Wedding Photographer Maastricht: Journalistic International Wedding Photography at Castle de Hoogenweerth
This time, I had the opportunity to capture the international wedding between a spontaneous Limburg bride and an American as a photographer at Hoogenweerth. This incredibly delightful and unique couple met during backpacking in Thailand at a Full Moon party. The bride now resides in New York and booked the wedding reportage with me via Skype. We met in person for the first time a week before the wedding.
It was a very enjoyable and relaxed wedding day. Upon my arrival, everyone was busy decorating the halls of Castle de Hoogenweerth. This included the bride and groom. I began taking wedding photos during the bride's dressing-up process. The bride dressed in the beautiful bridal suite of Hoogenweerth.
It wasn't a traditional affair but rather casually done with friends in the castle suite. The bride did her own makeup while her mother stood next to her in the bathroom, just like when she still lived at home. This allowed me to start the wedding reportage in a journalistic manner.
Next, I went to the groom's room, where there was a lively atmosphere. All the gentlemen were chatting and having beers; the groom was just putting on his suit. It was a cheerful mess in the room, and someone was still sleeping off the party from the night before, but no one was in a hurry.
The ceremony took place at four o'clock, an elegant outdoor wedding in a tent in the garden of Castle de Hoogenweerth. The weather was closely monitored, but fortunately, it stayed dry throughout the entire wedding reportage in Maastricht. The super enjoyable wedding ceremony with many personal details was conducted by a close friend of the couple, and during this event, I had the opportunity to capture beautiful emotions that always enhance the wedding reportage.
The wedding ceremony was musically enhanced with singing by the bride's father and music by the bride's brother, his wife, and children. The wedding rings were brought in a special ring case by the three ring bearers or flower children while their father played the James Bond theme.
In the ring case were the three plush ducks, which are very important to the couple and go everywhere with them. The three ducks were also dressed in wedding attire and had the wedding rings attached to their necks.
After a personal speech by the "BABs" and the exchange of wedding rings, the couple left while being surprised by a flash mob of all the wedding guests.
Following this, there was champagne, and the wedding cake (a naked wedding cake decorated with ducks) was cut by the couple. This took place outdoors along the Maas River with a view of Castle de Hoogenweerth.
In between, we took some group photos - an essential part of every wedding reportage - and some photos of the couple with the ducks. Then it was slowly time for the wedding dinner buffet; by now, everyone had gone inside because a rain shower had started.
The wedding dinner buffet was opened, and everyone enjoyed a cozy meal together. Towards the evening, there was a spectacular dance performance by the father and daughter and son and mother. After that, everyone hit the dance floor, and the wedding party really kicked off.
With a surprise performance by three ladies as life-sized ducks (including the mother of the bride) and a dance outside amidst torches to Coldplay's "A Sky Full of Stars," I concluded this fantastic wedding reportage in Maastricht.
