I regularly witness pre-wedding tension between the couple and their parents when it comes to how the wedding will ultimately be documented. The couple is often caught up in the romance of the experience and how it will translate through photography. The parents, on the other hand, are desperate to know that photos of their family on this monumental day will be taken well and with great intention. These parents have raised, nurtured, protected, and finally released their children into the world as (hopefully) competent adults. Their child’s wedding is a public display of their hard work and an affirmation of a job well done. No wonder they are so anxious to know that this “public affirmation” is captured and preserved.

My friend Liene Stevens of Think Splendid wisely pointed out to me that wedding photography is not first and foremost the capturing of an event. Instead, wedding photography is the preservation of memories of a life that has been built and shaped by those closest to the couple. This is why the documentation of families deserve great respect and attention on the wedding day. Whether its taking a few great portraits with siblings or by capturing those quiet & endearing moments with parents, we put effort into their preservation.

Below are a few images from Annie and Dan’s wedding. I photographed Annie with her parents and 7 siblings in New York a few years ago so I knew how important they were to her. Shooting their wedding was testimony to the important role family can play in the life of a couple.