Weddings are expensive. Today, couples spend an average of $15,000 for the ceremony and reception. Out of all costs, though, almost nothing is of value after the final guest stumbles out of the reception hall. The cake is devoured. The garter and bouquet were tossed over shoulders. Decorations are thrown away, flowers wilt and the guest book is holed away in some box, never to be seen again. Out of the hundreds of expenses of putting on a wedding today, only one thing holds its value: photographs. In fact, one could argue the wedding photos are invaluable.



Professional photographer Matt Elwood, owner of Elwood Photography, understands his work will stand the test of time. The photos he creates for those happy couples will be looked at decades down the road. He sees this as a serious responsibility. “In one sense, I’m documenting this happy event,” Elwood says. “But I’m always thinking about the beauty of the photograph. I want the couple to really enjoy looking at these photos.” In that sense, Elwood says he mixes tradition and art when he’s shooting weddings. He’ll take the standard photographs everyone expects – the couple gazing into each other’s eyes, for example – but then he’ll set up unexpected, and often striking, poses (such as a bridal party holding hands and skipping along a road.) “I spoil the bride and groom on pictures,” Elwood says.



Elwood always has the camera ready, too. He says some of his favorite images come from those non-posed, candid moments – such as a bride giving her dad a quick hug, or the couple laughing and (finally) relaxing in the back of a limo.

“A lot of times the best pictures happen right after the ceremony,” he says.





The process

Planning a wedding shoot begins months in advance. Once a couple reserves him, Elwood says he has at least two planning sessions to get all the details. “I ask couples, and especially brides, to give me a list of photos they must have,” he says. Elwood has ulterior motives during those meetings, though. It’s his way of getting acquainted with the couple’s personality. Once he knows them as people, Elwood says he plans special shots that will capture their characters. Unlike most professional photographers, Elwood includes an engagement shoot in his wedding packages. These shots are generally used for save-the-date announcements and other wedding reminders. Also, Elwood doesn’t constrain himself with time limits. When a couple books him for a wedding, he’s there to capture the pre-ceremony, ceremony, and reception. “I draw the line at the honeymoon,” he says, laughing.



For more information about Elwood Photography, click the link below for his website, or call (402) 770-7458.