Today's post is all about unique wedding photos inside and outside of churches. This isn't meant to showcase the pivotal wedding images such as the bride coming down the aisle or the first kiss. Those are important images for sure, but today we look at how to get creative during and after a church wedding.

I always strive to provide something different and unique for my clients and still provide the utmost respect to the church. My winter weddings often are in churches with not much daylight left for after the ceremony couples shots in an outdoor scenic location, not too mention the cold. One of my favorite approaches is to use the darkness of the church to our advantage to create some dramatic bride and groom photos.

An intimate bride and groom photo taken at St. Mary's Church in Griffith, Indiana.

In the following image I wanted to make show off the back side of the bride's incredible dress. I don;t often show my lighting in a shot, but the rays shooting off the light made for an interesting take on a standard wedding image. Of course, we took a nice portrait from the front as well.

A dramatic looking image of the back of the bride's dress inside a dark church.

The bride clutches her blue bouquet of flowers while posing for a wedding photo inside of St. Mary's Church in Griffith.

Leave it to the kids to provide some unique ceremony shots. The flower girl obviously decided it was time to take a break and took a seat on the stairs that lead to the altar. All i had to do was be aware and capture a great moment (and a terrific smile).

The flower girl takes a break during a Catholic wedding ceremony.

Details are a great aspect of any wedding, but those loving hands clasp together with the contrasting red bible in the background caught my eye, as did the writing on the back of the groom's shoes...

The bride and groom clasp their hands together while the priest reads from a red bible during their church wedding ceremony.

The groom shoes engraved with the words 'me too' are shown as he kneels down at the altar during a church wedding ceremony.

For family or wedding party group shots inside the church, I simply provide great light in addition too a bit of direction on how to stand to look good in the photograph. sometimes i like to stagger people inside the pews and other times a simple, classic photo is what's needed.

The wedding party group photo at the altar inside of a church in Valparaiso.

Parents of the groom pose with him and his bride at the altar of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church in Valparaiso, Indiana.

Church exits can make for unique wedding photographs as well. Here is one taken from the congregations perspective at the Free spirit church in Crown Point as well as a unique perspective on the classic bubbles shot.

The bride and groom exit the Free Spirit Church with a glow of bright light upon them.

The bride and groom exit among big bubbles as their church looms large behind them.

I hope you have enjoyed this look at some unique church wedding photos. For more photo updates, please visit the Region Wedding Facebook Page. To take a look at another church wedding, check out this recent one at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton or do a search below for 'church weddings'.