I recently photographed Gus & Laura’s wedding. Unlike many traditional couples, they decided to have a smaller celebration. The result was an intimate evening that was altogether personal and touching. I feel very honored and proud to have been selected as their photographer. Over time, I have come across a growing phenomenon with photography in wedding planning:

In the wedding photography world, some of us have coined a term for the relative or close family friend who thinks they are or should have been the wedding photographer. We call this person “Uncle Bob”. While Uncle Bob is great for taking posed shots at cocktail hour or maybe even a nice holiday photo, he/she is NOT a professional wedding photographer.

So what is a professional? A professional is someone who knows how to foresee, circumvent and resolve problems efficiently. Most of us can shoot a ball into a basket. A professional can make that shot with 1 second on the buzzer, a crowd of people “booing”, a sprained wrist and draw the foul for the win. This is what he/she gets paid to do.

In the case of Laura & Gus, I had about 7 minutes to shoot their formal shots because the weather was unrelenting and we were right on the coast. Laura and I managed to squeeze in a small impromptu bridal session before the ceremony. This was all spur of the moment but she saw the opportunity and I ran with it. Having assistants definitely allowed me to work more effectively in both situations.

All this talk of “professionalism” may seem a bit obvious, however, what comes as a shock to many newly engaged couples is the cost that these professionals charge for their services. The combination of working a 50 hour week during the busy wedding season, hours spent on post-production and album design, not to mention the cost of purchasing top of the line professional equipment, paying an assistant or second shooter and transportation all adds up to the cost of running a business and is factored into the cost of working with a professional. Probably one of the most noticeable differences between hiring Uncle Bob and hiring a professional is the work that goes into post-production. Only a true professional has the experience to produce the high-quality finished product you were originally envisioning for your wedding memories.

While some of you may be scratching your heads and saying “My Uncle Bob is really good, he took photography classes in college!” or “We simply can’t afford to hire all those professionals”, I would like to call your attention back to the very top of this article. Remember when the plan was to have a small intimate wedding? What changed the plan? Most likely you felt pressured to live up to other people’s expectations. I was so happy to learn that Laura & Gus only had 32 guests at the wedding; it made the day feel that much more private and intimate.

At the end of the day, you are not truly paying for photography, make-up, food or flowers. You are paying for the experience of seeing your wedding idea transformed into a reality. To pull off this amazing feat requires a skilled set of artists, designers and visionaries. So rethink that gargantuan RSVP list. There’s nothing wrong with a big wedding but make sure you aren’t doing it just because you feel pressured or feel it’s expected.

This is your big day.

Treat yourself and your select guests to a timeless and unforgettable experience.