On a gloomy day in Wigan, England, a bride and groom were getting ready to walk down the aisle. Their photographer, Stephen Clarke, hurried over and said, “Let’s fix the hair.”
The bride, Heidi, stayed still, waiting for Mr. Clarke to fix her hair. But instead, Mr. Clarke went over to the groom, Mark, and playfully rubbed his bald head. The bride immediately burst into laughter.
As laughter filled the air outside Lancashire Manor, the bride and groom walked down the red carpet amidst a shower of confetti.
After walking the red carpet, Mr. Clarke received a warm hug from the groom for his comical performance.
Later, wedding guests approached Mr. Clarke to take photos with him, curious to see if he had any more funny tricks up his sleeve.
Reflecting on the moment from September 2022, Mr. Clarke shared that the idea came to him after fixing the bride’s hair. He thought, “Why not fix the groom’s bald head too? It will surely bring laughter to everyone.”
A wedding guest decided to share the funny video on social media, and it quickly went viral online. When Heidi saw the video, she sent it to Mr. Clarke. Despite not using social media himself, Mr. Clarke was thrilled to know that so many people were watching the video.
The 52-year-old photographer told Epoch Times, “I don’t know why it took 18 months for the video to go viral online.”
Mr. Clarke revealed that his mother found the video hilarious, and it brought a smile to her face.
With over a decade of experience in wedding photography, “fixing the hair” is just one of his old tricks. He knows how to help couples relax on their special day.
Throughout the shoot, he comes up with humorous remarks and comments to help anxious couples ease their nerves on their wedding day.
Mr. Clarke shared, “In all these years in the industry, I have mastered my art. When everyone naturally smiles and is happy, photos turn out better than when poses are forced.”
For the Clarke family, wedding photography has become a household affair. Mr. Clarke’s wife, Emma Clark, runs two bridal shops. The couple has two children, one aged 23 and the other 19, with one working at one of the bridal shops.
Operating Wedding World Photography, Mr. Clarke carries out basic editing before sending the photos to the bride and groom.
For Mr. Clarke, wedding photography is not just a business. He has built passionate partnerships with many couples, even traveling and vacationing with some over the years. People have often recommended him to friends and family for his relaxed and fun work style.
Mr. Clarke said, “Some have joked that I am not good at being a photographer but am hilarious as a comedian.”
Recalling a memorable moment at a wedding, he mentioned a scene with the bride’s mother requesting to be photographed from her “best side.”
Mr. Clarke lined up the bride’s mother and her friends in front of the camera. He jokingly mentioned that something seemed off and then asked the bride’s mother to turn around with her back to the camera.
“After pressing the shutter, I thought, ‘Perfect, this is the angle. I captured the best side of the bride’s mother,’ which was the back of her head,” he said, “Clearly, the ladies were all laughing and teasing each other.”
For Mr. Clarke, capturing weddings is not just work but a passion. This passion has allowed him to create countless precious memories for couples.
He stated, “I really love the wedding photography business.”