Quiet Promises: Why I Always Take Time for the Ring Shot

Weddings are loud. Beautifully loud. There is the rush of getting ready, the laughter of cousins filling up the hallways, the music, and the constant hum of conversation. It is a day built on big, sweeping moments.

But right in the middle of all that beautiful chaos, I will usually come up to you and quietly ask to borrow your wedding rings for a few minutes.

Sometimes people wonder why photographers spend so much time focusing on such a tiny piece of metal. But to me, that little band is the anchor of the entire day. Long after the stage is taken down, the flowers have dried, and the venue is emptied out, that ring is the one physical thing that stays with you.

When I take your rings to photograph them, I’m not trying to take a sterile, perfect catalog picture for a jewelry store. I usually look for a quiet corner, a patch of soft window light, or a piece of fabric from your wedding attire. I want to capture the ring exactly as it was on the day your marriage began.

I look at the way the light catches the edge of the metal. I think about the fact that this piece of jewelry is going to sit on your hand for decades. It will be there when you buy your first home, when you travel, and when you are just sitting on the couch on a random Tuesday ten years from now.

It is a tiny, quiet promise. And in a day completely full of big, loud celebrations, I believe those quiet promises deserve to be remembered beautifully, too.