St. Austin is the Paulist parish on Guadalupe Street, a few minutes from downtown, and it publishes clear rules for photographers and videographers. We like that. When the limits are written down, we can plan our camera positions weeks ahead instead of negotiating them in the aisle.
Hero photo: St. Austin Catholic Parish
Where cameras can and cannot go
The parish's wedding page is specific. During the ceremony, photographers may not enter the sanctuary or the room next to it, and they shoot from a designated spot in the center aisle behind the last seated guest. Balcony positions are limited, and the organist has the details.
For video, the page allows one stationary, unmanned camera in the adjacent choir room, started before the ceremony begins. Equipment and wires may never block the aisles, even taped down.
- Available light only during the ceremony.
- Flash is allowed only during the procession and recession.
- No spotlights or floodlights.
Photo: St. Austin Catholic Parish
Photo windows before and after
Photos in the church must wrap at least 30 minutes before the ceremony starts. Afterward you can keep shooting in the church and the courtyard, but the church has to be clear within 90 minutes of the start time.
That lines up with what we filmed in June 2026. The 3:00 ceremony ended at 3:45, extended family photos started in the church right away, the full family and wedding party followed at 4:00, and everyone left at 4:20.
The ceremony itself
A Catholic marrying a Catholic usually has a Mass, with the marriage celebrated after the homily. When one partner is not Catholic, the ceremony usually takes place outside Mass. Ours ran 45 minutes.
The fee includes an organist and a vocalist, and other musicians are discussed with the wedding coordinator. On our June wedding the parish handled both ceremony music and sound, and a sound check was done by 2:30. Saturday weddings are generally at 11, 2 or 7, because the church is unavailable from 3:30 to 7 for confessions and evening Masses.
Arriving and parking
The parish garage at 1900 San Antonio Street is free for wedding and rehearsal guests, with six free hours once the ticket is validated in the church lobby. Guests arriving by rideshare or shuttle should go to the main entrance on Guadalupe.
Plan holding rooms in advance. On our June day the bride and bridesmaids went to a downstairs holding room, and the groom and groomsmen to a side holding room. The ride from the Driskill took about 10 minutes.
A real day here
A June Saturday we filmed here (June 2026)
| 1:00 PM | Church access begins; florist drops ceremony flowers |
| 1:20 PM | Bride and bridesmaids leave the downtown hotel |
| 1:30 PM | Bride and bridesmaids arrive and go to the downstairs holding room; video arrives |
| 2:15 PM | Groom and groomsmen arrive and go to the side holding room |
| 2:25 PM | Ushers in place with programs; church lights dimmed |
| 2:30 PM | Guests begin arriving with the bride hidden; sound check complete |
| 2:45 PM | Prelude music begins |
| 3:00 PM | Ceremony begins |
| 3:45 PM | Ceremony ends; guests leave for the reception; extended family photos in the church |
| 4:00 PM | Full family and wedding party photos at the church |
| 4:20 PM | Couple, wedding party and family leave by sprinter van |
| 4:30 PM | Arrival at the reception hotel |
Sample timelines by season
Church ceremony times stay fairly fixed, so the season mostly changes what happens after you leave St. Austin Catholic Parish. Here is how the rest of the day moves with sunset. Treat the times as a starting point.
Spring
| 12:00 PM | Coverage begins with getting ready; the couple stays apart |
| 1:00 PM | Bride with her bridesmaids, groom with his groomsmen, in separate rooms |
| 1:30 PM | Guests seated; prelude music |
| 2:00 PM | Nuptial Mass begins, first sight at the aisle |
| 3:00 PM | Recessional; family and wedding party photos inside the church |
| 3:35 PM | Couple and wedding party by shuttle to a downtown portrait stop |
| 4:00 PM | Couple portraits and wedding party photos, about 45 minutes |
| 5:30 PM | Cocktail hour at the reception |
| 6:30 PM | Grand entrance, first dance, dinner |
| 7:30 PM | Quick sunset portraits at the reception |
| 7:40 PM | Toasts and parent dances, dance floor opens |
| 10:00 PM | Send-off |
Summer
| 8:30 AM | Coverage begins with getting ready |
| 10:00 AM | Separate portraits; no first look |
| 10:30 AM | Guests seated |
| 11:00 AM | Nuptial Mass begins |
| 12:00 PM | Recessional; family photos at the altar, then wedding party photos outside |
| 12:45 PM | Lunch for the couple and wedding party; rest at the hotel |
| 5:45 PM | Couple portraits at the reception venue before guests arrive |
| 6:30 PM | Cocktail hour |
| 7:30 PM | Grand entrance and dinner |
| 8:05 PM | Golden hour portraits, about 15 minutes |
| 8:45 PM | Toasts, first dance and parent dances |
| 9:15 PM | Dance floor opens |
| 11:45 PM | Send-off |
In early June the timeline listed sunset at 8:31 PM, leaving hours of light after a 3:00 ceremony for portraits at the reception.
Fall
| 10:00 AM | Coverage begins with getting ready |
| 11:00 AM | First look with dad and a bridesmaid reveal; groom with his parents |
| 12:00 PM | Guests seated; couple hidden |
| 12:30 PM | Nuptial Mass begins, first sight at the aisle |
| 1:30 PM | Recessional; family photos at the altar |
| 2:00 PM | Wedding party and couple leave for the reception venue |
| 2:45 PM | Couple portraits and wedding party photos on the grounds before guests arrive |
| 4:30 PM | Cocktail hour |
| 5:30 PM | Grand entrance and dinner |
| 6:30 PM | Golden hour portraits, about 15 minutes |
| 7:00 PM | Toasts, first dance and parent dances |
| 7:30 PM | Dance floor opens |
| 10:00 PM | Send-off |
Winter
| 11:30 AM | Coverage begins with getting ready near the church |
| 12:15 PM | First look at the church, then couple portraits outside |
| 12:45 PM | Wedding party and family photos before guests arrive |
| 1:30 PM | Couple hidden; guests seated from about 30 minutes before |
| 2:00 PM | Nuptial Mass begins (about an hour) |
| 3:00 PM | Recessional; extended family photos at the altar |
| 3:30 PM | Wedding party leaves for the reception |
| 5:00 PM | Reception doors open, cocktail hour |
| 5:10 PM | Golden hour portraits at the reception, about 15 minutes |
| 6:00 PM | Grand entrance and dinner |
| 7:00 PM | Toasts, first dance and parent dances |
| 9:30 PM | Send-off |
Common questions
Can we use flash at St. Austin?
Only during the procession and recession. The rest of the ceremony is available light only.
How long do we have for photos after the ceremony?
The church must be cleared within 90 minutes of the ceremony start time, and photos in the church before the ceremony must end 30 minutes before it begins.
Where should guests park?
The parish garage at 1900 San Antonio Street is free for wedding guests, with validation in the church lobby.
Planning a wedding here? Send us your date and we will tell you how we would film it.