The most unbelievable moment of my wedding Saturday occurred after walking out of the Casa Monica hotel bar minutes before seeing my bride for the first time.
The top button of my brand new suit completely fell off as I hurriedly walked to get into position for my first look wedding photo shoot with Monarch Studios.
There I am, standing outside in an open public square of St. Augustine, my back turned to my new wife-to-be, wearing a half-open, unflattering suit for the ensuing future hours of many photos not yet taken.
Anyone who really knows me well knows that I would've fixated on this in my head...in ALL of the bad ways. It would've muted my enjoyment of the rest of the day, as I would've self-consciously positioned myself in awkward angles with a clenched fist to hide this for the rest of the night. In short, it would've mentally taken me to some significant degree out of the most amazing night of my life.
I had no groomsmen to exchange jackets with, I couldn't turn around from my fixed standing position (or risk ruining the planned photo op) and no means to fix this horribly pesky rogue button.
I can't recall how long I was frozen there in place, standing across the public square wondering what was going on...but suddenly a relative of mine that had no business being in that square at that time at all had the means and the wherewithal to procure some needle and thread.
My aunt admitted that she wasn't that great at sewing. I also certainly didn't know how to work a needle, and as nerve-wracked as I was in the moment, I probably would've accidentally stuck myself a few dozen times in the process. But...to an even greater amazement to yours truly...the fantastically badass wedding photographer Zach Thomas grabs that needle and thread and gets to work on my jacket button. It took a few tries, but like any great dramatic scene out of a million thrillers, he nailed it (or um...sewed it) on the third and final attempt.
Button on. Jacket snazzy. Mind of groom at ease. Joyful rest of day!
I could go on and on about how Zach was super easy to work with, super accommodating to our out-of-towner schedule, and super skilled at making every subject he shot laugh, but truly...he has my eternal gratitude for bringing an unexpected extra skillset along for the 6 hours he spent with us! Mad props, good sir!!
Also, props to my wedding DJ for finding the White Stripes' "The Hardest Button to Button" on such short notice.
Hand all of your wedding budget money over to this studio ASAP! (Well, maybe save some back for a nicer suit.) read more
