Why Hiring a Catholic Photographer is Essential for Your Catholic Wedding

Becoming engaged is such an exciting event in the life of a couple and, rightly so, couples put a lot of time and energy into finding the perfect venue, selecting the right music, and ensuring that every detail will be perfect. When planning a Catholic wedding, another significant detail to make sure you don’t overlook is the hiring of a Catholic wedding photographer.  

While it may seem like just another item on the to-do list, the photographer for your wedding will have a significant impact on the flow and smoothness of your day.  Hiring a Catholic wedding photographer – who knows the “ins and outs” of what moments to capture – will help ensure that your wedding day is a success!  

Here are some reasons why hiring a Catholic wedding photographer should be at the top of your to-do list for your special day.

Shared Values & Beliefs

When you hire a Catholic wedding photographer, you’re choosing someone who shares your values and beliefs, someone who understands the importance of your faith and the profoundness of the Mass or nuptial ceremony. As people often say, all good things take time, and as Catholics ourselves, we won’t be getting antsy if your ceremony dips into a second hour; we will be relishing every moment along with you!  Our cell phones won’t be ringing during the Consecration (though someone else’s might be!) and our presence on your special day will enhance the atmosphere of beauty and grace that you desire.

Honoring the Sacredness of the Ceremony

The nuptial Mass is a sacred event. It’s a time when you not only make a lifelong commitment to another in the presence of God and your loved ones, but when you are also receiving a sacrament. The ceremony should be treated with the reverence it deserves, and hiring a Catholic photographer will help achieve this.  Need an example?  

During the Mass, flash photography is not allowed. At Simple Heart Photography, we are prepared for this and will arrive on your special day with the right equipment to capture breath-taking shots in either low or bright light, or a combination of the two! It is a joy to be able to assure our clients that we understand the expected etiquette and sacredness of a Catholic ceremony and will not disrupt it! 

Familiarity with Catholic Wedding Traditions

Catholic weddings are steeped in traditions (check out this post Five Catholic Wedding Traditions to learn more), and Catholic photographers are intimately familiar with them.  

At Simple Heart Photography, we know what to capture and where to stand. We’ll be in the right position to see your best friend come forward to proclaim the first reading, and we won’t miss Grandma as she comes down the aisle with the gifts at the offertory. We’ll capture your exchange of vows and rings, the Liturgy of the Eucharist, that beautiful kiss of peace, and the nuptial blessing that Father gives you. (You may forget that it comes after the Our Father, but we won’t!)

On a personal note, one of my favorite images to capture at a Catholic wedding is the elevation of the Eucharist during the consecration. When the bride and groom kneel before the altar as the host is elevated, it is captivating to behold, and we will make sure that this beautiful moment is caught in all its glory! 

In a nutshell: we’ve got you – your best friend and your grandma! – covered! We’ll capture all of the grace-filled moments of your Catholic ceremony in a way that is both meaningful and beautiful! 

Relavant Experience

Finally, a Catholic wedding photographer has actual experience with Catholic weddings.  (Ahem… aren’t you just stating the obvious?) Well, we don’t think so: the importance of having an experienced Catholic wedding photographer really can not be overstated.  

At Simple Heart Photography, we’ve been telling the stories of Catholic weddings through photography for over 18 years, and we know how to expect the unexpected – and still get the shot!  If the musicians mix up their hymns, the electricity goes out in the church, your veil falls off before you walk down the aisle, or the weather changes on a dime and those sunny skies turn gray, we have the experience and know-how to guide you through the day smoothly and ensure that you come away with photographs that will be cherished for generations to come! 

As we hope you’ll now agree, selecting a Catholic wedding photographer who shares your beliefs, values the sacredness of your day, is intimately aware of what moments to capture, and has years of experience, will enhance your wedding ceremony and give you confidence on your special day.  As active and practicing Catholics who have a special heart for Catholic weddings, we would be honored to join you as photographers on your wedding day. We look forward to connecting with you soon!