Hearing Impaired Wedding at Hyatt Regency Clearwater

Diane & Ugo, not only a good looking couple but very good natured, made for a fun day onb this wedding at the Hyatt Regency Clearwater. About 80% of the guests were deaf or hard of hearing. They were all so good natured, and most of them danced better than people who have hearing.

These dear people really seemed to be happier than many people who have their full hearing on many weddings. They had a simplicity about them just enjoying themselves. On deaf weddings you find conversations zip back and forth visually. Shoulders are tapped, arms are waved and the energy in the air takes on a different level. I find on Deaf Weddings they tend to be more perceptive with their vision because they have to be to communicate. I love the atmosphere, it is hard to explain, but it seems there is more of an appreciation of each other and life. When one person is communicating with another they are totally concentrating on that other person, whereas with communication with people who have full hearing, they are not as focused in listening. The bridesmaids really had a nice spirit about them, and Joe our photographer even commented to them “this is so great, and easy, because sometimes its so hard to get the full attention of a bridal party when you are trying to pose them”. This bridal party was so easy to pose. Ugo has such a great sense of humor. For the reception you’ll see napkins waving in the air, which is their version of tapping the water glasses so the bride and groom kiss. When we lose one of our senses, I believe God has designed the our bodies to make our other remaining senses stronger. Therefore their visual senses are really much more developed than people who have all their senses, and the one sense that is key for a videographer is the sense of sight. I admire their keen sense of sight and being focused, and as a videographer strive to develop my awareness to be like theirs.

As a videographer you have to shoot it differently. Ideally you want to keep the sign language interpreter in every shot while people are talking. In this case the interpreter stood close to the bride and groom which was good, otherwise we would of had a dedicated camera on the interpreter and used a picture in picture effect in the editing.

Joe did the photography, Randy the video, and Chance provided for the entertainment in the Bellaire Ballroom.  For more of our weddings in Clearwater Beach see our Clearwater Beach Photographers page