Surprises come in many shapes and sizes and, on wedding days, sometimes they are unwelcome guests. Not in this post though! These wedding surprises orchestrated by brides, grooms, and family make our list of best surprises for 2017.
Ceremony Surprise & Awesome Hashtag #SurpriseBagpipes
We had not one, but two brides surprise their grooms with a surprise bagpiper during their wedding ceremonies. Katie got this incredible reaction from Brandon when he heard the bagpipes fire up as she and her father started walking down the aisle. A few months later, Dorothy surprised Zach with a bagpiper to lead the charge for their recessional as newlyweds. It was so fun to see Zach’s face light up when he heard them begin. Also, even though we knew the bagpipes were coming, Ashley still might have jumped out of her skin when the trademark “fleeeerrrghhhhhhh” started right beside her.
Always Daddy’s Girl – A Heartfelt Surprise from Family
When a loved one passes before they get the chance to see you tie the knot, it can bring an air of bittersweetness to even the most joyous wedding celebrations. That was not the case for Jaimee. She knows her father loves her even from his current heavenly vantage point. But her family was determined to make sure that she had a moment with her father, and that she wouldn’t know about it until after the wedding. Her cousin took Rachel aside and explained that they wanted to place a photo of her father in the background while she got her veil put in, so he could be there and she’d notice when she got the picture back. It worked like a charm.
When Rachel got to deliver Jaimee and Mark’s gallery, she was privy to the beautiful moment when Jaimee realized what had happened. The joyful tears started, and it was a truly unique moment for her as a longtime wedding photographer. This was definitely one of the best wedding surprises of 2017.
Kicking it South Philly Style – Surprise Mummers!
Dorothy loves to surprise people. This is the second time she’s on this list for Pete’s sake. She decided to surprise not just her new hubby Zach, but also all her guests, with a special appearance by South Philly’s favorite sequined performers: the Mummers! If you don’t know what a Mummer is, tune in to the New Year’s Day Parade and see first hand. Suffice it to say, it’s hard to go wrong with funky music, tons of sequins and sparkles, and giant hats!
An April Fool’s Day Surprise – Pillow Fight in the Square
This wedding surprise was not orchestrated by our couple, but definitely provided lots of fun memories for them and their bridal party. When we arrived at Washington Square, we were surprised to find a massive pillow fight in process. Probably about 80-100 people in their pajamas were just whaling on each other with pillows. A few of them ran over and offered Michelle and Ben a pillow to take part, and if the ceremony wasn’t just about to start, they might have taken them up on the offer. After they politely declined, they went back to doing what they really wanted to do: snuggle up and take beautiful couples portraits.
What wedding surprises have you seen? What might you want to include to surprise and delight your loved ones?
What fun surprises during a wedding!