Teen deletes cousin's 'precious' wedding photos when she dodges $50 payment; AITA?
While it's tempting to try to cut costs and 'hire' friends and family to replace professionals on your wedding day, forcing your loved ones to be unpaid interns is never a good idea...
So, when a frustrated teenager decided to consult the moral compass of the internet otherwise known as Reddit's 'Am I the As*hole' about whether or not he was wrong to delete his cousin's wedding photos, people were ready for the juicy gossip.
AITA (Am I the As*hole) for deleting my cousin's precious wedding photos?
I (17M) agreed to take wedding photos for my cousin Sarah's (26F) wedding. She wanted me to take photos of her getting ready, our grandmother putting a family heirloom necklace on her, the first look, the wedding, the reception, etc.
There was also another photographer (a friend of the groom) who was taking photos of the groom and his side getting ready, and he was also taking photos at the wedding/reception.
Since I wasn't a professional photographer by any means I told her I would only charge $50 for the entire day. And when I say entire day, I mean it. From 8 am until 10 pm I was with her taking photos and basically being harassed by her, her bridesmaids and my aunt.
She was a full-on bridezilla the entire time, not just to me but basically everyone including her husband. It was a long day to say the least.
So after all of that I went home, edited the photos, and copied them onto individual USB drives for people she might want to give them to. I texted Sarah a couple of days later to let her know they were ready and that I would happily meet up with her to exchange them for the $50.
She never responded. For the next three weeks I texted, called, got in touch with her mother (my aunt), and even stopped by her house to try and get the photos to her. She evaded every single attempt.
6 months passed since the wedding and I was at the movies with my other cousin (19M), who was Sarah's younger bother, and a couple of our friends. He tells me, 'By the way, Sarah was wondering when you were going to give her the photos. She said she would pay you the $10 if that's the only reason you're talking so long.'
I was livid. First, it was $50. Second, that was the deal from the start! I told my cousin this and said to tell Sarah if she wanted them she needed to contact me within 2 days so we could meet up, with the payment, or I was going to delete them.
This might come as a shock considering the title of this, but she never contacted me. The 2 days passed, I deleted the photos and erased the USB drives. Less than a week went by before my aunt called me in a fit because I 'threatened' my cousin into paying me when she 'didn't have the money.'
I told my aunt that she has had a little over 6 months to pull together $50 (which she knew was the agreed upon amount), that she refused to respond to me no matter what I tried, and that it was too late now because the photos were gone.
My aunt, uncle and a few other relatives have been refusing to talk to me or my parents because I deleted, 'precious photos that can never be taken again, all because of greed' (literal quote). My mom thinks I should apologize and am just being stubborn.
However, my older brother thinks I held onto the photos longer than I should have, and that I should have deleted them after the first week of trying to get into contact with her and being dodged/ignored. So, AITA for deleting my cousins wedding photos?
Of course, the jury of internet strangers was ready to weigh in on this family wedding mess. Here's what people had to say...
barugosamaa said:
She had a whole wedding, and then couldnt get 50 bucks for the photos? In 6 months? NTA.
Yikes44 said:
NTA. I don't see how you could have tried any harder than you did. She obviously didn't care about seeing the photos if she'd been ignoring you for six months.
Churchie-Baby said:
NTA I couldn't imagine asking a family member to do all that then not to pay them not to reply to them then lie to other family members about what was promised she realizes an actual photographer for the full day charges around 2k?
joe_eddie_13 said:
ESH. You should not have erased the usb drives. Certainly you could delete the photos on the camera. You should have simply told EVERYONE, I have the photos, for $50 they are yours. Your cousin is definitely an inconsiderate ahole.
SmutnySmalec said:
NTA, also, professional photographers sometimes take more than 6 months to deliver all wedding photos, so the slow argument is bs. 50$ is like free photos.
XiaoMilly said:
NTA. $50 is cheap for a full day of photography plus the editing. you’re telling me she’s 26 and got married but doesn’t even have $50? Couldn’t even at least communicate to ask for some more time? lmao her fault for being a cheapskate.
NTA you were more than angelic and generous for doing 50$ for an entire day! Even tho you're not as professional....I think you're underselling yourself because if you weren't as good she wouldn't have asked nor would everyone be sad they can't get their photos.
Don't worry. You're not gonna lose sleep or your life after this. You gave her half a year and even went above and beyond looking out for her to get them and pay you but she evaded thinking she could swindle you for less. Let this be a lesson for everyone including us reading...YOU F AROUND YOU FIND OUT!
TE7 said:
It's a clear ESH here in my mind. The Sister is awful, but the non-as%$hole move is to do what I said. Tell them, and anyone who inquires about them, that they can have them for the agreed upon amount and call it a day.
So, there you have it...
While the opinions were fairly divided here, most people agreed that this teen deserved to be paid for his work. Deleting the photos was an extreme move, but he gave the bride a perfect reasonable time frame. Good luck at future family holidays, everyone...I feel a guilt trip looming...