It's not necessarily the newbie or novice wedding photographer asking about shooting a wedding for a friend or family member who can't afford a pro that bothers me. I have a good link that I offer them, as well as my best wishes.

What DOES bother me are the folks who plan to go into business shooting weddings soon, but are asking basic simple newbie-type questions that anyone who has been shooting for a while should know. Obviously they have plans to make a lot of money for a few hours work on Saturday and the cost of a CD. Many are not prepared in any way, equipment-wise or in the photographic skills department, to even think of shooting a special occasion for pay. (Or sometimes even for free.) The wedding photography industry is suffering because of these Johnny-come-latelys. The thing is, they usually are not in "business" for long. But the weddings they manage to book before their business fails take away from the "pool" that working photographers have to dip from. Of course, the higher end pros really don't have to worry about the $400 and a CD beginner, they are targeting different markets after all. The mid-range and budget photographers are feeling some pain, though, at least from what I see and read about.

I imagine that many couples regret going the beginner or cheapie route when it comes to their wedding memories. Unfortunately, once it's done, they have what they have, good, bad, or mediocre, art or snapshots.