Photo Free Zones At Your Wedding
No flash photography
By Natalie Tsang
October 12, 2011
Museums, aquariums, and historic buildings have become increasingly popular as places to tie the knot. They are often much more affordable than hotel reception halls, but did you know that many forbid photography in certain areas? Before you book the museum where you and your fiancé first met, be aware that you may not get to have photo in front of the oil painting where you fell in love.
Many religious buildings also have prohibitions. For instance, St. Paul's Cathedral in Minneapolis limits pre-wedding photography to the 30 minutes prior to the ceremony and post-wedding photography to 30 minutes after. For large wedding parties, this is an incredibly tight window of time. No flash photography is allowed during the ceremony or in the sanctuary, and photographers are not allowed into the choir loft. In some cases, the distance or amount of light in the church makes it impossible to get good photos or video of the ceremony. While for many couples, getting married in a house of worship is enough, others yearn to record their ceremony in some way.
It is important to be aware of any photo restrictions before you book a venue. Not only can you back out and relocate to a more photo-friendly location, but sometimes you can also negotiate with the wedding official. Some rules are not bendable. For instance, some museums forbid any type of photography for copyright reasons. If you are having your wedding at a zoo or an aquarium, flash photography may bother certain animals. Some rules are outdated or not enforced, but you need to ask first.
However, these limitations can always result in more creative photographs. Being forbidden to shoot in one place, may lead you to find an even better place that you did not initially think of. You should always share these restrictions with your photographer so he or she can make necessary preparations. This includes bringing special lenses or moving the schedule of the photography around.
In a last ditch effort, couples often restage important parts of their weddings like vows in places that photography is allowed.
On a related note, your guests should also be aware of any restrictions. While it may make a great story in years to come, you don’t want anyone getting kicked out of your wedding.
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