Cousin offered to photograph our wedding “as a gift” — now he’s billing us. AITA for refusing to pay?
The original poster (OP) recently got married. A cousin, who is a professional wedding photographer, offered to take the wedding photos as his gift to the couple.
The couple initially expressed grat*tude but also made sure the cousin knew he did not need to feel obligated or burdened by the work during the celebration weekend.
The cousin insisted he was happy to do it, and the couple, believing the photography service was the gift, made sure to tag his business on their social media posts.
Several months later, the cousin called to state that the gift was simply the act of fitting them into his schedule, and now they are expected to pay $3,000 for the service.
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The core issue revolves around a major misunderstanding regarding whether the photography service was a complimentary gift or a discounted service requiring final payment.
The OP feels they acted in good faith based on the cousin's initial statements, leading to a current financial strain and conflict, while the cousin feels his professional time and effort were disrespected.
The question for debate is whether the responsibility for this significant miscommunication lies primarily with the cousin for failing to clarify the nature of the 'gift,' or with the OP for not explicitly confirming whether a $3,000 service would be provided free of charge.
Should the OP stand firm on their original understanding or pay installments to maintain family peace?
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