St. Louis Bertrand Catholic Church Wedding | Anna & Seth

Anna & Seth’s St. Louis Bertrand Catholic Church Wedding

As Anna and Seth’s photographer for their St. Louis Bertrand Catholic Church wedding in Louisville, Kentucky, I knew the Mass itself was an especially important part of their day. Anna specifically wanted their photographs to reflect not only the people who were there, but the parts of the Catholic ceremony that mattered most to them. 

Both their ceremony and reception took place at St. Louis Bertrand, so I spent the entire wedding day with them at the church.

Getting Ready at St. Louis Bertrand

I started the day with Anna at St. Louis Bertrand, where we photographed her finishing touches and getting into her dress before the ceremony.

Anna and Seth chose not to see each other before the wedding, but she did have a first look with her dad in front of the church. It gave the two of them a few minutes together before it was time for the ceremony to begin.  

Catholic Wedding Mass at St. Louis Bertrand

Anna and Seth were married during a Catholic Mass at St. Louis Bertrand, with Father Martiny performing the ceremony. 

Photographing a Catholic wedding is a little different from photographing a shorter ceremony because there is much more to document than the processional, vows, rings, and first kiss. Anna told me ahead of time that the Mass was the most important part of the ceremony to her, and she particularly wanted a photograph during the Eucharist with both her and Seth included in the frame.

This is one of the reasons I ask my couples about what’s most important to them before the wedding. Every couple has different moments and people they care about most, and knowing those things ahead of time helps me make sure I’m paying attention to what matters to them, not just working through the same list of photographs at every wedding.

Wedding Portraits at St. Louis Bertrand

After the Mass and family photos, I spent some time with Anna and Seth for their portraits around St. Louis Bertrand. Since they chose not to do a first look, this was our first chance during the day to focus on photos of just the two of them before the reception began. 

St. Louis Bertrand gives us plenty of options for portraits without needing to leave the church. The inside is beautiful on its own and was decorated for Christmas, but it’s one of those spaces that really doesn’t need much added to it. We were also able to use the exterior of the church, giving Anna and Seth a good mix of indoor and outdoor portraits while staying in one location.

St. Louis Bertrand Wedding Reception

The reception was also held at St. Louis Bertrand, with speeches and dancing following dinner. Anna and Seth had their first dance along with their parent dances, but Anna had also planned something special for her mom. 

Anna dedicated her bouquet to her mom and then surprised her with a mother-daughter dance to “Slipping Through My Fingers” from Mamma Mia. She had kept the entire thing a secret, making it a really sweet way to end the formal parts of the reception before everyone could spend the rest of the evening celebrating together.

Looking for a photographer for your St. Louis Bertrand Catholic Church wedding?

Planning your own wedding at St. Louis Bertrand? I’d love to photograph another wedding at this beautiful Louisville venue. You can learn more about my wedding photography on my services page, or head over to my contact page to check availability for your wedding date.