Hands

There are countless traditions a wedding photographer captures throughout the wedding day: the first dance, speeches, and cake cutting. Some couples embrace them all, while others choose only a few. At almost every wedding I have attended, there has been some form of the father and daughter dance. Everyone knows what to expect from it, myself included, as I stand ready with my camera to capture every fleeting emotion.

This wedding, however, took me by surprise. The father and daughter dance was announced and M stepped toward the center of the dance floor. I looked around in panic, as there were many times that day it had been mentioned that her father had recently passed. The grief was still raw for everyone. Some might have chosen to skip the tradition altogether, but M did not hesitate. She walked to the middle of the floor and called her mother forward.

Her mom stepped into the light, embracing her sweet girl. They exchanged tears and whispered memories. Then, out of the corner of her eye, M noticed her sister standing just off to the side, also in tears. She was quickly beckoned over, and the three of them stood together, arms wrapped tightly around each other, as the song carried them through its final verses.