The Unforgettable Wedding

 Image: VUE Photography

I don't even know where to begin the diary of my very first wedding shoot. Let's start at the beginning ;) I excitedly got in my car in my black pants and black closed shoes as asked by the photo studio (it was 32C / 90F in Berlin) and fought my tears several times on the way to their office. I just couldn't believe it was happening, my first wedding shoot! yeyyy!

Image: Joielala Photography

I arrived super early, the owner has greeted me and showed me around a bit. I saw some friendly faces and pretty wedding albums all over the place but my favorite part was the killer studio and the technical wardrobe with several 5D Mark iis and all the lenses I've ever dreamed of. Heaven! :D Soon we were on our way to the city hall where the couple was waiting for us. 

Image: Jose Villa

It was a very small and intimate ceremony, with only the couple, no friends or relatives, us 2 photographers and the official who married them. The bride was from the States and as they couldn't have flewn her whole family and friends over they decided to just have the day for themselves and make sure that they get a lot of beautiful pictures to show everyone. The city hall was actually beautiful, with colored glass mosaic windows, pretty white furnitures and huge mirrors on the walls. I was told to just sit, watch and learn which meant that other than the couple I was the only person sitting in the room while the photographer was snapping away and the offical was leading the ceremony. I fought my tears several times (I wanted to seem professional and all) but I tried to focus on all the photographic actions going on in the room. She was amazing! She used 3 different lenses during the ceremony (which lasted about 15 minutes) and  has changed them quite often according to which one would fit best the  given situation. She was moving with a speed and routine that can only be acquired once someone has shot hundreds of weddings like she had.

Image: Our Labor of Love

After the ceremony we headed to the "Garten der Welt" (Garden of the World) which is a beautiful park with themed subgardens like the Arabic garden with mosaics, the Chinese garden with waterfalls and the warmhouse with tropical plants. We shot in each of these amazing locations and I was allowed to second shoot the whole time. The photographer was extremely professional but in the meantime very friendly. She always asked for my opinion, my ideas and overall I couldn't have had a better first experience (except for a lil accident I caused during which one of the expensive lenses may or may not have fallen out of the shootsac... thankfully it remained undamaged... I learnt my lesson for sure!!!) 

Image: Jasmine Star

 

I shot about 600 pics on my own and I would love love love to share them with you as I'm really proud of them, but unfortunately the couple did not give permission for the photos to be published online so I can't! ;( Overall this was the perfect first wedding for me! Simple, uncomplicated and relatively short. The couple was super sweet, the location was perfect and I'm just full of joy, happiness and excitement that I was allowed to share this very special day with them. I'm "afraid" I'm hooked on wedding photography forever. Anyone getting married this summer? :D

Image: Max Wanger

Oh and the most important part... after the shoot I went out for dinner with my new boss. She told me that she couldn't be happier or more positively surprised by this experience with me and she'd love for me to intern for them! I'm just glad that we feel the same way, my new master is a really cool young woman with who I had an instant connection and I know that we can be great colleagues, but more importantly great friends and I'll be able to learn a lot from her during this short time that I have with them! :) So happy!

Now I gotta run for my first official Boudoir shoot! Life is getting really busy again ;)

P.S: As I'm not allowed to show my own pictures, I thought I'd share the work of some of my favorite wedding photographers with you. If you know anyone else whose work you think I should be admiring, let me know! ;)