YES…I DON’T REMEMBER by THE WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER IN SINTRA
A small selection of photos from the wedding ceremony at the Church of S. Pedro de Penaferrim in Sintra
• Pode ler este artigo em Português.
The Wedding Photographer and the Church He’ll Never Forget
Some places stay with us forever. For a wedding photographer, there are also symbolic locations filled with meaning and memory. The Church of S. Pedro de Penaferrim, in S. Pedro de Sintra, is one of those places. It was there that I walked in with my cameras, still unsure if I was truly a wedding photographer, to shoot my first wedding ceremony.
A wedding photographer’s first challenge
I remember that day clearly. I knew what I had to do, but not where or how. It was my first real challenge. The church looked bigger, more imposing. I felt small. My heart was pounding — not from the ceremony itself, but from fear: fear of making mistakes, of letting the couple down, of disrespecting the sacred space. The weight of responsibility was heavy.
The kindness of an understanding priest
I arrived early, as any responsible wedding photographer should. I studied the space, looked for angles, and tested the light. Then I noticed an elderly man with kind eyes and surprising energy. He was the priest. Nervously, I approached and asked if there were any limitations to my work during the ceremony.
- Do you know how to celebrate weddings? he asked.
- No, of course not, I replied.
- Then let me do my job, and you do yours. Be happy with it.
At that moment, the wedding photographer gained confidence. I knew that this ceremony would mark the beginning of a meaningful path.
A moment that fades… and stays
Curiously, I remember almost nothing of what happened inside the church during the ceremony. I remember the bride entering with her father, the couple leaving as husband and wife, the greetings outside, the smiles, the hugs. But what I did inside, where I walked, how I photographed — that’s all gone. What remains are the wedding photographs that show, despite the nerves, everything went well.
Moments of this experience:
- Why this church is special to the wedding photographer:
- It was the location of the first wedding ceremony he ever photographed.
- It marked the beginning of a career full of emotions and stories.
- It remains a place he frequently returns to.
- Lessons from that first day:
- The importance of arriving early and studying the location.
- The power of trust from a stranger.
- The magic of trusting instinct and passion.
The many times I’ve returned
After that first time, I’ve photographed many other weddings in that same church. Each return feels like meeting an old friend. I know the angles, the light, the sounds. But every wedding is different — new couples, new stories, new emotions. And the wedding photographer’s connection with the place is renewed every time.
Even when it’s elsewhere, the spirit of that first experience follows me. The respect for the space, the discretion, the sensitivity — it all began there. The Church of S. Pedro de Penaferrim is my true baptism as a wedding photographer in churches.
The lasting impact of this beginning:
- What has changed since that first day?
- More experience, but the same respect for the moment and the couple.
- More confidence, but never overconfidence.
- More technique, but always room for emotion and surprise.
- What remains unchanged:
- Attention to detail.
- The desire to deliver unique and meaningful wedding photographs.
- Gratitude for every opportunity to tell a new story.
Conclusion:
The first church where I photographed a wedding will never be forgotten. Not just for the images, but for what it meant. It was the start of a journey that brought me here, as a wedding photographer passionate about capturing real and emotional moments. That same spirit guides me in every new ceremony.
Get in touch
Even if your wedding is not at the Church of S. Pedro de Penaferrim, I’d be honoured to photograph your ceremony with the same care and dedication I bring to every story. Get in touch — I’ll be there, with professionalism and heart.
- You can see a full wedding story:
- The photographs are from the ceremony, but from another wedding as explained, at Igreja de São Pedro de Penaferrim in Sintra.
NOTA: It wasn’t with these photographs from Maria and Duarte’s wedding. It was for a colleague’s wedding many years before, and I have nothing to show in my archive. But it will forever remain in my memory… what remained.
