Wedding photographers are a key and indispensable part of the wedding party's team. They have talked in advance with the bride and groom, officiate, caterers, band, DJ, wedding planners, etc. ,and together they set the rules and schedules of activities for the special day, so don't ignore the photographer. My wedding couples and I are always on the same page and they give me the freedom to know and do what is best to get them the best images. When I am taking photos for them, they have put me in charge of the scene. Cheers

You dont seem to get it. You need to respect the photographer as well as the bride and groom. Any good wedding photographer will totally be on the same page as the bride and groom. The bride and groom may be busy doing something else as I am getting the next scene and/or venue ready with my lighting and assistants. They may not be in earshot of you to ask them anything. I always, upfront and in writing in my contract, get their authority to be in charge of any shooting scene. I have discussed and know their wants and needs and I always respect all their guests and family. The bride and groom want me to take charge and give them the best coverage. But I am also always flexible should any situation change and I honor any bride and groom or family additional requests as much as possible.

I am there to please the wedding party, family and guests, and do the best job I can while keeping it all light and fun. My reputation and business depends as much on great experiences and great testimonials from my work, as much as it depends on my images. Cheers

I have been taking pictures for 50 years (started with a Nikkormat FTn) with candids at the many weddings I have attended through the years.

This was a first!

In the ceremony program there was a statement (printed in the middle of the first page of the program) about the "excellent" photographers the couple had hired and not to take cell phone pix and post during the ceremony. I had my Nikon 7200 and took some pix and went to the reception took a few more. The sister of the bride came up to me and said cease and desist, I tried to tell her that what I was doing was to make an album of candids for a gift for the happy couple which I have done many other times. I stopped, didn't want to make the bride unhappy. I even had the grandparents come up to me as ask me to shoot some portraits of them - which I declined to do at that point because I wasn't the "official" photog. It made me feel bad for them later because I never saw the official wedding photogs over on the side of the room where they were sitting away from the noise.
Later the mother of the groom came up to me and explained that the picture statement in the program was done at the photographers insistence because the photographers didn't want their time and photos "devalued" by amateurs at the wedding. THEY are the picture takers and no one else can shoot the wedding? First I've heard of that! I had even been trying to stay out of the pros way so I wouldn't get in their way or ruin their shots! By the way, on the next day there must have been at least 10 postings on Facebook of cell phone vids and photos from the wedding and reception.

Are the pros really that paranoid and insecure about their work AND that amateurs could possibly make their work look bad or not as good? The photogs didn't even have the b...s to ask me themselves?

Yes in the past I have had several couples or families say that the album I put together as a gift was better than the pro BUT I think that because they were family.

Any other experiences or opinions???