A friend-or is exactly what it sounds like, a friend who takes the place of a wedding vendor. As for my opinion, I would be weary of hiring a friend as a traditional wedding vendor. Not only do they probably have limited experience doing weddings; but, they most likely do not have the contacts if something does go wrong.

Below I am going to give you three reasons why you should not hire a friend-or, even if your aunt does own a nice camera. 

1) You should allow your family and friends to enjoy your special day with you. Outside wedding vendors are paid to work; and, your friend-or might just take a little too much time enjoying the party and savoring that glass of wine. Therefore, your wedding day might be a little more stressful, because he or she is just hanging out.

2) You might find it difficult to assert your vision for your big day, because family and friends tend to be more opinionated and sensitive. In fact, they might not even ask your opinion on some important matters, because, they might think they know exactly what you want on your wedding day. 

3) If things do not go perfectly at your wedding, and, they are the one to blame, there might be some tension and arguments with people that you will see again and again. 

If your family and friends insist on providing a service for you, make sure you follow these two points below.

1) At the beginning of the planning process, have a talk up front about your expectations and theirs; also, mention parts of the big day that are really important to you. 

2) Make sure they have worked a wedding before, and, understand their role on the wedding day. For example, if your aunt owns a nice camera, but, has never shot a wedding before, ask if you could utilize her services elsewhere. 

xoxo, rebecca