On your wedding day you will be photographed a lot. This can be extremely daunting if you are not used to being in front of the camera. To ensure you get the pictures you’ve always dreamed of, we’ve rounded up some useful tips to help you feel comfortable in front of your wedding photographer.
Weddings and stress go together like All Gold tomato sauce and slap chips – it’s the perfect combination.
The infamous Bridezilla always seems to be a tiny disaster away, but one bride appears to have taken the stereotype to its extreme.
A Reddit user shared a less than flattering story of a bride and groom on their wedding day.
According to a Reddit user, her friend was in desperate need of a photographer as they were on a tight budget – and we all know how expensive weddings can be.
While she was more than happy to help her friend out, the user did admit that snapping adorable dogs pics was actually her forte, opting to charge $250 (R3 600) for 10-hours of work.
The day started great.
“On the day of, I’m driving around following the bride as she goes from appointment to appointment before the ceremony, taking photos along the way. I shoot the ceremony itself, and during the reception I’m shooting speeches and people mingling,” says the photographer, adding that she started around 11:00 and was due to finish around 19:30.
“Around 5pm, food is being served, and I was told I cannot stop to eat because I need to be the photographer; in fact, they didn’t save me a spot at any table. I’m getting tired and at this point kinda regretting doing this for next to nothing,” says the photographer.
That wasn’t the end though. She told the groom that she needed to take a 20-minute break in order to grab something to eat and drink as she didn’t have any more water in her water bottle.
The breaking point? The photographer was told by the groom that she needed to either be a photographer or leave without pay.
“With the heat, being hungry, being generally annoyed at the circumstances, I asked if he was sure, and he said yes, so I deleted all the photos I took in front of him and took off saying I’m not his photographer anymore,” says the photographer who is now wondering if she acted too harshly.
“If I was to be paid $250, honestly at that point, I would have paid $250 just for a glass of cold water and somewhere to sit for 5 min,” says the photographer.
Many users came to the photographer’s defence, stating that “if you’re going to be there all day, then they absolutely should be fed. Plus, it just seems like the polite thing to do,” stated one user.
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Picture: Unsplash
By Mariska van Zyl
There’s no denying that planning your wedding can be exciting, overwhelming and very expensive. So establishing a budget and planing ahead is crucial. There are a few hidden costs when it comes to your wedding day, tipping vendors being one of them.
Photographers & Videographers:
It’s not necessary to tip the photographer and videographer if they own their own business as all the costs will usually be included in the contract. If you feel that they went the extra mile you can add an additional amount to the agreed price or you can send a thank you gift after the wedding.
Catering staff and Bartenders:
If your contract doesn’t include tip, you should tip 10 to 20 percent of the total catering bill. If you have an open bar, bartenders do expect to receive a tip from guests as they serve the drinks but it isn’t necessary as they’ll already receive a fixed amount from the venue.
Hair & Makeup artist:
When you hire a hair and makeup artist that owns their own business, you aren’t obligated to tip them. However, if you go to a salon you are expected to tip as you would going for a normal appointment.
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Officiant:
While it isn’t customary to tip religious officiants, however if you want to thank them for their service, you can send them a thoughtful gift or better, make a donation to their place of worship.
Musicians and DJs:
If you are hiring an independent band or DJ, you aren’t obligated to tip, however when the band or DJ is being booked through an agency, tipping each member is standard.
Tips are meant to to be given to vendors who go above and beyond their contracted duties, so remember to have a look at the vendors’ contracts to see if any gratuity is added in the costs. If your budget is tight, there are other ways of giving “tips”. You can give your vendors excellent reviews or refer them to other friends that are getting married.
Picture: Unsplash