Ceremony
During the ceremony, we are a fly on the wall and are not involved in any forward way. I cannot think of one scenario where we would draw attention to ourselves during this time of day. We shoot from the front during the processional, but then we move to the sides and back. At no point do we want to be a distraction to you, your guests, or the officiant. For this reason, guests often forget we’re there and feel like they can slide into the aisle to get the perfect shot. This has legitimately ruined hundreds of shots over the years and can be avoided in a few ways. The simplest thing you can do is have an “unplugged ceremony”. This means that you have your officiant ask everyone to shut off their phones and cameras. most people respect this, but we’ve found that if you add a little humor to the request, people will take it more seriously because they believe that it is a genuine request by you. For example, we’ve heard it said/posted, “The bride and groom have requested that you turn off your phones and cameras during the ceremony. They have hired professional photographers to capture the ceremony and if they spot you sneaking a shot, they will take your picture and blackmail you.” However you want to say it is up to you, but this is something we always recommend doing. Another thing that can lead to this not causing a legitimate issue is making sure the center aisle is wide enough that even if someone leans in to grab a shot, they won’t be blocking anything. Sometime this isn’t possible, but when it is, we recommend it. Having your officiant reiterate this request before everything begins can be helpful too. There will likely be guests at your wedding who don’t understand the etiquette of the day and think it is harmless to get their own shots, but we have had some cases where family members took it upon themselves to get the shots from angles we were not shooting. There is nothing we can do about it at the time and there are no “do-overs”. Being straightforward and clear is the best policy.
One the processional begins, keeping the timing between everyone coming down the aisle is key. This is something that can be addressed during the rehearsal- having a large gap of space between everyone walking will ensure that the pictures are consistent from person to person. It’s not the most important item by any means, but you’ll appreciate the consistency later on
Another logistical adjustment you can make for the ceremony is where people stand. During the rehearsal, figuring out the flow of the ceremony is key, but oftentimes where people stand is overlooked. We all know the bridesmaids stand on the bride’s side, and the guys doing the same for the groom, however, it looks awkward when the best man is two feet behind the groom and the maid of honor is five feet away from the bride. If you are getting married in a church, consider placing some Scotch tape on the floor for where everyone should stand. If you are having a ceremony outside, you can do the same, but use a small stone or something similar. The same thing applies for the two of you. Make sure you are standing center of the aisle and aren’t offset too far to one side or the other. In the excitement of the moment on your wedding day, you’re not going to naturally think of standing center unless it is something you planned for specifically. When it doubt, have the wedding party stand further away from you. It will help keep the focus on you.
This next item is something that can also lead to dire consequences if not addressed properly. If you are having an outdoor ceremony, you need to be aware of where the sun and shadows will be during the ceremony. You can get a good idea by being there a few days early at that same time of day, or by simply asking the onsite coordinator. Ultimately, sometimes this is outside of your control, but when you can have input on this, it is key. The biggest thing to avoid is having half of the wedding party in complete shade and half in direct sunlight. If you want help planning for this part, let us know and we’d be happy to assist you.
After you’re officially married, it is a fun touch to get half-way up the aisle, stop, and kiss. You’re guests will love it and it will likely be one of your favorite pictures from the day!
In the questionnaire that we’ll send you soon, we’ll be asking you if you’re doing a receiving line or releasing rows. Traditionally, this is an opportunity for everyone to great you after you’re married. I’ll shoot straight with you- unless you have several hours between your ceremony and reception, we advise against this. For a guest list of 150 or so people, a receiving line can take roughly an hour or more. We recommend working with us to draft a timeline that gives you plenty of time during the reception to greet your guests. Having a first look will allow you to be present during cocktail hour to spend time with everyone.
If you have other ceremony related thoughts, ideas, or questions, we’d be happy to help in any way we can!