Classic Tacky: We Didn't get Married Here, We Just Want The Church As A Backdrop

[Asharah]

It's the afternoon of my own wedding, and I'm arriving separately from my bride. Our church is a lovely Episcopal church that looks like a Gothic English castle from the outside, with a large, grassy courtyard and elegant grounds. As I drive in, I see a pair of black limousines parked in front and a full bridal party in the courtyard, posing for pictures. The bride has a dress with a huge veil and train, her groom in a tuxedo, the groomsmen, bridesmaids, and parents of the couple all elegantly turned out, posing for the photographer. Hmm, I think: I didn't know there was another wedding going on today.

I park and go to the courtyard to find my own photographer pacing and fuming mad, because he's ready to set up for his pictures and this party won't let him. I tell him I'll talk to the custodial staff and see what we can do to move things along. The custodial staff tell me that this other party of about 18 souls isn't getting married at our church today ... or ever. They're just using it as a free backdrop.    I've seen people posing for wedding pictures in elegant surroundings before, like a large public garden, where the wedding obviously did NOT take place. And I've seen people pose in the church where they were married. But I've never seen people pose for formal wedding pictures at a church where they were NOT getting married!

The custodians don't seem to want to break things up, but this is MY day, I have a wedding to attend to and an expensive photographer on the clock, so I walk up to the faux wedding party and pleasantly tell the photographer that they've got to move, because *the real wedding* needs to take pictures now. I am roundly ignored, so I up the ante and walk directly in front of the lens and tell the "bridal party" that we're getting married here, we need the space, and they have to move. The bride's mother smiles, takes me aside and engages me in conversation, which I see is an attempt at distraction as the bootleg photographer is quickly posing people and snapping shots. I finally lose my cool, break away from Mom, step in front of the photog, and wave my hands and tell everyone that they have to leave ... NOW! They all make off for their hired limousines. The bride's mother salutes me with one finger. Asharah's comment: Lovely woman! Nice. Later, as we're posing for our pictures, I see that they've snuck back, but they're trying to hide around a corner -- at one point stuffing the entire 18-member wedding party against a tiny section of wall where they think we can't see them. Asharah's comment: Now how good of a background was that? I'm sure they have precious memories attached to their wedding album ..
Asharah's comment: I might understand them using the church as a backdrop, although it might cause a few eyerolls when they show someone the album and they say the church they got married at was beautiful and they have to explian, well no, they didn't actually get married there. But they had no business staying when it was explained that someone was actually getting married there and had paid for it and needed them out to prepare for their own photos! Talk about entitled!
tacky0413-02

[twinkletoes]

Yeah, I thought that was tacky.  In some of more picturesque churches (such as the cathedrals, basilicas, and so on) in my area, they are very very strict about photography on the grounds, and will kick you out if you're not having your wedding right there at that moment, but want to take pictures in front of it.

I have to admit, I laughed when I got to the part where everyone is stuffed against the wall.  Heh.  And it's not just four or five people, but 18!

[DottyG]

There was a wedding party trying to take pictures in the Texas Capitol during Ann Richard's viewing.  I thought that was incredibly tacky; essentially, this was a sort of "funeral" for a former governor.  And, you're in there taking pictures during it?

[Mopsy428]

Good for the groom not rolling over and letting the entitled bridal party continue to take pictures.

[Clara Bow]

There was a wedding party trying to take pictures in the Texas Capitol during Ann Richard's viewing.  I thought that was incredibly tacky; essentially, this was a sort of "funeral" for a former governor.  And, you're in there taking pictures during it?

Entitlement...er....Life goes on, I guess?
*sigh* You have to wonder about the photographers who would allow people to do this.

[twinkletoes]

There was a wedding party trying to take pictures in the Texas Capitol during Ann Richard's viewing.  I thought that was incredibly tacky; essentially, this was a sort of "funeral" for a former governor.  And, you're in there taking pictures during it?

Entitlement...er....Life goes on, I guess?
*sigh* You have to wonder about the photographers who would allow people to do this.

I'm guessing that they might try to talk them out of it ("You know, you could take a picture at another location, and it would look just as nice"), and then ultimately decide if it's worth the hassle if the happy couple decides to fight them on it.

It could also be that the conversations go like this:

Photog:  Do you have permission to take pictures here?

Happy Couple:  Sure do!

Photog:  Okay.

[Scritzy]

I'm just trying to fathom 18 people posing in front of a church just for the look of it. And then trying to flatten themselves against a wall so they could see, but not be seen. It sounds like an old Pink Panther movie ...

Some of Oldest Niece's prom pictures were made at a little stream and waterfall of a local business, but said business was right down the street from the high school and had encouraged prom-goers to have their pictures made there.

Come to think of it, I'm surprised that Jerkoid and 5.2 didn't decide to have their pictures made in front of 5.2's (and Jerkoid's former) church. I guess they figured they can do that when they have the big foofy do-over wedding. 

[Clara Bow]

Nah...they'll go to the Governor's Mansion and try to have the pics made in the front parlor.

[Scritzy]

Nah...they'll go to the Governor's Mansion and try to have the pics made in the front parlor.

Or around the fountain out front. Really impressive.

[Clara Bow]

IN the fountain Scritzy....IN it.
Because he's a zany guy.

[ladycrim]

Later, as we're posing for our pictures, I see that they've snuck back, but they're trying to hide around a corner -- at one point stuffing the entire 18-member wedding party against a tiny section of wall where they think we can't see them.

I have this vision of 18 heads poking around the corner in a column, like in cartoons ...

[Scritzy]

IN the fountain Scritzy....IN it.
Because he's a zany guy.

As long as they give him a bar of soap, I'm okay with it. 

[TylerBelle]

Later, as we're posing for our pictures, I see that they've snuck back, but they're trying to hide around a corner -- at one point stuffing the entire 18-member wedding party against a tiny section of wall where they think we can't see them.

I have this vision of 18 heads poking around the corner in a column, like in cartoons ...

I'm just trying to fathom 18 people posing in front of a church just for the look of it. And then trying to flatten themselves against a wall so they could see, but not be seen. It sounds like an old Pink Panther movie ...

This has got to be my favorite part of the story. Oh goodness, imagining the sights of a big bunch of folks trying to flatten themselves against a tiny portion of wall to having a vertical line of all those heads peeking around has me in stitches. Hehehe!!!

I can see it being all right for a party perhaps getting one picture of all of them and maybe one of just the B&G in a beautiful setting like how this cathedral's been described. Gotta make them count for only get one chance to get each picture. Then move on and of course yield without question to the party that's actually going to have their wedding there.

[twinkletoes]

Later, as we're posing for our pictures, I see that they've snuck back, but they're trying to hide around a corner -- at one point stuffing the entire 18-member wedding party against a tiny section of wall where they think we can't see them.

I have this vision of 18 heads poking around the corner in a column, like in cartoons ...

I'm just trying to fathom 18 people posing in front of a church just for the look of it. And then trying to flatten themselves against a wall so they could see, but not be seen. It sounds like an old Pink Panther movie ...

This has got to be my favorite part of the story. Oh goodness, imagining the sights of a big bunch of folks trying to flatten themselves against a tiny portion of wall to having a vertical line of all those heads peeking around has me in stitches. Hehehe!!!

I can see it being all right for a party perhaps getting one picture of all of them and maybe one of just the B&G in a beautiful setting like how this cathedral's been described. Gotta make them count for only get one chance to get each picture. Then move on and of course yield without question to the party that's actually going to have their wedding there.

What's even funnier is if they had someone in the party who didn't get why they were all suddenly smooshed up against the wall -"But guys, that church is HUGE!  And look at all of that grassy area in front!  Why are we stuck by this wall?!?"

[iridaceae]

Yeah, I thought that was tacky.  In some of more picturesque churches (such as the cathedrals, basilicas, and so on) in my area, they are very very strict about photography on the grounds, and will kick you out if you're not having your wedding right there at that moment, but want to take pictures in front of it.

I have to admit, I laughed when I got to the part where everyone is stuffed against the wall.  Heh.  And it's not just four or five people, but 18!

At a hotel I worked at in Tucson sometimes people wanted to come and have wedding pictures taken there. The hotel and attached restaurant are privately owned, and you don't get to take photos like that unless you get permission ahead of time (and usually pay a fee).  They have had many wedding parties argue that as the restaurant is open to the public, the owners have no right to stop them from taking photos of the happy wedding couple posed on the lawn.  Wrong.