A Rooftop Vow at The Metropolitan at the 9
I have a soft spot for this venue — I actually had the honor of photographing the very first wedding held on this venue, back when The Metropolitan at the 9 first started doing weddings. The downtown Cleveland skyline as a backdrop never gets old, especially in that late-afternoon light with the string lights just starting to glow against the old brick buildings behind them.
This particular moment happened just after Shelly and Kris said their vows and shared their first kiss as a married couple. I knew going into this wedding that Kris wasn't someone who loved being the center of attention or having a lot of public affection on display, so I'd made a point of staying a little further back than usual, giving them room to have their moment without feeling watched.
They had their first kiss as wife and wife. And then Shelly took Kris's hand, brought it to her lips, and kissed it while looking her in the eye. It was quiet and certain, like she was saying, you're my person, I've got you, without a single word. I actually teared up behind the camera. Everyone has a first kiss at their wedding. Not everyone has a moment like this--and it really struck me that I was there to capture it.
This is why I keep shooting well past the "expected" shot — the vows, the kiss, and then whatever comes after. The real gift is often whatever happens next, when the couple thinks the formal moment is over and lets their guard down. I used a longer lens here so I could stay out of their space while still getting close enough to catch the eye contact, and the clasped hands--which is really the whole story of this image.
Getting to witness two people declare their love this openly, surrounded by the family they chose, was one of those moments that reminds me why I love this job.
Same sex wedding photo taken on the roof at the Metropolitan at the 9 by Lindsey Beckwith
Location: 2017 E 9th St, Cleveland, OH 44115.
Keywords: Metropolitan at the 9, same sex wedding (3).