Photojournalistic Minister


The first time I was asked to officiate a wedding with my back to the guests was awful. That proximity, so close to the bride and groom, blocked several people from seeing the couple throughout the entire ceremony. Remarks that I made about the guests' love and support were diminished because I wasn't looking at them. It was very confusing to many.

A lot of Rabbis officiate the ceremony that way. They block the bride and groom's view from several guests, but that's their tradition.

Having always used my peripheral vision to accommodate photographers, I have come up with a solution for the bride and groom that want to face their guests during the ceremony. I subtly turn the bride and groom throughout the ceremony. They are photographed at each end of the aisle with anticipation, diagonally at the presentation of the bride, facing me during my short talk about marriage relationships, and sometimes behind the unity table with candles or sand.

Finally, at the end of the ceremony I causally make my way around the guests to stand in the middle of the aisle behind the guests, not blocking a soul. With the bride and groom facing their guests like a cake topper, I wrap up the ceremony, pronounce them "husband and wife," and everyone gets to see their expressions right before the nuptial kiss. It creates a great variety of photographs to be remembered for years to come.

Click on the photo, it's by Fred Ferguson.


 

What did you think of this article?




Trackbacks
  • No trackbacks exist for this post.
Comments
  • No comments exist for this post.
Leave a comment

Submitted comments are subject to moderation before being displayed.

 Enter the above security code (required)

 Name (required)

 Email (will not be published) (required)

 Website

Your comment is 0 characters limited to 3000 characters.