Wedding Ceremony Photography: What is allowed
When you talk to your registrar- or your vicar, do ask about wedding ceremony photography.
There is no national guideline for photographing the wedding ceremony and it can vary from allowing me to photograph all of your wedding to nothing. Really!
Please speak to them and explain that you are hiring a photographer because it’s important for you that the look on his/your face is captured so you can feel the lump in your throat every time you see his moist eyes looking at you, overspilling with love.
Some say it is distracting to have photos during the vows yet my brides have said to me: “It was so good that you were here, I couldn’t see anyone else, they were all behind me! I was nervous but I could look at you, I felt your support, it really helped.”
On the whole, priests/ vicars are more relaxed than registrars about it- although one banned my cameras from entering the church altogether- but they might still be unhappy about photos. Reassure them that I can usually take them without flash but would feel sad for you if you couldn’t have your photos.
There seems to be an agreement that it is not allowed to take photos during the signing of the register, as it’s a public document although everyone can consult it and there is no possibility of forging a certificate from a photograph taken across the table/ room.
Many people and especially registrars then pose people pretending to sign. I’m happy to do group shots if you want but I’m not a fan of fake signing. Don’t let yourself be told whether to or how to pose- even by me! (I didn’t know there would be a fake signing for my wedding and went from tearful to bursting out laughing, in France we just sign)
To keep it real, I try to take some detail shots or focus on the guests. Some of my couples took the opportunity to make something out of this strange situation and I’ve had some great poses, particularly from grooms.
My favourite fake was when 18 month old Ben climbed up on his parents’ lap and really signed the fake register!