What happens if the photographer falls ill on the wedding day

If the photographer falls ill on the wedding day, you'll almost never be left without photos. A good professional already plans for this happening. They let you know as soon as they find out and send another photographer they trust, who works with the same care and respects everything you had agreed. And if they have nobody? Then a replacement has to be found as soon as possible. In the worst case, if there's no professional available, you can ask for help from guests who have experience or a good camera. And the money? If the photographer breaches the contract and offers you no solution, you can claim compensation for the damage, especially if there has been negligence. What really changes the ending of this story is decided long before the wedding. That's why it's worth asking who would go in their place from the very first conversation.

A perfectly normal fear

Lots of couples have this fear, and it's normal. The photos are one of the few things left when the party is over. The album is what you'll open many years from now to live that day again. And behind the camera there's someone who can catch the flu or eat something that disagrees with them.

What you're really booking

What you're booking is quite specific. Someone commits to being at your wedding on the agreed day, at the agreed times and in the agreed places, and to delivering the images to you afterwards. If that person can't go, the commitment still stands. What matters is how they're going to fulfil it.

A list of back-up photographers

One couple got a call from their photographer on the very morning of the wedding. They had food poisoning and couldn't make it. The couple immediately rang their wedding planner, who had a list of back-up photographers ready. That list solved everything. You can make a similar one: a few names of photographers who live near the ceremony and reception venues, noted down in good time and kept to hand.

Your guests' photos

Technology helps too. There are apps designed for weddings, such as WedShoots, Wedding Photo Swap or Eversnap, where guests upload the photos they take on their phones. That way everything ends up in one place. They don't replace a professional, but they make sure you'll have plenty of photos of the day, whatever happens.

If nobody answers the phone

And what if the day arrives, the photographer doesn't turn up and nobody answers the phone? The first thing is to try to reach them or their team. If there's no way, you look for someone else. And if in the end the wedding has no professional photos, all is not lost. There are always the guests' photos.

What to ask before you sign

The next step is easy. Before signing anything, ask the photographer what happens if they fall ill. Listen carefully to the answer: who would go in their place and how that person works. Then look for that answer written into the contract. And if you're thinking about a wedding in Gijón or anywhere in Asturias, Evan & Natalia Simon do photography and video for couples and brands, and for a few weddings they choose carefully. A relaxed chat with them will help you clear up these questions with no rush at all.