mother and her share a moment, seeing each other with joy, fulfillment, respect.
The father overcome by appreciation of this amazing moment turns to his wife, the one who created the life of his daughter that stand before him, the one who carried her for 9 months, and who they raised into this healthy, happy, loving person standing before them. Someone who is independent, found her heart and soul mate in this world, and has decided to embrace the one most significant commitment that is in each person's control, marriage. She has chosen her partner, they have discussed and shared their values, hopes, and dreams. The parents support her and this growing of their family, and the possible next generation of their family.
Every detail for this day has been cared for, the outfits, jewelry, location, lighting, jewelry, timing, and everything, but nothing can prepare you for the love you will feel when it all comes together.
Mother-Daughter sharing the love.
Father-Daughter recognized, acknowledged, and loved.
Mother-Father, sharing an expression of deep affection, care, and love.
Daughter-Marriage, her heart is open as she prepares, as the daughter and extension of proud parents, to welcome her soulmate to officially be her partner in all ways – in daily life, in big decisions and small, be by her side with her family, with her friends, with her career decisions, with decisions on where to live, what kind of family to have, where to spend the holidays, how much to spend on vacation, and more.
Look at each person. They are leading with their hearts, chest open and exposed, welcoming their hearts to lead the way.
I can feel the love in this room.
I can see the future unfolding.
I wish them every happiness for their day, their decisions, their lifetimes.
This is a beautiful moment. Thank you for sharing it.
Carrying her traditions with her.
Carrying her parents well wishes with her.
Carrying her parents love with her.
Carrying her parents gaze with her.
Mother wearing her mangal sutra, carrying tradition with her.
Daughter wearing traditional red and gold, bringing that tradition with her.
This bride looks like she is preparing to move forward, her body is turning away from her parents, even though her eyes stay locked in one place. She is almost taking a step moving from the nurturing gaze of her parents to the next phase of life, holding onto her skirt as she begins to make a move. This is a move that she takes on her own, no hand holding by parents, just she, herself, to take these steps. With joy from her upbringing she moves towards this next chapter. Recognizing, appreciating, loving, and respecting her past, she is ready to move forward.
She will now shift from the days of a child sitting behind her parents at a pooja, to having her own place at the havankund today. She will be their greatest gift. She is their pride and joy.
The father’s heart beams towards the women in his life. He grips his wife’s hand – affection, gratitude, connection, strength, and it goes beyond that. We rarely see South Asian parents sharing affection beyond a nominal gesture, this is a rare and special moment. Here we see a generous sharing of care. He kisses her forehead, gentle, loving, tender, sincere, leaning towards her, hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder, open heart to open heart. The sharing of life and love. I can feel the layers of this love flowing through the room. How a father can see his wife, mother of his child, a grown daughter, embracing a life-changing commitment with all he can give her and more blessing from her mother, and God and beyond. It started with two, and now it involves the whole world. Cherishing his wife, the two of them created this moment, they have been creating this moment throughout their lifetime. Now this woman and wife and life that you cherish, is something your daughter is now on the path to explore. With all of his blessings he adores his wife and his daughter who will now become a wife to someone too.
It is rare to have a photo capture a moment so perfectly.
The roles of each person.
Their relationships.
Their progress in life.
What they carry with them into the next phase.
I wish that you one day experience a moment like this, and appreciate it. Let yourself flow with the love in the room, the moments you share, the truth of what is unfolding in your life in that moment. And if you are especially lucky, perhaps you will have a photo to remember that moment. And if there is no photo, then simply remember it in your heart and cherish it just the same.
*I have no relation the photographer (never met them) or event. I simply resonated with this photo and chose to share.
To know about those who were there for this moment please go to @awesomephotographytt on Instagram.
To know about those who were there for this moment please go to @awesomephotographytt on Instagram.
