Aravis Moore

It’s a breezy late-summer morning on the beach near the Hotel del Coronado. Jason and I marched down the beach, hand in hand, the breeze lifting the dozen layers of my wedding dress and the sand clinging to my bare feet. Little girls tugged their mothers’ hands and pointed at the multi-colored tulle-and-satin confection studded with pastel rosettes and gold ribbons. Middle-aged women grew starry-eyed, whispering to each other and cooing congratulations as we passed.

"Model" Wedding: Image by Paul Burlingame Photo

“Thanks,” we called back.

Jason and I walked along, trailed by Paul with his cameras and two assistants with lights and other photography paraphernalia. We laughed behind our hands every time another sun-tanning woman or tourist couple congratulated us on our commitment to each other for as long as we both shall live. The truth is, it wasn’t our wedding — Jason and I were mere acquaintances, and the princess-grade dress I was wearing was so far from my personal style that my roommates considered it mildly comical.

Our “wedding” photos were destined to end up in Paul’s portfolio, rather than in silver frames on our parents’ mantels. It was one of my first shoots I’d modeled for, and Jason’s first ever. Needless to say, it was a bit awkward, especially at the beginning.

“Ok, now look at each other like you’re in love.”

“Ummm…” say Jason and I.

I look at Jason with a puzzled expression that I hope passes for infatuation, only to see the same look mirrored in his face. Unfortunately neither of us is going to be winning a Daytime Emmy for our performance as a couple in love. But so it goes.

But it was a great dress rehearsal for the real-deal:

Though a real wedding is unlikely to be in my near future, I did manage to put away a few ideas learned from my “wedding” for future use.

• Think about the weather where you’re headed: My original plan was to straighten my thick, curly hair for a sleek style. The night before our “wedding,” I realized that straightened hair + the beach = disaster. I’m not sure that any amount of hairspray could possibly keep my hair from frizzing up in the humid ocean air. I opted for curly up-do instead, letting my hair do what it does best naturally. I didn’t have to worry about constantly checking a mirror to see what was going on with my head.
• Being silly can be good: Some of the best photos Paul took were when Jason and I were goofing off. At some point we might have sunk to the level of hyperactive five-year-olds- jumping and dancing and hugging, then yelling, “Hey, Paul! Look at us! Look! Look at us being cute!”
• (Don’t) be well behaved: Well-behaved adults don’t frolic in their voluminous-skirted dresses when the photographer isn’t looking. But where’s the fun in that?