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Original poster

Does anyone cringe when you look back at your wedding photos?

67 replies

Martacus · 18/09/2023 22:46

Whenever I come across photos of my wedding, or think about it, I cringe so much. It's a really strange feeling that's hard to describe, but I know it's not a positive feeling.

Is this at all common for others? Including for those who are happy in their marriages?

OP posts:
JadeVS72 · 19/09/2023 11:14

I don't cringe but I do wish I had got a better photographer, better suit for DH (hired from Moss bros) and learned how to do my eyebrows/makeup better. I was 26 and on a budget. I see other people's amazing wedding photos and am a bit envious that DH and I didn't look as good/weren't captured as well. He also got extremely drunk, I was a little drunk and I got upset about him being drunk and I spent half the night sobbing in the honeymoon suite while he vomited in the toilet :) good times. 10 year anniversary was in May.

honeylulu · 19/09/2023 13:02

Yes because mine are awful!
I can't just blame the photographer as I has been really stressed in the lead up and lost loads of weight (didn't need to) and had hardly slept for days. When we were having the bride and bridesmaids photos before leaving for church the heavens opened and my hair do was ruined. I had to turn up with lank, damp straight hair. I did my own make up to save money and that didn't look great either especially after being rained on.
When I saw the photos I hated them. I've revisited them a few times thinking I'd have a different perspective and think actually I looked young and pretty but nope, still hate them!

Floralnomad · 19/09/2023 13:07

No . Married 34 yrs and they are what they are although my husband did have a moustache which is quite entertaining .

Branster · 19/09/2023 13:07

I absolutely love mine.
I refused to have a proper' photographer because I've never ever seen good staged wedding photos.
So we ended up with a wonderful large selection of snapshots and more formal group photos where everyone looked relaxed and happy and very natural.
I loved my wedding dress and how well it suited me, DH was a super handsome groom and all the guests looked like themselves with nice clothes on and in a good mood.

Allschoolsareartschools · 19/09/2023 13:29

Oh yes, I do a bit! I did enjoy the day & we've been together for 33 years (mostly very happy) but there's just something very fake & forced about some of the pics.
For a start DH really overdid the hairspray!!
I could've properly fallen out with both adult bridesmaids in the run up to the wedding & I can't look at them very kindly on the day even years later.
My parents were so tense all day & left as soon as they could which wasn't great.
But it's great to look back on the fashions & elderly relatives who are no longer here & little kids all grown up now.
I would never have that wedding now though, I think I'd just elope!

TarquinOliverNimrod · 19/09/2023 13:38

No! I absolutely love my wedding photos. Reminds me of the second best day of my life (son being born being the first). MN would hate me as I have loads of photos of my wedding day in my house 😆 they make me happy

Mountaineer0009 · 19/09/2023 20:50

i know a person that likes to reuse some of the wedding photos for their facebook profile

dotdotdotdash · 19/09/2023 21:06

Your story struck a chord with me @ShimmyingThroughTheChaos as our photographer was incompetent and looking at them added to my doubts about the relationship (now divorced). I kept some photos that our friend took but the album always made me feel thoroughly depressed. It turned out she had never done a wedding before (she lied), cut heads off, my uncle had to manage the group shots, she missed half of the shots I requested and left very early. My lack of due diligence! Not a successful marriage tho either sadly…apart from our beautiful children!

Cherryana · 19/09/2023 21:09

No not cringe. They do look a bit dated but if I was to do it again this weekend - I think I would have the same dress.

Frazzlefrazle · 19/09/2023 21:09

I hate mine. I never look at them. I actually look back at my whole wedding and cringe. The people we invited and the way it was planned. Just awful.

If I could do it again I would.

We are very happily married though. 10 years this year.

HalebiHabibti · 19/09/2023 21:10

I always feel like that, mostly because I looked fat, ugly and dressed up like my mental picture of what a bride is 'meant' to look like. I never look at my wedding photos.

Darby3785 · 19/09/2023 21:15

Our wedding photos were taken by our friends and family. We didn't have a photographer, we don't have the posed photos we have natural posed ones and I love them. Sentimental to us knowing those closest to us took them. There was a photo app at the time for weddings and we signed up to that and everybody put photos onto that and we spent our honeymoon getting pings from the app saying new photos had been uploaded! Good memories
I do wish I'd worn my hair down though 😆

BadHairBae · 19/09/2023 21:15

Not my wedding but -

I went to a wedding years ago where the bride and all the groomsmen, bridesmaids etc broke out into the Gangnam Style during their ceremony.

I cringe just thinking about it

EDIT - I forgot to add that I saw an old picture from that wedding and remembered it. My outfit was very 2010s and was truly awful

AmazingBouncingFerret · 19/09/2023 21:20

I have two wedding albums. First wedding 20 years ago and I don’t cringe because there’s so many people in it that are no longer with us.

2nd wedding album is 6 years old and the only thing that bugs me slightly is my eyebrows!

Boyonthenres · 19/09/2023 21:22

I think ours are of the time. We had a themed wedding which I absolutely wouldn't do now but it was over 1/4 century ago. I hated my hair on the day which is sad but it did kind of fit in with the theme! I'd go for super simple and sleek if it were this weekend.

UsingChangeofName · 19/09/2023 21:23

No. I love seeing the memories of such a lovely day.

borninthe80esss · 19/09/2023 21:25

I love the photos but HATE the first dance video. I'm ashamed to admit but I was soooo wankered!! Bloody friends chucking Tequila down my throat at every opportunity.

PermanentTemporary · 19/09/2023 21:27

Me. Although from both my weddings there are a couple of pics I like. From my wedding to dh there's a lovely one of him looking lush in his suit with little ds all dressed up on his shoulder. There's one of us cutting the cake, we're both laughing and it looks great. Even from my first wedding there's a couple of professional pics of xh and I which are beautifully done. God we look young, and my outfit is great.

I can't stand looking at any of the pics of guests though. I don't much like giving parties, it's so stressful.

user76541055773 · 19/09/2023 21:29

Yes, married for 20 years - I regret the wedding but not the being married.

The whole thing was a massive compromise between what we wanted and what was expected of us, and so ended up being just an expensive mess that nobody really enjoyed. When I look at the photos that’s all I see really.

mondaytosunday · 19/09/2023 21:29

Oh no I love my wedding photos! So many people are no longer with us - including my husband, my parents, his Dad and his mum now has dementia. It was such a wonderful hopeful time, and we looked so happy! So sad he died seven years later. It's one of my rescue from a biting building items - it was just before digital cameras so my album is it.

Dazedandconfused10 · 19/09/2023 21:30

Deleted all mine. I like to pretend it never happened

minieggsandmaltesers · 19/09/2023 21:30

Mine are in the attic so I don't have to see them after my exH left me in late 2021.
Kept them for the kids
I'd rather have back the many £££££ that the whole day cost.

Jericha · 19/09/2023 21:31

user76541055773 · 19/09/2023 21:29

Yes, married for 20 years - I regret the wedding but not the being married.

The whole thing was a massive compromise between what we wanted and what was expected of us, and so ended up being just an expensive mess that nobody really enjoyed. When I look at the photos that’s all I see really.

Similar here. We had the typical British wedding but that's really what I didn't want but was expected due to family pressure. I wish I put my foot down more, especially since I ended up organising most of it and paying when it was his side of the family who were most arsed. Our expensive photos are so cookie cutter. There's a few good ones in there which show how much we love each other and make each other laugh but I wasn't overly chuffed with them.

IncomingTraffic · 19/09/2023 21:34

I cringed at what wedding photos I had even immediately after the wedding. Everything about that debacle is best forgotten.

Gazelda · 19/09/2023 21:36

I look back at mine and wish I'd done my hair differently and my dress had fitted (much) better. I don't think I looked good at all.

But every single one of them makes me smile, it was such a happy day with thousands of fabulous memories.

I destroyed all those from my first wedding, which I sort of regret. I wish I'd kept one just to mark a milestone in my life.