A Satanic Wedding is Still a Love Story

I went into this wedding knowing nothing about Satanism. Standing just a few feet from the officiant during the ceremony, I quickly realized that what I was hearing wasn’t what I had expected. The ceremony spoke about individuality, personal freedom, mutual respect and the couple’s commitment to one another. The imagery surrounding us may have been dramatically different from a traditional church wedding, but the reason everyone had gathered was wonderfully familiar: two people were in love and wanted to make that commitment in front of the people closest to them.

So, What Exactly Is a Satanic Wedding?

That was the question running through my mind.

The wedding took place at The Satanic Temple in Salem, Massachusetts. The building itself gives you plenty to photograph: dark rooms, deep reds and blues, ornate furniture, candles, artwork and, of course, the imposing Baphomet statue.

But there was something important I hadn’t understood before photographing the wedding.

The Satanic Temple describes itself as a non-theistic religious organization. In other words, this isn’t about worshipping a literal Devil. Its philosophy uses Satan as a symbol while emphasizing ideas such as reason, personal freedom, compassion, justice and bodily autonomy.

Their Seven Fundamental Tenets include compassion and empathy, the pursuit of justice, respect for the freedoms of others and the idea that beliefs should conform to our best scientific understanding of the world.

What I heard during the ceremony didn’t make any sense to me. I knew nothing about Satanism, and everything I had ever understood about Satan associated him with the Devil and with evil. 

What I was hearing during this wedding was completely different from that.

Visually, there was no mistaking where we were.

The officiant wore black and red ceremonial clothing. Candles surrounded the couple. Skulls and other symbols were incorporated into the setting. The dark blue walls, heavy red curtains and elaborate furnishings created an atmosphere unlike any wedding venue I had photographed before.