By now you have probably seen the Zoom weddings as a result of COVID. Maybe you were a couple that had to host one! When Carolyn and Michael and I had our first meeting, I knew their wedding would be awesome. What I didn’t expect was how perfect of a testament it would be to life (and love) in a pandemic. This was a perfect ‘my first COVID wedding’.
In addition to the cool live stream, location was an important part of this wedding. Carolyn’s grandmother lives in a group home in Durham, and they traveled from Pennsylvania to ensure she could witness their special day. It was a complete privilege to be able to photograph them together, especially when they weren’t sure if COVID was going to allow it to happen.
They set up a beautiful arch, an aisle of gorgeous rugs and a table filled with photos of loved ones. The lovely folks in the group home sat together on the porch, distanced from the ceremony in line with safety requirements. Everyone except the bride and groom wore masks, and stood apart to watch the vow exchange. All around were tears, smiles and laughter.
After the main event I stole the bride and groom away for some offsite portraits. They crammed into my car – Nilo held my to-go cake slice in the back – and we took off to downtown Durham in the Tobacco District. We roamed around, received plenty of stares and even stopped traffic for an awesome road shot.
Honestly, I wasn’t sure what to expect out of a COVID wedding. This couple made the best of what was a less than stellar situation for most people. They took what mattered most and ran with it, and it was an absolute pleasure to document. Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Nilo!
Looking to have your own COVID wedding or elopement? Let’s do it!
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