Stock photo
We've all seen the painfully-posed engagement photos, man and woman lean on tree, gazing into each other's eyes, fingers laced. Or the standard black and white wedding shot, bride and groom holding hands down the never-ending path in the woods.
But the New York Daily News is reporting on a whole new way obnoxious couples are making their Facebook friends cringe: Brace yourself for the "morning after" wedding photo trend.
Apparently wedding photographers are getting a full-access pass into the bedroom of newlyweds, documenting the passionate consummation of the marriage – in artsy black and white, of course.
"When you get married, you're in the best shape of your life and why not have these memories," said Inna Shamis, a happy New York bride who says she will some day show the pictures to her kids and post them to Facebook. Anyone surprised?
The Daily Mail quotes New Jersey photographer Michelle Jonne, who says she's charging $650 for the "morning after" service – capturing crinkled sheets, steamy showers and a lot of skin.
Stop everything. Is it just me, or is this the most over-the-top nauseating trend to come out of weddings in a long time?
Some might argue that it's just another notch in the bed post, if you will, of ridiculous wedding trends.
There are the stupid engagement photos (can't we just post an Instagram photo of the ring and be done with it?), the overly customized hipster weddings (we're talking flashmobs, a Vietnamese sandwich bar, and meditation) and even "epic blockbuster" video wedding trailers. Obviously, paper invites are so 2011.
Call me a prude – and I know, this is the most important moment/day/hour/evening/morning of a couple's life – but why can't some things stay behind closed doors?
And really, if you did have the stones to invite a stranger with a telephoto lens into your bedroom, what would you do with these photos? I can't really picture the pants-around-the-ankles image in a frame on the mantle.
Is nothing sacred? Would you ever do this?
Amberly McAteer