Church or other wedding location? Choosing your wedding ceremony venue is one of the most important decisions you will make for your big day. Here are some of my thoughts as a wedding photographer with experience of both religious and civil ceremonies.

This is a post I’ve been meaning to share for a while. The reason I’m making it now is after a conversation I had with a couple at a wedding fair yesterday who were amazed to hear just how restrictive church wedding photography *can* be.

Church Weddings

The option of a church wedding might not even be open to you, if you have been married before. There are, however, some vicars and rectors for whom this is not an issue (one key condition of this is usually that you or your intended was not the cause of the divorce through being unfaithful).

As a wedding photographer who has photographed countless weddings in both church and civil settings, I think it is important to discuss a point that you may not have considered when deciding where to exchange your vows.

Let me start by saying that I love church weddings. I love the colours (I’m a bit of a sucker for stained glass) and the architecture.

Potential Restrictions

There can, however, be one major drawback with a church wedding, particularly if you are someone who wants pictures of the exchange of rings or the first kiss: will the vicar or rector even allow those pictures to be taken? I must point out at this point that I have experienced the full gamut of stances from the people presiding over church weddings. There have been those who have been perfectly happy for me to do my own thing and move around as necessary (I will always try to be as discreet as possible in a church). I have, though, also experienced a carte blanche, blanket ban on taking anything other than pictures of the faux signing of the register. It felt as if a hugely significant part of the day was missing, when I was working through the photographs afterwards – perhaps THE most significant part.

Don’t get me wrong, I do understand the reluctance of some to allow the ‘free rein’ approach – it is a religious ceremony after all. I have heard some appalling stories of photographers physically ‘posing’ the rings mid-ceremony. I would NEVER dream of interfering in such a way, and shame on any wedding photographer who would.

My Stance

I will always do my best to argue the case for providing as much coverage of the ceremony as possible – assuming you want it – but, ultimately, I am bound by the wishes of the vicar or rector conducting your marriage. In their ‘house’, what they say goes.

I would strongly advise you to have that conversation with the person conducting the ceremony before you book, if you are planning on marrying in a church and want pictures of this huge part of your day. You should also be aware that there *may* also be an additional charge from the church for photography and/or videography licenses.

For the record, I am yet to have any restrictions placed on me by a registrar. Indeed, the vast majority of whom will even offer to move out of the way to allow an unobstructed shot of the bride making her way down the aisle.

Again, I am a fan of church weddings, and this post serves only to make couples aware of a potential issue when choosing your wedding ceremony venue.

Searching for your own wedding photographer?

If you are looking for a wedding photographer and you’ve not already done so, please take a look at my Wedding Photography Packages by Northampton wedding photographer Karl Drage.

For more information on what happens when you decide you want me to photograph your wedding, please see: WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY by Karl Drage – How I Work.

A Typical Wedding Day – Documentary Wedding Photography by Karl Drage

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I am based in Northamptonshire but I am willing to travel out of area, though please be aware this may bring with it an additional cost.

Karl Drage is a professional Northamptonshire wedding photographer who also covers surrounding counties such as Leicestershire, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Rutland, Oxfordshire & Warwickshire. If you are looking for an affordable wedding photographer in the towns of Northampton, Kettering, Wellingborough, Oundle, Corby, Peterborough, Leicester, Huntingdon, Towcester, Rugby, Daventry, Oakham or nearby, please use one of the methods on the Contact Us page to get in touch. He will be only too happy to go through your needs with you and will endeavour to put together a competitive solution that meets them.