by Michael Mercadante

Created on: April 21, 2009

My wife and I got married in June, 2007. We had a limited budget, but with a long engagement of 14 months there was plenty of time to shop around. I didn't want to use a professional photographer for a number of reasons. First off, the typical cost for a professional service is between $3,000 and $10,000, which would certainly have blown our budget. Secondly, I didn't like the idea of being forever beholden to an outside vendor for reprints. Third, I didn't want the same old standard wedding photos that look just like everyone else's special moment.

Instead, we hired a friend of mine to do the work. She was, at the time, a junior in college studying fine art. I'd seen some of her photographs. Although she was not a professional photographer, she had an incredible eye. Interesting composition without being distractingly artsy. I approached her about shooting my wedding. I offered her $100 to hang out at our wedding and shoot whatever she wanted. In exchange, I wanted all the original digital files, so that I could forever make my own wedding prints.

We had contracted with a banquet facility for the reception. Part of that contract stipulated we were not permitted to use outside professional vendors (beyond those already associated with the facility) without providing professional credentials, including proof of insurance. Obviously, our art student couldn't measure up, so we didn't mention her. We simply included her on our guest list. As a guest with a camera, she was permitted to do as she pleased, and she got a yummy dinner as well.

Certain relatives remarked throughout the night that it was a shame that we didn't have a photographer, or that certain great photo opportunities had been missed. In fact, our friend was so discreet about her activities that she managed to get wonderful shots and didn't miss a single thing, all while blending in perfectly with the crowd.

I've been to other weddings, and I get frustrated by the obtrusive equipment and glaring lights most professional vendors utilize. This distracts from the beauty of the moment, and from all the hard work that went into the planning of most weddings. Everyone comments on how lovely our photos are, and most people can't remember seeing the photographer.

Our photographer provided us with a DVD-ROM containing all of the original digital files for our photographs. She kept copies for her portfolio and the original memory cards to re-use. We received stunningly beautiful photographs of our wedding, some 700 in all, and made all of our prints at a local photo developing center for a fraction of the cost a professional wedding photography service would have charged. In my mind, this makes the $100 fee we paid our non-professional photographer a terrific bargain.

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