The Cathedral of Christ the King
In April 2026, I shot the first of hopefully many weddings at the Cathedral of Christ the King in Atlanta, Georgia. The couple, Kevin and Casey, planned an intentional, faith-filled ceremony that matched the space so well.
The Cathedral of Christ the King is truly an Atlanta landmark. I’ve sent the gallery from this wedding to most of my new inquiries, and it’s been amazing how many couples instantly recognize the cathedral. And they’re not even all from Atlanta! I’ve had couples from as far away as Tennessee and Chicago who’ve recognized the church immediately.
Having photographed a wedding there though, I now understand why the Cathedral of Christ the King in Atlanta is so iconic. Here are some Cathedral of Christ the King wedding photography tips to help you make the most of this gorgeous church.
Getting Ready at the Cathedral
We took Casey’s getting ready photos in the bride’s room. It was a spacious suite, light and airy, with awesome mirrors to catch the bride from every angle. The room was elegantly furnished, which added so much character to Casey’s getting ready photos. Even though Casey had a larger bridal party, everyone fit comfortably within the room.
For weddings at the Cathedral of Christ the King in Atlanta, you can arrive up to an hour and a half before the ceremony. The cathedral is in high demand, so they keep to a tight timeline. Make the most of your time by giving everyone a schedule and keeping to it!
Casey and Kevin’s wedding planner, Kimberly at Little Flower Event Co., did an amazing job making sure everything ran smoothly. It was also way easier that Casey arrived already dressed. This let us jump straight into photos.
Christ the King Wedding Photography Tips
Photos inside the Cathedral started with the first looks that Casey had with Kevin and her dad. Throughout the entire day, Kevin and Casey made a point of prioritizing their faith. Everything they did was intentional and put Christ at the center of their wedding.
For their first look, they met in the main church, by the altar, which was a truly lovely and intimate moment. I was continually touched by the reverence and intentionality demonstrated by the couple in the choices they made for both the ceremony and the pictures.
Inside the Church
The Cathedral of Christ the King is a stunning church. From the outside, you see an imposing structure with beautiful pale stone. On the inside, the entire space is made of tall ceilings and striking lines, but without the frills and details that might overwhelm you in older Gothic churches. The result? A modern take on traditional architecture that perfectly blends the best of both.
The sanctuary is built all in white and gold, with marble statues and accents. Stained glass windows line the nave. This keeps the main church space quite dark, but the altar and crucifix are brightly lit. For Casey and Kevin though, this unique style of lighting visually emphasized the basis of their relationship – Christ.
Benefits of Having a Catholic Photographer
Weddings at the Cathedral of Christ the King in Atlanta have exact guidelines for photographers. You can take photos from the choir loft, from the nave as long as you are behind the last guests, and from the sides of the church, including the transepts. Photographers at the Cathedral cannot take pictures from the center aisle among the guests or from the altar space.
At Catholic weddings such as Casey and Kevin’s, it really helps to have a Catholic photographer who understands and respects the reverence of the ceremony. They can work within church’s guidelines to capture the day’s beauty without disrupting its holiness. They also know where to be and when with the least amount of movement.
The staff also appreciated that I understood the mass. They were already so incredibly kind and helpful, but once they saw my respect for the mass, they gave me as much access as possible and trusted me to remain reverent while taking photos.
Making the Most of the Space
On Kevin and Casey’s wedding day, the overcast weather made the dim church even darker. While this posed a technical challenge for me, the pictures came out stunning. I leaned into the stark difference between the darkness of the nave and the brightness of the altar – the shots really captured the feeling of the moment.
That’s always my goal when I’m photographing weddings. I want to preserve the real beauty of the wedding, so when you look back on your photos, it’s just how you remembered. For Casey and Kevin, that meant that their photos did come out darker or lighter, but in a beautiful, dramatic way that reflected their unique wedding day.
Another incredible feature of their wedding? The brightness of light around the altar and crucifix meant that Christ was illuminated alongside Kevin and Casey. He’s with them at the focal point of the photos, in the same way that Kevin and Casey made Christ the focal point of their marriage.
Want to see more examples of wedding photos in darker churches? This wedding was in a huge basilica with little natural light, and this one had a skylight that lit up the altar while leaving the nave dark. Both are great examples of how I capture the natural beauty of the moment.
Making the Most of Your Time
Weddings at the Cathedral of Christ the King are in high demand, so couples have limited time in the church space. Beginning at your ceremony’s start time, you only have 75 minutes for the actual ceremony, any photos you’d like to take inside the church, and any clean-up afterwards. They often have confession immediately after this timeframe, so you have to be out of the church.
Since your time is so limited, your photographer should have a shot list already prepared. You should also run through the plan with anyone on the shot list so they know where they need to be and when. Come with a plan!
Family & Wedding Party Photos
The Cathedral’s beauty doesn’t stop with the church building itself. There’s also a lovely courtyard and grotto that can be used for photos. Because this wedding day was rainy and overcast, we had to get a little creative with our outdoor photos.
Because of the rain, we pivoted from the courtyard and took photos under an awning near the parish office before the wedding ceremony. The church’s white stone made a dreamy backdrop to the bridal party, especially with the bridesmaids all in blue.
Everyone kept dry, and we had gorgeous natural light for the family portraits. We also did some bride and groom portraits, including some amazing film photos with Casey’s veil draped over her head and shoulders. Taking photos beforehand definitely helped us make the best use of our limited time inside the church!
After the wedding, the rain had slowed down to a drizzle, so we ventured outside. We took some photos with the bride and groom in a little grotto and walkway leading to a statue of the Holy Family. The hedges and trees were bright with the newness of spring, and they provided some shade to keep the pictures from being too bright.
The Catholic Couple’s Ideal Church
Kevin and Casey’s wedding was an incredible opportunity to become more familiar with Atlanta and all it offers. I highly recommend the Cathedral to any Catholic couple looking for the perfect blend of sanctity and aesthetics, and I can’t wait for more opportunities to shoot weddings at the Cathedral of Christ the King in Atlanta.
