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Wedding Woes

My wedding photog is MIA!

So we had our engagement pictures taken last October with our photographer and he did a great job. We loved the shots and thought he was very nice. We didn't have our date set at the time but discussed having a small wedding and we wouldn't be needing him all day. He mentioned creating a custom package for us. Fast forward to now, we just recently set our date so I emailed our photographer in June to discuss booking him for our wedding on 9/27/15.

He and I were emailing back and fourth about his packages because he seems to lack in giving detailed information on his brochure. There has been an occurrence of events with emailing him that is now under my skin and I don't know what to do.

1. Originally he had a deal posted online stating he would give a free engagement session whenever you book a package with him. We discussed this in October and he said he would take that off once we booked a package. But now when I mentioned it to him, he said he would just "comp" us for it within his package. So really, I guess what we paid for the engagement shoot will never actually be free because it's already included in his packages.

2. He provided me with new pricing which has gone up. I asked if he could honor the pricing he previously gave me and he agreed with giving me a deadline to choose a package and submit the contract with initial payment by today. That gave FI and I 2 weeks to decide on a package. As I said, we had a lot of questions so I had to ask!

3. I mentioned in one of the emails that it was difficult for us to decide on a package because of our small wedding, not needing him all day, etc. and that we would love to meet him to discuss to help us decide better. Well, he never really responded to that and just replied to me via email.

4. Our last questions we had I emailed to him A WEEK AGO and I haven't heard jack squat since. It's like he fell off the face of the earth! I politely emailed him a follow-up email 2 days ago stating that I wasn't sure if he got my last email or was out of town but we had those couple of last questions before submitting the contract and I hoped he would still honor the pricing even though the deadline was going to pass. STILL NOTHING! No response.

I get that photographers are busy this time of year but this is making me sick. I don't want to spend all of this money on someone who is going to ignore me! Maybe he has a good reason, but to me that isn't very professional if he wants our business. What really bothers me is the fact that we liked this guy and love our engagement pictures. I just don't know what to do but I haven't submit the contract with initial payment (it's online) because he seems to have disappeared. I'm not sure if he's blowing me off thinking he wont make any money off of me but if this were the case he should tell me so I can move on. I really don't want another photographer because this guy already took our engagement pictures and we were comfortable with him. But I really feel like I don't have my entire life to waste waiting for a response. I also feel like if I send another email or text him that will just be too annoying. This is very frustrating.
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Re: My wedding photog is MIA!

  • fall2015bridefall2015bride member
    Second Anniversary 10 Comments Name Dropper
    edited July 2014
    Hi there! 

     My name is Jessica of Jessica Angeline Photography. I am currently working and living in LA, but am moving back home to the bay area at the end of the year. If your still looking check out my website & send me an email! Im currently booking for 2015 & 2016 :)

    www.JessicaAngelinePhotography.com

    JessicaAngelinePhotography@gmail.com
    That doesn't really help lol
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  • He is not acting like a professional. Unfortunately, the only recommendation I can give is to find a new photog. If he is being flaky before the wedding, I would be worried about how he will act after he has your money.
    :kiss: ~xoxo~ :kiss:

  • I don't think you understand the meaning of the engagement session "comp." Basically, he will take off the amount you paid for the engagement session from the amount of the package that you choose, so that it's as if you got it included in the package. Buying a package doesn't make the engagement session "free." It just gets wrapped in with everything else. My photographer did this for us because she lives across the country (i hired her because i know her personally) and it would have been pretty inconvenient and expensive for us to fly her out here a second time just for an engagement shoot. But if he's nonresponsive now, you mightwant to eat the cost of the engagement session and book with someone else. If you see that they include an engagement session in their package, and you don't want that, just ask them to take it out and re-quote you a price.
  • #1.  That is how that works.  It's not really "free", it's part of a package that you buy.  Trust me, that "free" shoot is paid for.

    #2.  This is normal and he gave you what you wanted, with a professional deadline.

    #3.  This is an appropriate method of communication, especially in June wedding season.

    #4.  Annoying, but again, June wedding season.

    IDK, you're starting to take up a lot of a professional's time in a busy wedding month for a wedding that isn't going to pay out a lot for him that isn't until September.  I'm not telling you that you're wrong, but I don't think he's wrong.  If you're not happy, go with someone else.  But a professional at some point that is working on a fee has to make sure time in = payment received.  You're sounding pretty high maintenance for a low fee.
  • VarunaTT said:

    IDK, you're starting to take up a lot of a professional's time in a busy wedding month for a wedding that isn't going to pay out a lot for him that isn't until September.  I'm not telling you that you're wrong, but I don't think he's wrong.  If you're not happy, go with someone else.  But a professional at some point that is working on a fee has to make sure time in = payment received.  You're sounding pretty high maintenance for a low fee.
    September 2015 at that.
  • I did not even notice that it was 2015.  Jeez.
  • Ok well, it doesn't matter if my wedding is in 2 months or 14 months. A professional should still respond regardless. Everyone is busy in their jobs but that doesn't constitute ignoring a client for more than a week. Especially when he gave me a deadline to decide on a package.

    As far as the engagement shoot comp, it was originally stated as free. He just now told me it is a comp and not free. So that was misleading.
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  • Look at this from his point of view.

    You are just a potential, right?  B/c he's already done the work for your engagement shots and been paid.  It sounds like you've e-mailed multiple time, asking questions and asking for specific-to-you help and requests....that he hasn't been paid for.  At some point, actual paying clients have got to take priority and he has to stop jumping through hoops for what is a potential and get to the people who are paying clients.  I realize you feel your money and your wedding is important, but his time and money is important to him.

    Is there really someone else you want?  What are so many questions you have?  Line out what you want, e-mail it, ask if it's doable for X price, ask for response by X day.  If he doesn't respond, go somewhere else.
  • Jumping through hoops, for me? No, I don't think so. We asked a few questions that weren't addressed in the information he had previously provided me. He basically provided the bare bones information. I see nothing wrong with asking a few questions before committing to a package with a difference of $1,000's to another when I have a set budget.
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  • I can understand with all of the emails and price negotiations, that he might no longer be interested in photographing your wedding. However, he could also just be super swamped because it is a really busy wedding month.

    Is it possible for you to call and make an appointment to meet with him? I initially contacted photographers via email, but once they replied with availability and pricing, I set up a time to go in and meet with them, with a list of questions and what we wanted for our wedding. That might be the easiest way to get in contact with him. If he doesn't respond at that point, I'd cut my losses and get a different photographer.

    Most photographers we were in contact with were willing to comp the cost of engagement pictures because we'd already had them done, but doing them with the new photographer would give you a chance to get comfortable with each other before the wedding. 

    I hope that helps!

  • I wouldn't really consider him "your" photographer until you have signed a contract with him.  You did the engagement photos with him but at that point it sounds like you didn't even have a wedding date picked yet so it was possible he wouldn't even be available on your date.  I think he's "yours" once you sign the contract but until then, I can understand why he doesn't have time to engage in multiple emails from you at this point.
  • I'm mystified by obtaining a photographer without having a wedding date. I didn't even meet with our photographer until I knew she was available on our chosen date, and then she held the date until we met and made a deposit.

  • I'm mystified by obtaining a photographer without having a wedding date. I didn't even meet with our photographer until I knew she was available on our chosen date, and then she held the date until we met and made a deposit.
    Me too!  The first thing out of a vendor's mouth is "Great!  When's the wedding?"  

    In regards to this issue, I am confused how "Comping" the engagement photos isn't ideal.  If that is part of the packages they offer, then there you go.  If all this photog's packages include engagement photos, and you want engagement photos, why should yours be gratis?  If you didn't want engagement photos then ask to have them removed from the package.  Just don't pay for them twice, right?

    I'm glad you want to get stuff booked early.  That's great!  Try giving them a phone call once more and let them know you need to hear from them by XX Date.  Save any more questions for that follow up call.  If you do not hear from them, walk away.  There's plenty other photographers in the sea, and you have plenty of time to find a great deal with someone you like just as much as this dude.

    It is possible this guy thinks he's got plenty of time to call you back due to your wedding being in 2015, but your time is valuable.  

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