As a wedding unfolds, there often comes a moment that comes to define the day. Sometimes they are only obvious in retrospect, but there are others that make their signature obvious as they happen. These moments are personally touching for one reason or another, and then the challenge is to harness that inspiration and make certain that I capture images that convey the narrative and meaning of the moment as best as I can. I experienced this during the San Francisco wedding of K+T that I shot with Chris Shum Photography this past Fall, with a memorable reception at 1300 On Fillmore.

In the case of this couple, these day-defining moments came rapid fire during the toasts and speeches given particularly by a cousin very close to the Groom and especially the Bride’s father. We were first told of hilarious times growing up with the groom, which brought the house down, then spun 180 degrees with the most heartfelt speech from a father to his daughter that I can remember. This father courageously opened his heart to his conflict of emotions born of his happiness at his daughter finding real happiness, but also lamented that he had to give her away. Poignantly, he made light of the inherent selflessness of being a good father: in his eyes, the better job he did as a father, the better choices his daughter would make about her partner. The better the partner, the easier and more definitively he would have to give her away.

It wasn’t too far into the speech that the bride was overcome with emotion. In a breathless thank you after her father’s speech, it was apparent that his sacrifice was not lost on her. I’d be lying if I didn’t have to gather myself a little as well.

If the speeches were a high point, they were propelled there equally by chemistry of the K+T. The groom turned out to be the quite the crooner, performing a few tunes for her backed by a jazz trio. It was also great to see through his every action and conversation through the day his incredible happiness at starting the nucleus of a family with his bride.

It was a privilege to shoot this one with Chris Shum, cheers to the happy couple!

-Joseph