Your wedding ceremony is arguably the most important moment within your wedding assuming you're planning a semi-traditional wedding. During the ceremony, you share words of commitment and well, get married. It is full of emotions and a pivotal moment within your wedding day.
When planning your ceremony, most people check off arranging an officiant, picking important readings, thinking about where the wedding party may stand, and any cultural elements to include. We are going to give a brief overview of some important things to consider about your ceremony from the perspective of experienced wedding photographers in the Bay Area.
Optimal Ceremony Timing Creates Gorgeous Photos
Lighting is one of the most important elements to make beautiful photos. Consider the time of year and location of your wedding to help determine when lighting may be optimal within your ceremony space.
For outdoor ceremonies, we recommend avoiding a mid-day ceremony start unless the entire space is covered in shade. This not only ensures everyone is more comfortable and thus happier in your photos, it also means lighting will be even across the photos. It ensures colors can be edited more evenly with less saturation.
If your ceremony will be indoors, view the space during your preferred time before you book the venue. This will help create appropriate expectations of the space and better understand what the lighting will be from the very start.
Setting up the Aisle
The space within the venue you select for your ceremony often can be stylized or set up in a variety of ways. Chat with the venue’s planner to see if you can see all of the options before picking one. Also, ask if they have any photographers who have worked there that you could see real photos from real weddings of the space in action to help determine your decision.
From there, the basics. Most ceremony spaces have some sort of established aisle through the guests. Make sure this aisle is wide enough for both you and your partner (as well as any wedding party members) to walk through with ease. If utilizing decor on the aisle, make sure it is enhancing the space rather than causing obstructions (hint: if it dangles or hangs, it’s at risk of being knocked off by someone mid-ceremony).
For the visual of the front of the aisle and ceremony space, we recommend practicing the spacing of you and your partner and any of your wedding party standing at the front. During a rehearsal is a perfect time. Ask another rehearsal attendee to take a photo of how you’re standing so you can see what it looks like to make sure it aligns with your vision. On the day of, we can’t walk up and tell everyone to shift in a direction.
Planning for Unique Cultural or Religious Traditions
Planning any unity activities planned during the ceremony (unity candle, pouring sand together, planting ceremonies) - be mindful of the spacing in context to the aisle and your guests! When it comes time for this part of your ceremony, place your bodies behind the item so the unity item is in between you and your guests. This makes it easier for not just your photographers to capture what’s happening but your guests can see it too. This can get tricky in some spaces, we’re happy to talk through ideas and logistics leading up to the ceremony!
If your wedding is taking place at a church or religious location, discuss with your officiant early on about if there are any photography restrictions and pass them along to your photographer. This helps photographers plan what gear to have most accessible during this part of the day.
Unplugged Ceremonies
We are huge advocates for unplugged ceremonies - read all about our thoughts on the topic and some implementation strategies HERE.
Preparing for the First Kiss
Practice makes perfect! This applies to the first kiss at your wedding ceremony too! Want to read more about planning for your first kiss as spouses? We’ve got you covered with this blog post.
Ceremony Exits and Recessionals
We truly believe ceremony exits are an underutilized special moment! You’re literally walking through all of the most important people in your lives after you just got married! C’mon - that’s a huge deal!
So how can you make it even more special and extra picturesque? Pass out something for your guests to help interact with the moment more - confetti or flower petals to throw, streamers to wave, you get the idea. Just make sure they know when, where, and how to use them - your officiant can help with this by sharing at the beginning and end of ceremony.
Make the Most of Your Ceremony Photos with Preparation and Communication
Your wedding ceremony is one of the most meaningful moments of your day, and with a little preparation and thoughtful communication with your photographer, you can ensure every important detail is beautifully captured. From choosing the right ceremony timing to setting up the aisle and planning for cultural traditions, these small but impactful decisions make a big difference in your wedding photos.
As experienced wedding photographers, we love helping couples navigate these details so they can enjoy their day with confidence, knowing their photos will reflect the emotions, beauty, and significance of their ceremony. If you’re looking for a photographer who will guide you through these moments and capture them with care, we’d love to chat! Reach out to us today to book your wedding photography and get personalized advice for your big day.
