For Brides: What to Ask Your Church about Wedding Day Photography

If you’re planning to marry in a church, there are a few photography related questions you’ll want to ask your priest, pastor or minister prior to your big day.

1. Are there restrictions on movement for your photographers? Some churches will allow photographers to move up and down the side aisles, but not go past the first pew. Others require them to stay at the back of the church, while some will even request they choose one spot and remain there for the entire ceremony. If there is a balcony, check to see if they’re allowed to use it.
2. Is flash permitted? Churches can prohibit the use of flash entirely, restrict its use to certain times during the ceremony like the processional and recessional, or allow it to the used throughout the ceremony freely.
3. After the ceremony, is there a time limit for how long you can remain in the church for family formals? Whether or not staff is available to stay or there is a scheduled mass will factor into how long you can stay.

It’s best to get answers to these questions in advance to ensure that the church, yourself and your photographer are all on the same page. It also allows your photographer to go in fully prepared with a game plan for how to handle positioning and lighting. (And don’t panic if your church won’t allow flash! Most seasoned photographers have shot many weddings without flash and the images below are proof that well exposed images are still possible in low light without a flash.)