She Watches Weddings, One Click at a Time

Wow, how can the happy couple possibly choose from among only 1200 photos?

Couples spend thousands on flowers or other gimmicks. At least the photos are forever. Even if the marriage isn’t.

I loved Genevieve’s answer to the last question. Talk about being positive, and in the moment.

Only $12 - 15,000. Ouch. Let’s hope it’s forever!

"...Can you tell which couples won’t stay together?..." Research shows the more you spend on a wedding the more likely it will end in divorce. $15k for photos ? ? Send some student to a public college for a year... °

Great story. Tough business, weddings. I used to video them. I used to compare it to trying to ride a wild horse. Genevieve sounds like a real pro. It is not for lightweights. Very stressful and demanding. She is right about having the people feel comfortable. I learned that from a still photographer I worked with sometimes. At first I thought he was kind of too loose, he would pal around with the bride's father, etc., even have a drink with him, slap him on the back. Then I saw what he was really doing - making them comfortable and in a good mood. - for his pics. A few years ago, I ran into a disc jockey I knew from weddings years previously. I aksed him "Earl, are you still doing weddings?" He gave me an odd look - "Weddings Paul?? If I even think about weddings, I get sick!". I could relate to that.

She's brilliant and fun! And like the NYTimes, she has an eye for the journalistic shots--for a story. Glad to see her talent recognized.

What a great feature on the talent behind the lenses and a visionary who recognized 20 years ago that wedding photography should be meaningful, beautiful and fun. It’s hard to imagine but wedding photography used be anything but compelling. It was a series of posed group photos. Ms. de Manio was a pioneer in recognizing that wedding photography was an art form that should be just as celebrated as the wedding itself — not a minor consideration, considering she started this when film and not digital was the medium. Kudos to her and the artistic pioneers who risk convention, forge a new art from and earn a living at it!!

Gigi is an amazing photographer, wife, mother and friend. This is a tough job to have for 22 years and she does it with effortless style and grace. Classic work!