I am having the most awful experience with our wedding photographer. As most of you may know at this point, many wedding vendors require payment in full prior to your wedding day. Ken WInokur of Ken Winokur Photography (aka Ken W Photo)was no different. We paid Ken Winokur in full to photograph our Friday night rehearsal events as well as our entire wedding day. Sadly, Ken did not show up for the rehearsal or the rehearsal dinner. Several hours into the night, he left me a voicemail stating that he was at the place where the party was and no one was there. Considering there were about 70 people in a small B&B, I can assure you it would be impossible to walk in the dooor and not see any of the guests in the main living room to the left of the entrance. Not exactly what a bride wants to experience the night before her wedding ... panic that the photographer is not going to show up.
Ultimately, Ken showed up. Here is a tip for all brides ... ask your photographer what they will be wearing!! Photographers should blend in with your guests. We had a formal Saturday night wedding. Apparently, Ken stayed at a local camp site the night before the wedding. Not sure if he showered, but he clearly didn't iron, nor did he wear a suit. I've been to dozens of weddings and never have I seen a photographer show up wearing regular street clothes. He looked like a slob and was a topic of conversation for all of the guests on our wedding day and still now - months later.
Our contract inlcuded full day of coverage on our wedding day. While Ken did take some pictures in the morning and come with the bridal party when we went to get our hair and make-up done, he left before the beauticians started working on my hair and make-up. Have you ever heard of a photographer that takes pictures of the wedding party getting ready but not the bride???
My mother spent a good portion of the evening tracking Ken down and asking him to take pictures. Apparently there was more to do in his car than at the wedding reception.
I was so relieved to have him there after I thought he was not going to show up at all, but months later, I am still having prolems. Ken Winokur was to provide us with a disc of all the photos, prints, dvd slide show (x3) and a photo album. While he indicated the phot album would take several months, everything else was supposed to be delivered long ago. I have numerous emails in which he tells me specific dates in which the package is going in the mail, starting with November 13th. In his last correspondence, he assured me the package was going to be shipped fed ex over-night delivery on December 21st. I was really hoping this was true as some of the prints were intended to be Christmas presents. Well, it's now after Christmas and the package never arrived. Ken has not responded to voicemails or emails requesting an update and the fed ex tracking number.
If any of you have any suggestions for me, I'd love to hear them. For now all I can do is hope to get what is due to me and warn other brides to steer clear of this photographer. What an awful person to take something so personal and act so unprofessionally.