I am friends on Facebook with lots and lots of people in their early 20s to early 30s.  Many of them yet to be married.  One of them asked in a posting if they should spend the money to hire a professional photographer and videographer.  Her facebook wall was flooded with people responding.  Out of 50 responses only two said no.  Here are a few of the posts:

•  I wish I went professional. I knew someone who was amateur and we hired her. Allllllll my photos were extremely over exposed. I had to hire someone else to fix them, which they could hardly do. They are expensive but you will get great photos. I am still sad about how mine turned out 3 years later.
• Wish I went professional too only thing I would change about my wedding celebration.
• I wish I had had some professional done.
•  In all seriousness though, here are my thoughts – to me it’s important to hire someone who really knows what they’re doing. The cost is expensive, but if you can forgo the album/prints and things you might be able to get it down some.

  I’m not married, but I value good photos. Spend the money on someone that knows what they are doing. You will cherish the photos forever!

   DON’T cut costs on your photographer. And all photographers are not created equal. Find one whose work you like, talk to hi /her to determine if you’re going to like him/her, and spend the money (within reason, of course). You’ll regret it if you go cheap.
•  I had a family member do ours, and they were good, but not great. I also didn’t do any bridal a or many shots of just the two of us. If I could go back, that’s where I’d find someone I loved and spend the money! We do professional shots every couple of years now with our kids and have never regretted the expense.