Carmen and Marius have made it!
As a wedding photographer, I have the opportunity to capture that moment when everything changes. Watching this lovely couple through my camera lens, it was clear to me that I was looking at two people whose dream was coming true.
Meeting them for the pre-wedding photo shoot, I felt like I was being invited into a secret world. The depth of the bond that these two people share is undeniable. I have to admit that their obvious joy and excitement made my job really easy. Carmen and Marius simply enjoyed each other’s presence and they weren’t afraid to express themselves freely. Looking at the photos, one can tell that they’re genuinely having a good time.
That initial photo session reminded me of all the stages that we go through in a romantic relationship. Carmen and Marius started off the afternoon as if they were a couple of children having fun on the playground. They were running, doing acrobatics, telling secrets to each other, whispering in each other’s ear so that no one else would hear them, and just laughing it up. But then I also saw the determination in their eyes. I saw two adults holding hands, ready to enter an equal partnership, ready to truly stand by each other’s side through thick and thin, for the rest of their lives. For the story to be complete, we had their beautiful little boy, Lucas, join his parents for the rest of the photo shoot. He was very eager to be with mommy and daddy, and he was super curious about his surroundings.
Before the wedding ceremony, as the bride and groom were getting ready separately, I got to spend some time with each one of them individually. They were both beside themselves with excitement and I could tell they couldn’t wait to see each other again. Marius was trying to keep his cool as he was writing a love letter to his (still) fiancée. Despite his best efforts to remain composed, he was overwhelmed with emotion. In another other room, as she was getting dressed and thinking about her big day, Carmen looked overjoyed.
When they were finally reunited, and the groom handed his bride her bouquet, it seemed as if Carmen, Marius, and their son had suddenly become the only people in the world. This was a heartwarming moment for the pair and, while everyone present was touched, the two of them were simply overcome with joy. Once everyone was able to contain themselves again, we proceeded with the religious ceremony.
In Eastern Orthodox tradition, the bride and groom walk into the church by the side of their wedding godparents. However, on this particular occasion, Marius arranged everything so that he and his bride would walk into the church by each other’s side instead. There was something that he wanted to tell her. He had a secret that he had been planning to share with his future wife, and he had been saving this confession for the moment they were going to step before God. And so, on the church’s doorstep, Marius revealed to Carmen that, on the day that they met, he made a promise to himself that, one day, he would lead her to the altar. And here they were, the priest blessing their union and Marius keeping his promise.
During the wedding photo shoot, I got to spend some time with the bride and groom alone, away from the wedding guests. They were both relaxed and contemplative. Like I said at the beginning of this account, as a wedding photographer, I have the amazing opportunity to capture that moment when everything changes. The serenity that came upon Carmen and Marius and the sense of togetherness that they shared is impossible to put into words. I’ll let the photos speak for themselves.