A Day In The Life :: Pregnancy and Wedding Season

It was our last wedding of 2014, mid November. One of the best all year long, might we add. Everything about the day was perfect, all the way to the awesome send off. We had run all over Alexandria that day. From the venue, through the streets of Old Town, back to the venue, to the church, to a scenic overlook along the GW Parkway, back to the venue. Heavy equipment in bags lugged in and out of the car, with two cameras hanging from our shoulders. As with most weddings, the pace was fast but we were getting a ton of amazing photos so we were loving it! As the night went on, we danced along to the music at the reception, set up lights for the send off, organized guests with sparklers, got the last shot of the year, kissed the sweet couple goodbye, and loaded up the car. Then, we sat still. We swung the doors closed, and stopped. Breathed in, then out. We did it. High five.

A mutual sigh of relief was had in the car that night, because we had shot an entire wedding season with one of us pregnant. And thankfully, Maggie was still pregnant. All year long, we had never talked about being worried. We had never discussed that either of us was concerned about how we would handle shooting into Maggie’s 34th week of pregnancy. Instead, we just treated the year like any other, viewing the pregnancy as a little hiccup to consider here or there. But that night as we sat in the car, after the last wedding, we were relieved. Maybe it wasn’t until that moment that we realized how hard it could have been, and how easy it turned out to be.

Maggie was pregnant at our 4th wedding of the year. She photographed 26 more weddings after that. The most amazing thing was that her due date was perfectly timed to be far enough after our last scheduled wedding that we didn’t have to cancel any. Talk about hitting the jackpot.

Looking back, the things we feared but didn’t allow ourselves to be concerned with were scary, scary things. Things neither of us even want to mention. We’re just grateful none of them happened. Maggie was healthy and had plenty of energy to push through, and make it through each wedding day without seeming phased by the pregnancy at all. We’re thankful the baby remained healthy, thriving, and growing in his Mama while she worked. Our little assistant in utero. It was a smooth ride, and we almost couldn’t believe it that last night. How lucky we were!

Of course, it wasn’t easy. Just in case you are wondering, these are a few fun things Maggie had the pleasure of experiencing as a pregnant wedding photographer:

• Constant, all day nausea during the first 11 weeks   #fakeittillyoumakeit
• Heart burn that refused to be cured by anything 
• Lots of trips to the bathroom, because you know… baby on bladder
• Wearing Spanx and strategic clothes before we were ready to reveal the news   #fatchance
• Swollen feet and ankles beyond what we normally have with 12 hour wedding days
• Low blood sugar and dizzy spells because photographers don’t really have a chance to eat anything in those 12 hours
• Trying to make the waddle look more like a normal person’s walk
• Bending over    #unsuccessful
• Shooting in a crowded dance floor without getting smacked, kicked, or elbowed in the gut    #hazard
• That one time she spent 20 minutes throwing up in the bathroom before the ceremony   #truestory
• Smiling through the following comment “You’re only _____ months along? Wow you’re huge!”

 

As challenging as it was, it was equally rewarding to know how blessed we were. Through it all we never complained, never let the worry creep in. Because we were just so lucky. Lucky to be expecting a new baby, lucky to be working.

But just to be clear… we’re glad we never have to do that again 😉

 

But oh… how sweet the reward.