Novice wedding planner demands her sister-in-law hand over her old wedding photos as promotion for her new business, she refuses: 'It's misleading, she was a guest'

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Jesse Kessenheimer • Writer and Editor
Oct 6, 2025 7:00 AM EDT

The wedding industry is full of "fake it 'til you make it" types. 

A vendor realizes this after working for all of 2 minutes in the wedding world, because despite their peers claiming to have years and years of experience, it seems like nobody knows what they're doing. Alas, like the novice wedding planner in this viral story, all you need are a few random, old wedding photos to promote your fledgling company, and you're suddenly in business. 

But when this newbie wedding coordinator's sister-in-law caught wind of her misleading plan to swindle future customers with her nuptial memories, she put her foot down and refused. Now, with a husband and sister-in-law caught in the crosshairs of a moral debate, the entire family is getting involved in the launch of one woman's small business, and the ethics of using someone else's work to promote yourself in the wedding industry. 

Hint: Self-promotion only gets you so far in this world, but a strong moral compass is much more valuable. 

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  • 01
    Woman starting a small business
    via dragana991

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02
    AITA for refusing to let my sister-in-law use my wedding photos for her small business?
    via Adventurous_Grab8357
  • 03
    I (32F) got married last year and we hired a professional photographer. The photos came out beautifully, and we paid a lot for the rights.
    via Adventurous_Grab8357
  • 04
    My SIL (29F) recently started a wedding planning business and asked if she could use our photos on her website and Instagram to
    via Adventurous_Grab8357
  • 05
    "show her work." The problem is... she didn't plan or organize anything for our wedding. She was a guest.
    via Adventurous_Grab8357
  • 06
    I told her no, because it's misleading, it would make couples think she arranged everything when she didn't.
    via Adventurous_Grab8357
  • 07
    She got mad and said I was being "stingy with family" and that "the photos are public anyway" (they're not,
    via Adventurous_Grab8357
  • 08
    I shared them privately with family). My husband is trying to stay neutral but says it's "not worth the fight."
    via Adventurous_Grab8357
  • 09
    Woman organizing her desk
    via dragana991

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 10
    Now SIL is telling people I'm sabotaging her business. AITA for refusing to let her use my wedding pictures?
    via Adventurous_Grab8357
  • 11
    Consistent-Ad3191. That's false representation let her sulk. And you're only family through marriage. So she did not being stingy with family. She's being misleading and false representation. She can possibly get in trouble for that if she tried, I don't know.
    via Consistent-Ad3191
  • 12
    reallifeswanson If her business can be sabotaged for the lack of a few free photos, she hasn't got a very good startup plan. Maybe she's not ready for that step.
    via reallifeswanson
  • 13
    txs... You likely aren't allowed to re- license those photos for your SIL to use as promotional for herself anyway. Check your photographer's contract you signed and reference that as well.
    via txs
  • 14
    CriticalAsparagus900 ⚫ tell her they are for your private memories, not for advertising purposes and you aren't comfortable with that. She can buy royalty free images like designers do all the time!
    via CriticalAsparagus900
  • 15
    whoreallycarz You ahole! How dare you not help her commit fraud? What is your problem?
    via whoreallycarz
  • 16
    EnglishLore NTA. Your photos, your choice. Personally, as its family and if I liked them enough, I would allow them to use the photos as long as she credited the photographer
    via EnglishLore
  • 17
    and had a by line stating that these photos are not of her work and for creative effect only. But that's only if it was someone I liked and respected.
    via EnglishLore
  • 18
    beejaye11. I'm wondering if the photographer could sue her for misleading people since it's not her work. You did the right thing by not getting involved at all.
    via beejaye11

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