Things you can do to fill the 6 hours between the time you wake up and the time of the wedding you're photographing

• stand at the back window, your forehead pressed against the glass, and curse the heavens for raining all night and all morning because now the clouds will change the lighting of the church (making it worse) and all the camera/flash settings you worked so hard on the night before will be irrelevant
• watch Laurel Canyon 
• lie on the couch in silence and worry about photographing the wedding
• realize worrying is in no way beneficial
• lie on the couch and listen to disk 2 of Pearl Jam's Rearview Mirror 
• search the internet in an attempt to discover what the hell Eddie Veder is saying in Yellow Ledbetter
• realize this is in vain because nobody actually knows
• look at wedding photography websites
• realize this is just making you doubt your own skill
• lie in bed and complain to your partner/spouse about the cloudy weather and how nervous you are
• take a nice long hot bath that includes shaving your legs
• paint your toenails
• blow dry your hair, put on your make-up, and get dressed
• go to Starbucks for an ice tea, a petite vanilla scone, and poetry by William Stafford
• thank God repeatedly that the clouds have parted and the sun is shining
• eat a bean burrito and decide it is way too spicy for your already nervous stomach
• arrive at the church an hour before the designated time in hopes of getting an early start and to get in a little practice before the real gig only to discover no one else is there and the church is locked
• walk around to find the best locations for your outdoor shots
• get hot and sweaty and stinky
• drive to the closest gas station to go to the bathroom
• tell your partner/spouse multiple times that you think you're going to be sick to your stomach
• never actually get sick (thank God)
• sit in front of the locked doors waiting for the arrival of the wedding party or more specifically the person with the keys to the church
• try to breathe and calm yourself...and settle your nervous stomach
• try not to completely freak yourself out before the wedding even begins
• once the wedding party arrives act like you're calm, cool, and collected...even though you know you're really not any of those things
• pull yourself together and just do it because that's all you can do

Comments

[Jamie]

Congratulations on having so much courage and here's to you for caring so deeply. You can do this.

[ceanandjen]

I have one word for you....okay, two words for you...photograher goddess!!!!!

xoxoxo

[deirdre]

That was one very busy morning. I hope the shoot went well. I'll be waiting to hear.

[shona]

Michelle, such clever post.

Ruby, thanks for posting the utube link, gave me such laugh :)

[Star]

Sounds like me, but usually all that nervousness seems silly in retrospect. I hope the shoot went well.

[bella]

Unsealed on a porch a letter sat
Then you said, i wanna leave it again
Once i saw her on a beach of weathered sand
And on the sand i wanna leave it again yeah
On a weekend i wanna wish it all away yeah
And they called and i said that i want what i said
And then i call out again
And the reason oughta' leave her calm i know

I said i know what i wear not the boxer or the bag

Ah yeah can you see them
Out on the porch yeah but they don't wave
I see them round the front way yeah
And i know and i know i don't want to stay

Make me cry

I see ooh i don't know why there's something else
I wanna go my own a-way

Oh i said i don't i don't know whether i was the boxer or the bag

Ah yeah can you see them
Out on the porch yeah but they don't wave
But i see them round the front way yeah
And i know and i know i don't wanna stay at all

I don't wanna stay yeah
I don't wanna stay
I don't wanna stay
I don't don't wanna oh yeah ooh ohh

[bella]

Wow, that's a heck of a load of pre jitters before the wedding. I hope you eased into it well and that the pictures came out great (I'm sure they did).

[Angela]

these are just the kinds of fummy things i did this saturday. i became fixated on finding a necklace i haven't worn for a while, and looking for other irrelevant things. it was the first time my photos were on display.
hope your day went beautifully smooth.

[kelly]

jesus, mary and joseph....you sound like me!

[Stephanie]

Thanks for that post! I can totally relate to your anxiety...Everytime I agree to shoot a wedding I swear I will NEVER do it again because I hate the stress, I wait for the photographypolice to come out of hiding and expose me..screaming "She has no idea what she's doing!!!!"
I secretly wish that the couple I promised to shoot next decide to elope in Vegas....

[ruby]

i found those ledbetter lyrics.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLd22ha_-VU

i hope the shoot went well. :)