My Janice-and-Glenn Wedding Post

Note: Separately, both Janice and Glenn has been putting some indirect pressure on me to come up with my blog-testament of their wedding. I'm having a hard time on coming up with the literary concept for it, but this should suffice in the meantime.
This post may be overwritten in the future in the event that I do strike upon a literary concept which is most fitting for the two subjects in here.

February 16, 2008: Chapel on the Hill, Nasugbu.

It was my first time to decisively do a photography coverage of a nuptial ceremony. It’s not an official coverage though. Lens guru Nelwin and his team were there to do the official coverage. Besides, my skills and equipment are nowhere near their level. In fact, I felt a bit intimidated by all their equipment.

I was doing the photography coverage for two reasons.

The first reason is simple: Here was an opportunity to test and apply what I know about wedding photography.

The second reason requires some storytelling.

Glenn, the groom, has been my wingman of sorts a few years back. We shared a lot of things in common: FHM magazine collections, a “slight” nicotine dependence, one-or-two beers sessions, that weird sense of humor that is characteristic of engineers, a partial addiction to video games and affinity to outdoor adventures. We roughly have the same sense of idealism and what the world needs in order to be a better place to live in (volunteerism, for example). He had introduced me to his mom, siblings and pamangkins while I have introduced him to the regular occupants of our old house in Baclaran – my mom, my eldest sister and my dead grandma (hahaha! – my dead grandma decided that Glenn’s not a ‘bad influence’ for me, so she didn’t had to pull his feet while sleeping and scare the hell out of him when he spent a night at our old house).

Summing it all up, I think Glenn could have been my best childhood friend had we grew up in the same neighborhood. Childhood friendships dig deep roots.

But since we only got acquainted when we both started working for the same company (and somewhere between the stage of responsible adults and childish urban professionals), that friendship was kept relaxed – a bit shallow but broad nevertheless.

Janice, the bride, is like my favorite barber. No, she doesn’t cut my hair on a regular basis or give me a massage while I doze off during a mentholated scalp treatment. Like my barber, Janice has a certain charisma which makes it easy for me to talk about anything in particular. Janice has heard from me most of my disappointments and frustrations on what’s going on with me and around me as well as my small and big blissful experiences. In return, she’s given me the occasional words of encouragement to cheer me on but more importantly her willingness to listen to whatever is it that’s been occupying my thoughts whether it be serious, romantic, trivial or funny. Like my barber, Janice has become my part-time unofficial shrink.

So here are two persons whom I had the privilege of knowing on a more-than-casual basis and certainly beyond the “Hi, how are you?” degree of acquaintance. In the time that I have known them, I’ve concluded that both Janice and Glenn ranks high in my list of favorite people.

This now brings me to my second reason for being decisive on doing the photography coverage: Janice and Glenn, the bride and the groom, have been very good friends to me. I wanted to present to them something personal and homemade as my wedding gift to them, something which can’t be bought from a catalogue or ordered online.

So, I did my best effort to produce a portfolio of shots of their most awaited moment as seen through my eyes from a far distance. The results seem raw and not as perfect as I wanted it to be, but I was happy at the results.











For each time I press the shutter on my camera, two things happen: first is I capture a specific moment of their wedding, and second is I get a mental flashback of a random happy event that I’ve witnessed Janice and Glenn in. It was like going through a slideshow, no....., it was like browsing through an album containing photos of the present and the past arranged in an alternating fashion. Sometimes, when you browse through an album showing a lot of sentimental and nostalgic moments, you just find yourself crying and smiling at the same time.












Taking those shots wasn’t an easy feat for a photographer who had to deal with a blurry vision while doing so because he was trying to hold back his tears as long as possible, and that the last series of shots were done in almost a blind condition for him because his tears were already streaming down his face.

It was my first time to do a photography coverage of a wedding.
It was my first time to see two of my closest friends get married to each other.
It was my first time to cry at a wedding.

To Janice and Glenn, words fail me on how to express how happy I am for the two of you and how thankful I am for the privilege of allowing me to be your friend. Wishing you both a very fruitful marriage.

And hoping to take more photos of the two of you as we all grow older.

Okay, tama na ang drama. Hahaha. Be always cool, you two. :D