A PR person claiming to work for an "influencer" with 55,000 social media followers got in touch with a small wedding photography company asking for a freebie.

They expected their client to receive a package worth at least $5,000 in exchange for a few posts on Instagram.

Betrothed & Co is run by Frankie Lowe and Laura Dunning, who weren't impressed with the offer. They emailed back saying they don't tend to make such arrangements, especially with an influencer with such a small following.

The PR person, named Melissa, responded by calling them "unprofessional" and "abusive," and saying working with the influencer would have been a "great opportunity" to network with "some celebrities who will be making TV appearances later in the year."

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It's no secret that plenty of brands and companies choose to work with social media influencers in an attempt to use their large followings and idealistic image to boost their own profiles.

But while some businesses may choose to offer their services in exchange for social media recognition on their own terms, when an influencer reaches out expecting a freebie, it often doesn't go well.

Betrothed & Co, a small UK-based wedding photography business run by Frankie Lowe and Laura Dunning, had a strange experience with a self-titled "influencer" expecting to receive a package worth $5,000 for free.

They were contacted by the (unnamed) influencer's PR person, Melissa, who said her client was planning to get married in April 2021.

Rather than make a payment, she said the influencer client could advertise the company, and a 25% discount on Betrothed & Co's services, to her 55,000 social media followers.

"Just so you are aware, we have approached four other similar businesses in your area so a fast response will be beneficial to your business," the email tactfully ended.

Lowe and Dunning weren't impressed by the offer and shared the email exchange to their Facebook page.

"We don't share client emails unless they look like this," they said. "We are a really tiny business in a really competitive industry and emails like this really disregard how hard we work."

They initially responded gracefully by saying they don't usually make such agreements. They also asked if there might have been a typo in the original email, as 55,000 isn't a "level of following which can command the free transfer of products worth between $5000-8000 total."

They added that if it was reasonable to expect the following to increase to half a million by the wedding, they may consider some sort of arrangement. They sarcastically added it was helpful to know in advance that 25% of their value, which they spent "so many years honing," would be knocked off.

"Finally, we really appreciate how valued as artists and professionals you have made us feel by informing us that you have only sent this exact same email to four other companies," they said. "And that a fast response will secure us the wedding rather than any artistic considerations."

Read more: The Instagram influencer whose 100,000-strong following got wiped says she called the police because it felt like 'a murder'

Melissa wasn't interested in the counter offer, and immediately responded to the company calling them "unprofessional," and saying the response was "appalling."

"We will no longer be considering you as contenders to shoot what would have been a very lucrative wedding for you," she said, adding that other companies had replied with offers of goods and services, "basically paying us to work with them."

"It would of been a great opportunity for you to network with other social media influencers and some celebrities who will be making TV appearances later in the year," she said. She also added a strange paragraph saying her client's mother had cancer, and it was unfair "to be so mean when you could of said no politely."

Melissa signed the email with a threat, saying that if the company were to respond and "continue with this abuse" she would "name and shame" them.

The threat had little effect on Lowe, who responded saying giving the email "a little once over might have been prudent given that you supposedly work in the communications industry." He added that referring to people who will be on TV later this year was another way of saying "people who have never been on TV."

He added he was sorry for the client's mother having cancer, but it was a bit random to bring it up when she hadn't mentioned it in the original email.

He also apologized for going against the request to never email her again.

"We're just a couple of hardworking creatives trying to make a living in a very challenging industry," he said. "And occasionally that means standing up for our profession and valuing our craft."

He signed off with: "P.S. Forgive my nosiness, but who IS your client? I'm, like, super curious by this stage!"

So are we.

Betrothed & Co declined to comment when contacted by INSIDER.