Alexandra Jaye Conder didn’t know her wedding story would go viral, or that within a week, everyone on the internet would know her as the “Sepia Bride.”
It all started when the newlyweds took to TikTok to describe the “horrible” experience she had with her wedding photographer, who was hired to document her November 2023 nuptials.
Conder was initially smitten with the wedding gallery she received from the photographer a few weeks later, saying she was “radiating with excitement.” But after reviewing and analyzing the photos, she realized something was off.
Most of the photos, especially the ones she took alone, were edited to make her makeup look dull, her teeth look yellow, and all the bright colors in the photos were completely distorted.
And that it was the exact opposite of the light, airy and golden vibe she had seen on the wedding photographer’s Instagram page.
“Imagine paying almost $8,000 for a wedding photographer and when you express your concerns, they threaten to sue you for defamation if you tell the truth,” Conder says at the beginning of the video.
Conder’s initial story and the dozens of videos posted about the fiasco have become quite popular. Millions of videos have been created about the fiasco in the past week and it has sparked a broader conversation about the wedding industry.
The conversation has even spilled over to other social media platforms like Reddit and Instagram, with users divided between #TeamBride and #TeamPhotographer.
Conder shared her experience in the hopes of helping “other brides who may have gone through the same thing or future brides going through the same process,” not expecting it to “go viral.”
“I also wanted to share my frustrations about how sad I was and still am. You only get one wedding anniversary and you can’t relive it,” Conder said in an email interview with USA TODAY.
You need to know this.
‘Sepia Bride’ Defined
Conder isn’t sure who was the first person to call her “Sepia Bride,” but she’s going to stick with it. At least for now.
“Someone on the Internet came up with it,” Conder said.
The “Sepia Bride” moniker refers to the online discourse that arose when Conder shared her “horror” story about her wedding photographer online, jokingly calling it “Sepia Gate” in her latest video.
According to Adobe, “sepia” is a toning technique used to help old photographic prints, such as those you see in an antique shop or museum, “last beautifully over time.”
The “reddish-brown” tone used to create the spectrum of highlights and shadows is “now associated with the nostalgia of antique statues.”
According to Adobe, sepia is a softer manipulation of light, giving photos a soft, warm, and dreamy finish.
Brides, photographers and others battle it out in the comments
Conder’s experience touched many people, especially photographers and former brides. One photographer even offered to re-shoot the photos for free if they were ever in the same environment.
Most, if not all, thoughts, opinions, and reactions shared in the comments section of Conder’s videos and posts have been filtered or disabled altogether.
Comments that are still visible show an even split. Some agree with Conder, while others say she should have done more research and considered the photographer’s style before booking.
“I definitely go the extra mile for my brides, but they chose me based on my style so it’s small tweaks, not a complete rework,” wrote @mybelovedghostandme.
“90% of wedding photographers are SO involved with their couples and will do anything to make their couples happy. When people have unrealistic demands, sometimes we can’t do more than we have to,” wrote another photographer.
@chrispy9579 was on #TeamBride and wrote in the comments: “Yes girl! I work with photographers and videographers and they will alllllwaaays retouch/edit on request. That is unprofessional.”
Jennifer Foreman echoed a similar sentiment, writing, “After watching all of your videos on this, I have serious doubts about both sides, but even more so about yours. Yes, I watch the work first to see if you like it. But especially her edit of this, I don’t.”
“I’m shocked that photographers call these edits art and style. IT’S ORANGE. IT CHANGED THE COLOR OF HAIR. It’s okay to not be loyal to everyone who happens to work the same job as you,” wrote @ash.sch.life.
‘Sepia Bride’ hopes to bring ‘change to the wedding industry’ after experience
Although Conder was unable to reach an agreement with the photographer on the images, she was able to obtain a handful of raw images that she edited to fit her vision.
“As I’ve said many times before, I think my photographer captured some beautiful moments, but I wasn’t happy with the editing, so I wish we could come to an agreement without the additional cost,” Conder said.
Conder plans to have her wedding photos retaken by another photographer.
Conder says she shared her story in the hopes that it will “create a change in the wedding industry for more communication between vendors and clients,” especially when it comes to reviewing contracts.
“Since many of us are first-time weddings, we’ve never done this before…we rely on the photographers to bring things to life, and unfortunately we’re not familiar with a lot of the technical terms,” Conder said. “So a consultation between photographer and client where all the details are explained is really necessary, and I felt like I didn’t get that.”
Conder will continue to create more videos and content that will “help people who are getting married or planning to get married.”