Bride assailed for free photos call

Christchurch woman expresses alarm at backlash, claiming photographer encouraging people to attack her

Abride who advertised for a student to take her wedding photos for free says a man who objected to her approach urged people to assault her. The story of her post, covered by nzherald.co.nz on Thursday, had “gone viral all over the world”.

The Christchurch woman, who asked not to be named, said she had received many negative comments after her ad on a Facebook buy/sell/ trade page, and some positive ones.

The negative comments from a Christchurch photographer “stood out horribly . . . he even posted saying people must whack me if they see me”.

The man also posted threatening notes via Facebook private messages, she said in an email to the Herald.

She told her fiance about the man, whose phone number was on his listing. The fiance called him. He didn’t answer but responded with “very abusive messages”.

“There were over 50 messages on my partner’s phone and they just kept coming.”

Her fiance didn’t block the messages as they “could be evidence if anything happens to me”.

The photographer sent messages to her Facebook friends, tried to hack her Facebook page, and threatened to turn up at the wedding, she said.

“I guess what bothers me most is . . . how far will he go? When will I need to start fearing for my safety or my kids’ safety?”

The couple are to wed in the city’s Port Hills. They have been together two years and have a blended family of seven children.

A friend offered to do the cake, another offered to help with catering,

What bothers me most is . . . how far will he go? When will I need to start fearing for my safety? Unnamed woman

and others agreed to pitch in.

“I will be honest, I do not have $3000 for a wedding photographer, and that’s at the lower end of the scale.”

She received private messages from people keen to build up their portfolio or who did photography as a hobby. She picked two students who wanted to add to their portfolios.

“They are mates and I agreed for both of them just to come along and have fun.”

The woman, married twice before, will pay for their fuel and expenses. She wants photos only of the reception, which should last two hours.

“I’m not really fussed whether they turn out horrible or good as long as someone gets a bit of an experience from it.

“I had no intention of exploiting students. I was a student once.”