Facebook to Brides: Why Have One Photog When You Can Have a Hundred?

Dear Facebook,

I saw a video you posted a short while ago regarding wedding photography. You know the one: a 21-second long video containing a montage of wedding snapshots. At the end of the video, you zoom out to show that all those images were on a Facebook user’s wall and the user was so thrilled that she updated her status with “Thanks everyone! Amazing pics!”

I was okay with it up until that point. After all, everyone attends weddings and we all tend to take snapshots and share them on Facebook. Nothing wrong with that. But then, you included something at the end of the video that surprised me. You wrote the words: “Why have ONE photographer when you can have a hundred?”

And then you added that cute little blue thumbs-up icon, you know, just to “like” it further.

Now, I have been an ardent defender of you, Facebook. With all your money-generating options, you are still free. No one makes us use you. And, let’s face it, a page on your site is one of the first things to be secured after opening a photography business… or any business for that matter.

I think you are smart and fun and easy to use. And you introduced us to Candy Crush — that alone is grounds for lifelong devotion. But Facebook, oh, my Facebook, you had to know this video would not go over well.

I like to think that maybe you made this as a joke. Maybe you all had had one too many at lunch and so you created this video disparaging an industry that you never actually intended to post. Only nobody told Bobby the Intern and, well, it was just a giant misunderstanding.

I like to think that, but somehow, I’m pretty sure that’s not the case.

Well, you asked a question, Facebook, and you deserve an answer. So allow me and those who comment on this article to enlighten you.

Weddings come in all shapes and sizes. Hey, I don’t have to tell you that, Facebook; your site is filled with them. I know you’ve seen them. And while no two weddings are identical, they all have one thing in common: They are important. This isn’t a trip to the grocery store or dinner with friends — it’s a commitment between two people who pledge before family and friends to love each other for always.

Now, here’s where you need to listen up, Facebook, because it’s imperative you understand this … when an event is important enough to be photographed, it’s usually not best to leave it in the hands of the attendees and their cell phones. What is that you said? Well, of course I understand that wedding guests take photos and want to share them with the bride and groom and you provide the means for that to happen; however, while those guest snapshots are the proverbial icing-on-the-cake, you still need the cake.

Does this make sense? You still seemed puzzled. Oh boy, this is going to be harder than I thought. Okay, dear Facebook, let me try one more time by putting this in terms you will understand.

When you need to implement changes with Facebook, do you employ professionals or just leave it to up to some friends and acquaintances? When it’s important to you, do you trust your friends to make the updates and design changes to your site, or do you feel better putting the task in the trusted hands of a professional, someone who knows what they are doing?

Exactly. And so it is with professional wedding photography.

So, why don’t you just take down that silly video and replace it with something that makes more sense, preferably a video with cats. Or, you can replace it with one of Mark Zuckerberg’s wedding photographs. I’m pretty sure he had a couple professional wedding photographers there.