Post-Reaganomics thinking;0)
Wedding watcher
Photographer’s book snaps view on marriages
By Lauren Beckham Falcone | Sunday, June 22, 2008 | bostonherald.com | Books
Photo by Herald staff
Claire Lewis survived a dangerous trek through the Atlas Mountains in Morocco, watched elephants take a midnight stroll through her campsite in Africa, ate too much yak butter in India and rode through a Costa Rican rain forest on horseback.
But that’s child’s play when compared to taking on one of nature’s most menacing creatures: the modern bride.
Lewis, a San Francisco-based wedding photographer, comes clean on all things matrimonial in her book “Exposed: Confessions of a Wedding Photographer” (Thomas Dunne, $24.95). And after 20 years shooting everything from drunken brides to smitten grooms to overbearing in-laws, she has more than an inkling about what makes a good wedding.
“The best ones are when the bride and groom decide what kind of wedding they want and actually have that wedding,” Lewis said. “And obviously, a sense of humor and perspective helps.”
Of course, it’s hard to smile when the officiant of your wedding pukes all over your Reem Acra gown (page 20) or keep your head on straight when the flower girl is prancing naked in the ornamental fountain (page 28). Or is it?
“The (couples) who realize what’s happening - which is that they found someone remarkable to share their lives with and that this is a wonderful event and not a theatrical performance - are usually the most fun,” she said.
But much of the time, that Zen-like thinking is hard to come by. The modern wedding is less about love and more about linens, lighting and lots of money, Lewis said.
“People can’t let go of the idea of how it’s supposed to be,” Lewis said. “Instead of kissing at the altar, I’ve heard brides say ‘Don’t kiss me, you’ll mess up my makeup.’ What’s that about?”
Lewis, who grew up in England and Holland and lives in California with her husband and 10-year-old daughter, isn’t cynical, though.
“I love second weddings, especially ones where I shot the first wedding and knew clearly it was just a big mistake,” she said. “Second weddings are great fun, usually because they’ve worked out all the stuff.”
And Lewis has an eye for “the stuff” - the baggage that couples take to their weddings and don’t leave at the altar.
“A good indication things are not right is when there’s excessive drinking by the bride and groom,” she said. “If the groom is doing shots in the parking lot with the groomsmen or the bride is drinking vodka after vodka before the ceremony, you know something’s off. Of course, a couple that is really fighting on their wedding day is also a red flag.”
Other hints? When the groom propositions the maid of honor and when a bride and groom consummate their marriage with a threesome (both of which happened at weddings Lewis photographed.)
“Sometimes I’m thinking, ‘don’t marry that guy,’ ” she said. “It can get quite personal. But my job is to observe and document, not to comment or editorialize. But sometimes I’m like, ‘holy moly, you won’t believe this.’ ”
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