In 2015, changes occurred regarding organizing outdoor civil weddings in Poland. Since then, couples have the option to “invite” a state official from the Civil Registry Office (USC) to officiate a ceremony outside the registry office, for instance, in a meadow by the wedding barn or in the garden of the wedding venue. This change, in my opinion, improved the image of civil weddings in Poland. What opportunities does this change offer for soon-to-be-married couples? I will highlight a few benefits that align with my vision as a wedding photographer 🙂
1. Preparations, wedding, and reception in one location – no unnecessary logistics, which means less stress.
From my conversations with brides and grooms, I know that being late is their most common fear on their wedding day out of all unwanted wedding-day scenarios. And understandably so; no one would want their guests waiting for the “latecomers,” even though such situations rarely occur.
Wedding day logistics concern not only the couple but also the invited guests, family, friends, and service providers, including the wedding photographer.
The most stressful part of my job, when shooting a wedding in a big city followed by a reception in the suburbs, is the logistics. I always carefully check the locations, routes, potential renovations or detours to avoid being late for any part of the day. Nevertheless, I am constantly on edge, even if I’m well-prepared.
It’s different with weddings and receptions held in one location. I know that once I park my car for the preparations, I won’t need to move it until after the reception. In the meantime, I won’t need to look for parking, waste time on parking meters, or stress about traffic.
Guests, especially those from out of town, will also appreciate not having to navigate an unfamiliar city.
2. The entire wedding day in one place – more time for preparations, conversations, and fun.
This ties into the first point. Time spent traveling can take up 1-2 hours of a 10-12-hour photoshoot. For me as a photographer, that’s more valuable time to take photos. But what’s the benefit for the couple?
More time to execute their wedding plan, which means preparations, having fun, talking to guests, or even taking a breather during the reception. An extra hour during the reception also provides an excellent opportunity for a bridal portrait session or a few posed family photos.
The calm and ambiance of an event organized in one location rub off on the guests, who tend to look more friendly and relaxed toward me, the wedding photographer.
Often during preparations, I encounter guests checking into the venue in the morning, and later on, they can be seen relaxed, wandering around the grounds, for example, helping the newlyweds with setting up tables or decorations. This provides me with a great opportunity to enrich the reportage with unexpected shots.
3. Preparations, ceremony, and reception in one venue – consistency in decor, decorations, and wedding photos.
If you’re organizing your wedding and reception in one location, the venue often provides the entire setup, decorations, ceremony spot, flowers, accessories, etc. Firstly, this approach is ultra-convenient. Secondly, everything handled by one entity ensures coherence, authenticity, and photogenic qualities. Take a look at the report from Osada Młyńska. The interior design, where preparations are held, matches the rustic wedding theme. The flowers and ceremony decorations come from the same garden as the vase flowers on the reception tables, making the reportage consistent not only in location but also in decoration. I don’t worry if I miss a particular detail during preparations because I know I can capture it later during the reception.
Why is having a wedding and reception in one place important to me?
Wedding reports made in one location primarily offer an opportunity to create a cohesive story of the wedding day. From preparations to the final festivities. It’s a workday where I can fully focus on photography without getting sidetracked. Working with relaxed subjects, free from trivial matters, is pure joy for me! 🙂