At weddings, we all know the ritual: the music swells, the guests rise, and every head turns toward the bride. Cameras click. Tissues dab at eyes. For those few minutes, all the attention in the room belongs to the woman walking down the aisle. The lace, the veil, the bouquet — the perfect picture we’ve all come to expect.
But when each of my sons got married, I discovered another view worth seeing — one that rarely makes the photo album, but left an imprint on my heart. I didn’t watch the bride. I couldn’t.
Each time, my eyes were locked on my son, standing at the front of the room. Hands clasped, rocking slightly on his heels, trying to look calm while his heart raced. That was the moment for me — watching him see his future step closer with each note of the music. The world saw lace and flowers. I saw his face.
And what a face it was. A little boy and a grown man, all at once. The same smile I had watched for years when he opened birthday presents, or accomplished something he thought impossible. A grin of wonder and joy stretched wide across his face. His eyes glistened — unapologetically full of emotion. For just a moment, all the noise of the room disappeared, and I witnessed the beginning of a life transformation: a son becomes a husband.
It’s a moment easy to miss. The bride, of course, is radiant and worth every glance. But if you look to the groom, you’ll see something raw and real, right there on his face. It’s the culmination of childhood memories, growing pains, deep conversations, strong friendships, and quiet hopes — all wrapped into a single expression.
When I looked at the groom, I saw more than love. I saw the weight of the vows he was about to make, the quiet gratitude for the woman walking toward him, and the thrill of a future unfolding in real time. I saw everything I’d ever hoped for him, written across his face.
It’s not a view most people talk about. You won’t find it on the photographer’s Pinterest board or in a wedding magazine spread. But I can promise you, it’s one of the most beautiful parts of the ceremony. It’s a glimpse into a person’s heart, and it’s one you’ll carry long after the cake is cut and the dance floor grows quiet.
The next time you attend a wedding, take a moment. Let your eyes drift from the bride to the man waiting for her. Watch his face as his world walks toward him. Watch love — true, unscripted, unfiltered — unfold before your eyes. It’s a view you won’t forget.
Jann Goar Franklin graduated Russellville High School in 1985 and lives in Grand Cane, Louisiana. She also writes books, which are for sale at The Village Loft in downtown Grand Cane. You can learn more about her at www.jannfranklin.com, or reach her at jann@jannfranklin.com