Brides on a budget!

While I completely understand that you are on a budget, I wouldn't rely on guests to take pictures that are important to you. If having a picture of your grandmother seeing you in your dress for the first time is important then that's something you'd want your photographer to capture. Guests are also there to have fun not necessarily capture each moment.

I agree with Veronica. I would not rely on guests to capture those moments. Most likely, the photos you'd get from guests would be selfies, photos of plates of food or beverage glasses, staged group photos, etc, which would all be nice, but most likely wouldn't include photos of moments like people reacting to your first dance (though you might get some photos/videos from guests of your first dance, since your guests will probably be watching your first dance and not watching other people). Some photos may also be blurry or have weird angles. Many of your guests may choose to not upload their photos after the wedding, or they may only have a couple images to share. Professional photographers are skilled in capturing those reaction shots, detail shots, and everything else that would make for a good memory. Your uncle with an iPhone would not be the person to rely on to capture memories from the day. I recommend finding a way to reduce costs in other areas, but would not cut your photography costs by relying on guests.

One thing you could do to save on photography costs without compromising the number of hours would be to find a photography student from a local college. Many of them take beautiful photos, and are typically cheaper than a professional who's been in the wedding industry for years.

Depending on your area, you could hire a content creator!

Hi! My sister got married last year and used the app dots memories, it was a hit! everyone can access the shared album via a QR code, guests don't need to download the app either. was a great budget friendly way to get amazing photos but not break the bank with a photographer