Break up letter

blabla89

This is going to be a P&R because my office is crazy busy today.

At the advice of the ladies on Chit Chat, FI and I have decided to ditch our wedding photographer and find a new one. That means breaking the contract and losing the deposit, but we’re willing to do it. So now I have to send an email to let the photog know and I'm really not good at this stuff. I’m hoping you ladies can read it and tell me how to make it better. Thank you!

Email:
Good Morning Photog,

Thanks so much for sending the disc with our photos.

After reviewing the pictures from our engagement session, FI and I have decided to use a different photographer for the wedding, so your services will not be needed. We understand that this means we will forfeit the deposit we paid. We appreciate all the effort you and your assistant put into our engagement session. Please know that this was a difficult decision, as we really enjoyed shooting with you. However, we would be extremely disappointed if our wedding photos turned out the same way that our engagement photos did, and so we feel it is necessary for us to select a different photographer for the wedding. Please let us know if you have any questions.

Best Regards,
Blabla and FI

Pepperally

Wow, sorry you didn't like their work!  That sucks! 

What you wrote seems fine to me, and something I could see myself writing.  They may write back asking if you could be more specific on what you didn't like about the photos.  I know if I were providing that service I would want to know more as to why I did not meet someone's expectations. 

Dignity100

I think it sounds fine.  The only other thing I would do is look at your contract and see if there are any notes about breaking a contract - just to make sure there's nothing crazy like 'in order to break the contract a notarized letter containing XYZ is needed'. 

KeptInStitches

The only thing I might do differently is take "so your services will not be needed" out of the first sentence because it seems redundant.

May1979

I might add what you weren't happy with. It will give the photographer some feedback he/she can use to improve their skills. Otherwise it sounds fine but I agree with KeptInStitches on her comment.

Good luck!

lmcooper86

I think this looks fine, but I agree with PPs about maybe being a bit more specific about what you didn't like about the photos.

Sorry that the engagement pictures didn't turn out so well

lmcooper86

This is true, but I sort of feel like any offer to try to change the style could be countered with "Thank you for offering, but we simply feel that this is too big of a risk to take with our wedding photographs and we would prefer to work with someone else" or something along those lines.

labro

I guess my only advice after what PP's have said is to double and triple check your contract for any loopholes or strange rules about cancellation. Also be sure to get written (email, letter, whatever) acknowledgement from your photographer. Verbal won't cut it. Save her note for the future just in case. I'm really sorry to hear your photographer didn't work out for you. Good luck finding someone else! PM me if you want and I can name a few good ones in the area.

BreMR

I think what you've said is perfect, I think that either way you state it to the photographer, with or without reasons they're probably going to offer to try again or to know what they've done so they can be better for you.   I agree with @lmcooper86, I'd be prepared with a statement that shuts it down.  I would not want to take that risk for my wedding either! 

[Deleted User]

I think the previous posters have summed up what I would have said. Sorry you didn't like your engagement pics. To me, the photographer was one of the most important aspects of our day - so I wouldn't want to take the risk of keeping someone I already wasn't happy with. Sorry you guys are losing the deposit and have to keep looking, but I think in the end you'll be happy with your decision. Good luck with your new search!

blabla89

Thanks y'all. I've already given the photographer some specific feedback (including asking if she could edit some things that I thought would be editable) and she responded with excuses. If she asks I can give her the list of things we aren't happy with, but at the same time I don't want it to come across like I'm berating her. I've read the contract over and over and as far as I can tell, we're in the clear but we'll lose our deposit.

@LaPeanut1018 I'll PM you!

@TwoDimes - Prepare yourself, I'm about to write a novel...
 As far as the pictures go, there were only a few pictures out of the two hour engagement session that were really good. A lot of them were shot at weird, unflattering angles. Some had elements that ruined a potentially good shot, and a lot of them were taken from so far away that you can barely tell it's us. Then there were some where FI and I were doing completely different things because she wasn't directing at all (I told her at our first meeting that this was important to us). She also sent us some pictures where one of us blinked. I know that just happens, but she sent them along with the "best" shots of the day, which indicates that she didn't review them carefully. She took twice as long as she said to send us the proofs (and another two weeks after that to send us the disc) - and when we finally got them, it looked like all the "editing" she did consisted of putting an instagram filter on some of them. I feel like we got short-changed, like she realized she was late and rushed through it just to get it done with. And I'm not especially upset about our engagement photos, but we can't have our wedding photos turn out the same

Dignity100

I don't think you should offer what you did NOT like, because like others have mentioned, they might say 'we can fix it'.  If asked, I would just say something that the photographer's artistic style did not match your vision.  An artistic style is not really something they can change and it makes it about your vision and not something the photographer can correct - if that makes sense.

In short-  if you're ever breaking something off - make it about you and not them that way they cannot offer to change.

loves2shop4shoes

Here's my letter:

Dear Photog,

After reviewing our horrible e-pics, FI and I have determined that you are useless and not very good at your job.  We therefore would rather lose out on our deposit money than have a likely chance of having horrible wedding pictures.

Sorry I'm not sorry.

Warmest regards,
@BlaBla89



Lol.  If only you could actually send that.  Oh well, a girl can dream.