Did you marry without hiring a photographer?

Family and friends can take photos, sure....but are they going to know what photos -you- wanted? That's the point of a photographer. They don't just show up on your wedding day and point and shoot. There's consultations to discuss the photos you want to make sure they get, which is a pressure I wouldn't want to put on any of my guests. Its one of the biggest regrets cited by married couples, not having a photographer.

Hire a pro!!!! I had an emergency wedding in my fathers hospital room on 2 weeks planning or less. I have cell phone pictures and an I pad video. My dad passed 4.5 days later. I had a friend who dabbles in photography who came to the hospital thinking it was in the chapel and I had forgotten to tell him it was the room and the room number

My Fiance's niece is a photographer and we have asked her to just take pics of the ceremony and pics after, but not for the reception. We are having our guests take pics and load them up, and we will pic, much like the disposable cameras of my first wedding. They were great pics. If we had the money, we would hire one, but even my cousin said she charges 3500 for pics, and that is more than our venue. I just can't afford it.

Think about it. You're spending x amount on the wedding. What will you have to remember it by? Photos. Don't you want professional pictures that you can look back on? It is absurd you would even think about skipping a photographer. If I were you, I'd be scrambling to get one booked ASAP.

Seriously....

Guest photo on the left, professional photographer on the right, same pose.

Moral of the story: hire a photographer.

Please just hire a photographer. This will put pressure on your guests to take photos, and they will not be the amazing keepsakes you want.

Hire a professional! You don't have to have the most expensive or elaborate package. At least have a photographer for a few hours. You want to have beautiful pictures and not rely on your guests to capture your wedding.

Definitely get a photographer even if it isn't full day coverage get one for the moments you care most about.

You should hire a photographer. You want peace of mind and not regret going without later.

A friend of mine didn't hire a photographer to save on cost and she says that's her absolute biggest regret!

I'm *assuming* (and please forgive me if I'm wrong) that a photographer is not up in your priorities because of your budget?

If so, I feel you. Photographers are expensive, and probably a huge chunk of your budget. However, you really should think about it and consider hiring one. After your wedding day is done, it's one of the only things you'll have left from that.

You'll regret not hiring a photographer.

I wasn't going to hire a photographer because we just didn't value it. And then I saw pictures from a friend's wedding who had her friend use pro equipment and take pictures. Pro equipment does not equal pro eye. It took some convincing, but we found someone for very value pricing. (And we know her value pricing will not mean poor job as she is a high school friend of my future sister in law, not someone we would have invited to the wedding but FMIL suggested her)

If this is for financial reasons, there are many other ways to cut costs.

Even a rookie photographer is better because you could easily lose those photos :/

I just want to agree with what everyone else is saying. Hiring a photographer is definitely worth it. A good photographer will capture candid moments and also get some beautiful professional pictures. There's a lot that can go wrong if you ask your guests to take pictures, especially since they won't be using professional cameras. The photos may end up blurry, grainy or at awkward angles. I know I'd feel really disappointed if I didn't have awesome photos to remember my wedding. Also, bear in mind that your guests are just that-- guests. They shouldn't be expected to replace a wedding vendor.

While you will get pictures from your guests, they won't be pictures and combinations of people that you can chose. Unless you ask someone to stand there while you, your FH, and your bridal party pose (which is the biggest NO-NO in the world!). We got a ton of pictures from friends at the wedding, but there are none of FH and I together unless we're with other people, dancing, cutting cake, etc. We don't have a single guest-taken photo of only of the two of us aimed at the camera and smiling, which is fine since we have oodles of pro pictures we'll be getting back soon. Would you really be happy if that was the final case for you?

We're having a ceremony then dinner so we hired a photographer for 4 hours and we're paying 1500. Her normal package is 8 hours with two shooters and it's 3500. Since we only need her and half the time she worked with us on a price . She also loved how intimate our ceremony was going to be so she really wanted something different for her portfolio. Maybe you can work something out ?

I honestly can't imagine A. such an important day not documented well and B. spending all that money getting ready and not having amazing pictures of myself. guilty confession- I'm totally vain and wanted amazing "holy shit" level pictures.

Having no photographer was simply NOT an option.