Wedding Recap and Withdrawal

Disapointed in our Photos.

Ok So let me just fill you in on a few things...
We were married 9/22/12
We had originally booked a photographer who screwed us over. So when we were in search for photographers, we were really in need of someone who would work with us on payments, due to the money we lost from the 1st photographer.  Our photobooth company automatically set up a payment plan with us and we were looking for a similar situation.
We found a guy, who not only offered us photography services but dj services as well. When I asked about a payment plan, he was more then willing. He said he hadn't done it before but he would surely do it, no problem! So we signed the contract, paid the depsoit, done deal.




So since the wedding I've been thinking more and more about how I dont really know what he took pictures of, and I've been thinking more and more that I'm just not going to be happy once I see all these pictures. But I keep making my payments as promised.

So a few days ago I sent him an email and asked him, if he would be willing to email me a picture of the groom and his mom. I wanted to frame it for her for Mothers Day/Birthday as a suprise. I know the deal was no pictures unitl the balance is paid in full but Im just asking for 1 picture.

So He emails back and says sure no problem he will look through them and see what hes got. (I had mentioned 1 I remember them taking in front of a waterfall at the venue)

So today he messages me and says, he has no pictures of just the Groom and his mom. There are ones in front of the waterfall with mom dad and groom, and also ones with me, groom, mom and dad but none just groom and mom.

Excuse me?! This isn't like I'm talking about the Groom and his 3rd couisn. This is the Groom and his mom, the woman who raised him. and you didn't take a picture of them?!
(side note: his dad left when he was 2 and just came sort of back into the picture a year before the wedding, needless to say he was never there for my husband and my husband really doesn't know him, nor consider him a father, he only even took the picture to keep the peace with his mom)

I am absolutely heart broken at this for both my hubby and mother in law. and I am so mad at our photographer. On top of this, we had 2 photographers, and netither of them were with me when I was getting ready so I know I have no putting my dress on pictures etc. Also, we just had Maid of Honor and Best Man, which were each our best freinds, I do not remember any pictures being taken of me and my maid of honor. Also, my mom is passed away and so her sister, my aunt has been there for me like a mom, including through all the wedding plans. I dont remember a picture being taken of us either.

UGH!! I want to scream and cry!!!

Re: Disapointed in our Photos.

  • I don't remember a lot of things I have pictures and videos of from the wedding. The day was a whirlwind. Why don't you wait to see what pictures you get back? 

  • That is a bummer but I agree with the "must take" list. We haven't gotten our pics back yet but our photographer sent us a copy of the must take picture check list along with the contract, asking us to see if that was okay and make notes if we could think of anyone else. Then when we took them, she asked everybody if there were any other picture combos they wanted taken so my mother in law took full advantage of that one! I guess I wouldn't have thought to make one myself if she hadn't made one for me though. Just stay calm until you get them back but I am pretty blown away by the fact that there isn't a pic of the groom and his mom....
  • I don't think we have a pic in our wedding of just my H and his mom other than their dance.  LOTS of family photos, which is what I really care about.
    Don't make me mobilize OffensiveKitten

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  • In Response to Re: Disapointed in our Photos.:
    [QUOTE]I don't think we have a pic in our wedding of just my H and his mom other than their dance.  LOTS of family photos, which is what I really care about.
    Posted by Peledreamsofrain[/QUOTE]

    Same here.  

  • I have no pictures of H with just his family.  It is always some combo of me with his parents and him or us and his whole family.  The only picture I have of H and his Mom is when they are dancing.  I am a bit bummed about certain pictures that I didn't get but that is more my fault then the photographers because I didn't even really think about individual pictures, I mainly was thinking about overall what I wanted.

    And even though I get that he won't release the pictures to you until the full amount is paid, I cannot believe that he didn't at least send you some preview pictures with watermarks just so you could see some.  I would be going crazy if I got married in September and hadn't seen one picture from my photographer by now.

  • I'm not sure how your photographer would have known how important your relationship is with your aunt, or that the relationship with DH's dad is strained unless you told him.  But I'm sorry that you are worried about your photos, and for the trouble you had with your first photographer.
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  • We met with the photographer like 3 or 4 days before the wedding and went over everything. I did not make, nor was I ever asked to make, a must take list, but we did what i think you guys call a "tiered" wedding. So our during our ceremony and the time we did all our formal pictures, it was basically family and immediate close friends that were even there. If we only have 50 people at the ceremony etc, but 200+ coming to the reception, you would have to assume, that those 50 people are pretty darn important.
    Actually you dont have to assume that when you were told that. I specifically remember telling him that we wanted ones of my hubby and his mom, and also my hubby and his nieces and nephews and then of course, the whole family picture
    They also did a mother son dance, so i guess our photographer felt no need to take pictures of that.

    I've been trying to convince myself to just take a deep breath and not be upset until im literally looking at every single picture,  but more and more I'm getting annoyed.

    I'm getting annoyed now because it was Monday when he sent me the message saying he was looking through the photos and only saw the one of hubby and both parents. So i reponded that if that was all he had, go ahead and send me and that and hopefully i could crop dad out lol. so he responded that he would see what he could do, well ok i take that as he was going to do the crop job for me, nice. but now its basically thursday and i've heard nothing since monday. It takes 4 days to crop and email a picture? I mentioned in my email, that I was getting this framed for her, for mothers day, so you would think he would see the urgency to get me the picture....obviously not.
  • It sounds as if you have already decided that you hate all of your pictures yet you haven't seen them yet. Why?

    It has only been a couple of days. Since the deal was that you weren't supposed to get any pictures until you paid in full, I think that he is trying to be nice to you by getting you a specific picture. He probably has other clients that he is editing for that have a timeline as well and have potentially paid in full already. I would wait until Monday and then contact him to see if it will be done in time for Mother's Day. If you don't get one in time (which would be annoying) could you get his mom a nice frame and tell her once you get your pictures back that you will put a nice wedding picture in there?

     

  • I haven't decided that I hate them, Im just very skeptical.I hope that I'm being skeptical for no reason, and that I love them all when I see them. Its just more and more things make me nervous but really, we are married, nothing I can do, if I love em or hate em, there all i got!! I just feel like, with all the money we have given/will give him, he could simply email a jpeg file. Also, because we are paying him for our DJ servics and Photography Services, we techincally have to have them both paid off before we get the pictures, when technically we have paid more then our phototgraphy services cost, but he is holding the images until everything is paid, because he obviously has already performed the dj services.

    Also I planned to order a canvas print of the picture from shutterfly for mothers day, so im just about out of time :/
  • In Response to Re: Disapointed in our Photos.:
    [QUOTE]We met with the photographer like 3 or 4 days before the wedding and went over everything. I did not make, nor was I ever asked to make, a must take list, but we did what i think you guys call a "tiered" wedding. So our during our ceremony and the time we did all our formal pictures, it was basically family and immediate close friends that were even there. If we only have 50 people at the ceremony etc, but 200+ coming to the reception, you would have to assume, that those 50 people are pretty darn important. Actually you dont have to assume that when you were told that. I specifically remember telling him that we wanted ones of my hubby and his mom, and also my hubby and his nieces and nephews and then of course, the whole family picture They also did a mother son dance, so i guess our photographer felt no need to take pictures of that. I've been trying to convince myself to just take a deep breath and not be upset until im literally looking at every single picture,  but more and more I'm getting annoyed. I'm getting annoyed now because it was Monday when he sent me the message saying he was looking through the photos and only saw the one of hubby and both parents. So i reponded that if that was all he had, go ahead and send me and that and hopefully i could crop dad out lol. so he responded that he would see what he could do, well ok i take that as he was going to do the crop job for me, nice. but now its basically thursday and i've heard nothing since monday. It takes 4 days to crop and email a picture? I mentioned in my email, that I was getting this framed for her, for mothers day, so you would think he would see the urgency to get me the picture....obviously not.
    Posted by shanliann[/QUOTE]

    I understand that you feel frustrated, but again, it is partially your fault for not having a photo list or specifically requesting that photo while pictures were being taken.  The photographer obviously knows that the parents are important, but he has no idea what combinations of pictures you want with what people if you don't tell him.  He may not have realized that you wanted a pictures with just your H and his mom and no other family members.  

  • shanliannshanliann member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its Name Dropper First Comment
    edited May 2013
    My husband remembers taking the picture, about as clearly as I remember them taking it.
    Both his parents are in wheel chairs. They both wheeled in front of the waterfall and husband stepped in the middle and kneeled down. Picture taken of the 3 of them. Then i stepped in and kneeled down next to husband. picture taken. The off his dad went, then i walked away and then picture of husband and mom. Then his stayed right where she was, and we gathered all the family to do the huge family picture. i will be the first to admit that with the whirlwind of the day, there is so much I do not remember, but clear as day husband and I both remember this picture being taken, and the photographer says it wasn't taken.

    I get that I should have made a list, but it seems as if some pictures are just too obvious. Maybe thats just me,

    For clairifacation, we were told when we booked the photographer that our package was 2 photographers, the 2nd photographer would be either his wife, or another girl amanda that usually worked with him. Then when we met with the photographer right before the wedding he confirmed, that one photographer with me, one with him, and up until our first look. Well both photographers were male, which is why i feel the photographer tried to avoid not having a photographer with the girls, because he knew he couldn't send a guy down. Ok, would have been much better if he would have approached me with the situation, we could have waited until i was in my dress and he could have come in and taken some of my maid of honor zipping me up, etc. it could have been worked out.

    Also, for clarification, this guy is not busy! He has done 1 wedding since ours, and that had to have just been a favor to a friend because his wife was in the wedding. I know he is probably busy with dj-ing because he does do alot of proms etc but dj-ing doesn't take alot of prep or post event work.

    I'm so annoyed that its been 4 days since he contacted me.  Mothers Day is 10 days away!!
  • In Response to Re: Disapointed in our Photos.:
    [QUOTE]My husband remembers taking the picture, about as clearly as I remember them taking it. Both his parents are in wheel chairs. They both wheeled in front of the waterfall and husband stepped in the middle and kneeled down. Picture taken of the 3 of them. Then i stepped in and kneeled down next to husband. picture taken. The off his dad went, then i walked away and then picture of husband and mom. Then his stayed right where she was, and we gathered all the family to do the huge family picture. i will be the first to admit that with the whirlwind of the day, there is so much I do not remember, but clear as day husband and I both remember this picture being taken, and the photographer says it wasn't taken. I get that I should have made a list, but it seems as if some pictures are just too obvious. Maybe thats just me, For clairifacation, we were told when we booked the photographer that our package was 2 photographers, the 2nd photographer would be either his wife, or another girl amanda that usually worked with him. Then when we met with the photographer right before the wedding he confirmed, that one photographer with me, one with him, and up until our first look. Well both photographers were male, which is why i feel the photographer tried to avoid not having a photographer with the girls, because he knew he couldn't send a guy down. Ok, would have been much better if he would have approached me with the situation, we could have waited until i was in my dress and he could have come in and taken some of my maid of honor zipping me up, etc. it could have been worked out. Also, for clarification, this guy is not busy! He has done 1 wedding since ours, and that had to have just been a favor to a friend because his wife was in the wedding. I know he is probably busy with dj-ing because he does do alot of proms etc but dj-ing doesn't take alot of prep or post event work. I'm so annoyed that its been 4 days since he contacted me.  Mothers Day is 10 days away!!
    Posted by shanliann[/QUOTE]

    If you are positive the photographer took a photo of your DH and his mother but is not sending it to you, it may be because it didn't come out well.  Perhaps it was blurry?  I dunno. But if this guy only did one other wedding in 8 months (which was only a favor to a friend), it doesn't sound like he's a professional.  Did you read reviews on him?     

    Are you still making payments?  When has he said you get all your photos?  Can't he at least send you the photos with the watermark?

  • shanliannshanliann member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its Name Dropper First Comment
    edited May 2013
    He is a professional but is newer to the job. He has worked on local radio stations, since, well as far back as i can remember, so he has always done dj-ing along side of that, and just added photography services. He has his own stuido which we met at, he is the offical photographer for our concert venue in town, so when there are big concerts, he does those, i've also seen a couple senior sessions, and a couple family sessions, but nothing that would surely keep him that busy that he can't email me a picture!

    Our Original Total due to him was 3545, and now all is owe is 1545. He has post dated checks for 2 payments a month, each payment of $200.00. So we are paying $400 a month to him. He has had 2 checks a month to cash since October and he has never had an issue with the check not clearing or anyting like that so he should have no doubts as far as that goes.

    Originally he had ocasionally posted a picture on facebook, but it's been since December since the last picture he posted, even though every time im in contact with him (to mail more checks, etc) he always says, oh ya ill remind myself to post a couple on facebook for you.

    We get all the pictures on a disc as soon as the balance is paid in full.

    He already has all the post dated checks to pay off the remander of the balance.

    So basically, I've paid him $2,000 and I am now at waiting a week for him to email me one picture. It was last thursday that I emailed him and asked him if he would be willing to give me the one picture. Then Friday he reponded that he was fine with that, then monday he emailed me about there not being the picture, and that he would crop it for me. and nothing since.

    Also the deal was, once we had paid him 2,000 he would put our album on his website, but obviously that is only for viewing. We just made the payment to make it 2,000 last week.

    Honestly though, I really dont care if we get to see them before we get the disc or not. What am I going to do if I look at them online now and hate them? Thats going to make paying the remander of the balance so tough!  and what if I see them and Love them? I'll be bumed I cant frame them, etc.

    ugh.

    I was thinking about sending a message that says "hey i was just thinking, if cropping that picture is too tough, what about a picture of him and his mom from there dance? I forgot they even did a dance together!"  what do you think?
  • I did give our photographer a list of pictures to take and we still did not get some important shots that we asked for. Like you, we have no picture of just my husband and his mom, and yet there are plenty of him, his mom, and his dad which is super awkward since they are divorced and don't get along. We also have no picture of my parents, my sister, and I which is sad since we are very close. The photographer also didn't get a lot of the detail shots we wanted or any pictures of just me in my dress or any pictures from behind me showing my train and veil. Since our wedding was only a month ago, we decided to have a photo retake session next weekend so that we can get shoots we wanted that we're missing. My husband, my parents, my sister, and I are all going to get prettied up again, put on our wedding day attire and take pictures at our venue so that we have all the shots we wanted. This time the photographer is my uncle since he has a great camera, will do it for free, and will listen to what we tell him to take. We were going to give my husband's mom a picture from the wedding of the two of them for mother's day, but once we found out that picture did not exist, we made a photobook of wedding pictures for her instead. I made it on Shutterfly with a Groupon and then I made another one for his grandma with a coupon I had to get a free photobook. So even though that one shot does not exist, there were still plenty of pictures that included her and made a great photobook.
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  • I broke down and messaged the photographer this morning. I was really nice about it. He messaged back and said he cropped the picture but forgot to email it to me so he will send it monday. which is too late to order the present but i guess better then nothing.
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