Katherine Dalton's wedding photography doesn't just document the marriage of two people. She captures what weddings should be about: the willingness of two people to commit to one another for the rest of their lives, due to their unconditional love. She displays the emotion and significance of these moments so well that it is hard not to feel connected to the couples in the photos. This photo of Liz and Ed captured the precious, monumental moments leading up to the big "I dos." Dalton manipulates angles to emphasize certain illustrations within this photo, it works with the symbolism seen through out it to explain her belief that marriage only truly works when deep love and real commitment is involved. 

The placement of Liz and Ed in the center of the photo and the distance between them and the viewer, makes it clear they are the focal point. They are photographed not from above, not from below, but straight on to imply their equality to one another. Marriage is about two people becoming a family, and about making a commitment to someone. Divorce and relationships that last long but never end in marriage are taken very lightly, not just in today's society, but throughout history. People are comfortable with the idea of breaking a commitment for their own benefit and that isn't how marriage is supposed to be. Dalton reflects this idea of commitment through the direct and equal view of the couple. Through it viewers can infer that they are both equally invested in the relationship. The door that is separating them symbolizes their separate lives up until this point; their holding hands even through the separation foreshadows their future together. 

Their closed eyes and intertwined hands leads the reader to infer the importance of faith in their future together. These two details of the couple's actions are an expression of their faith because it indicates they are engaged in prayer. They want God's blessing in their wedding and also in the rest of their lives together. Faith is needed for a relationship, regardless of being religious or not. Many people probably believe this because it means being able to trust and be confident in oneself and another. Dalton wants people to see the importance of it in Liz and Ed's situation to make them reflect on their own beliefs and perception of marriage, and to get them to understand how crucial it is in order to maintain a strong one. Marriage needs faith because it is a commitment that is made to be life long. Weddings are the beginning of that, and the way Liz and Ed are making time to really understand that before they go through with it shows how much they care. 

The couple's relationship is evident not only by the angle of the shot, but through their physical contact and other details in the photo as well. The way Liz is clenching her fiance's hand and the overwhelming joy radiating from her face expresses her undeniable love for this man. People get married for many reasons: pregnancies, financial benefits, they get tired of waiting, etcetera. People also avoid getting married altogether maybe because of being scarred from other relationships they have seen, because they don't want to commit, or are having fun being single. Dalton does not agree with this idea of frivolity and carelessness; this can be inferred through the exchange of love that is taking place. She wants people to see that if gone about the right way, a wedding can be really special and extraordinary. The groom's tall and firm stance reciprocates the bride's love by showing viewers he is ready to stick by her side and be the rock she will need throughout their life together. Dalton wants the viewers to understand Liz and Ed's connection and picture them together, in the future, standing by each other through everything, good and bad. She wants to make known that marriage is never about giving up but instead giving all one has to stick by the side of another. Dalton wants people to see that weddings are a new start, they are a monumental documentation of the marriage of two people's lives together, and should not be taken lightly.

Dalton shows symbolism throughout the image to convey her message; from the colors, to the open door, to their holding hands, the entirety of it relates back to the huge commitment and responsibility marriage holds. Her wedding dress is white which is a biblical reference to purity. Jesus' blood washed everyone's sin white as snow, similarly her past up until this moment is blemished and the white dress represents the new beginning. Even from a non-biblical standpoint marriage is a significant moment where two people confess their love in front of family and friends, and are then legally bound. Relationships completely change after marriage which can also be signified by the white of her dress. The position of the door also symbolizes multiple things. Dalton uses the door not only to show the ending of their separate lives, but also to indacte a fresh start and new beginning through the openness of it. Fresh starts are something everyone craves, but often a wedding is not seen in that light. Instead people minimize this special moment to just the legal bondage and unwanted stress and time. Dalton is trying to convey the appealingness of making that commitment and the attached fresh start. The light coming from the open door further enhances the "bright future" aspect of marriage, to convey that even though marriage is a big, scary responsibility, being in one with someone you truly love makes it worth while. 

The message of the picture is that marriage is a big deal. Even though there are ways out of it and ways to undo it the bond two people make when they say "I do" can never be undone. It is more than just legal ties and living together; it is sharing life, knowing the other so well and loving them so much that without them life doesn't feel complete. Dalton challenges the carefree attitude society seems to have toward marriage with this photograph, and it can be seen vividly in the couples love for each other.

