photography

My FH felt like you- he didn’t see why it was necessary, then we hired an awesome (and expensive!) photographer to do our engagement shots in the Caribbean and he was stunned. Truly.


You are spending so much time and effort on your wedding, but by the end of the day, nothing will be left of it except your memories. A pro photographer, like everyone mentioned, is an artist who is expert at capturing and documenting live events so you have a piece of that day. I still look at my parents wedding albums from the 1960’s and my grandmother’s from the 1930’s- they are heirlooms to me, of the best kind.

I respect that is your opionion but my photographer, and most, are artists. They also edit them for you so lighting and everything is correct. Their cameras are much better than most peoples because the money they are paid. I would never skip a photographer, I love looking at my wedding photos. Other people took photos on their phones and I have seen them, nothing compares to my professionals.
It is what you have to treasure that day forever, not worth risking not having enough photos or bad photos in my opinion.
Our photogrpher has done so many wedding and she engagement shoots so she knows what poses or things to get. She did our engagement shoot and typically my husband feel awkward in front of the camera and he was great with her. She was an amazing energy to have around.
Since our photographer wasn’t in the wedding she could capture things, like dresses and shoes and us getting ready, without taking time away. You want your guests to be able to enjoy your wedding without having to work. Obviously it’s up to you but I would be heartbroken if I didn’t have amazing photos to share with my future children and hang all over my house.
Happy planning!

View Quoted Comment

This is great. Photography is an art. Yes anyone can point a camera in one direction and take a photo, but the quality will differ DRAMATICALLY between someone who knows what they are doing and an armature. I've been around photographers (professionals and hobbyists) my whole life. I've slowly learning how to take beautiful photos that have that pro quality and it is HARD. There is a ton of technique and technical know-how that goes into it, along with an artistic eye. I would say that people photography is one of the hardest types and a wedding you're moving fast.

If you don't care about picture quality, by all means, rely on your friends and family. But much like you'd hire a professional DJ who has the equipment and experience to keep the party going, a caterer to keep the food safe and delicious, or a hair and makeup artist to make sure you look good in every light, you'd hire a photographer to ensure you didn't have any heavy shadows in the wrong places or the shot composition was correct.

There are lots of options for inexpensive photography. You can hire for only a few hours or look at someone trying to build their business or portfolio.

I have a friend who knows how to use a sewing machine, surely she can alter my wedding dress for me? No, I'd hire a professional to do that. There's a difference in the caliber of work and artistry. While it's purely a personal choice on whether or not you want professional pictures, I'd encourage you to reevaluate how you view professional work and the people who put the time, money, and effort into what they do, because, frankly, you were very insulting.

My SIL thought the same thing. She had an uncle with a really nice camera she thought would take good enough pictures of her wedding. Her pictures look like some one’s uncle took them.

View Quoted Comment It sounds like you really value photos and probably have them around your home

and like you probably have “professional” pictures of your family

you definitely made the right decision for you it sounds like!!

i do not want people taking pictures necessarily but I don’t mind if they do and as such I’m positive there will be countless amazing shots just like there are from every time that there are pictures taken... I’m sure there will be more duds than keepers too for that matter

I can honestly saw If I believed no one would take a single picture I could maybe try to force myself to try and have the mindset that pictures are important but they really just aren’t to me personally

we have had hardships (fire) that essentially mean I don’t own any pictures now and essentially I was sad for the “loss” but it never comes up in my real life... we have 5/6 less boxes of things that we never look at to store is about all I can say about the fire... some things are irreplaceable and realistically just because you have invested in it doesn’t mean your children or grandchildren will ever see it because it’s a tangible item that bad things can happen to...

now i I definately hope nothing like that ever happens to you personally and that in 100 years some little kid is taking one of your photos to school to show his great great great grandparents wedding!!

personally I think the pictures taken by family at my sisters wedding were 1000 times better than a single shot from her 2500 photographer but some people want perfectly staged and carefully controlled images of their self and other prefer happy candid images of their loved ones having fun

im trying hard to see things from camp 1 shoes but it’s hard with what I think is valuable

ww is great for collecting perspectives though so perhaps some one will have a point that is actually valid for me and make me reconsider

i can agree i don’t want to regret anything from that day though so thank you for Reinterating that concern!!

Oh wow! We totally had photographer as one of our top priorities. We don’t need prints or albums (but will end up getting some anyway). We did a ton of portraits for immediate and extended family— which I think were not 100% necessary. A lot of the iphone selfies were fun but I do think photography is very important.

We had two photographers as we are suckers for detail and candid moments, and they were able to capture so many amazing parts that people aren’t necessarily seeing. They didn't take away from your day, but if you are spending lots of money it’s nice to remember all the different parts of it— the day will surely go by in the blink of an eye.

I have a friend who had a photographer who they didn't love— I think they didn’t have a certain comfort level— which is fine, and they had a photographer friend who also took photos.

So perhaps if you have a photographer friend it would be nice for them to take photos.

Perhaps you haven't looked at lots of different photographers. I'd encourage more research before ruling it out!

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Given the way you feel and the apparent strength of your convictions (your original post was pretty insulting to professional photographers -- "most idiots" can stand still to take a picture -- and your last one basically called all the feedback you've received so far "invalid"), I'm not sure why you asked the question in the first place. If your family takes pictures that are "1000 times better than a pro" and pictures "just really aren't" important to you, then your plan sounds like a good one for you -- go with it.

View Quoted Comment Maybe

im open minded enough to be interested in other points of view and possibly reevaluating my position

Professional photographers will know the right lighting to use / when to use flash and when not too.. amongst many many other things .. and they will also edit all of your photos and send them back

View Quoted Comment I have not but I will try to see if I can look it up

im highly aware that the circumstances will be different and we will have a few good candid pictures instead of the 100 or 1000 or 5000 that someone who pays 2500 gets but I also think

what the hell are yiu actually going to do with 5000 pictures of 1 day in your WHOLE life?!!

how many wedding pictures can you actually use? Are you making a wallpaper of you In a bridal
gown or something? So you honestly see yourself sitting down once a month for the next 70 years and looking at the same pictures?

sorry but life is life: buying a house or 1 st kid and that will be what you’re obsessed with and wedding all but forgotten in terms of daily thinking

i think that realistically there will be at least 1 good picture and that’s all you really need because guess what?!? Just like no one but you cares about your wedding no one but you will want to see more tban 1 picture to say “oh that’s nice” and move on with real life and what’s happening in the today

This kind of disappoints me lol. Your wedding is going to be so detailed that I was looking forward to seeing it all come together! I hope your guests take lots of pictures of all the decor and activities. Photography is super important to me and my fh. We will have 2 shooters for 7 hours. We're planning on displaying some and we do get a book in our package. I understand some things just aren't important to other people like they are to me. But I think this is something that requires a lot of thought because there aren't any do overs. Either way, I hope you post whatever pictures you do have after the wedding.

View Quoted Comment I don’t care about photos at all

but I can clearly see that for some reason people are willing to spend a ton on them

and I have encountered the opinion I will regret the decision so I’m trying to be open minded and see if that could be true and I should pay someone to snap a few “professional” photos for an hour

realistically the “plan” is tell everyone

you may take photos but if you’re being annoying you will be asked to stop

if you want to share the ones you take you can use tacboard

if you don’t want to that’s very appreciated as we want you to enjoy this celebration with us a be present

I’m sure that at least one good photo will come out of it and realistically no one but you cares about your wedding and no one wants to see your 5000 pictures either (except us on WW) one-2 is “oh!! That’s sweet”

ten is ANNOYING

More than 10? I’m probably faking a text or call after that, or I need to use the bathroom

i get that you want a bunch of pictures

can any one of you tell me why?!?

what are your intentions for these “professional” photos? Do you really see yourself looking at them once a month for 70 years as children are born, and grandchildren?

or are you going to be spending time in real life with your family and pets making new memories ?

Also so you guys don’t value your so called memories unless there is a tangible reminder?!?

im starting to think this is something to do with a “core difference”

i am trying to see the value of paper with images that you already lived versus actually just enjoying your life

View Quoted Comment I completely agree with this. A photographer really wasn't one of my top priorities but I still can't possibly imagine not having one. I don't trust family and friends to be reliable in taking all the photos I'd want. There are some really incredible photographers out there that do amazing work so I completely understand why they charge so much.

My sister is in art school so she asked around and found several of her classmates that were willing to do it for very low rates. I found someone I liked but he wasnt free that day, so he referred me to a professional. Her package rates were way above my budget but I talked to her and told her what I was looking to spend and she worked with me to make that work. We only have her for 4 hours, for the beginning of the ceremony through half way the reception, which got our rate down. Having a off season wedding (February) during the day (lunchtime) also helped. I'd encourage you to at least consider hiring an art student to get some good pictures, it won't break the bank and it will ensure you have some quality images of your day.

View Quoted Comment I don’t care about photos at all


realistically the “plan” is tell everyone

you may take photos but if you’re being annoying you will be asked to stop

if you want to share the ones you take you can use tacboard

if you don’t want to that’s very appreciated as we want you to enjoy this celebration with us a be present

I’m sure that at least one good photo will come out of it and realistically no one but you cares about your wedding and no one wants to see your 5000 pictures either (except us on WW) one-2 is “oh!! That’s sweet”

ten is ANNOYING

More than 10? I’m probably faking a text or call after that, or I need to use the bathroom

i get that you want a bunch of pictures

can any one of you tell me why?!?

what are your intentions for these “professional” photos? Do you really see yourself looking at them once a month for 70 years as children are born, and grandchildren?

What are you actually doing with you thousand dollar images?

View Quoted Comment That is ABSOLUTELY nothing like what I want

I don’t care about photos at all
the “plan” is tell everyone

you may take photos but if you’re being annoying you will be asked to stop

if you want to share the ones you take you can use tacboard

if you don’t want to that’s very appreciated as we want you to enjoy this celebration with us a be present

I’m sure that at least one good photo will come out of it and realistically no one but you cares about your wedding and no one wants to see more than 1/2 in my opinion



What are you planning on doing with your 1/2 k photos for the rest of your life?

Keeping your wedding album on coffee table and changing pictures every few months so you see them?

View Quoted Comment What I personally think is that out of an entire event there will be 1/2 good pictures and They actually might have gotten slapped by a 4 year old playing for that particular event and uncle bob took best photo at Christmas

i think by allowing people to take pictures there will be good ones

more importantly

what is your master plan for the 1000 pictures for the next 70 years? See yourself on the couch every Sunday morning reliving that one day? After you have kids? And grandkids?

what are you doing with more than 1/2 to display and share except storing them? And getting “heartbroken” when fire or water destroy them?

View Quoted Comment Lol

no florist or “dj” either for us
for the same reason

it has no value for me after that day

so how often will you be planning to peruse you 121 memory capture of the day?

you see yourself going over every detail again every month forever?

View Quoted Comment Ok

if there is

why do you nerds hundredS or thousands of photos of this event and what are you planning to actually do with them for the rest of your life other than store?

View Quoted Comment Sorry autocorrect

need hundreds