North Yorkshire Wedding Photographers Ramblings

A glimmer of hope for weddings in North Yorkshire in 2021

I am writing this as I sit in my car, in a quieter than usual North Yorkshire market town, on market day with no market. I’m waiting for my daughter who is in the vets getting her puppy’s jabs. Dad Taxi rates apply.

I’m contemplating the return to some normality after the government announcement. All going well, things will get back to full swing in the summer which will be welcome news for brides, grooms, wedding photographers and indeed the huge industry that supports weddings.
I imagine other wedding photographers, all breathing a collective sigh of relief at the sight of the thin shaft of light coming from the end of the tunnel.

I have to be honest, it has been hard for me to get through this past year or so, last summer was shaping up to be a very busy time for my wedding photography business, the best season yet. I was looking forward to meeting all the brides and grooms and capturing some beautiful, timeless photographs, it was a shame but I will/have survived.

My financial difficulties pale into insignificance when I think of all the couples who have either had to cancel or postpone their wedding days, for some, at great expense and others have paid a greater price. Some will have lost loved ones thanks to this virus, some won’t have their father there to give them away or grandma there to see grandsons and grand daughters cry with joy at the alter, or Aunties and Uncles unable to see nephews or nieces make the greatest commitment to another. It humbles me to think of the collective emotional rollercoaster everyone has endured.

When we get back into our stride with the commencements of wedding ceremonies, there will be so many heart breaking stories of love and loss that will make each wedding even more emotional than normal and make each moment even more special, I just hope that I can bear the responsibility of capturing those moments with grace, poise and empathy and that somehow in that moment we can make those missing loved ones live again, if only glimpsed in a moment or a memory of love and shared remembrance.

As I write these words I can’t help but remember my grandfather who we lost in 2020, although not from COVID, but old age. We weren’t able to be with him because of lockdown and this damn virus. He died alone in another town, we had to say our final goodbye’s via zoom. He was 97 and in his own words had had a wonderful life, he was ready to go and see his wife, my nana who he outlived by nearly a decade. The week after he passed the virus ripped through his care home taking a lot of his friends and some of his carers, we are glad he was spared that and left when he did. My story is not unique, I personally know of more tragic losses, all gone way before their time. Thats why I think we have to respect their memories by moving forward and living life, to the fullest that we can, we owe it to them and ourselves.

So… Data is king at the moment, let’s all hope that the science data will allow this new roadmap to be realised. Fingers crossed that we don’t lose any more loved ones and we can all meet up in the summer to celebrate love and life with family and friends.

Well, here comes my daughter, carrying a glum looking puppy. I better wrap this up, I hope it wasn’t too much of an emotional outpouring, maybe its the weather. Anyway keep well everyone and see you soon.

Bye for now.