This headline may sound a bit strong but there is no other way to put this message across. We seem to keep seeing these kinds of headlines regularly. It might be the kind of headlines the tabloids dream for, but it is heart breaking for the couple to go through. Here’s another one we saw in the media recently.
How many times do you plan to get married? Let’s be honest here: We know that if you can help it, this would be your first and last marriage, right? Then, for the love of everything romantic and floral, why are you hiring an unqualified wedding photographer or a ‘friend of a friend’ ?
Well, you’ll probably say that times are tough and everyone is cutting back, even in weddings. And while the cost of everything from the gown to the cake to the venue is going north, your income on the other hand isn’t (or worse, is going the other direction).
If there is one thing you need to think about carefully though, it’s the photography. Why? Think about it: a wedding is an event and the most important thing to be done in any event is capturing the experience. Everything else, from the dazzling ice swan to the fantastic wedding singer you hired, all of those are forgettable.
But that one “I do”? That first married kiss? That reunion between long-lost family? That magical moment when your parents and your partner’s parents are trying to get along? The only way to preserve those memories are through exceptional photos.
So don’t hire Uncle James even though he took that one amateur photography class this summer. Don’t even hire your friend Betty who’s been using her DSLR for personal projects and small events and now wants to try something bigger. It won’t be a favour to either of you if the photos turn out to be equal parts horrible and useless. You’ll end up with a ruined relationship and either have to suffer through an embarrassing wedding album or retake everything just to get everything right like the couple above had to do !
It’s called your special day for a reason and if you want to preserve the memories of your wedding, getting a good & experienced wedding photographer is your only option. And this might be self-serving but you can cut the cost for everything else (less expensive gown, more ordinary bridal car, fewer guests), but think carefully before you choose a photographer.
Maybe you’ve been burned or shot at the back by an unqualified & inexperienced wedding photographer a while back? Share your stories and we’ll lend a soft shoulder to cry on.
