A pro/non-pro wedding gig - cost: $2500
 

A buddy of mine decided to get married after living in sin for 10 years. So, he slapped down $400,000 on a newer $525,000 Vancouver home (8 bedrooms), and slapped down another $10,000 for his wedding. Against his better judgement, though, and for the sake of getting along with his other half, the future whiff made all the wedding arrangements.

My wife and I spoke with her and made several suggestions:[list=1][*]I would do the photos at cost or the video for free or even both to save them money.[*]Hire one of my 2 photo buddies (world renowned, actually) for $500 total (and I do the video for free).[*]Or hire my wife's cousin who specializes in wedding photography---an excellent choice. (He also has an okay video guy working for him.)[/list=1]But no, she picked a heavily advertised pro/non-pro outfit which consisted of 2 clowns.

The photographer had come with his wife to help him, but she was instead burning up the dance floor from beginning to end---except for time out during the free meal. This poor fellow (with the wayward wife) had these 2 flood lights set up. At least, I thought they were flood lights because they were not bright at all, and were improperly positioned. The camera he used was an inexpensive Canon 35mm auto everything with a built-in flash. The film? Fuji 800 ASA consumer film of course, the kind you can buy in a 5 pack and is always on sale.

The video guy was a little better prepared. His cam was the GL2; and he had told me that he liked the GL2 because it has bigger chips and better colour than the Panasonic XL1. (I told him the Japanese version was charcoal coloured.) Mounted on his cam was a tiny light. However, he was set up approximately 50 feet from the bride and groom at the reception, and during the ceremony he had shot the whole shebang into a very large, brightly sun-lit picture window, which was just 2 feet behind the bride and groom. Oh, yeah, like his photographer partner (less the dancing whiff), the videographer also used auto everything. And wise not? :-)

I finally got to see the hokey duo's damage the other day. Unfortunately, the pictures were not even trash bin worthy (some tramp might find them and get sick). The video, well, it wasn't good but at least they edited the footage. Mind you, the good stuff was all missing. In conclusion, my buddy's little whiff was real happy with the results, while my buddy looked like he wanted to kill something. :-)

I think PT Barnum had something to say about suckers and the frequency of their birth. You can also add a fool and his money being soon departed to your story.

I hear they make some good weed in BC. ;)


Nice story though. I enjoyed it. :) Now if I only has a few hundred thousand to spend...

Hehe. That's what the guy told me, "Panasonic XL1." I should add that my buddy didn't want them, and wanted me, but his wife had already signed a contract with them. Hehe. Some people really do have money to burn.

Oh, almost forgot. In the middle of it all the photographer's wife got sick, so he gave the cam to some young teenager while he ran all over the hotel asking everyone if they had any headache and Grovol pills. (He was more concerned about his wife than the gig.) Then there is the story of the sound guy, who forgot all his cables and wires. Luckily, he didn't mind speeding to go half way across town to get them. :-)

Good story Frank!

Your posts are always quite entertaining! :)

A couple of hours before the reception, the sound guy called the groom to say that he was going to be an hour late, because he had to drive his wife somewhere, my wife had just told me---giggling. The groom, very p_ssed off, told him to just bring his wife---"what do you think? We need music!" And he then came on time but as you already know, he had to go back to get the cables while his young wife made sure none of the sound gear would walk away.

That story was worth $2500. :)

I can't say anything more without SOMEONE getting offended.