When it came time for Washington, D.C., photographer Kanayo Adibe to photograph bride and groom Hansitta and Chinedum’s wedding, he knew there would be a great many precious moments to capture throughout the day—all standouts, in his opinion. “It’s pretty hard to pick favorites with this particular wedding,” he explains. “If anything, it would be a series of about 70 photos that best tell the wedding story, show the laughs, the cries, the exaggerated gestures, the heightened emotional moments and the artistic portraiture. And isn’t that what every couple wants?”

Adibe had attended the same university with bride Hansitta and her siblings, so they knew each other long before he was a photographer. “They followed my journey and many years later decided I would be the one to document Hansitta’s special day, something I consider to be a huge honor.”

The wedding, held at the Bellevue Conference & Events Center in Chantilly, Virginia, had, as Adibe describes it, “a large bridal party, large guest count and little old me. I was shooting solo,” he notes, and “that was a little overwhelming. But at the end of the day, it’s business as usual, so I just stayed focused, took control and made sure I overdelivered.”

Adibe continues: “As most wedding photographers know, the more weddings you shoot, the more they can feel redundant and somewhat scripted, but the one thing that remains unique in every wedding are the moments. So being able to document, observe and partake in those genuine moments involving the couple, their closest friends and family is priceless, and this particular wedding was not short of any of these moments.”

GEAR OF THE DAY

Cameras: Nikon D810 (x2)

Lenses: Nikon 85mm f/1.8, 58mm f/.4, 45mm f/2.8 Tilt Shift, 35mm f/1.8, 20mm f/1.8

Lights: SB-910 (x2) and a Yongnuo Video Light

Accessories: HoldFast Gear Money Maker

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