The article that triggered every wedding photographer on earth

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“How to have a free wedding” – my response to an article that says wedding photographers, DJS, florists, caterers and any other vendor for a wedding are not worth the money.

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34 Comments
  1. natchnieni0 says

    I bet someone's already said this, but this might a cultural misunderstanding. Americans like to get the most bang for a buck and FREE is just about irresistible to us. And we do like to try to coordinate with family and friends towards this goal.
    Also… The key the you seem to be glossing over is that the writer is NOT advising asking Professional people – they Specifically say Budding photogs and DJ's! People who could use the experience – and are coming to the wedding anyway.
    I've known weddings where the couples just gathered pictures guests took and used those – why bother paying for the photographer when guests are going to guest.
    I saw the clip where you got the short end of the stick. But you A: admitted that it was a learning experience and B: gave noobs who would get caught up in the same situation good advice including getting everything in writing.
    This is just… Bad form

  2. Elizabeth D says

    That author sounds like he is talking out of his butt. I mean they are ways to not spend that much money. They are good prices out there. My photographer was my maid of honors best friend. And we talked about the price and everything was very professional. We paid her a deposit before the wedding and paid her the rest the day of. We had her sit at the table and eat. Those photographs are everything. Those are memories I can look back at♡

    P.S. my wedding was very simple and not as lavish or expensive as many other people. But I loved my wedding, it was beautiful and special to us♡ and we kept it in our budget. We did not spend over 5k. Thanks to our family who wanted to gift us with things to help compete our day♡ Let people spend and do what they want. But don't say a professional shouldn't be paid bc its a scam. That is seriously ridiculous. Hope that Author didn't get paid to write the article on an opinion no one asked for🤣

  3. Ashley Breeland says

    My mom is a photographer and she told me several years ago that she wanted to do my wedding photos. Two years ago when I got married, she was my wedding photographer and emailed me the photos to edit and print on my own. And she wouldn’t let me pay for the pictures.

  4. DoubleTap says

    I love how they used the word " EXPLOIT "! Yeah exploit your family and friends to get free stuff!

  5. keepinitreal says

    Honestly though, looking back at my wedding, the photographer is the only thing I feel like I really overpaid for. I wish I went with my 2nd choice who was a lot cheaper. I paid like $3500 for photos I never look at. Seriously! Looked once and that's it. So I urge everyone to really think about what you'll be using the photos for, and how important they are to you! Because realistically there will probably be like 10 images you'll look at and use and that's about it.

  6. Mediocre Adam says

    What? Your family doesnt bake the food for the wedding? For my brothers wedding my mom and 2 aunts took a week of their jobs to cook and bake for the wedding. They also had a caterer and a person who bakes the meat, but its a tradition to have a fuckton of food. But our weddings last for 3 days at least, i dont know how other countries do it

  7. FS Photographic says

    People who believe in doing what the article calls for are the same people who will invite a friend, who is a professional photographer, to the wedding and ask "can you also bring your camera stuff?" I've had too many of those in my time. I once attended a wedding, that my camera and I were invited to, and showed up without any kind of camera. Wow was the bride surprised. Her mom told her, "I told you that you keep to pay for a photographer."

  8. Julie Alcin says

    I don't care if you're my sister. Exposure doesn't pay the bills.

  9. A.L. Lens Work says

    "Is your wig on mars?"
    Boi my wig was snatched and yeeted into another galaxy far, far away. C-3PO is probably wearing it as we speak lmao

  10. KebssYeah says

    Okay i admire you even more now that I know you’re into Kpop 🤣💕

  11. Kenzie Beard says

    I am a wedding photographer – and I am still triggered by this haha

  12. Itajaz R.G. says

    Is cute, because is basically describing a really basic wedding from the center and south of México. And the soon to be wed pay everyone back with lots of alcohol.

  13. OmbreAmber says

    Ok tea.

  14. Djourdan Kotta says

    I can't believe such person even exist 😨😓

  15. itsjohnnyy says

    y'all should check out r/choosingbeggars on reddit if you wanna read more stories about people like the one who wrote the article

  16. Whiskey Insider says

    sounds like some r/choosingbegger stuff

  17. Meeta Bhattacharyya says

    My sister married her friends by doing an online course for like 15$…
    But apparently the officiating minister, needs to be paid… 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

  18. Dominic Pascal says

    Fiancee: Hey sweetheart, I'm planning our free wedding by exploiting everyone we know, including my best friends end family. For us!
    Me: Of course, I totally trust you to never take advantage of me. Not. Bye!

  19. JustTakeItInStride says

    I like the "they can use it as a platform to advertise their business"
    Oh, you mean like the business they would've gotten had you paid for their services? Like, how did you find them in the first place? They don't need to do free work that takes a whole day and hella stress, lol.

  20. Elana Halvorson says

    Twenty years ago I got married for the second time. I had done the big white wedding the first time and wanted to go low key. We had about 10 guests. Both sets of parents, a grandparent and my brother and his partner and kids. I was at the time a passionate amateur photographer. Basically it was a small ceremony followed by lunch at the restaurant on the grounds. My biggest regret was that I didn't hire a photographer. Handing my SLR camera over to my dad or brother gave me some pretty average shots. They'd never used an SLR before and didn't zoom in for close ups.

    As a professional photographer now! The amount of acquaintances who have tried to get free or cheep photos out of me has become a joke. The last acquaintance asked me to be her wedding photographer, downplaying the amount of hours I would be working by dissecting the day ' it will be 30 minutes at the ceremony, then a couple of hours later a lunch with just a few family members, your husband is invited too of course. Later in the afternoon we are having drinks with friends.'

    I am furious to this day about the fact that she was trying to manipulate me by inviting my husband and making out we would be there as guests and eating food ( part of the deal is you feed your photographer). I quoted her just under $1000 which was a good price. Weirdly not only did she not reply but my husband and I did not get an invite to the wedding. I haven't heard from the woman since! Funny that! 😏

  21. Ysabel Burciaga says

    I had a low cost wedding, because we couldn't afford what we really wanted. My #1 regret is not dishing out money for a photographer. (Me being a photographer) I knew i would regret it a bit to not have one there, but after the fact I REALLY regret not paying a photographer friend or something for professional pictures. Now all we have are crappy phone pictures of our most important day.
    All I'm saying people, dish out the money for those photos. I am serious.

  22. Melissa A says

    Ok. Key words are friends and family who want to in lue of wedding gifts.. And a playlist can replace a DJ. All of the expenses are worth it if that is what you want for your day. But there are other ways to make it special like involving family like the post said. No it won't work for everyone but they are great ideas.

  23. TheRisky9 says

    You should just troll people who ask you for free photos. Take a photo and intentionally cut their head off. That's what I'm going to start to do when people ask me for free calligraphy. I do do free calligraphy, but the way it works is I approach you. You do not approach me.

    And I do suggest that if you have that teen in the family who takes decent photos and dreams of being a professional, then you treat them like one. Draw up a contract with them. Discuss a plan to get you the prints. Help price it. PAY THEM!!!!! When you pay that budding photographer you give them the confidence that they can earn money this way.

  24. Næp Sæck says

    The “lah!” gave it all away. Chinese people luke to save coin.

  25. Lia Maria says

    I understand when people dont have the money or just dont feel like spending it. But that doesnt mean you should automatically expect everything for free. For all you know maybe that photographer doesnt have the money either and cant afford to do it for free. If you have family or friends that offer then thats amazing ♡ but if you go around trying to take advantage of people and waste their time then im sorry but you're just an ignorant asshole.

  26. YaGirlYainara says

    this is the most extra article I’ve ever heard omg

  27. David Chacon says

    Disgusting! That’s the best word to describe this video. Making fun of someone’s job trying to help other people saving money. Minimizing their good intentions. Zero facts to talk about each paragraph, zero recommendations to provide a better solution, only an uncomfortable laugh on each paragraph. Very disappointed, unsubscribing right away 👎🏽

  28. 알렉시스Alex says

    8:25 "wedding appropriate songs"…….who do you think I am. Ima have kpop playin' up in here like I don't care

    Edit: I said this before you said you'd be playing bts and I was like "me too me too". Like why would I play wedding songs I want kpop.

  29. Shay45 says

    So basically take advantage of your friends and family
    Okay 👌🏾 Got it

  30. Ivan Huylebroeck says

    My trigger was this: Hilarious! This author could be the next #1 standup comedian! Any newspapers looking for comedy writers?

  31. My aunt had someone do the music for free her at her wedding, but i mean the person offered and they didn't mind at all since the wedding was small, literally maybe twenty or thirty people at most

  32. Sarah Eliece says

    In a photography group, I was reading about how it's becoming a trend for venues to require full copyright to images taken on the premises. What's your reaction, and how would you handle this contract clause with the venue and the client?

  33. Kit Kat says

    My dad is literally getting ordained for my brothers wedding in a few years

  34. sara kroczyk says

    The belly dancers and fireworks were a joke……..

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