Odd wedding request

[Mwilltn]

I have been asked to do a wedding this Saturday. The Bride was very close to her Dad who died unexpectedly a few weeks before he was to walk her down the aisle. She is having the ceremony at his grave site now and I am at a loss as to how to approach it. Have any of you dealt with anything like this? Suggestions?
The reception is at a conventional site afterward but I am wondering what the mood will be after that.

[autofocus]

maybe you should talk with her and ask her what she expects. Does she want his, or other grave stones in the images of her wedding? You have to feel sad for her, but as time eases her pain, she just looking at her wedding album 10, 15 years from now will always dredge up the sadness of the day instead of the happiness of the day. I'm sure you'll be stuck shooting many of the shots while all are surrounded by grave markers.

[thaoimage]

That is indeed very odd. I haven't been in that type of situation, but IMO, just approach like you would a normal wedding and remember, it's the customer that you must please...

[candleman]

approach it like any other Wedding and show the love between the couple.. just be sensitive to the brides and bridal parties mood. Dont force smiling laughing bridal party images if the mood is sombre.

I'd Definatley insist on doing the couple shots away form the grave site.. she won;t have her head in the right space otherwise.

If it's at a gravesite it's obvious she values her dad more than "her" day.
However,
I would suggest shooting in two parts.
1. showing her love and affection for her missing dad.
2. focus on the love of the couple

You don't want all the images looking like it is a funeral, there will be happy memories and it is a happy occasion and afterall a decade from now she will still have her husband and will want nice images of the two of them too.. just try not to make it look like it's all about the dad.
Your focus is still the couple.

If you are worried about gravestones ruining the images shoot lots of close-ups (Brides love those anyway) and use DOF to your advantage to "OOF" the background.
That's what I do when the venues are kinda "yucky" /doesn't make for pretty images.

Candleman... very good advise, well stated.

[Mwilltn]

Thanks to all of you. Great stuff. I feel a little more comfortable already and you have given me some ideas to run by the Bride before the ceremony.