i picked up my proofs today and i am sad (long)...

okay, this is not a good night. i already typed this whole post out and of course, it logged me out and i lost it all...
so i picked up my proofs today and just like anyone else, i was crazy excited. i couldn't even wait until we got home to look at them... i looked in the car...
the pictures we do have, yes they are beautiful. there are some amazing shots that came out more beautiful than i could have expected.
but i just feel like there's so much missing... so many moments...
i don't remember my wedding day very well. it is a blur to me, which depresses me enough as it is... i have been waiting for these pictures to fill in my memory... and i just don't feel like they capture the day the way they should have.
there's no pictures of anyone at my house seeing me all ready for the first time.
there's no pictures of mike and the BM and the pastor waiting at the altar before the actual ceremony started.
no pictures of the church or anyone sitting in the pews.
no close ups of me coming down the aisle.
no pictures of my mom or his family as dad and i were coming down the aisle.
no close ups of what was going on at the altar...
hold on, i'm going to write another post so it doesn't log me out...

no pictures of my grandfather - my only living grandparent (the photographer knew this) the ENTIRE day.
no pictures of anyone blowing bubbles as we walked out of the church.
the photographer decided to go his own route from the church to the RH and got stuck in half an hour (more) of traffic so we missed our cocktail hour to take pictures so there was not one photo of what the cocktail hour looked like or of the table with the votive placecards.
there are no pictures of mike and i walking down the staircase to get announced into the reception.
there are no pictures of mike and i at the dias, that aren't posed.
none of us walking around, talking to anyone - which we spent most of the night doing.
none of me at the table with my closest friends... and i know i spent a lot of time there taking pics on their cameras.
now, we had a photojournalist... so to me, all of these moments should have been captured, even if the main photographer wasn't snapping.
oh yes, there's more...

my best friend caught my bo-k... i have a picture of us hugging afterwards because the photographer that came with my dj (who was just there to put photos up on the screen during the wedding) caught it... where were my photographers during such a crucial moment?
there's like 4 pictures total of the BM and MOH speeches... yet they managed to take about 15 pictures just of the cakes at the vienesse hour. come on. i mean, yes the picture of the entire set up is nice... but do i really need a picture of each individual cake?!
i'm just so freakin annoyed.
i was annoyed that day... because the photographers got to my parents house at around 11:30. yet they just sat around until we were ready... there's a couple pictures of my dress getting zipped up and of my garter going on but that's it. they sat around for like an hour, taking no pictures and doing nothing. they were there, so i think they should have been taking pictures of us all getting our makeup/hair done, getting shoes on, running around, whatever...

also, the photographers left right after the dessert was served... they told us they were going to and i couldn't be bothered to say anything, just like i didn't say anything at the house. i was too wrapped up in the day. but now, looking back, i wish i had opened my mouth.
we paid for 2 photographers - the regular one and the photojournalist. they were with us for 10 hours. and they each only produced 400-450 proofs. it seems like other girls on here just get so much more. i'm not saying we NEED more... yes, there are plenty to choose from for our albums... i just kind of feel like... what were they doing all day? where were they during some crucial moments?
i'll never know what my mom's face looked like when dad and i walked down the aisle... or how mike looked while he was waiting for me. and that just kills me

and then i just start getting angry because on top of all this, i asked for the proofs on a cd-rom and they say yes, but for an extra $125... okay, that's fine... but i have to wait 6-8 months!! i can't have the cd-rom until all is said and done; until all the albums are made and everything. why?! why, if my entire package... over 6grand... is PAID IN FULL already, without even getting any of the final products... why can't i have the damn cd-rom?! i have to sit and cut every one of these proofs apart and scan it onto the computer? my proofs are 4 to a page... and they aren't even 4x6's, so when i cut them apart, they won't even fit into an album nicely. they're smaller. 3x5 maybe, i'm not sure... it also makes it hard to see faces in group shots from far away.
and then i look at my contract tonight and see that we paid for 'home coverage' of the house by the videographer. yeah, well he wasn't at my house. and it's also supposed to include honeymoon pictures which they failed to remind me of when they had me drop off my baby/growing up/dating pics for the video. so now i am going to have to make ANOTHER 40 minute drive to drop those off? yes, 40 minutes because the studio that was 20 minutes from our house, that we booked the photographer at, closed a few months ago.
it's all just really freakin aggravating.
was i expecting too much? how would you feel? what would you do?
i'm sorry this is so complain-y and long winded but i'm really upset tonight. hopefully tomorrow i will feel better. thank you for listening though

I'm so sorry this happened to you. I'm really shocked considering you had two photographers. Sadly, you can not go back in time. I would definitely complain. Did your friends bring digital cameras? Maybe, they got some good shots.

That is my biggest fear also, so I feel for you

I am sure that some of your guests took great shots that you can get copies of and incorporate into your albums.

I would 100% complain to the Photographers office. I know you can't turn back time, but I am sure it would help if they at least could do something for you regardless.

I would ask friends and family if they can send you every picture they took that day and I am sure someone captured some of these moments.

A few of these for you.

I really am sorry that you are going through this. I don't know what else to say, if there IS anything that we can say to make you feel better. Definately complain and do ask your friends and relatives to forward you pics they took and hopefully you will have some of those moments in there.

I am so sorry to hear that you are so upset. No, I don't disagree with the way that you feel. I don't blame you and b/c you did have 2 photographers, that's even more of a reason that you should have the pics you expected.

If I were you, I would not hold back. I would call the company and explain to them how you feel and see if they can do something in return for you, such as, not charge as much or give you some of your money back.

I would ask your friends if they took pics, and if they did, can they please send you every picture they took.

I am sorry this has happned and I would totally feel the same way.

Good luck and let us know what happends after you call the company.

OMG, I can TOTALLY relate (if you read my review I have A LOT of the same complaints!) I know how you feel - my photographer (I had 2 also) missed a lot of the day. I KNOW where they were, too, I could SEE them, they were out on the patio gabbing!! My VIDEO guy (Golden Moments) was with US all day so I didn't bother to go and say anything to my photographer because at least I would have the video. Do you have a video? Also, you can do what we did to make us feel better - we did a day after photoshoot with Angelica Glass. We are still bummed about the missing pictures, but having these from Angelica TOTALLY cheered us up!!

I am so sorry and I'm angry, too!
I would call your photographer and explain all of this to them, as well as sending them a letter. It's absolutely ridiculous to me that they were sitting around at your house while you were getting ready. And I totally understand about you being busy with stuff and not saying anything at the time, you should not have HAD to

I also will send you good thoughts that your video will capture some of those moments that your photographer missed, and hopefully fill in some of those gaps for you.

---

Posted by D's Girl



That is my biggest fear also, so I feel for you

I am sure that some of your guests took great shots that you can get copies of and incorporate into your albums.

I would 100% complain to the Photographers office. I know you can't turn back time, but I am sure it would help if they at least could do something for you regardless.

I would ask friends and family if they can send you every picture they took that day and I am sure someone captured some of these moments.

---

I agree.

I'm SO sorry this happenend and I think it is every bride's worst nightmare. I'm going to FM you about it...

Also, in the future- about posting- when you log in, check the little box that says 'remember me' or 'keep me logged in on this pute' b/c then in the future it won't time you out while you are posting long posts... also, as a back up... write out your entire post and then just highlight it, copy it and then just incase you lose it- you can just paste it and try to post again... That way it is saved as a back up.

I am so sorry this happened to you.
Did you get a video? Maybe your videographer will be nice enough to supply you some still pics of your gandfather & other special moments that your photographers missed that can be added into the album. You should complain and mention that as part of a compensation to you, they should throw in (for free) your proofs on a CD and that you would like it when you pick up your album (or earlier)

Good luck

Jeez.... It broke my heart to read your post. Like you, I also don't remember a lot of my wedding day. It was so busy with so many people - it's a bit of a blur - which depresses me. I am hoping the picutres & video reminds me of the special moments.

I am so sorry this happened to you. Please, please complain to the company. This isn't going to help you but it might help the next bride that books them.

I'm so sorry you're dissapointed....


It sounds like they were very unprofessional (ie- sitting around at your house and not using the provided directions to the RH)

You should complain to the owner of the company and the the Better Business Beaureau.

I know you can never get that day back, but I hope you at least have enough good pictures to remember the most important parts.

OH no...I hate to see when other brides are not happy with their proofs..

You are paying alot of money for pictures and video and they dn't even capture this special moment in your life. So strange that they did not get any of those important pics that you mentioned.

its definitely odd to hear that. I would complain to the company as well as the BBB. its a shame that a photography company would miss all these things.

Definitely stand your ground and let your voice be heard. Alot of past brides have basically suggested prior to the wedding to make sure your vendors know what you want even if you have to yell and scream at them to make the point across....

Definitely speak with them and she what they can do. this is ridiculous that they can do something like this to their customers...

i thank everyone for all their words of encouragement. i KNOW this is not the end of the world... we do have some gorgeous pictures...
i don't think i'd want to do the 'day after' shot... as gorgeous as the pictures would come out, then we're paying even MORE money for that, plus to get his tux again, get my hair and makeup done again - ugh, we don't have the money.
i'll write back to all of those who fm'd me to let them know the photographer. and i'll probably be asking more questions about proofs/albums etc in other posts.
i'm very curious to know how big everyone's proofs were as well as how many they got.
i'm nervous to complain to the company BEFORE i get all my final products... but i am going to call this week about the cd-rom and start to give them a hint about WHY i think i deserve to have it now.
as far as the videographer... we hired them through the photographer, but i dealt with him separately - i know i saw him working the whole day, so i have high hopes. he went to the church instead of coming to the house, so hopefully he'll have the beginnings of the church, mike at the altar, my grandfather and other guests in the pews etc.
like i said, i know it's not the end of the world, i was just really upset last night. i feel better today, though still disappointed. anyway, thank you ladies!