We have all heard about wedding horror stories where the bride turns into a total nightmare, but this time it is the groom who decided to play the villain. We are used to seeing people try to save a few bucks on their big day, but there is a massive difference between being “budget-conscious” and being a literal monster to your friends. One dog groomer turned accidental wedding photographer just shared a story on Reddit that has us cheering for their level of petty—and honestly, we would have done the same damn thing.
The Original Poster (OP) isn’t even a professional photographer; they’re a dog groomer who just happens to be great at taking cute pup pics for Instagram. When a friend asked them to shoot their wedding for a measly $250, the OP was hesitant. But the groom insisted he didn’t care about perfection and just needed someone to capture the day on a shoestring budget. Ten hours of work for $250? That isn’t a job; that is a massive favor. But as we all know, no good deed goes unpunished.
The day was an absolute slog. The OP started at 11am, following the bride to every single appointment before the ceremony even began. By the time the reception hit, it was a sweltering 110 degrees inside a venue with zero air conditioning. If you have ever been to a summer wedding in a building that feels like a literal oven, you know that survival becomes the only priority. The OP was exhausted, dehydrated, and running on fumes.
When dinner was finally served at 5pm, the OP realized they hadn’t even been assigned a seat at a table. When they asked for a quick twenty-minute break to grab some food and water—since they couldn’t even get a glass of water at the venue—the groom delivered an ultimatum that makes our blood boil. He told the OP they could either keep shooting without a break or leave without getting paid a single cent.
Now, imagine being a “friend” who is already working for basically nothing, and being told you aren’t even worth a slice of pizza or a cup of lukewarm tap water. The OP asked if he was sure about that choice, and when the groom said yes, the OP went full scorched-earth. Right there, in front of the groom’s face, they hit “delete” on every single photo they had taken all day. Then, they walked out, leaving the wedding with zero memories captured and one less friend in the world.
The sheer balls it takes to treat someone like a servant when they are doing you a life-altering favor for pennies is astronomical. The groom thought he had all the power because he was holding that $250 over the OP’s head, but he forgot that the OP was the one holding the memory card. By being an absolute ahole about a basic human necessity like water, he guaranteed that he would have absolutely nothing to show for his big day.
The couple is currently on their honeymoon, blissfully unaware that their wedding photos have been banished to the digital shadow realm. Meanwhile, friends and family are flooding their social media walls asking where the pictures are. We can only imagine the sh!tshow that is going to go down when they get back and realize that their “budget” move cost them every single image of their ceremony and reception.
A lot of people on the internet are debating whether deleting the photos was “too much.” Some say the OP should have just left and kept the photos hostage until they got paid. But honestly? When you are being treated like a dog—ironic, considering the OP’s actual job—sometimes you just have to bite back. The groom wanted a professional-level commitment for a “friend” price, but he didn’t even give the friend the basic respect of a human being.
If you don’t feed your photographer, you are a b!tch. If you don’t let your photographer have water in 110-degree heat, you are an ahole. The groom played a stupid game and he won a very stupid prize. The OP isn’t a “bridezilla” or a “groomzilla” in this situation; they are a person who reached their breaking point and decided that $250 wasn’t worth their dignity.
The OP mentioned they would have gladly paid $250 themselves just for a glass of cold water and a place to sit. That tells you everything you need to know about how dire the situation was. No one should have to suffer through heat exhaustion and starvation for someone else’s “dream day,” especially when that someone is supposedly a friend.
So, was the OP the ahole? We are going with a resounding “H£LL NO.” NTA. If you want someone to work a ten-hour shift in a furnace, you provide them with the bare essentials. If you don’t, you shouldn’t be surprised when your “wedding memories” get wiped clean. We hope the OP went straight to a drive-thru, got a giant soda, and slept for fifteen hours.
What would you have done if your “friend” refused to let you eat or drink at their wedding? Would you have kept the photos for leverage, or would you have enjoyed the look on the groom’s face as you hit “Delete All”? Let us know in the comments, and photographers—please remember to put a meal clause in your contracts!
NTA if they bring it up or post anything tell your side of it, let everyone know what you were getting paid, how much gas you used, and that they didn’t even provide you with water or anything to eat make sure you let them know he told you to not eat or not get paid. I won’t hold anything back. Did the bride know? When working for a friend get it in writing