Will you be able to shoot the wedding service itself ?

That depends on the church officials or registrars ...... it varies from wedding to wedding.

Capturing rings going on fingers and the first moment of being Mr & Mrs are, for me, precious moments that should form part of any wedding portfolio but, in order to manage your expectations, I would suggest that covering the service is permitted at no more than 50% of the weddings that I cover.

If permitted, I will always cover the service discretely and from a distance. At no time, permission or otherwise, will I ever intrude on the sensitivity of the occasion.

Given that I shoot discretely and without using flash, I would encourage all couples to "fight for their right" for coverage of the service. It remains the only part of the wedding day where the wishes of the couple being married count for nothing and I believe that is wrong.

There are no rules or regulations that prohibit photography during the service and guidance from the highest authorities in the land states that the decision should "take into account the wishes of the couple" ....... but, sadly, it very rarely does !