Taking Photographs at Weddings
It is important for you to have a good photographic record of your marriage ceremony, but we also want everyone to be really present during the actual celebration, rather than experience it as a media event. On the one hand, therefore, we want to keep any restrictions to a minimum. On the other hand, we have a duty to ensure that photographers do not intrude on the solemnity of the occasion in ways that spoil the experience.
In order to preserve the prayerful character of the wedding ceremony and the congregation's active participation in it, no photography is permitted in church apart from that taken by your appointed professional photographer(s).
It is always a good idea for the professional photographer to contact the presiding priest in advance, either at the rehearsal, or on the day of the wedding. The priest is responsible for every aspect of the celebration, including everyone taking part - readers, musicians, photographers, etc.
Visiting priests function in Christ Church Claremont as guests of the Parish Priest, who has final responsibility for every act of worship in the church including marriages. As a general rule, therefore, regardless of who the presiding priest may be, photographers should respect the regulations of the parish as set out here.
- Still photography is allowed at any time during the ceremony
- Video photography is allowed at any time during the ceremony
- Video cameras must be mounted on a tripod and operated from a single vantage point
- Flashlights are not permitted at any time
- Floodlighting is not permitted at any time
- When the ceremony resumes after the signing, photographers return to position 5 in the main body of the church (see church floor plan)
- Photographers are asked ONLY to enter the central aisle to record the bride walking up the aisle; otherwise movement should be kept to the side aisles.
- For the signing of the registers, the photographer may come to the Oratory (via the external door). At no time should the photographer enter the Sanctuary.
- As a general rule, photographers should endeavour to be as unobtrusive as possible at all times.
You hire a professional photographer to perform an important task for you on your wedding day, and because we want everything to go according to plan we ask you to make sure the photographer knows about the conditions in which she/he will be working. Currently, there is some suggestion that video recordings of weddings may contravene copyright laws, so you need to decide whether to take this risk or not. If the recording is in breach of copyright, the penalties can be substantial.
Please give this information to the photographer in advance, and suggest that she/he introduce her/himself to the presiding priest before the marriage.