Jimmy T Loc: Virginia

"Second nickle" I too had my first wedding shoot a few years back; I read, I studied, I went to the church for light checks, and possible shots. Of course the church lights were turned down for the ceremony, sigh. Before the wedding, I shot the rings on the Holy Bible and made many exposures of the stained glass windows, etc. I shot the wedding rehearsal, the wedding rehearsal dinner, the wedding (dressing the bride/attendants - groom/attendants, etc.), and the reception. I took more than 600 shots. My Saintly Wife managed the "shoot list" arranged the group shots and lugged the equipment. I culled out all but <250 shots then I spent about forty hours in post cropping and refining the pics, creating collages of each event for display. Then the bride told me that she wanted the prints in 5 X 7" vice 4 X 6" which meant re-editing the pics for their new size. I was very pleased with the final product for my first wedding attempt. The day that I delivered the pics the husband was too busy to sit down and look at the pics and the bride hurriedly looked at the pics because she had an appointment conflict. This is some of which you are signing up for. This shoot was for a friend that also didn't want to pay for a “real” wedding photographer. This was my first and last wedding shoot.

windtalker

Listen to the voice of experience! Do not even entertain the thought of doing this! I am a retired professional photographer, and quit doing weddings because of parental divorce! The bride and grooms parents could not stand to be in the same room! The photo part was easy! Just make sure your negatives had 82% density and let the lab take over! But that required a very large flash head (Metz) and those were not cheap! I carried 3 to be safe! So please SAVE your self from your family!! It takes only an hour to form a problem and maybe a lifetime to resolve it!

windtalker

To add a little humor here, I had a mother of the bride come to me and ask for a refund of her daughters wedding picture cost, because the Happy Couple didn’t last a full week before calling it quits!

Richard Engelmann Loc: Boulder, Colorado

You were wise to decline the role of Wedding Photographer! However your friends do like the candid shots that you took, and you could do this before and after the ceremony as just another guest with a camera, taking care to stay away from the hired photographer and intentionally far away from the posed group shots (unless you are in them).

I have the same camera, and I do have a filter ring screw-on wide angle that has significant vignetting when zoomed out. I bought Canon's 10-18 zoom which avoids this issue and it is now my favorite lens for group activity and candid shots. It is exceptionally useful in close quarters getting everyone in the group into the frame without the vignetting. Such a lens would be necessary for a wedding.

Morning Star Loc: West coast, North of the 49th N.

I totally agree: say "NO". Yes, in capital letters, loud and clear.
If you cannot get yourself to do that, get a contract, stating that you are not a wedding photographer, nor a professional photographer and that you do not take any responsibility whatsoever for the way any of the photo's turn out. Have it checked out by a lawyer. Then do not even think about touching the shutter release button till BOTH the bride and the groom, and yourself of course, have signed that contract.

Added: My one and only wedding-shoot actually turned out quite well. This was for our granddaughter.
We knew they didn't have the money to pay for a professional photographer. They had seen a couple of our "vacation photo stories" and asked if I could do something similar for their wedding, knowing very well that I would bring my camera anyway. I "scouted out" the venue, including spots from where I would not be "in the way" and still be able to get good shots. Discussed lighting with the venue's manager, visited the park for the "after-wedding" shots, and finally told my granddaughter, in the presence of her parents and grandparents, that I was willing to take the photos, but that due to editing they couldn't have them till about a month after the wedding, AND that I made no guarantees as to their quality. Knowing my son (her father), having said all that I didn't need a written contract.
A month later I presented them with a photobook (Blurb) of the wedding, and a DVD with all the photos from the book, and a link to the Blurb site, so others that would like to have the same book could order it.
Yes, I enjoyed it. No, I would not do it again, except for another grandchild. Not worried about that, they seem to have taken to living together rather than getting married.

mizzee Loc: Boston,Ma

We went cheap for our wedding. It was my biggest regret. In an effort to be subtle, our "photographer" shot from the hip. I have a fabulous photo, not, of my mother's chest and nose hairs. If you go ahead, DO NOT take any money and absolutely suggest they buy a little point and shoot cameras from CVS for each table so guests can have some fun with them. Kind of a modified version of the spray and pray approach. Good luck and try to enjoy the wedding.

ole sarg Loc: south florida

DON'T DO IT!

KarenKaptures Loc: New Jersey

👍🏾👍🏾

Bike guy Loc: Atlanta

No, don’t accept. If things go bad they will remember that forever. Tell them to buy throw away film cameras (they still make them) and put one on each table for guests to take photos.
To reinforce, do you know how to pose the bride, the groom, where do you stand during the ceremony? Just a start of questions.

markngolf Loc: Bridgewater, NJ

As others have advised against, I totally agree. Have a few family members use their smart phones and take a variety of photos. If that is not acceptable to the bride & groom they should pay for the services of a professional. Of course it is expensive. It's an artful skill. What isn't expensive these days?
Mark

flash1952

well - I have taken probably 50 weddings in my 45 years of taking pictures as a hobby more than a profession and even today if someone asked me to take a wedding I would have to thing about it long and hard before doing it and I have the equipment to do it - you don't - without a flash you done from the start - but most weddings don't allow flashes during the service anyway so you have to have a low light lens - 2.8 or less...if you shoot in RAW you may be able to get some decent pictures depending on your lens and you can buy a cheap flash on ebay to get by with some group pictures - it would be a good experience for you to do this wedding but do not be the only photographer...craigslist has people who will take the basic wedding for $300-500 - if that is too much for them then they don't really care if they have pictures or not...I have a couple of weddings in my website for things you need to focus on - the bride walking up the aisle is probably the most critical...yu will need a flash for that...https://jerryddavis.smugmug.com/ good luck

ez22 Loc: The World

You should do it for them. Get a tape recording of them telling you their expectations and you telling them what you've told us here. Obviously they
don't care to have it done professionally. Some do, some don't.

I've been in this business (not traditional weddings) for 45 years and in that time I have seen/known a good number of would be/non professional photographers go from zero to successful wedding photographers with no experience, help, training or adequate equipment. It's not rocket science.
and some of the best work I've seen has come from these people without training. Sorry... but true.

PhotoFem

I'll leave the recommendations of what lenses to use, etc. to others here. First...have confidence in yourself that you can do this job. I too was asked to photograph my son's wedding and did it for free because of no professional experience. They were really pleased at the results! I even produced a book for them. Weddings are so hard to capture with the intimacy that is required to convey the emotion of the day. You also have to be more places at the same time...I discovered! If you think about what images will be the most memorable to capture...then be there in that moment with the couple or the bride...you will succeed.
Good luck...and don't forget to have fun! And breathe!

ez22 Loc: The World

Right On !

jayluber Loc: Phoenix, AZ

I'd suggest that they give each guest a disposable camera and ask them to take photos of the wedding and reception, then turn them in to the bride and groom for development on their way out.
"Just say no."