This image, of bride and groom Babe and Mike, was taken on a very tough day—when wedding photographer Tricia Notte found out her 18-month-old nephew (now two years old) was diagnosed with Hepatoblastoma, a rare liver cancer.

“He has since had two clean scans,” says the photographer, “but that was one of the worst days of my life. I think that I was so present at the wedding that day, though, as I had a very real recognition of how precious life is and can be. While I always want to capture the raw emotion of the day, I felt specifically tuned in to capture it all that day.” Notte is a testament to being a professional and continuing on with a job, no matter how tough things are for you personally.

Notte says that Babe and Mike got married at “a gem of a venue,” The Old Mill in Media, Pennsylvania. “Babe is from a rowdy little suburb outside of Philadelphia and comes from an even rowdier Italian family full of good loving, wild musicians,” says Notte. “Their wedding was a spectacular concert and lively party.”

Adds Notte, “I believe that our own experiences are very much a real part of the way we photograph. I also cannot wait to see all of the images that photographers capture at future weddings and events because the joy and emotion that people will capture will certainly be colored by their current experiences throughout the COVID-19 impacts.”

(Photographed with a Nikon 810 and 85mm lens. Notte says she always shoot with two lenses for more variability than just the 85mm. “I almost always have an 85mm on me but I use my Holdfast MoneyMaker Harness and usually keep a 35mm as well.”)

Check back the week of April 27 to see the fun and full wedding of Babe and Mike here.

Check out more Photos of the Day, and email submissions to jacqueline.tobin@emeraldx.com