Everyone that is attending a wedding is important to the couple somehow. Whether it's family, friends, or colleagues. My favourite family members to photograph are the grandparents of the bride and groom ever since I met Grandpa Jim.
You see Grandpa Jim isn't the type of person to get dressed up, he would much rather be in jeans out on his tractor but when its his granddaughters wedding you can bet he was looking his best.
I didn't expect him to get emotional but when he saw his granddaughter in her wedding dress but he was just so proud of her and you could see it in his eyes. His tears, started her tears, which gave everyone else tears including us.
Up until this wedding I never really looked at the day from the grandparents point of view. After meeting Jim and seeing how delighted he was for his granddaughter on her wedding day I now seek out the grandparents and make sure we get something special for them. I am reminded by a speech a while back from the grandfather of the groom to his family. He said "I am so thankful that you all could be here from all across Canada, but lets be honest, if it wasn't for me none of you would even be alive." He had the whole reception roaring with laughter and then received a standing ovation.
So heres to the grandparents at weddings!