Should I skip out on Wedding Photography? | Boston Wedding Photography

The most important part of a wedding is the couple, it is the marriage and everything else is optional. Should that extend to a photographer? - Photo Illustration

Hiring a Boston wedding photographer is like buying insurance for your memories. Maybe your wedding photos aren’t going to be something you look at every day, but they will be there in 5 years, in 10 years, or even in 50 years when you want to revisit that moment in your lives together and the people that you shared it with.

But sometimes there’s a budget issue, maybe your priorities are in a different place, or maybe you’re a Dracula and the fact that you don’t appear in pictures makes you feel self-conscious in front of a camera. After all, it’s not like a marriage doesn’t happen if a photographer isn’t around to capture the moment.

So if you’re on the fence, should you skip out on wedding photography?

Consider your alternatives: If you’re working under a tight budget there are some alternatives to no photography - negotiating smaller packages or taking a risk on new photographers. Some people might consider passing out disposable cameras for the ceremony or reception, or even tasking enthusiastic friends and relatives with documenting some of the day but that can be an awfully big ask.

Prepare for the worst and be radically honest: Emotions run high around weddings and sometimes that can make even small issues feel like monumental disasters. When you are considering not working with a photographer, take a moment to reflect on what the worst case scenarios might be. As I noted above, hiring a wedding photographer is like paying for memory insurance - you might not feel strongly about the pictures now, but you may in 10 years because of how your life has changed and the people that have come and gone. 

If you’re considering having a friend photograph the wedding, what would you feel if they only captured bad and unflattering photos (or nothing at all)? How would that impact your relationship with that person? Chances are that there will be at least a few great images between all of your guests, but they will often be shooting based on their own desires and not focusing on the moments that are important to you. If a photographer messes up you can ask for a refund and rip into them with a cathartically scathing review, that’s a lot harder to do with a friend or an uncle.

Photography isn’t something you need to make a marriage happen, and there’s no shame if you want to skip it because there are more important things in your life. Just consider your options and the potential results ahead of your wedding day before committing to that decision.

Ryan Richardson is a wedding and engagement photographer serving Boston and beyond; including Cape Cod Weddings, New England Weddings, Massachusetts Weddings and Rhode Island Weddings.