Darren and Jess | Fiorella Philly Wedding

I almost didn't shoot this one. Darren and Jess are two of my favorite people in the whole wide world. Darren has been my ride or die since the third floor of Tower B at Edinboro University and I felt connected to Jess pretty much from the first time I met her. (She's got that effect on people.) Anyway, I was invited to this wedding and didn't want to push my photos onto them and Darren didn't want to ask me to work. We got it together eventually so I got to be a "guest with skills" as a Fiorella server put it. 

They got married in the world's simplest and most perfect ceremony at their home and then treated us to the best meal most of us have had in our lives. 

I did this during a pretty intense game of sorry amongst some friend's kids.

When I say simple ceremony, I mean everyone did a shot and they signed their license. I know the shot photo was not my best work, but this is a moment I was trying to be a guest as well, if you know what I mean.  

Sometimes I get visions of images I want to make at weddings. I saw this one in my head from the moment I pulled up Fiorella on Google Images. The blurry people are some of Darren and Jess's closest friends. I had them walk back and forth and slowed my shutter speed to 1/15th to achieve this look. 

It's not a portrait session with me without a dance break. I don't make the rules. (I absolutely do make the rules.)  

A 2024 goal of mine is to take at least one double exposure at every wedding. I love them soooo much. 

Peep Jess's matching tattoo with the chef!