Brides & Weddings Magazine
By: Tania Hossain
I never thought there would be a perfect time to talk about elopement weddings. If it weren’t for a certain sadness that is carried around with the thoughts of six feet apart and social distancing, most of 2020 has become elopers dream come true. Having said that, elopement weddings are some of my favorite ones. Having done a few of them, I find that it has very little to do with saving money and more to do with this is how couples decided to start their life of togetherness in marriage.
Christian and Mariana’s elopement at the Spanish Steps in Dupont Circle – a Washington DC Wedding followed by honeymoon in Rome, Italy right after. Yes, that’s right. They got married in the early afternoon and caught a flight to Rome that evening! How about that for an elopement and a honeymoon?
The day was perfect for them as I watched them arrive with exquisite glowing faces. It was sprinkling that day when we arrived at the Spanish Steps. I photographed Christian and Mariana in-between the rain drops and sunshine. They truly felt it was their luckiest day. They danced at the top of the Spanish Steps a little and a little more on the balcony over looking the beautiful meandering landscape of the stylish rooftop collection of homes in Kalorama.
When their officiant arrived on the scene, the rain kicked in too. We rushed for a doorway that had an awning just big enough to shelter their sweetest wedding ceremony. Their officiant was super witty, gentle and fun with the two soulful people standing in front of her. As the ceremony went on, so did the rain as I continued to photograph under a camera cover while hoping no one opened the giant double doors that they were standing in front of.
As well wishers waved congratulations while the ceremony was just about to start, something tugged at my heart which made me turn on video on a stationary camera. Later on, as I was editing the impromptu video, I asked Christian and Mariana to record their wedding vows and send them over to me. They quickly did so. And they totally loved their video – a precious keepsake of the start of a beautiful journey.
For couples wondering how to find their ideal wedding photographer, I would suggest looking for someone who can tell a really good story and not make one up. At times, I find myself over reaching a little more to share a story from a different angle just because sometimes it seems that the best part of a wedding story can’t really be planned. Christian and Mariana’s delight and joy was more than I could have hoped for.
Experience from working through many scenarios of a wedding day has sharpened a sixth sense that really kicks in when someone truly understands that holding a camera is a responsibility unlike any other. Turning the camera on video was just that. Nothing over the top. Nothing fancy. Just documenting a wedding day as authentically and as true to this couple’s wedding story as possible. 2020 weddings will be documented in history books, family bibles, in time capsules, official documents and in so many other ways. I hope you will take a moment and consider hiring a storyteller to document your 2020 wedding. I hope to document your wedding story.
Tania Hossain, is the owner of Wedding Stories By Tania, an award-winning studio that will document your wedding day with the authenticity that is unique to your wedding story. (703) 489-5999 tania@weddingstoriesbytania.com a brand of Tania Hossain Photography.
