Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To spend nearly half of my wedding budget on a photographer?

92 replies

HotCupOfNo · 21/04/2021 21:28

OH and I are having a small wedding in June, it will be just 8 of us and very relaxing and low key.

I have found a photographer who will do me a great micro package deal - her photos are nice, but not AMAZING.

I have found another photographer who's photos are just gorgeous, but will cost me £750 for 3 hours and my budget is £2000. I could possibly stretch the budget using our overdraft.

So yay or nay - do we go with the 'perfectly fine' (and quite boring) photographer and save myself £400, or do we say fuck it and go with the amazing photographer who's photo's are arty and lovely? WWYD?

TIA

OP posts:
Original poster
HotCupOfNo · 21/04/2021 21:28

*relaxed

OP posts:
IlovecatsIloveeverykindofcat · 21/04/2021 21:29

When you're old and grey, and the memories have faded, you'll have the photos. Spend the extra!

TooManyAnimals94 · 21/04/2021 21:30

Go with the more expensive one. I can't really take issue with our wedding photos but they weren't very creative. They are the lasting legacy of your wedding, make sure you love them.

happytoday73 · 21/04/2021 21:31

I suppose the question is how important are photos to you? To be honest we have one photo of the two of us and one family shot. The rest we never look at.... We asked guests to take photos... They were lovely

weewitch · 21/04/2021 21:31

I'd also say that great photos are worth spending on.

ShirleyPhallus · 21/04/2021 21:32

I’d say fuck it and go for option 3, a videographer

I don’t think I’ve EVER seen wedding photographs which are worth the money. The best pics I’ve seen are from people’s decent camera phones and capture the moments so much more personally than a wedding photographer. Who seem to think they know people but see a nice photo rather than a flattering shot of the people in it.

A videographer on the other hand is a thing of total magic. Much nicer and will give so much more to remember in times to come.

rainbowthoughts · 21/04/2021 21:33

I don’t think I’ve EVER seen wedding photographs which are worth the money. The best pics I’ve seen are from people’s decent camera phones and capture the moments so much more personally than a wedding photographer.

This. I wouldn't even have a photographer now.

Juo · 21/04/2021 21:33

It's just a few photos, you might look at them once or twice in future years but probably not. Save yourself £400.

LastRoloIsMine · 21/04/2021 21:35

Nay.

Its a waste. Seriously 1 hour max. You will barely look at those photos over the next 10 years.

Trixie78 · 21/04/2021 21:36

No don't spend that much on a photographer it's not worth it xx

thebear1 · 21/04/2021 21:37

It depends how important photos are to you. I had a small wedding of 12 people. I have an album of pictures but I hardly ever look at them. I had a nice black and white picture up for a bit, but took it down years ago. I would rather spend it elsewhere.

Lovewinemorethanhusband · 21/04/2021 21:38

I spent a fortune on my wedding photographer, the photos are amazing and I don't regret it for a second !

LastRoloIsMine · 21/04/2021 21:39

They are the lasting legacy of your wedding, make sure you love them.

Surely the lasting legacy of your wedding is your marriage not the staged photos Hmm

Lovewinemorethanhusband · 21/04/2021 21:40

Just to add , my 10 year wedding anniversary is on Friday , I still have lots of photos up on the walls

Sleepisoverrated150 · 21/04/2021 21:40

100% spend more money on the photos, otherwise you will always look at them and wish you had spent the extra money

MaryIsA · 21/04/2021 21:41

We’ve got one photo up which a friend took. We looked at all the professional ones and they were lovely but we didn’t ever get around to buying any.

I also really resented the time it took to take them on a day I really wanted to spend with friends and family who had traveled a long way to be there and who I don’t see often.

So if it’s a small wedding is a lot of it going to be you being photographed? And that’s about £100 a guest on photos. As a guest I’d probably prefer 100 on food or drink,,,,

UsedToBeSeventeen · 21/04/2021 21:41

Yes do it! For a wedding that size you’ll be able to get some great shots and you’ll still be able to feed/water people well.

BuyYourOwnBBQGlenda · 21/04/2021 21:42

We didn't have a photographer. Also had an 8 person wedding. Never look at our photos and don't regret it one bit! Personally I would cheap out and whack £400 off the mortgage or put into a pension. With compound interest you might retire a month or two earlier.

justasmalltownmum · 21/04/2021 21:42

We had lame photos taken on our anniversary and were really sad about jt. Even now when I look at them. Paid extra for A different/better photographer for the wedding. We have amazing photos that we still love. Pay the extra.

ConnieCaterpillar70 · 21/04/2021 21:42

I wouldn't pay that extra for photos of just 8 people.

There are only so many ways in which you can all pose together and to be honest it may be really awkward. It also takes up a horrendous chunk of the day.

44PumpLane · 21/04/2021 21:42

I tell anyone that will listen to spend what you can on the photographer (or videographer) as its the only regret of my day.

My pictures are fine, there are a few lovely ones, but so many more that could have been so much better.

I intend to have a vow renewal in 5 years time with just my husband and kids and will be trussed up and spending a bloody fortune on the best pics I can!

BuggerBognor · 21/04/2021 21:44

This reply has been withdrawn

Message from MNHQ: This post has been withdrawn

SageMist · 21/04/2021 21:44

I think it depends on whether you are person who displays photos or not. I'm not, and the photo shoot at my wedding was a complete waste of money, as we didn't order any prints at all. Not because they were bad, but because we didn't want to display any.

FlyNow · 21/04/2021 21:45

Depends on what you mean by budget. If you taking the money for the photography means your guests have nothing to eat and your cat has to officiate, then not worth it. If you are happy with everything else (the amount of guests, etc) and don't want to spend more, but are just comparing the costs, then why not get the photographer. You are having a small wedding, that doesn't necessarily mean you have to have a cheap photographer.

SacreBleeurgh · 21/04/2021 21:46

Go for the amazing one!! I did and gave zero regrets... actually, that’s not true - I regret not getting a videographer too!