Wedding photographer charges 'frugal' and 'unorganized' bride for reshoots; AITA?

While weddings are ridiculously overpriced these days with the 'bride tax' sending couples into casual debt, attempting to rip off your vendors won't earn you any karma points...

So, when a frustrated wedding photographer decided to consult the moral compass of the internet otherwise known as Reddit's 'Am I the As*hole' about a difficult bride's request for a solo photoshoot, people were dying to hear all the juicy details.

AITA (Am I the As*hole) for charging to take photos of the Bride?

I’m a photographer. One of my family members had sent me a couple that was looking for a wedding photographer. From the get go, this couple was being very “frugal” with their money. Since I had sympathy, I cut my prices to help lower that burden.

From the get go, they tried cutting every corner to get the most out of me. They wanted to dress their kids up and bring them to their engagement shoot so they could also sneak some family photos (not cool, didn’t allow it).

They booked me for 3 hours of their wedding and I knew this was going to pose a problem, but 3 was all they could afford and apparently all they needed.

Leading up to the wedding, I knew that we didn’t have any time to spare when it came to the photos. I asked the bride for the itinerary for the wedding and also ALL must-have photos with an example for her to use.

The DAY BEFORE the wedding, she says there isn’t a schedule and we will “wing it”, and the shot list definitely showed that someone did it last minute.

Wedding day comes and everything is an unorganized disaster. There were very few moments where the bride and groom could actually be taken away (wedding was at 5 on a Friday, I was booked from 5-8).

While I’m capturing all the important shots on the list, I’m trying to grab solo photos of the bride and groom, but they don’t make time for me.

Something was always coming up to where when we were ready to go outside, they would tell me to wait. I even push my time to 8:30 because I knew there would be some regret later, so I tell them I’m leaving and I just need a photo of them two.

The groom comes out YELLING because I’ve taken him away from the party to take “stupid pictures” and honestly, the behavior was grotesque. I took the picture and left.

A week passes and I get a text from the bride at 11pm. “Omg, I was just having so much fun that I just realized we didn’t take any solo shots of myself.' And she didn’t. Because she wouldn’t make time to take them.

Because she wouldn’t give me a schedule that we could actually work with. Sooooo now, the bride is requesting that I do a “greatly-discounted or free” bridal shoot for her, since I didn’t get any solo shots from the wedding.

AITA for charging her for these photos?

Of course, the jury of internet strangers was eager to weigh in on this wedding photography drama. Here's what people had to say:

z-eldapin said:

NTA at all - and if she wants a bridal shoot, charge her full price. Even mention to her that you made several attempts. You're happy that she had a good time and if she wants a separate shoot, here is the pricing, and your availability.

DionysisA18 said:

NTA, they paid for your time, they should have used it. Their lack of organisation cost them extra. You should be charging for additional pictures.

Sinjury said:

NTA. Imagine booking a performer for a party and he'd keep asking you if he can perform now and you'd keep shrugging him off for the whole duration of the party, then you'd send him a mail like OMG I just realized you didn't even perform, how about you come perform for free now?

Nope. Not how it works. They booked you for 3 hours, it's their responsibility to make sure they are available and motivated to get the pictures they want within that time. Time is money, friend.

BeachProducer said:

NTA - she understood the parameters of what you were hired for & didn't manage her time she was paying you for.

Since that time has passed, you absolutely should charge her for the bridal shoot - and a premium at that, for being the ahole she is.

ALSO -- discuss in detail with your family member how the whole thing transpired, just like you detailed here, because a chick like this is undoubtedly throwing you under the bus to your own family member trying to make you out to be the AH.

Hell, your family member might even be useful in pressing the sh*thead bride to compensate you properly for the bridal shoot!

[deleted] said:

Absolutely NTA. If needed send an email detailing exactly the problems you had with the wedding including the husbands behavior, and why they will have to pay you appropriately for your time.

If they don’t want to pay they can live without the shots. It is not your fault they didn’t plan for the day and disregarded your time when you already made accommodations for them.

Kazvicious said:

NTA. Wedding videographer here and it explicitly states in my contact that I am not liable for any missed footage caused by things outside of my control, due the the nature of weddings being a live event.

On another note, after 8 years I have realised it is ALWAYS the budget brides that cause the most stress, they always want to get the absolute most bang for their buck. They also will be the first ones to complain at the slightest little thing.

Please stick to your guns, remind her that you did try to organise time with the bride and groom to get these shots but that they didn’t give you that time.

So, there you have it...

Everyone agreed unanimously here that this wedding photographer wouldn't be wrong to charge for a second photoshoot as this couple clearly didn't plan ahead in order to maximize the time they did pay for. Good luck, everyone!