Registry office weddings?

Hey all,

Was wondering if anyone here would have any knowledge or insight into the worl of registry office weddings?

I asked at the local registry offi e about it, and they reckon that theres "lots of red tape"regarding them? Apparently you cant shoot the actual ceremony and have to pose the photos afterwards? Is this true?

Id assume that anyone getting involved in a registry office marriage would wat photis taken, just like in a church situation?

Seems odd to me that you woukdnt be allowed photograph the ceremony.

Anyone know for sure? Writing this on a touch screen phone which im still getting sed to, and the text on boards is coming up very small, making it difficult to spot spelling errors or such, so apologies if this post is riddled with spelling errors!

Gregor Samsa

I got married in a Registry Office (Limerick) in 2009. While we didn't have a pro photographer, no one stopped any of the guests from taking photos. In fact, my brother took photos of us signing the Registry (in that he got out of his seat and we posed for it as we signed), with my SLR and there was no problems.

On thing is that the room in Limerick is very small. It only fits 15 or 20 people, and isn't particularly attractive (there's a few flowers there, and couples can bring their own if they set it up themselves just before the ceremony, and tidy up afterwards).

So I wouldn't imagine there being an issue, once the photographer was counted among the limited number of people that will fit in the room.

I hear the one in Dublin city centre is a lot bigger and nicer (custom built).

Another thing is that the ceremony is very short - 10 minutes max, and not much happens in it in terms of moving about. So chances for shots will be a lot more limited than at a church wedding. The couple sit in front of a table with the guests behind them (the Registrar is on the other side of the table, facing the couple and the guests), and then they stand for the vows and rings. We signed the register from the other side of the table (so facing the guests) so that people could take pics. And then it was over, and off we went.

I can't imagine you having much time to pose the photos afterwards in the actual Registry room. They run on a pretty tight schedule - there's only a couple of days a week that they actually have ceremonies, and so time is tight - we were arriving just as the ceremony before ours was finishing up, and the people for the ceremony after ours were arriving just as we were leaving (obviously, no two groups were in the room at the same time, or even in the way of each other).

Hope this helps a bit.

PopeBuckfastXVI

Shot a wedding in Limerick Registry Office 2 weeks ago, registrar was very helpful and friendly and had no problem with me shooting all parts of the ceremony, before, during and after.

tony231974

Are you having a reception afterwards?Some hotels let you get married
there.Would be alot more room for guests and photos.

Borderfox

Any registry office wedding I have done they have no problem letting me shoot any part of the ceremony.

dkrathangan

I shot a wedding in the registry office in Grand Canal street in Dublin in October last, it wasn't a problem.

Hmm, strange that the hotel said there'd be issues with it. They gave me the number of the registrar for their office, so I could get in touch to ask, but obviously there's not any real issue, if no one here has had any problems at all.

Odd, all the same. Cheers for the input, guys

Fionn

ive covered three weddings that were non religious, none in a registrars office tho! two in a hotel and one in a church.
Didn't have any probs really, one of them I was asked not to have the actual registration document readable in the shot and another the registrant asked the guests to refrain from photography til the ceremony was over but the official photographer could carry on. I have heard that some registrars do stipulate conditions which might preclude photography during the ceremony, but for me, all in all didn't have any difficulties at all. I guess it's like priests, most will allow photography a small few do not.

The only issues a hotel might have is if there's access to the bar from the room where the ceremony is being held, as far as i am aware the bar must be closed for some duration before and during the actual ceremony. Perhaps your hotel might have problems with that?