Ok first off, this is my first wedding as a first shooter. the bride and groom loved all the shots. I however, normally being my own toughest critique, am not too proud of them.
The wedding was very unorthodox. Wedding started at 8pm... Ceremony and Reception happened at virtually the same time. Held in a Meeting room of the Santa Fe Hotel and casino. Bride got ready in a hotel room, a very very small one at that. Was not allowed to take bridal party or groom party outside for formals.
i arrive at 6:30, i was told by bride and groom the room was going to be ready so i can get some detail shots and shots of teh dress shoes etc... I get there, another party is still in the meeting room. So i call the groom he meets me leads me up to the brides "dressing" room. Shes not there, he said she will be there in 30 min. In which i kinda freaked, I asked him if that was gonna be enough time for her to get ready, he said yeah she is getting her hair and make up down at some salon. I said cool. 700 rolls around bride still not there, meanwhile im waiting in this room. She gets to teh room at 715 without dress or shoes. I freaked again, asked her where teh dress was, she said with the bell hop. He doesnt arrive till 730 she is running around freaking out, I manage to shoot some detail shots in 5 min. She gets ready and is late... she arrives at 830. so already everything is 30 min late. They only have the room till 11.
Anyway fast forward to the ceremony, since its in a meeting room setup for dinner, the room is very very low lit. I had to shoot at iso3200 underexposed by one stop at 1/50 @1.8, it was crazy low. So anyway ceremony is over in 20 min. The toast commences. They turn up the lights... I was like WTF why not turn up the lights for the actual ceremony, bride and groom super pissed at the event coordinator. Then everyone grabs food at the buffet.
Garter toss and Bouquet toss commences during din din, no one really watching. DJ plays Everyone was kung fu fighting.
Then the first dance, again no one really paying attention because they are at the buffet line and eating.
Then something called the dollar dance happens, a hispanic tradition they say, where people donate a dollar to dance with either the bride or groom. Mom and dad get upset cuz no one is going up there. There were about 50 people total at the wedding... 15 people went up to dance.
Cake cutting, again no one paying attention
Then dancing on the dance floor.... DJ plays ****ing raggaeton! No one dances. bride and groom have to hustle folks on the dance floor. DJ plays YMCa some people dance, then hotel management yelling at the bride and groom explaining that they will shut down the party because they have heard complaints from the bartender that there is underage drinking... Drama ensues as the bride and groom start accusing family members... Party gets closed at 11pm...
all in all weirdest wedding and most low budget wedding i have ever been too...
Here are some pics
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We shoot a ton there and also at Texas Station, our office is about 1/2 way between the 2.
