The union of opposites is something that beautifies the universe; whenever we look to the heavens, we are moved by the interplay of pure light and darkness, the stars studded against the black velvet of the night sky. Through contrast, we come to appreciate the beauty of extremes, of uniqueness.
It’s little wonder, then, that opposites attract in love; people who are different complement one another, challenge one another, and bond in ways more striking and harmonious than we ever thought possible—causing each other to grow and blossom.
Thanks to a delightful, simple wedding in Nicosia, I recently had the opportunity to see all of the above in action; Maria, a music teacher, and Costas, an IT specialist, brought me along to help photograph their celebration. While the two might seem opposite to the point of being incompatible—artsy types and rational types are famously thought to never agree, after all—they are far more alike than different, united by their unusual, bittersweet sense of humour which always sees the lighter side in their differences. Likewise, on a deeper, heart-based level, the two share an outlook on life that recognises and revels in the complexities of this world.
As such, the couple opted for a unique wedding in Nicosia that would reflect the quirky nature of their bond, surrounded by friends and relatives from around the globe—some travelled from as far away as the USA, UK, the Ukraine, and Greece, making this wedding a celebration of not only love, but also of the power of companionship to bring us together no matter the journeys we may face.
It was this theme—the value of travelling through life with those you trust—that compelled Maria and Costas to choose the rather unconventional shooting location of a bus station, with Maria’s grandfather’s old taxi in the background. Maria explained the following about its sentimental and symbolic value: “The taxi belongs to my grandad, he bought it in 1978 and used it as an ‘agrotiko’ taxi. Many people travelled in this car ‘in trouble and in health’. In the 80’s pappou drove his daughter to church on her wedding day in it. We decided to take it out of the garage, give it a good wash and a battery kick (!) and use it at the wedding. My pappou was pleased.”
As you can no doubt tell from the above, this was a truly “full of feeling” wedding, but as is typical of Maria and Costas, there was humour too: During the shoot, as the bride shivered in the chilly weather, and I was busily giving instructions to my assistant, fiddling with lighting equipment, and generally being altogether serious and immersed in my work, two eccentric little ladies somehow appeared behind me with a miniscule CD player, asking me if I wanted to hear some carols. My stunned face so amused the bride that I wound up catching some very genuine smiles through my camera lens…
