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Weddings

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Welcome to my blog, where I share highlights of everything from my client's wedding days and portrait sessions, to recent features and our adventures around the world. 

Hi, I'm Alicia.

The Lost Wedding Tradition

Oct 6, 2016

This past spring, I took a few days break from being a Washington, DC wedding photographer to travel to Charleston, SC, where I was attending the Belle Lumiere workshop at RiverOaks. This is a gorgeous wedding venue that somehow has found the perfect balance between southern charm and a flair of French country. And all of this is made possible by it’s owner and event planner, Marianne. She and her daughter work very closely to help their brides have a flawless day from beginning to end with absolutely no detail left untouched. They don’t just focus on the things that make each wedding pretty, however, as the moments are what really count at RiverOaks. And one of her favorites is something that you wouldn’t think of but the moment you  hear it, it clicks, and you’ll wonder why we haven’t been doing this already. 

The tradition is simple, really, and takes almost no additional planning except for a small message to your officiant. As the they walk to the front to welcome your guests before the processional, s/he makes a short announcement, kindly asking the guests to wait to stand for the bride until after her mom has stood up. After each bridesmaid has lined the front and the tune softly changes to “Here Comes the Bride”, all heads will turn towards mom, even if just for a moment, to see the pure joy on her face as she see her daughter walking down the aisle. Think about it – Dad gets the honor of walking his daughter down the aisle and dancing with her at the reception, but mom, such an important figure, often doesn’t get to have the special moment that she deserves.  So she takes this one small moment to shine, as she too is giving away her girl. And instead of trying peer over the heads of the guests to sneak a peek, mom has a clear view to soak in every single minute of this occasion she has been waiting 20+ years for. 

This isn’t a change that will happen overnight, but I knew this is a tradition I wanted to share in case any future brides would love to incorporate it into their day — I know I wish I had. 

After visiting RiverOaks in Charleston, SC, this Washington, DC wedding photographer learned of a lost tradition she is hoping to bring back into style. After visiting RiverOaks in Charleston, SC, this Washington, DC wedding photographer learned of a lost tradition she is hoping to bring back into style. After visiting RiverOaks in Charleston, SC, this Washington, DC wedding photographer learned of a lost tradition she is hoping to bring back into style. After visiting RiverOaks in Charleston, SC, this Washington, DC wedding photographer learned of a lost tradition she is hoping to bring back into style. After visiting RiverOaks in Charleston, SC, this Washington, DC wedding photographer learned of a lost tradition she is hoping to bring back into style. After visiting RiverOaks in Charleston, SC, this Washington, DC wedding photographer learned of a lost tradition she is hoping to bring back into style. After visiting RiverOaks in Charleston, SC, this Washington, DC wedding photographer learned of a lost tradition she is hoping to bring back into style. After visiting RiverOaks in Charleston, SC, this Washington, DC wedding photographer learned of a lost tradition she is hoping to bring back into style. After visiting RiverOaks in Charleston, SC, this Washington, DC wedding photographer learned of a lost tradition she is hoping to bring back into style.

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