The Most Unlikely Wedding Photographers: Kids, Guests, and That One Drunk Uncle

Kids at weddings are adorable, no doubt. They can be found doing everything from handing out the programs to trying to eat the flowers off the centerpiece. But one thing they really, REALLY want to do is get their hands on a camera.

And sure, let’s be real—when your 5-year-old niece says she’s going to take the first dance photos, it’s cute. But just wait until you see the 72 pictures of nothing but the floor. Or the shot of the back of your head, perfectly captured with a thumb partially obscuring the lens. Ah, memories!

Oh, and let’s not forget when they get too excited and start sprinting across the aisle mid-ceremony to “get a better angle.” You can bet those photos are going to include a lot of blurred motion and possibly a groomsman in the background thinking, “What in the world?” But hey, kids have dreams, too.

We all know the feeling. You’re standing at the altar, looking deep into your partner’s eyes, saying your vows… when suddenly, you hear the unmistakable click of a camera. Okay, it’s not so bad—it’s just your aunt from across the room, snapping her very professional shot with an iPhone. You smile, just a little wider, thinking, "What a nice gesture."

But then… it happens. Your aunt’s not the only one taking photos. Oh no, now you’ve got half the guests with their phones raised in the air like they’re at a rock concert. There’s a guy in the front row trying to take a photo from the exact same angle as your photographer, and—wait—flash.

That flash? It’s blinding. It’s not just blinding for you; it’s also ruining the perfect candid shot that your photographer is working so hard to get. You know the one—where the light is just right, the expressions are perfect, and everyone’s beautifully in focus? Not anymore, thanks to the selfie king sitting in the second row who decided now was a great time for a flash picture. Thanks, guy.

Now, there’s always that uncle. You know the one—he’s had just a few too many at the open bar and is now convinced he’s a professional photographer. He’s been drinking for hours, but somehow, he’s holding your camera as if he’s working at National Geographic.

“Don’t worry,” he slurs, “I’ve got this!” And before you can blink, he’s already snapping photos from angles that no one—absolutely no one—has asked for. Did you just get a candid of your best friend with their mouth wide open while laughing? Maybe. Did Uncle Bob somehow manage to shoot an epic photo of the back of your head while you’re making your wedding speech? Absolutely. Classic.

The real fun begins when he gets excited about "capturing the moment" and proceeds to take 57 pictures of the same scene—none of them composed the way a professional would do it, but hey, they all have that special “this wasn’t meant to happen” charm.

Okay, let’s talk about the flash-happy guests. They’re the ones who think every moment requires a flash, even in great light. We’ve all seen them: the person who zooms in for a close-up of your first dance, only to blind you with a flash at the worst possible moment. Yes, that’s right. Just as you’re in the middle of a beautiful, romantic dip, your eyes have been turned into a pair of red beams.

The problem here is that your official photographer is capturing that same moment—without the blinding flash, so their carefully timed shot is ruined by a burst of light from the other side of the room. Now, instead of a perfect picture of a beautiful dip, you’ve got you with a surprised expression and your partner blinking from the sudden flash. Guess which one will make it into the wedding album?

As charming as it is to have everyone eager to contribute their own photography skills, there’s a reason why you hired a professional. Guests with cameras, while well-meaning, often get in the way, whether it’s by unintentionally photobombing the official shots, blinding the bride mid-sentence with a flash, or simply taking pictures of the wrong things (hello, floor!).

The truth is, it’s hard to get those perfect candid moments when everyone’s trying to create them. So, while we absolutely love your enthusiastic guests (and their attempt to document the day), we gently encourage you to let them enjoy the party and leave the photography to the professionals.

After all, you didn’t spend all that money on a wedding photographer just for Aunt Carol’s blurry picture of your boutonnière to end up in the family group chat, did you? Let the photographer do their thing—so the memories you’ll treasure forever are captured just as beautifully as your day truly deserves.