We have a friend who is a fabulous photographer. It's not his career, but he has a BA in art, specializing in photography. We've seen his shots (none of weddings) and they are Fantastic! We are on a low budget, so if we hired someone, it would be for sub-$1K. I found someone in this price range, but I've been reading horror stories on the boards about "new" or "cheap" photographers and those who provide no direction. I've heard if they are in the low price range I want to pay, there's a reason for it.
Would I be making a mistake choosing my friend with no real wedding experience? Or, since he's good at photography, can I just give him a sampling of the kinds of shots I like and let his artistic ability carry him through his lack of experience with weddings? Would I be better off hiring the "pro" that I can afford? Any advice?