Ceremony Layout: Who Stands Where?

Historically, there seem to be different answers to this question based on region and religion. I’ve read that in historical Christian areas, the bride stands on the left and the groom on the right because that allows his sword hand to be free to defend his bride during the ceremony. I mean, talk about a potential situation! As a modern day wedding photographer in Tulsa, Oklahoma I’m glad this isn’t the reason why grooms stand on the right side anymore – or would it be something very interesting to photograph?! I guess I can’t say I’ve seen it all just yet. Let’s discuss this topic: Who stands where for your wedding ceremony layout?

The modern-traditional approach is what we’ve seen at most weddings and in pop culture. The officiant stands front and center, the bride and groom stand just before him with the bride on the left and the groom on the right. The bridesmaids stand in a line behind their bride and likewise, the groomsmen stand behind the groom. The family also sits on the same side as their relative. The groom’s family would sit on the right side to indicate they’re with the groom.

Nowadays, couples are mixing things up for a variety of reasons. Some of these choices prioritize the ceremony experience for the closest family and friends that are with the couple as they make a vow to one another and to God. Other choices are aesthetic, some prioritize the guest or family experience, and others are deliberate decisions for better photos. We’ll talk through some of the options I’ve experienced and what the pros or cons might be.

Family swaps sides

A new idea is having the family sides swap places. So, the groom’s family is on the left and the bride’s family members are on the right. It allows the bride’s front row family to have a direct view of her face instead of the side of her face or back of her head. The groom’s family would have a better line of sight to see his face and emotions during the ceremony too. In most cases, the couple still stands at the altar and faces one another (ideally holding hands for the photos).

Emma and Mason had their family swap sides for their ceremony in the Merrick Hollow forest. Above you can see Emma’s dad and grandmothers standing on Mason’s side but they have a better view of Emma’s face. This was one of the many intentional choices Emma and Mason made on their wedding day.

Bride and Groom swap sides

Like the above option, sometimes the bride and groom will swap sides (along with their bridal party) but the family will stay on the traditional sides. I’ve had brides opt for this because their “good side” faces the guests and the camera, so they choose to stand on the right instead of the traditional left side. Maybe her hair do is A-symmetrical and is seen better on that side, and in Oklahoma it might be because that’s the direction the wind is blowing.

Personally, I think the swapping of sides is a cute idea. I like the idea of brides having their best side shown, or even better, allowing the moms/dads to see their child’s face as they are getting married. I think that’s a sentimental touch that brings a lot more emotion to the photos. This also doesn’t sacrifice too much on the photography side of things.

For Kathryn and Austin’s wedding, the bride and groom switched sides. Kathryn wanted her “good side” to be facing the camera for her wedding ceremony photos. It worked in another aspect where Oklahoma treated them to 30+MPH wind gusts. So when the wind blew, it simply blew Kathryn’s hair back. What luck!

Having the officiant step to the side for the kiss

This is an increasingly popular option and for good reason! It eliminates the third head behind the bride and groom as they take their first kiss. A few pointers based on experience: Have the officiant look towards the couple and clap or smile. I’ve had an officiant look straight at the camera and give me a thumbs up like “I did it!” spectacular – you’re now doing that on the side of the first kiss photo. Make sure there’s a clear path for the officiant to walk to the side. If you have decor everywhere, they can’t escape without tripping and causing a scene. You can have your maid of honor or best man tug the officiant off to the side if they forget to move buuuut that will more than likely be in your photos. Typically, that moment will happen through the span of your kiss. So that’s not my favorite option if he forgets to move, maybe just leave him there.

Kathryn and Austin’s officiant stepped behind the bridesmaids and stepped several ladies back to make sure he was clear of all the photos. My second took the above photo and you can see me too! Oh heeey! My view is below and a stunning first kiss photo!

Have the officiant stand with the guests in the aisle

This is one option I’ve photographed only once. With this, the officiant stands on the side of the guests and between the first rows of parents/ family. Couples like this option because they stand at the altar and instead of facing one another, they face their family, friends, and the officiant. Family members get a wonderful view of the both of the bride and groom and emotions can just flow as everyone is seeing everyone’s tears and giggles. The guests who are sitting behind the officiant, however, may have some or all of their view blocked. The guests who sit along the aisle—even if it’s a wide one—will be looking at the backside of the officiant during the ceremony.

Photo-wise, this one is an interesting choice. It eliminates a lot of classic ceremony angles and photos. All photos will have to be taken from either side of the ceremony space. It would be imperative that there’s room for the media team (photo, video, content creators) to move up and down the sides of the ceremony space to document the moment appropriately.

For Katelyn and Jake’s wedding ceremony, they had their officiant preach from the side of the guests. After Katelyn walked down the aisle, the officiant flipped around when her dress was being fluffed and her mother and father were taking their seats. A few things that made this alternative ceremony set up successful were the width of the aisle and the space between where Katelyn and Jake were standing and the seating started. Having more space was helpful for these photos to still document the ceremony as a whole. Lastly, the media team (photo and video in this case) had lots of room to work on the sides of the ceremony site.

You can see the exchanging of rings was fairly tricky to capture but my second shooter and I did it! At the end of the ceremony, the officiant moved out of the aisle just before the first kiss so I could stand in the middle and capture that classic photo.

Have the officiant stand off to the side for the ceremony

The idea is that as long as the officiant and groom are mic’d up appropriately and everyone can hear them that the officiant can stand off to the side (also check with your videographer about audio if you’re having the ceremony recorded). The bride and groom can choose to face each other throughout their ceremony and have a lot of photos of them looking into each other’s eyes. This may not be an option you want to choose if someone special or close to you is your officiant but rather someone you’ve hired to officiate.

Having the bridal party sit down

During a longer Catholic service, it’s customary for the bridal party to sit in a designated spot. But I’ve also seen Christian couples do this. After the bridal party walks up the aisle, they can stand at the front and then sit down when the officiant tells the guests to sit too. Make sure there is a row reserved for them! This leaves just the bride, groom, and officiant standing at the front. The bridal party is allowed to rest their feet and watch the ceremony without worrying about everyone watching them. From a photographer’s perspective, this has a plus and a con. It’s nice to have the bridal party standing up at the front and available for me to capture photos of your bridesmaids wiping a tear if the ceremony is sweet and moving. It is also nice to just see the couple up at the altar in the photos. The photos I take from the sides are a little easier with less people to photograph around.

As the years go on and couples decide they can be creative with their wedding day, we see more and more combinations like the circle ceremony idea. No matter what you choose, make sure it’s true to you and your fiancé and the wedding day that you’ve carefully planned! TikTok trends come and go but you’ll be looking at your wedding ceremony photos for a lifetime, and you want to look back and think about the intentional choice you made for your wedding ceremony. It’s also always a good idea to check with your wedding vendors to make sure they’re prepared and equipped to make your ceremony dreams come true!!

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