Family wants wedding pictures...but on our tab? Who really pays?

Question

We had a small credit to order wedding photos for around our house, but as family comes over, they are handing us lists of the pictures they want....with no offer to buy them, basically for us to buy them and distribute.

Our photographer charges between 12-18 dollars per picture and we are already up to 20 pictures that family have ordered from us, not including the FOUR we wanted. Right now, that's maximum $360 dollars out of our pocket....and my husband's parents are planning on ordering some as well as his sister. I just can't see spending $500 in pictures as gifts.

Our wedding photos are also up online and there is an option to purchase them that way....but no one is doing it, they are all expecting us to buy them. I can see if they wanted one picture a piece...maybe two or three, but this isn't the case.

Should I just fork over the dough and zip my lips or should I call some family members back and ask them to narrow the choices down to two pictures a person?

Answer 1

I would just remind everyone that the photos are online and can be ordered that way and let them know how much it is per photo.  They shouldn't be expecting a new married couple to spend money on them, most couples get money as a wedding gift not the other way around.

Answer 2

Definitely have them go to the site and order for themselves! That's what it's for :) You shouldn't have to pay for pictures they want.

Answer 3

I would tell the family members that you've only budgeted enough for photos for you and your hubby, but they are welcome to order as many as they'd like from the photographer.  

They may not be expecting you to pay for them either--they may just be assuming that YOU have to put in the order.  Explain that they can order them directly from the website, the photographer will send their order directly to them.  

BUT--I'd get a desk size (5X7) for each set of parents for Christmas.

Answer 4

We paid for the photos our parents requested.

For the others,  we scanned ours and loaded them on a website where they could order, print and pay for the photos they wanted themselves.

Answer 5

tell people to take their own pictures from their camara. and if you already had it, dont you get those pics on a disc? if not then you got ripped off!

Answer 6

It is kinda customary to make sure the parents, and possibly the grandparents, and anyone who did you a favor or helped out with the wedding or helped pay for it would get a picture, usually framed. It does not have to be 8x10, it does not have to be an expensive frame.

Anybody else, they are on their own. I have never heard of the family getting pictures for free. I did once  recieve a small billfold size wedding picture in the mail with the thank you note. I was a cousin to the bride.

Can you do something to lessen the cost, like make copies of the photographers pics. and give those? Even at bargain basement prices, I would give just one to each family unit.

Answer 7

For immediate family like , grandparents, sisters and brothers, close aunties/uncles, give a 5X7. Parents, at least an 8X10 and an album of assorted pictures. For anyone farther away in family, let them know about the online option and just leave it there.

Answer 8

you set your budget and  your family has to respect that. You have a great option for them to buy them online and you should put your foot down. Explain to them that buying everyones pictures would put you way over your budget and just isnt possible. It is OK to ask them to only pick 2 pictures if you truly are ok with that and if they want others they should purchase them. The fact is  that your wedding photos are for you and maybe one picture as a gift for immediate family. They should have either taken their own pictures or purchase them for themselves online. good luck, dont get pushed over!

Answer 9

No. Only get one copy of each pic and take them to walmart to get copies made. Because the copies made at walmart are JUST as good trust me! Where do you think she gets them?? So seriously just get 1 of each picture and go make copies somewhere else! TRUST ME! You will save money you need.

Answer 10

They gave you gifts and other sweet stuff for your wedding so I think you should at least show some gratification in return. Let them know that you're on a tight budget but I think that if it's okay with you they should get 2 pictures per person.

Answer 11

Are you sure that they don't already know that they are going to have to pay for them? I should think it would be common sense. In any case- what's done is done and can't be helped now. I suggest that when future orders come in, you direct them to the website and let them know they can order them there.

Answer 12

Choose one   beautiful picture of the two of you together in your wedding finery and have one copy made  for each  person who has asked  for  photos, if you're feeling really generous have each one framed. Actually this wouldn't be too pricey if you go to a discount  store , you can get really nice frames  at some of those  places for next to nothing. With each picture attach a note  thanking people for coming to your wedding and  advising them of where they  can  obtain copies and other  pictures and how much  it will cost them.

EDIT: I  just read the answer above mine, I  agree totally, parents should be the exception to the rule, they get  extra and whatever they want :)

Answer 13

Most photographers give you a disk with all the photos. If so, you could give them the disk and tell them that they can print the photos that they want (you can even do this at places such as K-Mart).

If you didn't get the negatives or a disk, you didn't get such a good deal. I would tell family members that because you have had so many people request photos, you are now directing everyone to purchase them online as you can't keep up with all of the requests. You could buy one for a present for both sets of parents and that's it. Otherwise, you could get the photos you want from the photographer and then get them scanned and printed elsewhere for other family members.

Answer 14

I would just tell them all that there is a website that you and he will do your ordering on and that they can go on and do the same ( iKNow yor not but shhh they dont have to know, theyll just think they have to do it that way)

I plan on doing my photos for mine, annd probably 4 small albums for parents amybe more for grandparents also. But I can hand do all the albums, and I have a professional website to oreder prints off.

Most photographers give you proofs on digital cd, they may assume you have those and that you can just print them off for them.