Let's tone down only a selected area:

1. Open church.jpg*
*Photo contributed by Andre Maier (credits).

2. Select the brightest image areas (bride and priest).

3. Create adjustment layer Levels.
Move Input Levels sliders to darken selected area. Then carefully play with "light" Output slider to reduce contrast (animation).

OK, the adjustment layer is created; bride's face is quite discernable now. However dark border merging edited area (which means that our selection was not perfect) spoils it all. Let's fix it »