Maine & NH Wedding Photographer | The 3 Stages of Every Wedding Day: Panic, Champagne, and Existential Reflection

Every wedding day — and I mean every one — goes through three distinct stages. You could set your watch to it if you weren’t already busy holding a bouquet, wrangling family, and pretending you’re not sweating through your dress.

Stage 1: Panic (also known as “The Morning Chaos”)

It starts innocent enough. Coffee’s brewing, the playlist is vibing, hair and makeup are on schedule and then boom, someone can’t find the rings, a button pops off, and the flower girl has a meltdown because her shoes “feel weird.”
As your photographer, this is when I’m silently in the corner thinking, “Yup, here we go.” My camera battery’s charged and I’m basically your emotional support human in black.

You’ll probably stress about the little things right now — timeline, weather, if all the groomsman remembered their pants (they didn’t). But I promise, it always works out. Somehow. Usually with me using a safety pin and a prayer.

Stage 2: Champagne (aka “We’re Actually Doing This!”)

The ceremony’s done. You did it! You’re married! Everyone’s crying and someone’s already half a glass deep. This is the good stuff — the “we survived the chaos and now we get to party” moment.
This stage is pure adrenaline and good vibes. You’re glowing, I’m running around like a caffeinated ninja, and everyone’s trying to feed you hors d’oeuvres you’ll never actually eat.

This is also when couples start saying, “This day is going by so fast!” And yeah — because it is. Time moves differently when you’re the main character.

Stage 3: Existential Reflection (aka “Did That Just Happen?”)

The music slows down, the cake’s been demolished, and your feet hate you. You’re tired, happy, and slightly wine-stained. You’ll probably be sitting with your new spouse at some point, watching your friends dance like idiots, and it hits you — holy crap, we’re married.

As your photographer, this is one of my favorite parts. The chaos is over, the pressure’s gone, and I get to capture those quiet, real moments — the hand squeezes, the forehead kisses, the “we did it” looks.

By the end of the night, I’m hauling gear, you’re barefoot, and we’re both emotionally spent in the best way possible.

So yeah — three stages. Panic, Champagne, and Existential Reflection. Every wedding follows the same script, but every story hits different.