The bride's arrival is one of those epic moments in any wedding day - and one which, as a wedding photographer, is often an event which is hard to photograph. The truth is that it's very often the case that the bride's wedding car is absolutely surrounded by bridesmaids helping the bride out of the car. The other issue is often that getting out of a car wearing a large, unwieldy dress is sometimes not the most elegant moment!
So, when I get the chance to photograph the bride's arrival when she is relatively uninterrupted by distractions, I grab it. This shot is one of my very favourite moments of the bride's arrival. Photographed at the Almonry Barn, Somerset, this moment is one I come back to time and again. I love the look of anticipation on the bride's face, as well as her body language, which is all about 'come on, I want to get to the wedding!'.
It's also well worth remembering that often, the area where the bride's car arrives at the wedding ceremony may not be particularly picturesque in itself. Carparks sometimes aren't that pretty, let's face it! That's the time when you need to get in close and make sure the shot is all about the moment and the expression, not about creating a wide shot of dramatic beauty. There's a time and a place for that, and it's critical to present each moment of a wedding day in the most flattering way possible whilst being sensitive to the moment.
Strangely enough, one of my other favourite photographs of the bride's arrival was also taken at the Almonry Barn, although I'm sure that is just coincidence!
If you're a bride to be and reading this, then remember that if you'd like lovely shots of your arrival in your wedding car, then your photographer is going to need the opportunity to get in close and photograph you before you get out of the car. Ask your driver to wind down the window so that your photographer can get a good shot of you before you open the door (glass can be shot through, of course, and even used for amazing shots with reflections, but it's very much a matter of luck that your car is in the right position to get the right reflections that aren't distracting to your face). And most importantly, take your time to get out of your wedding car. Savour the moment. You'll only do this once, so make the moment count!
