Prime wedding season is only 8 or 9 months away and if you haven’t already, now is the perfect time to really get deep into your planning and your budget for the big day.
I have many people ask me about cutting costs in their wedding budget and if having a friend or family member do their wedding photography is a good idea, or if they should just put a disposable camera on each table at the reception. Well, as a professional photographer what do you think I’m going to say to that?
Would you have your friend provide the centerpieces and bouquets from their garden? How about just planting some seeds on the tables in the hopes that something beautiful grows? Or maybe your friend with a sewing machine and a bedazzler can make your wedding dress…seriously?
In all seriousness and honesty, if your friend or family member has the equipment and experience to do your wedding, then great. However; there are other questions and considerations to take into account when making this choice. Does this person have the discipline to do your wedding? They can’t be a guest. They must be alert at all times to avoid missing a shot and they will not be able to drink, dance and socialize. Would you rather have your friend be a guest or be your photographer?
Next, what if the pictures don’t turn out? You will have to re-live that every time you see that person; every holiday or birthday will only serve to remind you of those ruined photos. Keep this in mind as well, there are no do-overs when it comes to a wedding. If you miss the shot…you miss the shot. Is your friendship strong enough to survive that? Are you willing to take that chance?
As for using disposable cameras on each table…that’s a great idea if you want every 8 year old or every drunk to get their hands on them and take close-ups of chewed food, multiple shots of the cool chandeliers or daring men’s room photos. Not to mention the fact that this method accounts for no one to be taking photos during the bride getting dressed or the ceremony. Disposables on the tables are a nice idea in addition to a professional photographer, not as a replacement.
Now, we haven’t even covered how post-production editing will be handled, the availability of professional lab printing and designing a wedding album. Add all that in and the above ideas get really scary!
The point I really want to hammer home here is this; A wedding is a once in a lifetime event, never to be repeated. Some people may get married more than once, but each wedding is unique and by definition that makes it special. What a professional photographer offers you will outlast everything else on that most special of days, except for the marriage itself. After your wedding is over and the flowers have wilted and the food has been eaten, no one will remember what music was played or exactly who was there. Other than your new spouse, you will take 4 things with you into married life; your wedding gown, your wedding rings, your credit card bills and your wedding photos. Just about everything else is consumed in the party or lost to time.
Choose wisely and…Never Compromise Your Memories…
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Story Tellers Photography LLC 
Weddings: Where not to cut costs…
Prime wedding season is only 8 or 9 months away and if you haven’t already, now is the perfect time to really get deep into your planning and your budget for the big day.
I have many people ask me about cutting costs in their wedding budget and if having a friend or family member do their wedding photography is a good idea, or if they should just put a disposable camera on each table at the reception. Well, as a professional photographer what do you think I’m going to say to that?
Would you have your friend provide the centerpieces and bouquets from their garden? How about just planting some seeds on the tables in the hopes that something beautiful grows? Or maybe your friend with a sewing machine and a bedazzler can make your wedding dress…seriously?
In all seriousness and honesty, if your friend or family member has the equipment and experience to do your wedding, then great. However; there are other questions and considerations to take into account when making this choice. Does this person have the discipline to do your wedding? They can’t be a guest. They must be alert at all times to avoid missing a shot and they will not be able to drink, dance and socialize. Would you rather have your friend be a guest or be your photographer?
Next, what if the pictures don’t turn out? You will have to re-live that every time you see that person; every holiday or birthday will only serve to remind you of those ruined photos. Keep this in mind as well, there are no do-overs when it comes to a wedding. If you miss the shot…you miss the shot. Is your friendship strong enough to survive that? Are you willing to take that chance?
As for using disposable cameras on each table…that’s a great idea if you want every 8 year old or every drunk to get their hands on them and take close-ups of chewed food, multiple shots of the cool chandeliers or daring men’s room photos. Not to mention the fact that this method accounts for no one to be taking photos during the bride getting dressed or the ceremony. Disposables on the tables are a nice idea in addition to a professional photographer, not as a replacement.
Now, we haven’t even covered how post-production editing will be handled, the availability of professional lab printing and designing a wedding album. Add all that in and the above ideas get really scary!
The point I really want to hammer home here is this; A wedding is a once in a lifetime event, never to be repeated. Some people may get married more than once, but each wedding is unique and by definition that makes it special. What a professional photographer offers you will outlast everything else on that most special of days, except for the marriage itself. After your wedding is over and the flowers have wilted and the food has been eaten, no one will remember what music was played or exactly who was there. Other than your new spouse, you will take 4 things with you into married life; your wedding gown, your wedding rings, your credit card bills and your wedding photos. Just about everything else is consumed in the party or lost to time.
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