Weddingbee boards

I was a groom in April to the most amazing woman.  Our wedding was perfect.  And it was perfect because we lucked out when our award for a destination wedding ($5k photography package) was cancelled.  I say "lucked out" because we ended up with WONDERFUL photographers, even though they were contracted with only two weeks until our big day.

That said, I want to make brides aware of Shannon and Ford Steeves and so-called "Steeves Photography."  We have become aware that they are nothing more than scam artists.

You will likely notice another post warning about their services on this website.  The reason is that we submitted and won a destination wedding package with Steeves on this website.  The Wedding Bee needs to be made aware of their practices as well.  In the earlier post, Shannon rebutted our comments but I can assure you everything we've said has been 100% true.  And there's so much more...

A recap: last October we signed on with so-called "Steeves Photography" after winning their contest for a free destination wedding - including a $5000 photography package.  The catch was that we were to pay for their travel, rental vehicle and lodging.  We figured $1000 for a $5000 package was a deal, so we agreed.

But three weeks before our wedding, Shannon EMAILED to tell us she would not be able to shoot our wedding for personal reasons.  She then gave us the name of a photographer in Arizona to use (who we would have to fly out and pay FULL PRICE with their own packages).  Honestly, we believe it may have been a racial issue with Shannon - but that's another story.  She claimed there was an illness in the family.  While we didn't want to ask details, things started to look fishy and she said she had an aunt and a mother with cancer.  We asked her to refund our $980+ already spent on her flight & hotel and she said we'd get it back in 90 days.

Remember, this is 3 weeks before our wedding, after our budget had been reached and under the assumption our pictures (one of the most important parts of the whole day) were paid for.  Now we were faced with no photographer and an unknown cost addition to a budget we had already capped.

We got luck when we signed with some local photographers who understood our story and allowed for us to pay after the wedding instead of prior to.

It's been more than 130 days since we were told of the cancellation.  Shannon and Ford Steeves STILL have not given us back our money.  And to top it off, they have cancelled their email accounts, blocked us from Facebook (and since cancelled their Facebook accounts, we believe), disconnected their business phone, their TWO cell phones and their website is no longer active (on the site it claims you need a Flash player to view it but that's not true, the site has been removed - July 31st).

We now have a lawsuit being written up against Steeves Photography for the money they owe us (and had claimed they sent the check but when it never arrived they claimed there was a death in the family and then all those contacts for them were cancelled and we've been left with no contact from them) along with an additional monetary damages complaint for the over-budgeted wedding they've now cost us as well as the pain & suffering and STRESS it's caused us both.

We wouldn't wish this on our worst enemy's wedding plans.  This is a warning to all brides & grooms out there - avoid Shannon Steeves and Ford Steeves and their so-called "destination wedding experts Steeves Photography" - they are nothing more than scam artists, obviously upset we didn't pay for their Arizona "friends" to shoot our wedding (and thus take off with more of our money) and obviously a couple based on fraud and lies.  Please take heed and pass on this information to anyone you can.  Brides and Grooms must know - wedding are expensive and stressful - DON'T let this be an added stressor.

Thanks for listening.  Be sure to check out the previous post where Shannon actually responded (and had friends respond on her side as well).  It's doubtful she's got the nerve to respond now, knowing how obvious her fraud against has been.  Still no reibursement after an un-Godly 90 days she claimed it would take (which in itself is absurd).

Now, think happy thoughts and enjoy the beautiful life that marriage brings.  I know I love my wife with all my heart, even if I'm $980+ short at the moment.  Don't worry honey, the case against the Steeves has become a strong one.

John

Thanks, ejs - it's truly been a nightmare for us.  The BBB has been notified.

Happy planning!

Hi arobb.  Thanks for your comment.  My intentions, though, were just to let other coulpes know that these stories are true and they really can happen to any of us.  I agree that the positive tone of the site is a good one, but we can't be naive to think bad things don't happen.

Thanks for your post and for reading what happened to us.  Hopefully it's helped to keep you from being a victim as well.

Think happy!

John