How to Choose a Catholic Wedding Photographer
You know you want someone who understands how to approach, respect, and capture the Catholic Mass,
but what about the rest of the wedding day?
A wedding day isn’t just a celebration of love but also a sacred sacrament in the Catholic faith. So, choosing the right wedding photographer is a critical part of capturing not only the beauty of the day but also its spiritual significance. I’ve personally attended enough weddings where it was clear as day that the photographer had no idea what was going on (ex. Being front and center during the vows or even the consecration. Oof) and it majorly distracted me from the ceremony. The right photographer should respect and understand the sacred nature of the ceremony, ensuring that key moments are captured while remaining basically invisible during the Mass itself. I personally think a great photographer is a wallflower in general, Catholic or not.
Look for Experience in Catholic Weddings
You first and foremost want to look for a photographer with experience in Catholic weddings. This is huge because with how much culture, tradition, reverence is wrapped up into every Catholic Wedding, it would be a pretty big undertaking to try to teach someone who isn’t Catholic or who has never been to a Mass even, what exactly is going on or at even more basic level - what to photograph and how. A Catholic wedding is more than just a ceremony; it’s rich in tradition, with specific rituals like the exchange of vows, the nuptial mass, and the Eucharist. A photographer with experience in Catholic weddings will know how to capture these key moments respectfully. All this should be even more emphasized in a more traditional setting like the Latin rite! You should be able to quickly tell from their site if they are Catholic themselves or if they have shot Catholic weddings. If not, this is a super simple questions you can ask them! Even feel free to ask them for a “full gallery” from a Catholic wedding. This will give you insight on how they approach the day as a whole in addition to the ceremony itself.
Discuss Your Vision and Faith Priorities
Although there is a list of obviously important moments in the ceremony (vows, consecration, kiss), you should discuss with your photographer any important aspects you specifically want captured. If capturing your groom’s face upon the first look is important, this might change the angle they choose to shoot the processional! Maybe it’s important for you to have a bird’s eye view of the ceremony, they might need to get access to the choir loft! If you want lots of close ups, (the rings, your hands, your faces during important moments) this can be especially difficult while trying to maintain a distance from the altar. So, your photographer might need to rent a zoom lens they don’t typically bring.
Choose Someone Who Honors the Sacredness of the Church
There is a certain amount of reverence needed when working in a Church or Chapel. A Catholic photographer will know how to balance professional photography with a respectful attitude, ensuring no disruption of the liturgy. Your wedding photographer should be able to capture the sacredness of the sacrament without drawing attention to themselves or intruding.
Find a Photographer with the Right Style for Your Catholic Wedding
Some Catholic couples may prefer a more traditional approach, that is focused on posed portraits, like formal family shots. While others may lean more towards a documentary or photojournalistic style that captures candid moments of the ceremony and reception. I personally lean towards a little bit of both. Editorial and posed, and lots of documentary and photojournalism. I’d suggest picking a style you just naturally lean towards. If you’re pinning a lot of shots on your wedding pinterest board that are snapshots of moments then you’re probably a documentary style gal too! I don’t think you usually have to pick one entirely over the other (most photographers should be used to taking formal family shots at every wedding). I suppose it might be best to ask yourself if you’ll cherish those timeless posed shots more or the more natural, in-between, storytelling shots?
Discuss Pre-Wedding Consultations and Ceremony Expectations
You should go over some liturgical logistics before the big day. Most Catholic photographers are going to know the rules, but some churches and priests have their own guidelines which you might want to double check! I had one church say I couldn’t move at all during the ceremony. Which is incredibly limiting in terms of photography! Some churches also want their parish wedding coordinator to have a talk with the photographer before the ceremony to go over specific guidelines.
Ensure They Understand Cultural Traditions
Catholic wedding traditions can also vary culture to culture. I have only personally experienced this within hispanic masses, with las arras and el lazo. But if this applies to you or any other cultural traditions, this will be important to communicate to your photographer so they know when and where to be for those moments!
Trust and Connection with the Photographer
Even with all this, you should feel really comfortable and connect with your photographer. They can really affect your experience on the day. They can either stress you out with a timeline or put you at ease. So even though it’s huge for someone to know all about the Catholic Mass, you should still be able to click with them on a basic person-to-person level.
The easiest route to make sure your Catholic wedding day is captured in a reverent manner is to hire a practicing Catholic Photographer. Someone with experience, respect for the traditions, and who aligns with your style, will know how to approach your wedding day not only as a wedding, but as a memorable sacrament! Wedding photography is not just about pictures, but about preserving the love and grace of the sacrament - a reminder throughout your life and your marriage of the vows and commitment you have made.
“Let all that you do be done in love.”
