Fun stories from real wedding photographers, shared via none-other than Reddit. Photo's are not related to the below anonymous stories.
Edward Anne Estate at Bavaria Downs Wedding, Andrew and Rachel | Minnesota Wedding Photographer - Emily's Photography.
The Wedding Crasher.
"My experience - I saw a guest chugging drinks and headed towards a train wreck. So I did take a few discreet photos of them doing so, through the night for safety purposes. Though I did see lots of people drinking. Turns out, the guest was actually a wedding crasher. After I left he sexually assaulted someone, destroyed the venue, presents, beat up guests, and the groom. The photos I took became evidence. The police relied heavily on my testimony of events as I was deemed the “only sober witness”.
Where I’m going with this. No one (police + military police) at any point said any of this was my responsibility. However as documenter of the day. There was a strong onus put on me that I had a perfect understanding of where and what people were doing. With photos to show it. Which of course I happily obliged as I could show precisely with time stamped photos. Made my job of being a star witness super easy.
This was actually Canada. I do want to add that it was on military property with all military personnel involved. So it was more complex. I don’t know the end result, but since he was military my understanding was that it also impacted his position and responsibilities with the military too. On top of all the other legal consequences. So they did truly pressure me to be certain about my story. But I had no problem. I could verify everything I saw with a time stamped photo. End of the day I just told what I saw, and what I had direct evidence of. It wasn’t an opinion I saw him at the bar taking shots 5 times. I had 5 time stamped photos of it. "
Edward Anne Estate at Bavaria Downs Wedding, Andrew and Rachel | Minnesota Wedding Photographer - Emily's Photography.
Hungover Bride.
"I was a second shooter for a wedding where the bride got extremely wasted the night before. She was late to hair and makeup, had to keep getting up to vomit… we get to the venue which is a historic battlefield, so there are tons of trenches around. All through portraits she had to keep going behind trenches to vomit. She was afraid she was going to throw up during the ceremony. Luckily she made it- but she completely missed the reception. She made her entrance and then just disappeared. I just kept shooting because I didn’t know what was going on- but finally went to find the main shooter, and she was with the bride who was with EMS and was getting an IV. The groom was so pissed and kept saying “she did this to herself.” I wonder if their marriage made it."
Edward Anne Estate at Bavaria Downs Wedding, Andrew and Rachel | Minnesota Wedding Photographer - Emily's Photography.
Made of Honor goes into Labor.
"I had a Matron of Honor go into labor during photos before the ceremony. (At the time, I didn't have a kid of my own, but I respected her even more once I went through labor myself a few years later.) I have no idea how she managed to push through it for photos. She was an absolute trooper. The venue was kind enough to offer golf carts, and I shot all the bridal party stuff first so she could go back and rest. I tried to make it as easy for her as I could, given she was determined to at least get through the photos.
By the time the ceremony started, she could no longer stand. She sat in the back and hugged the bride at the end of the ceremony and then went right to the birthing center. We learned she'd had her baby right before we were cutting the cake at the reception. Absolute MVP of a Matron of Honor. Nothing but mad respect for her."
DJ Killed it.
"Father of the groom danced himself into cardiac arrest. Ambulance came, bride and groom rode with him to hospital, I went home early."
Room key and a wink.
"I believe I have "seen it all! Bride and Groom got in a fight and called it all off. After vows, during cocktail hour... Not exactly sure how it went down, regardless, I went home. I have seen a venue owner slap a groom over bill/payment argument as I was packing up. I had to wait for the cops and make a statement as the groom pressed assault charges. I got a nice tip from him. I had a Maid of Honor give me her room key and wink! This was almost directly after the toasts and many guests saw it. She was NOT discrete. (I did take her up on the offer)
Witnessed numerous people vomit, pass out, fight, scream, cry, etc. There are many more but those are the most memorable at the moment."
Edward Anne Estate at Bavaria Downs Wedding, Andrew and Rachel | Minnesota Wedding Photographer - Emily's Photography.
Pastor Arrested with a DUI.
Moral of the story, don’t leave a perfectly good free open bar to go and pay extra for a DUI.
"My very first wedding that I ever shot was at a golf course, and post-ceremony we were shooting the bride & groom couples portraits, when one of the groomsmen, as well as the pastor who performed the ceremony decided that the alcohol at the open bar during cocktail hour was not good enough for them. We were in a rural community with the golf course, at the end of a long road up a hillside, and at the entrance to that road off the freeway there was a liquor store. So both the groomsmen and the pastor decide that they are going to drive down to the liquor store to pick up a bottle of their favorite to bring back to the event. Only problem was, both of them had already been served at least two drinks.
Well, 30 to 45 minutes later, cocktail hour ends, and the guests are hearded into the dining hall for the grand entrance of the bride and groom. We start lining up the bridesmaids and groomsmen for each of them to have their own dancing moment as they come through the doors before the couple. And it’s then that we realize that nobody has seen one of the groomsmen for about 40 minutes now.
At first we assumed maybe they were in the bathroom, or possibly that they had gone out for a smoke break and didn’t realize how long they had been gone. Groom says he absolutely cannot do the grand entrance without his groomsmen there as well, and so we hold the grand entrance to the reception, dinner, and all for about another hour while we are looking for the missing Groomsman. Kids are screaming, adults are hangry, half the wedding is drunk already, and there’s still no idea when dinner will actually be served. People are seriously concerned at this point wondering if he got lost, and what happened to him as he seemingly up and vanished.
Finally a little over an hour after the grand entrance was supposed to happen, we get a call from the local police department. Our missing Groomsman, as well as the missing pastor who had snuck under the radar as we were all frantically looking for the groomsmen, were both sitting in the drunk tank. Both had been arrested on a DUI. Just down the street heading to that liquor store. Moral of the story, don’t leave a perfectly good free open bar to go and pay extra for a DUI."
Minneapolis, Minnesota Wedding Photography.
Hi, I'm Emily, and I document people (and their dogs) at weddings! I live alongside my five amazing, crazy and energetic pups, Nessie, Peach, Sammi, Vinny, and Bobbi. They chew everything they see, take up the whole bed, but most importantly - they give the best hugs.
I became a professional photographer in 2019 and since then have had the opportunity to share incredible moments with numerous couples that will be cherished forever. My goal is to tell the story not only of your wedding day, but of your love. I believe to the core that who we are matters. The imagery we create together is dependent on our connection with each other + being the right fit for each other. Let’s get to know one another, I’ll start.
Looking to book a photographer for your Minnesota wedding? Reach out!
Comments