[opfor]

Weddings are no different from most other events. If you go to a different type of event and all photogs are posted to photography "area" and given restrictions on their conduct, most people here wouldn't bat an eye. Why do people think that they can make their own rules when shooting a wedding?...

[Wheatfield]

With everything, there needs to be compromise.
Wedding photography is no different.
I've been to a few churches that outright will not allow photography during the ceremony.
This is not a situation that is tenable for a wedding photographer, whether or not the church is within it's right to make that particular rule up.

After this happened to me the first time, and I was given no warning at all, but told by one of the church lackeys minutes before the ceremony, I made it a habit to make sure the B&G researched this sort of thing as part of the first interview.
After the third time I ran into this sort of church rule I just decided that if I was not allowed to do photography during the service, the B&G would need to find another photographer.
It took one wedding to make me decide that staging the photos after the fact is not a viable option for me, and a second one to discover that sometimes is not an option in the church either.
I was lied to once by a B&G, told photography was no problem. I got to the church and was told by the minister that there would be no photography during the service, and that there would be no restaging the event after the fact for my benefit either.
The B&G ended up without a photographer that day and didn't get their deposit back.
I don't like having my time wasted.

[WMBP]

Im not talking from the photographers side of things. Im talking about the bride and groom recording the day the way that they want to. The vicar might perform hundreds of weddings bot the bride and room only celebrate one.Im sure there are a lot of photograpers who think they are above everyone else. If I was told I couldnt have photographers during the ceremony I would find someone else to perform the celebration.Its not all about the celebrant either.

No, I never said it was "about the celebrant" and of course it's not! But it's the pastor's church and he (or she) sets the rules there. It is appropriate for everybody who has to deal with that church and that pastor to respect those rules. Why would you not? Failure to obey the house rules MIGHT allow you to get a few pictures for your clients that a more respectful attitude would have precluded. But the risks are even greater. You might put the bride and groom into a tight spot. You could get yourself thrown out of the church during the ceremony. You could get yourself black listed by the church. (Every church I know has a black list of photographers who are no longer welcome there.) And behaving like you're a photographer for the National Enquirer gives all the rest of us a bad rep that we have to work extra hard - as I'm working right now - to overcome. In short, I think photographers who don't respect the house rules are idiots, in the ancient Greek sense: they're living in their own little world with no awareness of what's around them.

And as you said: if the bride and groom don't like the house rules, they pick another church to get married in, or they ask a different priest (if that's an option).

One of the first things I bring up when I talk to a prospective bride and groom is ask them about the church and whether they know what the rules are for photography. If they don't, I contact the church myself. Almost every church has its house rules published on the web site, or available as a one-page document that I can get a copy of by email. If the rules are fairly restrictive, I discuss the restrictions with the bride and groom.

Not only have I never had a problem, but at just about every church where I've shot, I've actually gotten a compliment after the ceremony from the wedding coordinator. I get on the church's list of approved photographers. I don't make anybody mad and everybody's happy. True, I don't get the shot of the ring exchange from above that I could get if I climbed up on the altar....


Will

[WMBP]

I was lied to once by a B&G, told photography was no problem. I got to the church and was told by the minister that there would be no photography during the service, and that there would be no restaging the event after the fact for my benefit either.

The bride and groom can't lie to me, because I don't rely upon them. I ALWAYS contact the church directly and speak directly to the priest/minister or (more often) to their authorized assistant or the official wedding coordinator. I regard this as PART OF MY JOB. It's not the bride and groom's job to know the rules or to follow them. It's my job.

Will

[res3567]

The bride and groom can't lie to me, because I don't rely upon them. I ALWAYS contact the church directly and speak directly to the priest/minister or (more often) to their authorized assistant or the official wedding coordinator. I regard this as PART OF MY JOB. It's not the bride and groom's job to know the rules or to follow them. It's my job.

Will

Good Job! If you need an assistant in the future.... let me know. I'd be willin to help.... My cousin in Ft Worth says he wants to get back into weddings after a 5 year hiatus and I'm gone help him out. Wouldn't mind the drive up there with advanced notice.....

[Wheatfield]

The bride and groom can't lie to me, because I don't rely upon them. I ALWAYS contact the church directly and speak directly to the priest/minister or (more often) to their authorized assistant or the official wedding coordinator. I regard this as PART OF MY JOB. It's not the bride and groom's job to know the rules or to follow them. It's my job.

Will

My job is to take pictures. Their job is to supply me with accurate information.
While I applaud your zeal, if the B&G are willing to lie about something this important, do I really want to work for them? These are the people who's check will bounce, or who will cause any other form of grief that they can.

I go to the rehearsal whenever possible and touch base with the minister at that point. The only time I've had problems is when I can't make the rehearsal.