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Guerrilla wedding
Have you ever heard of a guerrilla wedding? I've never heard of one until I got booked to photograph one. And my bride and groom just left after our first planning session so I thought I would share our guerrilla wedding plans here with you. A guerrilla wedding is where the wedding party just shows up at a venue without the venue having any clue there's going to be a wedding there. So my guerrilla wedding is Saturday, May 2. It's going to be at a very well-known public venue, a very popular public venue (which shall remain private to protect the innocent) kinda like a museum. Here's the plan. My bride and groom, and the wedding party, and the family, as well as the officiant, and myself are going to show up at this very public venue individually and just wander around like we're admiring the things to look at (wink) and then at a given time (4:30 PM) we're going to gather at our selected spot on a balcony right in the center of everything and the officiant is going to perform the ceremony right then and there and I will photograph it. Surprise surprise. If we get thrown out we are just going to finish the ceremony out on the sidewalk. My plan is to travel light, I normally bring a lot of gear which I feel will be a dead giveaway - as if bride in a wedding dress won't be a giveaway. So I'm just going to have one camera and one flash hanging around my neck trying to look like a tourist and hope I get away with it. I think this sounds like fun. If we get caught I'm just going to pretend I don't know the bride and groom. What do you think? Am I crazy? Tom ☼ http://www.tammybryan.com Mar 23 15 09:17 am Link Not at all! That sounds like a ton of fun. My only question is, does that venue typically host weddings? If so, makes sure you don't get caught because you don't want to get banned from a venue and have to turn down future brides that have their wedding there. Other than that, have fun with it. I shot one guerrilla wedding...though not as intense as yours. My couple didn't want to pay $500 to rent a bandshell so they had their ceremony directly in front of it which is considered public, though the city gets quite pissy if you decide to just have a wedding there without getting a permit. They had a lightweight set up they brought to stand beneath, and their guests sat in the bandshell seats. 5 minutes beforehand, they set up the decorations, and then the bride came in on a bike. It was quick and fun, and everything was set up and tore down within 15 minutes. Craft beers were enjoyed directly after the ceremony.  Mar 23 15 09:28 am Link Sounds like fun (and a recipe for a lawsuit from the venue). Sorry to be a buzzkill. Hope no one gets injured, you have plenty of insurance and a lawyer in you back pocket. Venues have permits for a reason. Some venues have guests, items and locations that are not to be photographed (especially flashes in museums and galleries around sensitive objects). YOU could be the guy in trouble with your images. Getting thrown out would be the best case in a worst case scenario. But I'm sure Mr. and Mrs. will redirect the cost of the venue towards your rate and legal fees. Good luck Mar 24 15 07:52 am Link So is this because they don't want to pay the venue fee (presuming this place would typically charge for a wedding)? If so, it seems a bit deceptive to me. And cheap. And a bit on the unethical side (especially if this is completely coordinated). But then I don't know what the place is or the reasons for doing this. Seems like it would be more fun to do an actual guerilla wedding....randomly pick a place and just show up and do it. Mar 24 15 08:55 am Link Jamez wrote: This idea is the bride and groom's, not mine. I'm just paid to be there, so is the officiate. Why would I be sued? Will the officiate be sued, too? Mar 24 15 12:04 pm Link Sleepy Weasel wrote: Good questions. Now that you mention it, it does seem a bit deceptive. And cheap. And a bit on the unethical side. Mar 24 15 12:07 pm Link Who cares? They're embarking on one of life's great adventures, and the wedding might as well be an adventure too. I often ignored permits. Most often, enforcement would warn me, and go away. Giving me time to finish. One exception was shooting the Arlington Theatre, on State Street in Santa Barbara, at night. Exterior. Generator, big umbrellas, etc. I expected this would draw some attention? Anyway, I'd get into the spirit of the event. And feel lucky to be involved. RBD Mar 24 15 12:24 pm Link As other have posted sounds like they want a venue for cheap by avoiding the fee. I don't know the legal ramifications but the venue could decide to ban you from any more work at the area. I would get payment upfront. Who knows, they may try to pull this on you too. Funny how this sounds like a bunch of fun but doubt you would feel the same way if they take screenshots of the proof gallery and scam you to. Mar 24 15 01:04 pm Link Someone tried to hire me to do this at our local Seven Falls and I declined. This establishment leases out for weddings and it is not cheap. The idea that they would allow this without a mess of trouble is something I didn't want to be anywhere near. A public park might be another matter so long as you dont mind volleyballs in your progression. Mar 24 15 04:19 pm Link A flash mob wedding. Interesting. Just for fun, you might suggest to the bride and groom that they run this idea by a lawyer and see what's the worst thing that could happen to them. Here's what I imagine is the worst case: Venue gets a little upset that the couple didn't pay to use the venue for an event. Venue sues couple for cost of renting the venue, plus damages including misrepresentation. Venue subpoenas your images. You could be named as an accessory since you know the plan before hand and participate willingly. Who knows. Or, the video goes viral, everyone laughs, the venue gets more attention and visitors and bookings they could ever want and everyone goes home happy. Mar 24 15 08:32 pm Link Banzai dude!! I might even be talked into shooting a wedding like that!:-) I would NEVER shoot a regular wedding, I have an aversion to bridezillas and budinski in-laws!,:-))) Mar 24 15 08:51 pm Link This type of things has been going on for a while now. I remembered this flash mob wedding in Boston and thought it was really cool (I was NOT there): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujlkqLoV5Ng This topic was covered by abc NEWS: http://abcnews.go.com/Lifestyle/flash-w … d=24459775 Some venues want unreasonable amounts of money from couples getting married. I'd be more for renting out the halls if they didn't up the prices just because someone is getting married. OP I think you're going to have a good amount of fun with your shoot. Mar 24 15 09:24 pm Link BeachBoudoir wrote: +1 Mar 24 15 09:39 pm Link sounds like fun. I wouldn't be part of it. But it does sound fun Mar 25 15 10:32 am Link Tom Bryan wrote: Thanks for taking an open mind. I mean you or any others no disrespect, just trying to offer an educated position given my experiences. Again, sorry for being a buzz kill - it really does seem like fun (but I agree on the cheap B&G factor) Tom Bryan wrote: You've answered your own question in some ways: AG_Boston wrote: Think of it from a high-end venues' perspective. They have a great location (interior/exterior whatever), they need to maintain that location (heat, hydro, property tax, cleaning staff etc) the loss of payed customers since they need to isolate an area of the location (or shut down completely), and they need to maintain HIGH levels of insurance for any injuries that may take place during special events (not uncommon to see some more tipsy guests at special events). Obviously it's a market issue, if there are more venue locations, their event location rental price may be lower (if they cared). Mar 26 15 05:26 am Link BeachBoudoir wrote: Bingo. Mar 26 15 06:16 am Link AG_Boston wrote: Think of it from a high-end venues' perspective. They have a great location (interior/exterior whatever), they need to maintain that location (heat, hydro, property tax, cleaning staff etc) the loss of payed customers since they need to isolate an area of the location (or shut down completely), and they need to maintain HIGH levels of insurance for any injuries that may take place during special events (not uncommon to see some more tipsy guests at special events). Obviously it's a market issue, if there are more venue locations, their event location rental price may be lower (if they cared). There is absolutely no good reason for jacking up the price just for a wedding. I've seen venues priced at x amount of dollars for non-wedding events, but priced a y amount of dollars for weddings. To charge a couple more just because it's a wedding is just wrong. I have a serious problem with gouging a couple just because they're getting married. Now if they're charge the same cost as say a birthday party, then I don't have a problem. More often than not the venues hear "wedding" and charge as much as is humanly possible. Mar 29 15 08:36 am Link AG_Boston wrote: The couple doesn't have to go with the venue. A wedding ceremony isn't a necessity but a luxury. If they want that particular location they pay the price. Mar 29 15 10:21 am Link Good Egg Productions wrote: Or the video goes viral, other couples think "cool, we can do this for free" and they have several copycats and they show up during the ceremonies of the paid couples. Mar 29 15 10:33 am Link And We wonder as Photographers why locations stops Us from entering with cameras. Mar 29 15 11:20 am Link How could you get sued, or what trouble could you get in? Pretty easy, for one, you could be charged with trespassing, however, the better charge would be theft of services. If the venue makes money doing this, or has in the past, the theft of services charge would be easy for a LEO to use. In addition, targeting you as someone who is making money and is a large part of the event, Police would be justified in seizing all of your equipment as evidence. An establishment is not only losing money from your "client" not paying, but the "clients" are also creating havoc and ruining the experience of those who are there for lawful purposes. Have I seen it happen before? Yes, with several decades of police work in an around a city, I've seen stranger things happen as well. The cop side of me sees this as little different than people eating at a restaurant and running out without paying. The photographer side of me sees crappy clients with little class. Mar 29 15 03:17 pm Link Stickgunner wrote: I know, I know, Stickguner!!! Mar 29 15 07:06 pm Link I've never heard of it but love the idea. I'd totally shoot it but my little sister and brother are both attorneys, lol. I honestly don't think it would be a problem for anyone, and there's even less risk for the photographer than the B&G. Who's going to stop a wedding for some technical BS? I guess it would depend on the venue, but I don't think you would have any problems in my neck of the woods. Mar 29 15 08:33 pm Link AlphaSix wrote: You don't know L.A. . . . . . . . they go nuts over not having permits here ! Mar 29 15 08:43 pm Link  I vote for crazy.Mar 29 15 08:59 pm Link I think theft of services would be a stretch, the couple is just there in a corner some where and has not requested anything of the venue, reserved tables, catering... Groups show up at resturaunts unannounced for birthday dinners all of the time ( maybe not at fancy places, we don't have any of those here where I live) they could all show up have dinner and stand up at the table and perform the ceremony. Of if at some other venue like a museum, pay the admission, quietly and respectfully pick a corner and do their business!:-)) Mar 29 15 09:01 pm Link |
