My photographer keeps blowing me off!

Ladies I need your advice/help on what I should do about my photogrpaher sorry this is a bit long...

I picked my photographer back in the spring of '08 because I really liked their work and their price was the most reasonable from the other places I visited. We booked with them and paid in full about 2 weeks before the wedding. The planning process went ok, we took our e-pics a little late due to weather cancellation and unfortuntely got a rushed job. The pics were nice but the slideshow took longer than expected and the owner wasn't ready with it when he said he would.

Fast forward now I am married and I was told it would take about 6 weeks for the wedding pics to be done. Well about 8 weeks later no response. We were told next week, then another week. It was mid september and still no proofs. Finally we were told he was short staffed and is really busy and that since we weren't 100% thrilled with the e-pics he was taking extra time with them. FInally he gives them not 100% retouched like he said he would but he saw we were getting pissed. Our CD had dozens of pictures that were upside down and sideways and it was a bit embarassing to say this came from a professional company. I mean how hard is it to align all the pictures. He also did not give us the raw footage for our video like he said he would. When my husband got there he just gave him the proofs and said he had a wedding to go to.

Now today we had an appt set up to get to the bottom of this issue and have a clear plan as to what we expected because we have had enough of the empty promises. We get therem, the owner is not and when DH calls the owner says 'I'm at a wedding I can't talk and after my DH clearly lets him know how pissed I am the owner hangs up the phone!

Now of course I understand that if you are at a wedding you can't talk BUT YOU are the one who said to come in TODAY so we can discuss our pictures! So now DH is fuming and says once again this wedding has caused nothing but problems and we were so dumb to pay this guy $5200 before the wedding because now he feels he can do whatever he wants. So I called his office and cell and threaten legal action if he didn't get back to us. I didn't know what else to do or say. We've been more than patient with him and he has been way too laid back. I told him if you told us from day one it would take nearly 4 months for the pictures too be done and that you were suppsoedly giving our special attention then that is one thing but do not say I will definetly be done on this day and then give me a sorry excuse that you are too busy! That's not my problem, get your s**t together you work for me!

Soooo now I don't know what to do, all I have are proofs, no album no video and have no idea what this guy is going to do next. All I want is for him to be finished with my stuff so I never have to deal with him again.

I noticed a few ladies are using and already FM one of them. All I will say is that they are in Great Neck and not a LIW vendor. Feel free to FM me because I do not want any bride to ever go through this. I admit I can be a bit of a push over especially in this situation since I stil need him to finish the job but enough is enough. Its a bit embarassing knowing other brides I know who got married after me already had their pics way before me. I feel really dumb right now that I paid this guy all this money and this is what I am being put thru. DH won't even speak to me w/o being pissed cause he feels we booked with him based on emotion like everything else with the wedding.

Thinks for reading this ladies I really appreicate all the support you all continue to give.

I would stay on his back and be very persistent. If you can take the time to go there in person (with a family member), do so and put your foot down.

Stringing you along is so rude and unprofessional. I would tell him you don't want to have to go to the BBB because of this poor service, but if you do, you will go that route.

That's incredibly horrible. This is not your fault. Maybe you were a little naive to pay up front, but you were doing something youi've never done before. No excuse for his unprofessional behavior or the fact that he's taking advantage of you.

I would try to make an appointment with him during the week when he can't use the excuse that he's at a wedding. Who gets married on Tuesday.

Also, look him up on the Better Business Bureau and consider filing a complaint with them.

Finally, if all else fails, you can take him to small claims court. You can recover up to $5000 in Nassau County, so you'd fall under the threshold for that.

Good luck. Don't beat yourself up over it. But be persistent.

Thanks ladies.
He just called and left me a message apologizing and letting me know my video footage is ready. Apparently there was an emergency and he had to fill in for another photographer last minute. Which is understandable but someone should have called me. So I'm going to take a little breather and call him later when he is done and set up a MIDWEEK appt. Im sure he also didn't like the fact that I threaten him with legal action and have begun contacting brides who are currently using him. Thanks again ladies i'll keep you posted!

First I would try to get in touch with him one more time to set up an appointment about the issues that you are having. Next I would send a certified letter stating the issues that you are having concerning your photography.

If no response is made within 3 months i would start legal proceedings. (You have to show the courts that you have waited enough time to be reasonably dissatisfied to start a suit against them.)

Good Luck,

that's aweful.

I don't know who the photographer is or anything..
but from the beginning of the wedding planning I've noticed when I take my mom with me anywhere we get straighter answers and a lot more respect.

If I take the fiance with me, they treat us like a bunch of kids. I'm 24 years old - I know I look younger - but sometimes taking an 'adult' with you may command the attention and respect you deserve.

sad, but true.

I'm glad he called and apologized but if you still have problems ask to come down in person for a meeting and bring someone beyond your fiance with you - preferably an older relative.