(first post here so go easy)
How do you go about getting your first wedding shoot? I've been thinking about it for a while, I've got some of the gear but it sits mainly unused for half the year. So how do you contact and then convince someone to let an inexperienced guy to shoot the most important day of their life?
Is it worth harassing local photographers for some work experience? Or will they just see me as possible future competition?
Thanks
J

First make sure you have the right gear,
Next go on craigslist and offer free engagement shoot, bride keeps all the photos etc..
If they like you a lot they may book you for their wedding offer that free as well, but make sure you are the only photog, its not nice to second shoot for free and the other photog not know. If the bride does not book you for the wedding dont worry at least you have an engagement shoot under your belt. I am not sure where you live but advertise again on craigslist that you are giving away free wedding photography to build your portfolio for any daytime outdoor wedding, this will make it easier for you to adjust settings and not feel the pressure of low light for your first wedding.
You can also second shoot. If you post where you live here maybe someone will ask you to go along with them to shoot.
People here are nice, just not sure if you will find that just by picking up the phone and calling any photographer.
Good Luck... Post about what you end up doing.

There is a great article on BanquetBuzz.com about this.

If you have little to no experience shooting weddings I would definitely say to get into an internship or assistant position with another photographer. It will give you a chance to see how the day goes and how involved you want to be. Give yourself a chance to see how you want to shoot.

If you're just antsy to get shooting and you have some kind of photography experience already then offer to do some weddings for friends for free.

Remember that we all started somewhere...a lot of people started out shooting a friend's wedding and it just took off from there. There is a lot involved with trying to get clients and turning shooting into a business. I'd say try it out, shoot some engagement pictures for fun for free, offer to be a second shooter to someone once you've put in a little time assisting them on shoots. Give. give. give and it will come back to you at some point.

This is definitely the place to be to ask questions. Everyone is very kind and helpful.

There are a lot of people who don't want to (or can't) spend much money on wedding photography. If you are willing to shoot for $250-$500 you can easily get work - as long as you have some kind of portfolio to show that you know what you are doing with a camera. As long as you get the kiss and some posed shots, you're fine.

Hi,
Thanks for the info so far. I'm based in Lincoln (UK) unfortunatly this seams to be a mainly US based forum.
I've been shooting motorsports for 2 years, this includes some work with bikes and riders in staged situations, and many spontainious moments.
I'm not from a very big family so not realy a huge number of weddings happening, and the only friends i have that are planning I'm giving a close friend away so i'd rarther see the wedding than shoot it.
Does anyone know UK based wedding resorces like the ones posted where i can offer my services?
Thanks again
J

Like J, I'd like to do some weddings -- well, it's more like trying some to if it's something I'd add to scope down the road.

While it's tempting as a photographer to offer low prices to get experience, I think too many couples don't really "get" the difference between a $500 and a $3000 photographer. So from a business and reputation standpoint, I don't want to "just expand" into weddings without more wedding experience AND I don't want to undercut local photographers with bargin prices because I'm not proven in the wedding venue yet. On the other hand, charging similar prices might not be fair to the couple .... so....... I feel stuck.

As a wedding photographer, would you think someone like me or J looking for assiting opportunities as spying or hesitate to take us as a 2nd if we were local and you knew we could be doing weddings alone down the road?

I think when you are looking to make a career of wedding photography and you want to get help from other photographers it's wise to be of the Mike Colon mind set of 'give with no thought of return' and that you want to make some kind of investment.

By the first I mean be willing to give and give and give to the photographers that you want to learn from. Give anything you've got. Realize that you want to make an investment in others and realize that in so doing you are making an investment in yourself.

Also you making an investment, whether that means volunteering your time to another photographer, paying to be able to go along with them while they pour their knowledge and time into you, or going to all kinds of workshops with photographers that you admire and want to learn from.

It will all take either an investment of your time or money. There are plenty of people who are very willing to help others out and there are lots of opportunities to learn. This forum is a great example, however, it's not the only place to glean information. It's a great jumping off point as well as a place to come back to often and a place to invest in as well.

This is a great tip, thank you for sharing these ideas!