Perfect photos from a wedding ceremony

How to get perfect photos from a wedding ceremony?

Do you want to know how to get perfect photos from a wedding ceremony? Here you can find professional photography tips. Every bride dreams of a fairytale wedding, somewhere in a tranquil and picturesque location, where the noise of car engines and city hustle won’t be heard. Where the scent of flowers and expensive champagne fills the air, and only that special someone is by your side on that beautiful, warm evening.

To fulfil such a dream, it doesn’t require much effort, as arranging a luxurious countryside wedding can be done easily by organizing an outdoor ceremony. Outdoor ceremonies have become increasingly popular among young couples, as they are not limited by time and eliminate the formal constraints that often detract from the tender essence of the celebration.

Finding the right wedding arch or gazebo is just as important as choosing the perfect wedding dress because it will be one of the highlights of your special day!

To captivate your guests and create unforgettable wedding photos and videos, don’t leave the choice of a wedding arch or gazebo to chance. Whether you want to surprise or add a touch of charm, there are various shapes, sizes, and styles available to decorate your ceremony.

You can opt for traditional styles for the decor of your wedding ceremony or let your creativity run wild with original designs and materials. Whatever your vision may be, the wedding arch will reflect your couple’s style—be it romantic, relaxed, minimalist, luxurious, or classic. It’s an opportunity to showcase the abundance of your imagination.

 
My advice will only apply to symbolic weddings organized by the couple themselves. It’s clear that in community halls and palaces where weddings take place, you can’t influence the ceremony process. So, there’s a classic, time-tested arrangement for the couple and the officiant: the couple stands face to face, holding hands, while the officiant stands in the middle and takes a step aside during the ring exchange and the final kiss. This setup is emotional, aesthetic, and beautiful.

wedding ceremony

 
Sometimes, I encountered the situation where officiants and wedding planners do things differently and create very strange compositions that make it difficult to capture beautiful photos from the wedding ceremony. Below, I will list some BAD positions of bride, groom and officiant  I have come across from a photography standpoint:
 
– The couple stands with their backs to the guests and faces the officiant.
– The couple sits with their backs to the guests and faces the officiant.
– The officiant stands to the side of the arch, while the couple stands with their backs to the arch, looking at the officiant.
– The officiant fails to guide the couple to the center of the arch, resulting in an uneven composition.
– The officiant stands to the side of the arch, while the couple stands to the side as well, making it unclear what’s happening.
 
Another unsuccessful decision is having the first row of chairs positioned too close to the wedding arch or gazebo, making it impossible for the photographer to move during the ceremony. You can find wedding decorators in Belgium here.

Wedding photographer’s tips for beautiful wedding ceremony photos

Below are examples of the correct placement of the couple during a wedding ceremony. When the bride and groom hold hands and look into each other’s eyes, it allows capturing the emotions of both the couple and their guests.

How to choose right host / officiant for your wedding ceremony

Make sure to ask for videos of previous weddings hosted by the officiant.
Request photos of the outfit the officiant will be wearing during your ceremony. Avoid outfits with bright, flashy colors as they will draw attention away from the photos and videos. Also, avoid solid-colored outfits in vibrant shades such as red, fuchsia, bright blue, lime green, or neon colors. Ideal outfits should be in neutral tones like gray, dark blue, or beige. Sometimes, couples ask the host to dress in the wedding colors.
Clarify where the host will be positioned during the ceremony. The ideal position is when the host stands in the center of the wedding arch or gazebo and takes a step aside during the ring exchange and final kiss.
The host should assist the couple in standing in the center of the arch or gazebo to maintain the composition of the wedding photos.
The host is responsible for organizing the conclusion of the wedding ceremony and ensuring a beautiful exit for the newly-weds. The newly-weds leave the ceremony location first, followed by the grooms-men and bridesmaids in pairs, and then the parents of the bride and groom. They should leave the ceremony location one by one, allowing the photographer to capture everyone.

Unfortunately, I often come across wedding hosts who are very careless in their work. Even prior discussions and requests for collaboration lead to nothing – they step aside during the ceremony, they position the couple outside the boundaries of the wedding arch (!), and they dress inappropriately for the occasion. They fail to moderate the ceremony’s finale. Therefore, it’s up to the drowning individuals to save themselves. If beautiful photographs are important to you, be persistent and outline the host’s responsibilities in detail during the preliminary interview.