If I ask you right away, what’s a marriage? I’m guessing the occasion that springs to mind can be not less than somewhat formal, decorative, perhaps with someone in a white dress or a gold or red lehenga, guests in sparkly or flowery summer attire and many suits and ties. These are the things we can’t help ourselves expecting, based on every thing the media and tradition tells us a marriage ‘should’ be.
I’d prefer to challenge that expectation today, and suggest that perhaps, a marriage is just a celebration of affection between two people, where absolutely anything goes. It will probably be quiet, rigorously planned and elegantly styled, or like Emily and Jimmy’s day, it could be joyful, raucous and 100% YOU. As a marriage blogger, these unique celebrations are the weddings I like most of all.
All images on this amazing blog are by documentary wedding photographers York Place Studios
So Emily and Jimmy’s day, shared with us by award-winning photographers York Place Studios, has traditional elements as you’ve never seen them before. Emily wears a stunning dress, Jimmy a superb suit… but these two wear their personalities with absolute confidence and pride, and the variety of the marriage is uniquely them, in probably the most good way. There’s a chuppah, and a smashing the glass ceremony honouring Jewish wedding traditions… however the couple are otherwise barefoot and Jimmy walks back down the aisle with one shoe on.
Before I leave you to soak within the atmosphere of this amazingly personal wedding, I wanted to focus on a few things we regularly think are non negotiable at weddings… but which Emily and Jimmy did completely in another way!
1. What the couple should wear: often a classic dress or suit for the daytime, something more relaxed for dancing within the evening. See Jimmy’s gorgeous floral print and Emily’s epic tassels at the top of this post!
2. How one can seat your guests for the ceremony: chairs or not less than haybales in rows, for each guest? Or vintage rugs so everyone can huddle and loosen up with their favourites!
3. What should the person waiting at the top of the aisle do? Look? Don’t turn around until the last minute? This is usually a tricky moment, especially when you’re each nervous and forget to debate it first! Do as Jimmy did: he turned to observe Emily approach, flung his arms wide as soon as he saw her, and swept a classic, Shakespearian bow to his lady as she reached him! Most enthusiastic welcome I’ve ever seen… and a moment the couple will remember endlessly!
4. Shoes? Entirely as much as you. (But definitely required for any smashing of glass – don’t try it barefoot!)
5. What should wedding guests wear? Anything that sparks joy… and the sparks on this wedding are a blaze of fun and color!
Captured by the inimitable and adored York Place Studios, masters of documentary wedding photography across the UK and overseas. Discover every thing you want to find out about documentary wedding photography here, and (for photographers) explore their groundbreaking book Is This Something – which offers a perspective on wedding photography which could just change the best way you see every thing.
