Tips for planning your wedding ceremony from a photographer’s perspective

The Ceremony. For some couples, it’s the most important part of the day and for others, it’s the part of the day they can’t wait to get out of the way. However you feel about it, you’ll want to know how to make the most out of your ceremony when it comes to documenting it.

In today’s post, I’m going to share with you my top tips when planning your wedding ceremony from a photographers point of view.

The Venue

Your venue is one of the first things you’ll look for when you start planning your wedding. It’s also one of the most important things you’ll book. You should make a list of criteria that you want from a venue and then start your search. Some of the things that you should be aware of when looking for a venue is the space where the ceremony will be held, what does the natural light look like in that space and what time of day should we get hitched. Let’s dive into these topics separately.

Space

One thing I’d like to mention that you might want to be aware of when looking at venues is “how much space is there at the front?” Usually if I’m working on my own, it’s likely that I’ll stand at the front of the ceremony (near you guys) to capture all the special moments that happen in the ceremony. You will be facing the front and so will your guests so it makes sense for the photographer to be at that end.

Something I’ve had a bit of trouble with at a few venues is there hasn’t been enough space for me to move around during the ceremony. And you might think “why would you need to move?” well, for one, it’s great to get a nice variety of shots including individual reactions of the couple and their guests, and two if something happens (like a reading or surprise during the ceremony) I need to move to where the action is happening quickly and quietly without disturbing anyone else. The last thing I want to do is miss any moments or fall on my arse because the space is so tight PLUS, you guys may feel a bit claustra if you’re squeezed in between guests in the aisle, the registrar table, the flower arch etc.

Light

Light is the basis for how photography works. If there isn’t enough natural light in your ceremony venue then you’ll need to consider that the photographer may have to add additional lighting to capture the ceremony. Things to look out for are:

• Where are the windows placed
• Do they have light coloured blinds to diffuse the light in case the harsh sun is streaming in
• What way does the ceremony room face (south facing, north facing)
• What ambient light does the venue have (lamps, overhead lighting) and what colour temperature are they set at (warm or cool) as this will have an affect on the photos

Something that will have an affect on what the natural light is doing will be the time of day you choose to have the ceremony at.

Time of Day

Figuring out the time of day to get married is just one of the many decisions you’ll have to make when it comes to your wedding. A lot of ceremonies I’ve photographed have started at 12pm, 1pm or 2pm. The middle of the day is good for a few reasons:

• You’re not waiting around for ages once you’re ready which helps with nerves
• You’ll have more time to spend with your guests in the afternoon & evening if you have an earlier ceremony
• There’s usually lots of natural light (which is needed for photos) in the middle of the day as the sun is at it’s highest point (this is useful to know if you’re planning an autumn/winter wedding in the UK)

Of course, not all ceremonies need to be in the middle of the day. Remember, it’s your day, your way. One of the things I will say is that you should check what the weather and light will be like ahead of time so you know what to expect on your day. Even if it’s a few months away. Also, if you are getting married abroad, every country is different and therefore so is it’s weather. You might want to get married at sunset in Italy in the summer, or on the coast of Scotland in October or even at 4pm in a London pub in December (if this is you, be mindful that it starts to get dark at 3pm here). My point is, check the weather and when the sun starts to set to make the most out of the natural light for your photographs. If you don’t want flash to be used during your ceremony, don’t pick a dark venue and don’t get married in the evening or at night.

Second Shooter

Something for you to consider which ties into my first point about space, will be “shall we ask for a second photographer to help capture our day?” From my point of view, having a second photographer has only ever increased the experience on the day. Asking your photographer to add a second photographer onto their package is great for a few reasons:

• It provides a second perspective during the ceremony which means more than one reaction can be captured (person A walking down the aisle and person B’s reaction to this while being stood at the front)
• They are able to capture different angles while the main photographer focusses on the important moments
• More expressions can be documented as the second photographer has more scope to move around and photograph different guests who may be stationed near the back of the room

I have a whole blog post dedicated to why booking a second photographer is a good idea. If you need more convincing, be sure to check out that post, after you’ve finished this one.

Inside or Outside?

Your venue may offer you a few different options on where to have your ceremony. You may be offered an indoor ceremony or an outdoor ceremony. You’re probably wondering “which would look better?” Well, that depends on a few variables that I’ve touched on earlier. What time of year are you looking to get married? What’s the weather going to be like? Is it going to be 30 degrees? Is there a shaded outdoor option? Will it rain? Is there a lot of space inside for everyone? Is there enough natural light inside? How can we decorate the indoor and outdoor spaces? Lots to think about. I personally love an outdoor ceremony so if the time of year and weather allows, this is a great option.

Back up plan

I know I said I love an outdoor ceremony however, you’ve got to put on your sensible hat on here. Especially if you’re planning a wedding in the UK where the weather is unpredictable. It’s always good to pick a venue that has an indoor option in case the heavens open and it pisses down on the morning of your day. Not that rain is a bad thing, it’s supposed to be good luck and can result in some beautiful photographs. I personally don’t mind a bit of rain but your guests who might’ve spent a lot of time & money on looking their absolute best for you might not appreciate sitting outdoors getting wet. Unless you provide umbrellas – there’s always a solution.

Confetti

Whichever you decide – an indoor or outdoor ceremony, I want to talk about confetti. Putting confetti on chairs before guests are seated is really useful when saving time after your ceremony. That being said, if you want your confetti photo’s to be jam packed, then having big baskets where people can take huge handfuls of it will make more impact in the photos. It’s really useful for us photographers, if the registrar or MC for the day tells the guests what’s going to happen soon after the ceremony, especially if confetti is the next thing. This is usually done when the couple are signing the register and the guests are asked to talk amongst themselves. Your venue coordinator will be able to tell you where most other couples have the confetti aisle. Ideally, you’d have your guests stand in two lines opposite each other and you and your partner will walk through the middle of them while they throw it as opposed to doing it when you walk back down the aisle after you’re ceremony as not all of your guests will be able to reach you to throw it with enough impact.

I could talk about confetti for an age, so maybe I’ll save that for another post. Top tips on how to achieve the best confetti photos!

I think that covers most of the aspects I wanted to talk about in this post so I’ll end it there. Thanks for reading until this point, I hope these tips have been insightful to know when planning your wedding ceremony.

To read more helpful tips around your wedding photography, check out my other blog posts here.

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Until next time,
Beth x