fbpx

Charlotte & Jonny’s Covid19 Compliant Wedding Ceremony

St Albans Register Office Wedding Ceremony

This was my first time at St Albans Register Office.  Often the weddings I shoot are a little closer to my base in Sheffield, just because that’s how Google searches work, I guess.  

Don’t get me wrong though, I always love to travel to somewhere new and interesting.   In fact Charlotte and Jonny found me because Charlotte’s Mother had heard good things about me from the time I shot Louise and Joe’s wedding at Tewin Bury Farm, which is in nearby Welwyn Garden City.

Interesting fact I learned about St Albans Register Office is that the front gate was used in the opening credits of the TV show Porridge.

It looks a bit less like a prison these days though, of course.  It is actually a very nice building, with a surprisingly spacious gardens for a Register Office.  Usually they’re in the middle of town with no outdoor space to speak of.

 

Covid-19 Compliant Wedding Ceremonies

We can’t deny the effect that the Coronavirus pandemic is having on weddings.

Charlotte and Jonny, like so many other couples, had their plans for a big wedding celebration threatened when lock-down came into effect in the UK in March, and then squashed when summer came around and it became clear that the ‘situation’ wasn’t going away any time soon.

Ya’ know what though, life goes on.

Their big wedding celebration will wait until 2021, and in the meantime they have a knot to tie.

So here we are, August 2020, the UK is slowly easing lock-down restrictions but weddings are still only allowed 15 guests (including me, the photographer).  Plus, all attendees have to wear face coverings and must remain a safe distance away from other attendees who are not in their extended bubbles.

Interesting fact, since the registrars need to be able to see you reciting your wedding vows in order to officially witness them, the bride and groom cannot wear face coverings.

When your wedding is affected by such restrictions you can either let it make or break your day.  Charlotte and Jonny decided to embrace the limitations and make their wedding day the best it could be.

Oh and it rained a lot too, which under normal circumstances would have been a big disappointment.

What I Learned Photographing My First Covid-19 Restricted Wedding

Before we get to the photos I thought it would be fun to share a few things I learned from my perspective behind the camera.  A lot was different, and a lot was reassuringly just the same.
  • People who wear glasses have my deepest sympathy.  My viewfinder was constantly steaming up whenever I was wearing my face mask.
  • With attendees so widely spread out I need a wider angle lens to get everyone into the same shot.
  • It is much more difficult to capture emotions when people’s faces are covered.
  • Saying ‘smile with your eyes’ always gets a laugh.
  • If you hated guests taking photos with their phones before, wait until you experience people live-streaming the wedding!

Wedding Photo & Video Coverage Prices

All the photos on this page were taken by JLM Wedding Photography. 

If you would like to check if I am available on your wedding day, and to check what’s included, pop your details into the form below.

As soon as you click the button you’ll be taken to the full price breakdown page

"*" indicates required fields

What should I call you?
So I can confirm my availability and send you more information
In case I can't get through to you by email.
So I can check if I am available
DD slash MM slash YYYY
Hidden
Hidden

Share this post