Boone Loc: Groundhog Town USA

Don't do it! You are the father not the "Photographer". I am sure that they would be happy to have you do this for them, but you are to enjoy the moment. Just my opinion, but I KNOW (having been ther) that it"s a special time for you. Let some else's lens capture this special time and enjoy!!!

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

With the "Hi Five Flip-Flop Generation" the photos taken by phone and Point N' Shoot are the norms. They live with and like candid and so many "now" photos are the norm. Of course there are the standard ring, alter, garter, cake, toast, etc. But they want to remember their friends.

The friends are all snapping photos, and these are incorporated in the final slide show with perhaps a bit of post processing. Duplicate equipment is best, multi batteries, changes of SD cards (eggs in one basket). Agreed, prompt them to get a "Paid Pro" and explain that they take the classic books, that you are a candid as it happens photographer. Agreed Toby, you can not be in two or three places at one time, that is why in their group of friends there are people assigned to do particular photos. It is strenuous keeping up with all the goings on. And a good deal of time is spent doing post.

But again money is perhaps the big issue with young couples better to have what you can produce rather than none or languish in discontent trying to pay off the credit cards that were maxed for the wedding @17-20% interest and then failure of the marriage based on money arguments. Being a purest professional about the Mom's problem is not getting the job done. If Mom was sure she could not and would not do it she would never have posted this question seeking confidence or perhaps she is seeking advice to reinforce and justify her pre-decision not to do the job.

My daughter was pleased that Dad was able to take care of the photography. Money and being independent of parents financially was important to both her and her husband.

At least mom, get as many as possible photos from those with cameras and post and compile into a great slide show.

steve_stoneblossom Loc: Rhode Island, USA

Hmmm... five pages of replies, and no response from the inquirer. Did we scare you to death, or did you take the Zantac advice already? :)

sploppert Loc: Rochester, NY

Shooting the pictures is only 1/3 of the job of a wedding photographer. Consider that a professional photographer will spend 10-12 hours shooting on the day of the wedding alone. That's the easy part. Then the photographer does all the post processing and burning the DVD before anyone sees the pictures. Once that's done he has to show the pictures to the bride and groom and design their final 8 x 10 album. Then the photographer has to sort the chosen photos to be printed. Send the photos to a professional lab for printing and then put the photos into mats and then the album. This all takes time and money......lots of money. So if you think the pros charge an arm and leg for what they do you better think again. Good luck with what ever you choose to do.

frasher101 Loc: Houndsfield N.Y.

I don't know what your day job is, but it sounds like your a pro at it. So let the pros do their job and enjoy a once in a lifetime event.

naturalite Loc: Up state NY

Maybe I'm crazy, have nerves of steel, or just stupid. But I've done wedding photos for both of my kids. Everything turned out fine.
I just gave them a loose framework I wanted to progress at. Carried 2 cameras with me. Went in the day before at the same time the wedding was to take place and set up my cameras. One video, and I carried my 2 still cameras.
The only frustrations were dealing with guests walking in front of me as I was trying to soot photos. I finally enlisted the assistance of an usher to run interferance for me and block wandering guests.
I ended up with 153 photos and 1 hour of video.

wilsondl2 Loc: Lincoln, Nebraska

The ? was give me tips not should I do it. I love doing weddings so I will try to give you a few tips. 1 do a lot of shots of the bride on a day before the wedding. (tip inside the tip always take picture with one sholder pointint toward the camera. square sholders make girls look like football players. If you can do the groom on that day do him too. 2 Make a list of thw photos you want and get a helper to round up people. I find the best time to take pictures is after the Wedding all the people are there and want to get it done so they can get to the reception. Some photogs want to take them before it just works better for me after. 3 look at all the wedding pictures you can in books on the webe etc. 4 Steal the poses you like. 5. Check your pics as you go for white balance focus etc. 6.If you can find a Wedding to go to go and watch the photags. Read and Study books on Wedding Photography. 7 Read and study books on Wedding Photography. The newer ones seam to tell how to do a style of photography and not how to do a wedding. Two books that tell how to do a wedding from start to finish are- Arin's "How to Shoot a Wedding" and one by Jack Curtis "Beyond the Wedding Camera" They are both old, the Arin abook is from the '50s but tell how to do a complete Wedding. Hope this points you in the right direction. - Dave

ahanonymous Loc: Queens, NY

Do not do it! It's your Son's wedding. Your job that day is being a parent, NOT a photographer!

I shoot weddings and would never think about shooting my son or daughters wedding. I want to enjoy my child's special day and not have to worry about all the things that a photographer needs to do that day.

Let the professionals, like me, do the job. We can use the money too!

sploppert Loc: Rochester, NY

The best advice is to take 2 photos of every pose. Change the pose slightly so you can tell them apart. If both come out you now have 2 different poses. Chances are that one of the 2 will be faulty. Of course take 2 of everything for equipment. Murphy's law " if it can break or go wrong it will." That is cheap insurance for completing the job that you will be proud of.

hccfred

I have shot many weddings in the in the past and my first bit of advice is don't do close family. What if something goes wrong. You will have to live with it and the the bad feelings from the family for the rest of you life. This is a once in a lifetime event that cannot be redone. I carried 2 cameras, 2 flash units. back up batteries for everything. I had someone follow me from the church to a park and to the reception. I am a professional and was fully prepared for everything and needed to be. I had minor equipment problems, I broke down on the highway when a radiator hose broke. I had my car stolen while shooting group photos in a park, BUT, I never missed and always got the job done. I shot photos at the brides house getting ready, entering the church, all the church shot especially the ring ceremony ( I always checked with this priest for permission to take the shots I wanted) walking down the aisle and back, throwing rice, group shots of bride and groom, with parents, grandparents, wedding party, all the reception shots including the toast, cutting the cake, first dance and plenty of shots to choose from. If you don't know what you are doing this is no time to learn. Hire a pro! Maybe offer to pay for it.

photoman022 Loc: Manchester CT USA

Are you going to do it or not? That's the question you have to settle. I photographed my sister-in-law's wedding (none of the special shots, etc.). I did a google search on wedding photography and made a list of the shots they recommended in the various articles. I mostly shot in auto mode, used the built in flash, all of the photos turned out well, my brother and sister-in-law (and their families) were really please with the work I did. When my daughter got married, a professional photographer was our gift to the happy couple.

LoisCroft Loc: Jonesborough, Tennessee

I've done all my kids weddings. What a PLEASURE! Just keep the same mindset that you have with other people and you will do just fine. And you will have a gazillion pictures to remember the wedding!

AndyT Loc: Hampstead, New Hampshire

I shot nearly 2000 weddings in the 32 years I did it as a pro. The one I turned down was my daughter's wedding.
I told her that I wanted to just be the Father of the Bride, walk her down the aisle, and as someone already said, enjoy the day through my eyes, and not through the viewfinder. I recommended a couple photogs and helped pay the fee. ( They said they wouldnt let me pay it all).
I kept my mouth shut the day of the wedding, although there were poses I didnt think were good, or because I thought she missed shots I wouldve gotten. When the photos came back, I found perfectly good photos, taken in the photographers own style, that she was comfortable with. I even saw poses that I said to myself, "Wow, why didnt I do a shot like that?" My daughter and husband were thrilled with the photos they received, and I enjoyed a very special day. Don't shoot the wedding.

kirstenmia

I have read a lot of the replys and I agree that you should enjoy the day and be IN the pictures instead of taking them... find someone you know and trust to take the pictures but then offer to take some unique moments too... like two weeks later have her put the dress back on and take pictures at the lake at sunset, or something else unique and beautiful...
You would regret losing the day.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Here are the Top Ten Tips for a Wedding Photographer - you can't do much better than that. They come from England, but aside from driving on the other side of the road, weddings are pretty similar here and there (I watch a lot of TV).

http://www.ephotozine.com/article/ten-top-wedding-photography-tips-18176