Why civil ceremony in Cologne
For many international couples in Cologne, the civil ceremony photographer is the only one they book, because the Standesamt is where the legal marriage happens and the celebration comes later or at home. That makes the three hours around the appointment worth planning with some care. A ceremony at the historic town hall leaves you in the middle of the old town, a few minutes on foot from the Fischmarkt and the river, so the couple portraits need no car. The registry office sets its own rules for photography in the room, and so does every other ceremony venue in the city. We ask about them in writing before the date, which spares everyone a negotiation at the door.
Friday mornings go first, so book the photographer as soon as the registry office confirms your slot. Keep an eye on 11 November: the Carnival season opens that morning, and the old town fills with costumed crowds. Weekday mornings are otherwise the calmest time for the walk afterwards, because the riverside terraces fill later in the day. In summer the midday light is hard, and the narrow lanes around Groß St. Martin give shade.
How the session runs
Arrival is photographed outside the venue, followed by the ceremony itself, the rings and the signing, and then a group photograph of everyone present, taken quickly because the town hall square is a thoroughfare. The forty-five minutes for the two of you run from the Alter Markt past the coloured houses on the Fischmarkt and down to the Frankenwerft promenade on the Rhine. If your ceremony is elsewhere in Cologne, the route is planned within walking distance of that address. The gallery of 150 edited photographs follows within a week.
What’s included
- 150 edited photographs
- The ceremony, the rings and the signing
- A group photograph of everyone present
- Forty-five minutes of couple portraits nearby afterwards
- Gallery within a week
