Record temperatures vs. record number of guests
On one of the hottest days of the year, I had the pleasure of photographing my largest wedding party to date - almost 200 guests had traveled from all over the world to celebrate Stella and Michael's wedding. The day began with a very emotional church ceremony. My personal highlight is always the couple leaving the church. If requested, I am always happy to help sort out the guests (who, in my experience, are standing often too far away.) and then celebrate the chaos. These are always the most spectacular pictures. The celebration was followed by a relaxed reception at which a really cool vintage cake was cut.
Togetherness in the Speicherstadt
For the couple photos we used the impressive backdrop of the Hafencity and Speicherstadt. Since it was extremely hot that day, we took a relaxed stroll through the shady alleys. The day before, I had already explored the locations with my second photographer and planned which places were best in the shade. This resulted in a photo series full of joy despite the record temperatures. Michael and Stella enjoyed being together before the guests arrived for the big party in the evening.
Wedding in the former main customs office in Hamburg
The wedding was celebrated in the former main customs office in the port of Hamburg - an impressive location with industrial charm in the middle of the Speicherstadt. During the reception, we took the opportunity to mingle with the guests and capture many small, funny and emotional moments that hardly anyone would have noticed otherwise.
Áo dài and the magical evening sun
To honor their Vietnamese roots, the couple requested photos in traditional dress. Sunset was the perfect time to do it, and these colorful images are some of my favorite shots of the day.
A party without a beginning – and without an end
I have never experienced anything like this before: The dance floor was packed early on and the atmosphere was so energetic that the bride and groom simply skipped the wedding dance. Friends and family – young and old – danced and celebrated as if there was no tomorrow. The dynamic, lively moments of this party, the pure joy of life and the radiance of the guests – I was able to capture all of this in pictures that reflect the intensity and uniqueness of this evening. This party was legendary and I am particularly pleased that the couple and the guests can have such an unforgettable memory of it through the pictures.
Teamwork makes the dream work!
With so many guests, it was really worth having a second photographer. This enabled us to capture every perspective and ensure that no special moment was lost - by the end of the day we had taken over 15,000 shots together. It was with a heavy heart that we said goodbye to such warm company and an absolute dream couple that night.
It was an unforgettable day full of warm moments and a truly spectacular celebration!
