Illinois-Chicago

Shoot the Bride Update

I just spoke to Jeff, via text, and he is very sorry that you guys are feeling this way. A couple of things that he did say were:

1. If he asked you for the music for your video, and you didn't get it to him right away, your video was bumped so that he could work on a video that he had music for.

2. He also said that he has hired some people and is looking into hiring someone to answer emails and voicemails. (What did we do before we had these things huh??)

3. He understands you frustration and he is very overwhelmed with how well his business is doing so quickly. I really don't think that he thought it would blow up so fast.

4. He is trying to get the trailors out so that people can see that he hasn't forgotten about you.

He sounds like he is working as fast as he can on everything. He is supposed to shoot my wedding on November 6th and I actually paid him half of his asking price upfront. Oh boy. But I am going to try to be as patient as I can because it seems like he is trying to do so much with his time.

If you have not booked with him, I am not going to say not to, because Jeff is great and you will be pleased with the final outcome. But I will say that we have to give him some sympathy because he is just one person and we did this to him!! LOL!!

HTH
And the whole time, my future husband was in the room...... image image

Re: Shoot the Bride Update

  • edited December 2011
    He answers you back, but not the ones he already did their weddings for?
  • edited December 2011
    Yeah, I can be sympathetic, but I also want a guarantee that my product would be done on time without some serious financial repercussions for him (i.e. he doesn't get paid the full amount if I don't get my product on time).

    Frankly, it's my wedding, I only get one, I don't want or deserve the stress of dealing with a vendor or business owner who can't get his product out on time. A deadline is a deadline.

    ::End Bridezilla rant::
  • edited December 2011

    imtaken, I just sent him a text and he responded. The last text I sent him, he didn't respond. Maybe I just caught him at the right moment?


    agape, I hear you and I didn't ask if he was working on people's videos who had not paid in full.


    I totally agree that he has not handled this as well as he should have, but he was really taken off guard. Yes, he should have maybe slowed down before it got so bad, but he didn't and we are where we are.

    And the whole time, my future husband was in the room...... image image
  • dbroandbroan member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Old knottie here. I jump on these boards every so often and have read a few previous, negative posts about Shoot The Bride Video. At first, I thought this person is unorganized. Now, I feel he is unethical. I feel for the brides who are waiting WAY past promised dates. He will not return calls or emails...except from one knottie. Hmm...something is not right here. This person does not return constant attempts from others contacting him. Yet he returns a text from a knottie who he does not even owe anything, but avoids knotties he owes promises and work. No, knotties did not do this to him, HE did this to him. Communication and keeping deadlines is part of running a business. My department at work does not stop or slow down because I am busy. He is a grown adult, deal with it or close shop. If he has money owed to him, why doesn't he contact them or better yet, return calls/emails. I think it is poor and tacky he is communicating to his clients via a knottie.    
  • edited December 2011
    Kudos to you MissCourtney for reaching out to him!  Did you tell him he was getting a slammed a little bit on TK?  Hopefully that will lite the fire under his butt that he is getting a bad wrap and really needs to jump on this stuff...

    ETA:  I will say, however, that when I have reached out to him -- that he has responded to me in a timely manner.  Its just reading all the bad things that makes me want to run in the other direction.  I will admit -- i am not a patient person so thats why im real nervous!
  • edited December 2011
    For the record, I only got a call and a contract from him AFTER I sent him an e-mail saying I would be going with someone else if I didn't hear from him after THREE MONTHS of waiting. 
  • edited December 2011
    dbroan, I hear you and I think that he may not be answering others because he doesn't know what to say. I didn't ask him that. I don't think that he is dragging his ass, I just think that he did bite off more than he can chew. He did say that he had hired people to help him out. And by saying we did it, I mean that everytime someone said videographer someone else said JEFF!! We did that, not him.

    Love is Bald, maybe you should go with someone else. I'm not sure how this is going to play out. lol  

    agape, yeah usually when you tell people you are going to jump ship, they try to get you to stay.

    I am sorta worried now that I have heard so many horror stories but there is nothing I can do now with only 17 days to go and I have already paid him half of his fee. Maybe now that I know what is going on, I can just settle down for the long hall.
    And the whole time, my future husband was in the room...... image image
  • edited December 2011
    I totally agree that Jeff is a great person and also that he has bit off more than he can handle.  I think all that is needed is proper communication from him.   No matter how busy he might be he needs to spend some time to at least respond.  It might not be an answer we want to hear but no response is worse.

    At the end of the day he is just another vendor hired for a wedding. All vendors contractual obligations.
  • edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_illinois-chicago_shoot-bride-update?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:72Discussion:6a267527-7401-405d-a73e-6c845b365858Post:668f425f-6a5a-403d-af88-686e2ab73043">Re: Shoot the Bride Update</a>:
    [QUOTE]And by saying we did it, I mean that everytime someone said videographer someone else said JEFF!! We did that, not him.
    Posted by MISSCOURTNEY20[/QUOTE]

    If you can't reasonably complete a project in time then you have the responsbility to say no to booking with that person, or to give them a realistic timeline and let the client know as soon as possible if you aren't going to make a deadline.  Brides on the knot don't have a responsibility to know this dude's schedule, to make decisions for him, or to know that he's not going to say no to booking them when he clearly doesn't have the resources to provide services to them.
    image
  • edited December 2011
    The fact of the matter is you don't promise something you can't deliver! Vendors like this should be outed. In searching for for vendors, I found many do this on the side and this is not there main job. We booked vendors that did this full time and for a living. I felt this makes a big difference.
  • edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_illinois-chicago_shoot-bride-update?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:72Discussion:6a267527-7401-405d-a73e-6c845b365858Post:6a305b44-1529-402e-b712-2961a1f52fe3">Shoot the Bride Update</a>:
    [QUOTE]I just spoke to Jeff, via text, and he is very sorry that you guys are feeling this way. A couple of things that he did say were: 1. If he asked you for the music for your video, and you didn't get it to him right away, your video was bumped so that he could work on a video that he had music for. 2. He also said that he has hired some people and is looking into hiring someone to answer emails and voicemails. <font color="#000080"><strong>My advice to him would be to stop everything he is doing right now and get on the phone and e mail and return every call and give an honest delivery date and <u>stick to it.</u>
    <font color="#000080">HE</font></strong> <strong>needs to let people know, he has our money. He should answer his own calls</strong> <strong>and e mail, I made a deal</strong> <strong>with him and paid him</strong>. <strong>Some lacky he</strong> <strong>hired to answer his email cannot speak for him in these matters</strong>. </font> (What did we do before we had these things huh??) 3. He understands you frustration and he is very overwhelmed with how well his business is doing so quickly. <font color="#000080"><strong>So</strong> <strong>call people</strong></font><strong> <font color="#000080">and tell them that, they will understand.</font></strong>  I really don't think that he thought it would blow up so fast. 4. He is trying to get the trailors out so that people can see that he hasn't forgotten about you.<font color="#000080"> <strong>He needs to return our phone calls and e mails that is</strong></font><strong> </strong><font color="#000080"><strong>better than getting a 3 minute trailer in three weeks. He</strong> <strong>needs to build back the rapport that he has LOST</strong>. </font> He sounds like he is working as fast as he can on everything. <strong><font color="#000080">That is just LIP SERVICE at this point</font>, <font color="#000080">he needs to communicate and</font> </strong><font color="#000080"><strong>deliver to repair his</strong> <strong>reputation.</strong></font> He is supposed to shoot my wedding on November 6th and I actually paid him half of his asking price upfront. Oh boy. But I am going to try to be as patient as I can because it seems like he is trying to do so much with his time. If you have not booked with him, I am not going to say not to, because Jeff is great and you will be pleased with the final outcome. <strong>There </strong><strong><font color="#000080">are many many</font> </strong><font color="#000080"><strong>other videographers in and around the City of Chicago that are just as good as Jeff, if</strong> <strong>not better, he is</strong> <font color="#000080"><strong>NOT THE ONLY GAME IN TOWN</strong></font></font>. But I will say that we have to give him some sympathy because he is just one person and we did this to him!! <font color="#000080"><font color="#000080"><strong>NO, WE DID NOT DO THIS TO HIM, HE NEEDS TO KNOW HIS OWN BOUNDARIES BEING A BUSINESS OWNER. When your business is growing at a rate that you cannot handle you need to know the magic words, "I am sorry, I am not taking any new customers right now, I will call you if things change" thank you for considering Shoot the Bride Films.  
    </strong>
    </font><strong>Courtney, you are a very sweet lady to give Jeff all of this support, and none of my comments are directed at YOU at all, this is all toward JEFF, the man that we gave our money to, the man that used our money to feed his family, and the man that is disrespecting us by not calling us back or returning our e mail. </strong>
    </font>LOL!! HTH
    Posted by MISSCOURTNEY20[/QUOTE]
  • edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_illinois-chicago_shoot-bride-update?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:72Discussion:6a267527-7401-405d-a73e-6c845b365858Post:668f425f-6a5a-403d-af88-686e2ab73043">Re: Shoot the Bride Update</a>:
    [QUOTE]  agape, yeah usually when you tell people you are going to jump ship, they try to get you to stay. 
    Posted by MISSCOURTNEY20[/QUOTE]<div>
    </div><div>Yeah, but it shouldn't take a threatening e-mail  to get a prospective vendor to get their butt in gear and respond when a bride praises his work and asks for a consultation or to talk on the phone about his services. He could never even talk to me on the phone, my only contact with him was through email.</div><div>
    </div><div>I really have no sympathy for him, actually. We as brides have a lot going on that we have to get done and keep track of, and we do it, and if he keeps this up he is going to have a hard time booking weddings in the future.</div><div>
    </div>
  • edited December 2011
    I got my ceremony only DVDs from him today from my 8/22/10 wedding.  I was promised them several times and he never sent them.  The audio on my dvd was botched a little bit so we told him we weren't satisfied the first time.  I think we only got them today because I have been calling him and emailing him twice a day since Friday. I shouldn't have to do that.  That is not a way to run a business.  I would be more understanding if he were just honest.
    Married!!
    image
  • edited December 2011
    Hey Alexilyse!
    Did you only hire him for the ceremony? When you recieved the video today was the sound botched? Or did you get it earlier and got the corrected version today?
  • edited December 2011
    <div>In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_illinois-chicago_shoot-bride-update?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:72Discussion:6a267527-7401-405d-a73e-6c845b365858Post:cf2f2d73-1c76-43c8-b0d9-68ff8917533f">Re: Shoot the Bride Update</a>:</div>[QUOTE]Hey Alexilyse! Did you only hire him for the ceremony? When you recieved the video today was the sound botched? Or did you get it earlier and got the corrected version today?
    Posted by thealphabride[/QUOTE]

    <div><div>I did hire him for the ceremony only (and a bit of pre-ceremony).</div><div>
    </div><div>We recieved the replacement today.  The sound is better this time.  At least we can hear what DH, the rabbi, and I are saying.  It is good enough that I can show my grandparents this weekend.</div><div>
    </div><div>I think one of the only reason I got it while some people are still waiting from spring and early summer is that We have had a trip planned to go to LA this weekend to show my grandparents the dvd since they were not able to travel to the wedding.  It was planned for now because the Shoot the bride contract said 4-6 weeks.  </div></div><div>
    </div><div>We are still waiting on our highlight video...</div><div>
    </div>
    Married!!
    image
  • edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_illinois-chicago_shoot-bride-update?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:72Discussion:6a267527-7401-405d-a73e-6c845b365858Post:642f73e3-044a-475d-a2d7-3e9a53bad449">Re: Shoot the Bride Update</a>:
    [QUOTE]In Response to Re: Shoot the Bride Update : I did hire him for the ceremony only (and a bit of pre-ceremony). We recieved the replacement today.  The sound is better this time.  At least we can hear what DH, the rabbi, and I are saying.  It is good enough that I can show my grandparents this weekend. I think one of the only reason I got it while some people are still waiting from spring and early summer is that We have had a trip planned to go to LA this weekend to show my grandparents the dvd since they were not able to travel to the wedding.  It was planned for now because the Shoot the bride contract said 4-6 weeks.   We are still waiting on our highlight video...
    Posted by alexilyse[/QUOTE]

    I'm so glad you got the video to show your grandparents!! Have a wonderful trip and safe travels friend!
  • edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_illinois-chicago_shoot-bride-update?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:72Discussion:6a267527-7401-405d-a73e-6c845b365858Post:cab4b8d3-563c-44b0-8b7e-07442bbdba8e">Re: Shoot the Bride Update</a>:
    [QUOTE]In Response to Shoot the Bride Update :
    Posted by thealphabride[/QUOTE]

    I'm glad you said that you weren't hollering at me because that is really how it felt. I am just the messenger and thought that I would let you all know what he told me. I think I will stay out of it from here on out.
    And the whole time, my future husband was in the room...... image image
  • edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_illinois-chicago_shoot-bride-update?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:72Discussion:6a267527-7401-405d-a73e-6c845b365858Post:4a215dfc-42c3-4e33-b99c-153941929dcb">Re: Shoot the Bride Update</a>:
    [QUOTE]I got my ceremony only DVDs from him today from my 8/22/10 wedding.  I was promised them several times and he never sent them.  The audio on my dvd was botched a little bit so we told him we weren't satisfied the first time.  I think we only got them today because I have been calling him and emailing him twice a day since Friday. I shouldn't have to do that.  That is not a way to run a business.  I would be more understanding if he were just honest.
    Posted by alexilyse[/QUOTE]

    Would you say that the quality of the editing is good otherwise the sound glitch?
  • edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_illinois-chicago_shoot-bride-update?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:72Discussion:6a267527-7401-405d-a73e-6c845b365858Post:7f83469c-8976-4b62-baf4-6221e7ac03b7">Re: Shoot the Bride Update</a>:
    [QUOTE]In Response to Re: Shoot the Bride Update : Would you say that the quality of the editing is good otherwise the sound glitch?
    Posted by Love is Bald[/QUOTE]

    <div>From what I've seen of it so far (We are waiting until this weekend to watch the whole thing with family), the video quality is fantastic and the editing is really nice.  </div>
    Married!!
    image
  • edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_illinois-chicago_shoot-bride-update?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:72Discussion:6a267527-7401-405d-a73e-6c845b365858Post:2071be6a-2c90-492b-8814-8758e24cb930">Re: Shoot the Bride Update</a>:
    [QUOTE]In Response to Re: Shoot the Bride Update : I'm glad you said that you weren't hollering at me because that is really how it felt. I am just the messenger and thought that I would let you all know what he told me. I think I will stay out of it from here on out.
    Posted by MISSCOURTNEY20[/QUOTE]

    Miss Courtney, you are a sweetheart, and I hope that you have a wonderful wedding!!! With now 16 days to go, I'm sure you are getting excited and I'm excited for you Enjoy!
  • edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_illinois-chicago_shoot-bride-update?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:72Discussion:6a267527-7401-405d-a73e-6c845b365858Post:bcf9acad-35fc-4fa1-b9c2-99866adcc4b8">Re: Shoot the Bride Update</a>:
    [QUOTE]In Response to Re: Shoot the Bride Update : Miss Courtney, you are a sweetheart, and I hope that you have a wonderful wedding!!! With now 16 days to go, I'm sure you are getting excited and I'm excited for you Enjoy!
    Posted by thealphabride[/QUOTE]


    Thank you so much!
    And the whole time, my future husband was in the room...... image image
  • edited December 2011
    Man... I hope all this is settled by my wedding May 28th... makes me nervous!! 
    IAmPregnant Ticker
  • edited December 2011
    Yeah -- i've decided im just going to stick with him and suck it up.  Maybe I should offer my professional admin experiences for free to clear up this mess... 
  • edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_illinois-chicago_shoot-bride-update?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:72Discussion:6a267527-7401-405d-a73e-6c845b365858Post:e3ef92f2-900d-4eb4-b536-ad4d3c1382a5">Re: Shoot the Bride Update</a>:
    [QUOTE]Yeah -- i've decided im just going to stick with him and suck it up.  Maybe I should offer my professional admin experiences for free to clear up this mess... 
    Posted by Love is Bald[/QUOTE]

    I reached out to him to offer help. I have been in professinal sales, and business for 25 years. I told him what the consequenses of bad business practices are. I offered to help train him in customer service and how to deal with the bad rep here. He obviously doesn't care, because he never responded.  

    Oh well, my 5 week mark is coming up next week, my contract states delivery in 4-5 weeks. I am planning on holding him to the contract.
  • peeweea213peeweea213 member
    Sixth Anniversary 10 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Ditto Nikkanny my wedding is next August and all this is making me very nervous :-/
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