Thinking Back

Just a moment ago, I took the time to respond to a solicitation by Joe McNally to comment with our most bone-headed move of 2009 with regards to photography.

What does this have to do with the wedding blog? Well, read on and find out… Below the jump is, in entirety, what I posted for all to read on McNally’s page.

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This last year was a big year for me, and perhaps due to the significance of the event, might I compete with the other “winners” for screw-up’s. There have been some doozeys so far – I consider myself lucky that I had an “out”.

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Early 2009: I’m a highly analytical 28 year old with a girlfriend of two’ish years, but still uncertain of our future together (or more to the point, my capacity to be a husband).

In early April during one memorable conversation I am metaphorically punched in the face with the realization that I desperately love her and that no amount of preparation will accommodate my lack of confidence in the next great adventure: marriage.

My coy and subtle self does some minor probing to get a sense of preferred engagement techniques (what stories has she heard that she likes, etc) so that I can know if I’m to be on my knee in the traditional fashion, or if I needed to rent a biplane and fly the message all over the sky. I found a happy medium: around a group of loved friends (like at someone else’s anniversary party), but yet traditional to an extent (a surprise, me on my knee, etc). Great. Where do I find an environment like that without letting the cat out of the bag?

Suddenly it dawns on me that in 10 days, we would both be heading to Spokane for a conference with several friends & associates, and that typically, there was a group dinner on the last evening of the conference — perfect!

The week before traveling, I’m all over the place trying to find the perfect ring, calling her parents to receive their blessing, consulting with trusted mentors about this massive decision, being dazed at the reality that I’m getting engaged, not to mention preparing for the business aspect of the trip.

As packing commences, I realize that I cannot seem to find my point-and-shoot camera that I frequently take for these functions to record video on-the-fly. Being a photographer and documenter by nature, this was one moment that I didn’t want to miss – wedding kisses can be redone, cake eating can happen any time, but proposing to your one and only wife… there’s no re-do.

Well, the camera doesn’t turn up, and thanks to Spokane’s Huppins Hi-Fi Photo, I was able to buy a replacement (Canon PowerShot SD780 and a 16GB HCSD card) for a fraction of the price of the rock I was about to put on her finger. Heck, this thing even does HD video at 1280×720 with 30fps! Perfect. The stars are aligning and things are coming together!

Sunday, the last day of the conference, I finally get through to her father and receive his blessing (yes, I know I was cutting it close, but he was traveling!!). The conference ends, and after a quick stop by the hotel room to change (and grab the ring) we’re off to dinner.

As we arrive, I enlisted the help of a couple of friends to take pictures & video of the big moment – passing off my camera so they could get some shots and get used to it. Things were going great. Then, the gal that was carrying that ‘spensive new camera informed me that it went dead!

Are you kidding me? I made everything in the world come together, and in my miracle making, I forgot to charge the newly purchased camera battery? Holy useless-drained-batteries batman, are you serious? Alas, there was nothing to be done. I wasn’t about to traipse around to ask for other cameras “just cause”, so I let her know she’d only get a couple shots and to leave it off until then. Then I crossed my fingers.

Fortunately, my saving grace was that I had the first-gen iPhone complete with jailbrokeness. The “l33t h4ck” enabled the phone to take video of the big moment. Another friend was able to capture the whole thing on it’s grainy, lo-res sensor at 15fps. Eureka!

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Who’d have known at the time that we’d opt for a fast engagement: married just 7 weeks later at one of the most amazing wedding and celebration for 200+ friends and family. We still receive comments that our ceremony and subsequent party had been the most “real” and amazing wedding that many had experienced. We’ve been married for 7 months as of today with hundreds and hundreds more to come. I am a blessed man indeed.

On the topic of photography, I’ll brag a little bit more: my wife is absolutely amazing as a willing and capable assistant – who’d have ever thought that my wedding this woman would provide me with someone who can shoot right along side of me during the day and then, with such grace and strength, care for her “main shooter” after we’re back at home and I’m on to post-production? Wow.

-Cody

PS – for those interested in the process I undertook for our engagement/wedding/honeymoon, I’ve chronicled the whole thing for all to see: http://codyjbennett.com/wedding/ — specifically, the engagement video can be seen at http://juneauwedding.wordpress.com/2009/04/24/the-moment/

PPS – Heather, you are the love of my life, and I am truly blessed to be married to you. Through our ups and downs, twists and turns of life, you are the only one that I could ever be with. Thank you for your unending patience, support, encouragement, respect and love. You complete me.