If you want to up-level your wedding photography, a great place to start is the wedding ceremony. This is the part of the day that can be super stressful. The pressure is on, because truly, there are NO do-overs.
The most important thing, aside from getting the proper gear, is understanding the flow of the ceremony and understanding where you need to be and when. Read on to see exactly how to do that!
1. Be a Second Photographer First
If this is your very first wedding and you’re still learning how to photograph a wedding ceremony, try to be a second photographer before you are the primary photographer. 📸But even if you’ve been photographing for awhile, it’s never a bad idea to work with/learn from someone else.
In Fall 2008, I photographed a wedding ceremony before ever being someone’s second – and as a result, I definitely made some mistakes. For instance, I wasn’t at the altar when I should have been, and I missed the grandmother walking down the aisle. I learned from that experience that sometimes, ceremonies start earlier than anticipated!
Even if it’s just assisting and holding bags, it’s vital to be a second photographer first so you know exactly what to expect when you’re flying solo.
2. Have Great Go-To Photography Gear
When it comes to gear, there are endless options. But after photographing for 15 years, I’ve honed in on the gear that’s truly necessary:
- Dual Card Slot Camera: You’ll want a camera with 2 slots to put the cards into. Additionally, in the camera settings, you’ll want to set the cards NOT as overflow, but as identical backup – so if you lose one card, you still have the other.
- Versatile Camera/Lens Combo: If I could only choose one camera and one lens for a wedding day, I’d pick the Nikon Z6 II paired with the Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8. This lens is really fast, and the fixed aperture of 2.8 allows me to get a good image in dark places.
- Video Lights/Speedlights: If it’s an outdoor evening ceremony, you’ll want video lights or speed lights. We use the SB800 or SB900, but you just need one on your camera. You can set it to TTL or manually set your flash, and it allows you to throw light onto your subjects as they’re moving.
- Zoom Lens: I love the Nikkor 70-200mm. This lens has an adaptor that allows it to be used with the new Nikon cameras. Having this lens is great for church weddings when we’re not allowed to go into the sanctuary or we have to be far aware. This lens lets us get great emotion throughout the ceremony. If you can only have one zoom lens, this is the one!
3. Dress Appropriately
I once had a second photographer who showed up to photograph with me for a very traditional church wedding. When we arrived at the church, the church coordinator did not want her to go into the ceremony space because her shoulders weren’t covered.
It’s so important to know the expectations for attire ahead of time. Is this ceremony formal? Black tie only? Dress appropriately for each specific ceremony. 👗🤵🏻♂️
4. Know Restrictions Ahead of Time
You’ve got to know about any restrictions that the church or venue might have concerning gender or anything else.
One time, we photographed a wedding that did not allow female photographers in a certain part of the venue. In that situation, both my second photographer and I were female – so we weren’t able to get any prep photos of the groom. It would’ve been great to know that in advance, so we could have either had a male photographer OR let the client know that we couldn’t get those photos.
5. Talk to the Coordinator
When you arrive to photograph the ceremony, the first thing you should do is find the coordinator. When you find them, ask them about restrictions concerning the video: if there are places you shouldn’t put your gear, any places you can’t stand, etc. That way, as you’re prepping, you’re not upsetting the coordinator.
We’ve actually had a coordinator stop us while we were trying to take photos during the ceremony – because we didn’t ask her ahead of time!
6. Talk to the Videographer
After you speak to the coordinator, be sure to introduce yourself to the videographer. Make a game plan with them about where all of you are going to stand.
If you can, encourage the video team to stand next to you during all parts of the ceremony so you’re not part of each other’s photos. This is especially important when the client is walking down the aisle, and during the recessional.
Plan Where to Stand
It’s vital that you plan where to stand throughout the ceremony with the video team. Here’s what I usually do:
If it’s a bride and groom, I often stand on the bride’s side at the front. If it’s a same-sex wedding, I just ask the coordinator who is coming in during the processional, and position myself accordingly. For me, that usually means I’m standing on the left side when you’re looking at the ceremony area.
Once the couple are at the front of the aisle, I’ll go around to the back and photograph from the ground level. I’ll also photograph from the choir loft, and then rush back down so I don’t miss any parts of the ceremony.
If I have a second? Once the ceremony is in full swing, I’ll stand opposite him or her at the front. Just me? I’ll stand toward the back.
Once the vows start, I’ll be in the middle-back of the ceremony. If you can only choose one spot, this is where you want to be!
If your client has specific angle requests… make sure to get these before the ceremony starts. We can do a lot with editing, but we can’t change the angle after the fact!
We get asked often if we stop people as they walk down the aisle. Nope! I think that can be distracting, so I let them naturally walk.
During the processional, we photograph everyone as they walk down the aisle, but we’ll only photograph the couple immediately following the ceremony (during the recessional). We don’t want to miss their getaway car, second line, or wherever they’re going next!
7. Get a Variety of Angles
You want to get a variety of angles during the ceremony – wide vs. tight, horizontal vs. vertical, outside vs. inside – so you can offer a variety to your clients.
If you’re early on in your career and you’re nervous you’re going to miss a moment, have your second photographer get a large variety of angles. Make that their job so you can focus on getting the big moments!
8. Refer Questions to the Coordinator/Planner
If you’re standing at the front of the ceremony, people will often assume you’re the planner and you know what’s going on.
If someone asks you questions about where to sit or go, I want you to remember that you are the photographer, and someone else has already been appointed to answer these questions. Be very clear in telling them who they should refer their questions to.
I’ve definitely made the mistake of answering a question, and it turns out the information I gave wasn’t correct! Lesson learned ✅
9. Respect the Guests
It’s so important to remember that the guests at this wedding are invited friends and family of the clients. It might seem obvious, but it’s crucial to treat those people with the utmost respect.
What do I mean? During one wedding we photographed, we had a guest stand up in front of my camera as the couple was exiting. I did my best to work around them, but was very limited in the photos I was able to get. I didn’t say anything to the person, but just tried to work around them with respect.
In that situation, the client was upset with the guest and not with me. But if I had said something to the guest and it came off as unkind, that would have come back to reflect poorly on us.
If you’re concerned that cell phones or cameras might be an issue, talk to the couple in advance and ask if the officiant can make an announcement for people to be wary of cameras and put away phones. I find this really helps.
10. Congratulate The Couple 🎉
Remember, you’re the FIRST person the couple sees after they exit! Greet them with a warm congratulations before you rush into any follow up or pictures. Let them know the ceremony went off without a hitch, and then lead them into the next part of their day. 🥳
Be Confident in Your Posing
As you’re preparing how to photograph a wedding ceremony, have you considered which poses you’re going to use? Do you ever feel stuck or nervous trying to come up with poses on the spot? Or maybe you use the same poses over and over and need something new?
I’ve been there… and now I’m sharing what I’ve learned to help you! My Posing Guide below will allow you to:
- Build confidence so your clients know EXACTLY what to do
- Have “go-to” poses to create consistent, strong images
- Never feel stuck or on-the-spot – you’ll have a posing flow!
