Cynthia & Josh
When you're in the wedding industry, there's simply no way to avoid the concept of "trends." At least once or twice a week, I'll see a story about the "hottest wedding trends" of the year or some viral video on the latest cool TikTok craze all the new brides are doing.
I try not to think too much in terms of what is trendy in the industry but every once in a while, I'll notice a reoccurring theme at a bunch of weddings in a row that I actually like or am glad to see happening and, so far in 2024, that trend is brides and grooms forgoing the big, fancy reception venues and getting married in more low key and casual spots. And low key and casual is the exact vibe to describe Cynthia and Josh's wedding back in May.
Cynthia and Josh were married at the Knights of Columbus in Mattapoisett, Massachusetts and it was, without question, one of the most laid back weddings I've ever shot. So much so that they only needed me there for three hours. And what a three-hour period it was ...
I knew days before Cynthia and Josh's wedding that it was going to be very 'go with the flow." So much so that neither the bride or groom had even PLANNED on when or where they wanted to do formal photos because, honestly, their day was just about getting together, getting hitched and hanging out with friends.
But even I was caught off guard when I arrived and Cynthia and Josh just kind of met at the venue with no pomp or circumstance to seeing each other for the first time. But, hey, not everyone needs a big production for their first look, right?
As laid back as these two were, I'm still glad they took my suggestion to incorporate some bride and groom portraits with each other before their ceremony, though, as they were super cute and adorable together and you could see there was still an excitement about the fact that they were getting ready to say "I do" momentarily.
Cynthia and Josh's wedding ceremony was literally in the middle of the Knights of Columbus hall and, like many of these types of weddings I've shot this year, that meant just a simple aisle runner, a curtain behind them and the two of them up front tying the knot.
There's something beautiful about this type of wedding celebration. It has all of the say feelings as a courthouse elopement in terms of not overthinking things but it also lets your closest friends and family members look on. I think this is a great compromise for folks who want the traditional wedding ceremony without the over-the-top stress of planning one and Cynthia and Josh were certainly feeling no stress during their big moment.
Cynthia and Josh's wedding ceremony lasted just seven minutes but, honestly, it never felt rushed. But that was generally the feeling for their entire wedding day. Despite a much more compact timeline than I'm used to, I never felt like this bride or groom were bring shortchanged on any of the experiences of a traditional wedding day. We even knocked out all of their family formal photos and a few last bride and groom portraits — in a period that would typically take all of cocktail hour — in just 17 minutes.
To their credit, Cynthia and Josh were pretty clear with me about what mattered and what didn't on their wedding day and I love when couples have a pure vision of how they want their special day to be. And that doesn't mean there wasn't thought put into the little touches for this bride and groom, by the way. Cynthia and Josh's wedding venue, while more casual than most I work, was still decorated beautifully and the newlyweds clearly put a lot of time and effort in making the little details of their day pop.
While Cynthia and Josh tossed out a lot of the traditional stuff you might see at a bigger wedding, once their reception started, the night felt very much like every big wedding I've seen.
And I'm thankful, too, because that meant a traditional first dance, which is always my favorite part of a wedding day. Cynthia and Josh chose “Biblical” by Calum Scott for their first dance and it was, easily, my highlight of their big night as you could see how happy and in the moment they were as they swayed side to side in the middle of the room.
Cynthia and Josh followed up their beautiful first dance with a pair of touching moments with their moms on the dance floor and the emotions of the day were clear on everyone's faces as to what these dances meant to them.
I had a feeling the biggest reason Cynthia and Josh chose to have a full wedding, rather than an elopement at a courthouse for instance, was to share the moment with friends and family and that was clear to me the minute the night shifted and we started getting into the party portion of their event.
From the moment Cynthia and Josh cut their wedding cake, the vibe in their reception hall shifted in the best way and the excitement kept growing with a super fun bouquet and "garter" toss (I.E. A football instead of the outdated garter.)
And while I wasn't there for that long once the dance floor opened, I didn't need to be as Cynthia and Josh's friends and family members wasted no time packing the dance floor the minute the first party song kicked off.
By the time I took my lights down and started to pack up my gear, signaling the end of my coverage of Cynthia and Josh's wedding, it legitimately felt like I had been there for no time at all. Their three hours of wedding coverage FLEW by and I mean that in the best way because it was nonstop fun and such a great and casual night.
If nothing else, Cynthia and Josh's wedding was a nice reminder for me that not every wedding day needs to be 12 hours and an over-the-top production. Sometimes, less is more and I know that neither this bride or this groom left their big day feeling like they forgot to do anything or celebrate their love any different than any other couple.
So thank you Cynthia and Josh for a lovely start to my May wedding season and best of luck in your future endeavors as you start this new chapter in your lives together as husband and wife. :)
