Weddingbee boards

So I've blogged a little about this, but I need some advice: I made a $100 deposit by credit card a few months before the wedding, and paid $1,000 by credit card the day before the wedding to Mike Mills Productions/Videotapemywedding.com, which I found on Craigslist. Someone came and recorded everything, but we never received our video (3-5 months, we were told, but I've never been able to get him to answer a phone call and he doesn't respond to emails, either... it's been 8 months now).

It's too late to dispute the charge with the credit card company, and I don't really know what to do. The address listed on his contract (which he's now taken off of the website) is just a mailbox number at some company, not an actual office address where I can go confront him. He never answers the cell phone number or emails. The website says he's no longer accepting bookings. I know a lot of couples got their videos from him very late, but now I'm worried we won't get ours at all.

What should I do? What would you do? I'm feeling pretty devastated. :(

Thanks for bumping, Aubergold! And thanks, girls, for your advice and sympathy. :) I've already reported him to the BBB. I also reached out to a local photographer who recommended him a few years ago on some review website, who has said that he'll stay on him for me, but I don't know if that will lead to anything (he also seemed surprised when a few days later Mike still had not contacted me).

I'm considering small claims, but it's a difficult process when you have to locate him first (Mike Mills is a pretty common name, as you can imagine. I have it narrowed down to a few addresses, I think, but I don't want to accidentally serve the wrong Mike Mills. ;) It's lucky I work at a law firm; I imagine this research would be a little more difficult for the average bride. :-/

@yinm25: I do have his phone number. I will PM it to you, but I think it's on your contract.

@noritake22: Yes, that is the phone number I have. I have to do more research on what that address actually is. :-/

@MzMarzipan: It is too late for me to dispute the charge--I should have done it when I first said I would in order to keep the complaint open/keep some pressure on him, but they won't do that for an old charge. Although I should try to call them again and see if they can help me come up with any other options. :(

@yinyin25: Yeah, he is in a lot of my pictures, too. The Covina address may be a an actual business location... if it is, I think we can serve him there. If it's a mailing address only (like one of those maibox stores), I don't know if we can. I have it narrowed down to four Mike Mills in So Cal and I am pretty sure it's one of them specifically, eventually I can probably figure out his home address and serve him with papers there. I will let you know when I figure it out!

@Miss Tattoo: & @elliestan: Any idea how I'd get in touch with someone for something like that? It seems like it could be promising... ;)

@Miss Tattoo: I'm happy to see that someone got her video after a year and a half! At least there is hope!

What I NEED to do is to go down to that address and find out if there is anything there. I am so frustrated!!

@esca03: Not yet, but I will definitely update this thread when/if I do. :-/

@esca03:

@Miss Tattoo:

Nothing new, really. There is now a form you can fill out to get the status of your video, and it looks like he's done absolutely nothing on my video at all, over a year after the wedding (not even the very little that they told me they'd done the last time I got a response, back in August). I still can't get any response other than the auto-responder (which I got 10 days after I filled out the form, not 24-48 hours later!).

I think I found a current address. I should have some updates in the next few weeks. :)

I HAVE VIDEO!!! At least, I think I do. I suppose it could still be a bunch of blank discs. ;) Just got a call from the in-laws an hour ago that we got a package delivered to their house, so we went to pick them up and now I HAVE TO force myself to go to bed and watch them tomorrow. I should be able to say in 24 hours how it all turned out. Assuming they're not all blank... OMG WHAT A RELIEF!!!!!

AHHHHH!! It's great! It's so funny watching your own wedding. I had no idea I'd get to hear my husband telling his groomsmen to "hustle it up" when the music was ending. And I'd forgotten how great the speeches were. :) It's not a perfect video, but if this had come 3-5 months after the wedding like it ws supposed to, I would have been SO HAPPY!!! It's crazy watching now... couples who were dating in ths are now living together or engaged, and some who were newlyweds are now divorced, and several have passed away. A year is a long time!

I hope everyone else who is waiting on Mike Mills is able to get their video soon!