Is there an official term for a group of bridesmaids? A throng? A gaggle? A giggle, perhaps? I'm not sure... but what I do know is that this image of three bridesmaids getting ready for the big event at a recent wedding at Maunsel House in Somerset is one of my favourite wedding photographs of the day.
As I've often written, bridal prep is 'beautiful chaos'... there is always so much going on, so many things to see, and so many things in the room to carefully step around! The Kings Room at Maunsel House is an exceptionally large room, which is perfect if the whole of the bride's wedding party wishes to get ready together, such as at this lovely wedding day. One of the other wonderful things about the Kings Room is the beautiful light that it invariably gives, even though it's decorated in richly dark hues.
I love this particular image because it tells so many micro-stories, if you will, of a single moment in time. I also love the reflections, which add even more depth to the image, and the 'cascade' that the differing heights that the bridesmaids are positioned at create. I love the fact that they are all wearing those beautiful bridesmaids dressing gown. And because it's bridal prep, and it's right in amongst the chaos that this brings, I don't even mind that this had to be shot from behind the arm of another person..., who frames the shot to the right. Because, this shot wouldn't have existed a second later, so as a documentary wedding photographer, you need to take the shot as it is, raw and real and perfect in its imperfection.
And of course, I can't leave without adding that I have serious hair envy going on - what a gorgeous bunch of girls these were to photograph!
