What I hate when filming a wedding!

[Travis Cossel]

This was a new one for me this weekend. I had just finished setting up a camera and getting it positioned just right. This guest shows up and decides to take off his jacket . . . and the idiot walks over and hangs it on my tripod, bumping it out of position. I'm standing there, watching this, thinking . . "does my tripod/camera look like a freaking coat rack?!?".

I promptly walked over, took the jacket off of it, walked over to the guest and told him "Sorry, but you can't hang your jacket on my tripod. Thanks."

I swear I don't know how some people figure out how to get out of bed in the morning.

[Kenneth Johnson]

[QUOTE=Travis Cossel;716802]This was a new one for me this weekend. I had just finished setting up a camera and getting it positioned just right. This guest shows up and decides to take off his jacket . . . and the idiot walks over and hangs it on my tripod, bumping it out of position. I'm standing there, watching this, thinking . . "does my tripod/camera look like a freaking coat rack?!?".

I promptly walked over, took the jacket off of it, walked over to the guest and told him "Sorry, but you can't hang your jacket on my tripod. Thanks."

I would have taken the jacket off the tripod and left it on the ground, while walking all over it

[Steven Davis]

Years ago I went to a wedding where the bride had put a separate piece of paper in the program that was in neon saying, well I forget what it said, but I've thought of addressing this more closely at the contract signing. I would be glad to run to Office Depot and get the paper.

[Travis Cossel]

Originally Posted by Kenneth Johnson

I would have taken the jacket off the tripod and left it on the ground, while walking all over it

I sure felt like it.

[Dana Salsbury]

I would've put the jacket on and acted like it was mine. ;o)

[Marco Dias]

I had a guy once go upto my light on a lightstand at the reception and unplug my light from the plug point and connect his camcorder battery charger to charge his camcorder battery.

He was too lazy to look for another plug point at the venue. I grabbed my 5 point plug adapter and connected my light and his battery charger to the same plug point.

The nerve of this guy...

[Adam Hoggatt]

Originally Posted by Michelle Lewis

I was on a wedding planner's list, where a bunch of them were instructing other planners not to feed vendors, because they are not guests, for the exception of the DJ. I had to inform them that the DJ is there only half-day, while the video/photo people have been there an entire day, covering the event without a meal and it would look very cheap on the bride's part to have everyone eating while the rest of us twiddle our thumbs. Some of them got how rude it is not to feed us or provide a chair, but the majority of the wedding planners said if there should be food bring out a bologna sandwich and an apple in a brown bag and let them eat it. Talk about tacky?

I know it's common practice to expect a courtesy meal for the vendors but,

I have to disagree here (I know, big surprise). Why should we expect the couple to pay $25 and up (or whatever) so that we can eat a fancy meal at a wedding of someone we don't even know? We go to weddings every weekend.

My contract states that we do not expect to be fed at the reception. I wouldn't spend that much money on my own dinner, why should they? There's no reason I cant bring a sack lunch and excuse myself from the reception to eat it. I often do. However, most clients will offer me the food anyway (there's usually plenty) and that's great, I will take it if they offer. I just don't want them to spend that much feeding myself and an assistant.

Just to clarify, I don't have a problem with other vendors having that in their contract, I just don't think it should be "required".

[Sean Johnson]

Originally Posted by Marco Dias

I had a guy once go upto my light on a lightstand at the reception and unplug my light from the plug point and connect his camcorder battery charger to charge his camcorder battery.

He was too lazy to look for another plug point at the venue. I grabbed my 5 point plug adapter and connected my light and his battery charger to the same plug point.

The nerve of this guy...

Unfortunately there's a lot people out there that are oblivious to the world around them. I feel sorry for these people because its not their intention (sometimes it is) to step on people's toes and in the end they fail at many things in life. As a videographer you have to always be aware of whats going on around you and the consquences of your actions. People that don't have this sense to them can struggle in almost any job.

[Timothy Harry]

Originally Posted by Dana Salsbury

I would've put the jacket on and acted like it was mine. ;o)

You know if it was me being the fat guy i would have done my best Chris Farley impression from Tommy Boy.....Fat man in a little coat.......RIIIIPPPPPPPP!!!!

[Noa Put]

Originally Posted by Adam Hoggatt

Just to clarify, I don't have a problem with other vendors having that in their contract, I just don't think it should be "required".

I also allways bring my own food with me for during the day, but not for the evening. Sometimes the family has a very expensive 4 course dinner in the afternoon and I can understand that the couple won't order for me. Only in the evening it's often a big buffet were there's plenty to eat. Sometimes the couple tells me to pls eat something, sometimes they don't and then I just take food without asking. :D

Only when it's a very expensive wedding and they serve 4 course dinner for the guests in the evening I allways ask the waiter if the couple counted me in as well and if they could prepare a small plate if there are any "left overs", this usually works and in a rare occasion I don't get anything but I don't mind.

One time I was treated as one of the guests, even better, The wedding event was in a big castle and they prepared a nice candlelight 4course dinner for me in a seperate room, there was one waiter assigned to assure I got my food and he came looking for me everytime they started a new course and he even put my chair right when I sat down. For a short while it didn't feel like I was working. :D

[Tim Harjo]

My wife and I did a wedding for OUR FRIEND which was cool. Not a close friend, but none the less, a friend. Anyway, when it came time to eat, the wedding coordinator told us that there was a serperate table for the vendors. But wait.. We were friends of the bride. I assumed that they did counts for chairs so I agreed to the seperate table. It turns out that there were only enough chairs for the main tables and so the "vendor table" had NO CHAIRS! And then the catering company made us wait because they "don't feed the vedors until all the guests have eaton." - as in when they are doing the first dances and other events.

This was a catering company doing there first gig. I had to straighten them out on feeding us while the guests were eating. I do have to say though the food was really good.

I have to give kudos to the photog that day. He ignored the ignorant requests of the wedding coordinator. He found an empty seat, made friends with the guests and sat down and ate. I wish I would have done that.

[Steven Davis]

Originally Posted by Noa Put

One time I was treated as one of the guests, even better, The wedding event was in a big castle and they prepared a nice candlelight 4course dinner for me in a seperate room, there was one waiter assigned to assure I got my food and he came looking for me everytime they started a new course and he even put my chair right when I sat down. For a short while it didn't feel like I was working. :D

Geez, where is that place, I'll move, and do weddings for nothing at that place. It's nice to hear a good story. :}

[Tim Harjo]

I was treated like a king once. Every one there helping me out. Best wedding I've been to. Of course I wasn't working. My wife wouldn't let me film our own wedding ;)

[Marco Wagner]

Originally Posted by Marco Dias

1. When I arrive to film the bride getting ready and she’s still at the hairdresser/ makeup artist. When she does arrive, I have 10 minutes to perform a miracle.

2. When I get to the Church/Chapel, I greet the priest/pastor and all he does is tell me where I can go and where I can’t go without saying hello back. (Plain rude!)

3. When filming the putting on the rings and first kiss the priest/pastor decides to walk in front of the camera. (Do I look invisible to him?)

4. When the B&G are smokers and can’t go without a smoke for more then 2 minutes and they don’t want you to film them having a smoke. So you got to put down your camera every 2 minutes and wait for them to finish.

5. When I get to the reception and there’s no seating for you, even after you explain this to them, when they signed the contract. They simply tell you, that they forgot and take another 30 minutes to arrange a seating place for you and your assistant.

6. When I go around filming guests at their table, there will always be an idiot that points at the camera and says: “Look its Candid Camera”. If it was “Candid Camera” you wouldn’t see me, would you?

7. When I am filming speeches, the parents allow their little brats to run and make a noise, as if it was kinder garden. No respect whatsoever.

8. When I am busy filming, someone decides that they want to go past right in front of me, because they are too lazy to go around me. The worst is, when they do come past, they buck down half-way and all I get is the top of their head. If you are going to buck down, make some effort!

These are just some of the things I hate and get irritated with, when I film a wedding.

What gets to you?

Regards.

All the reasons and more I DON'T do weddings anymore, for any amount of money.