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if you dont feel comfy - then eat the deposit and look for another photog... depending on time frame, you may still be able to find a good photog, but if your weding is close, chances are most good photogs are already booked, so you may have to settle again.. what specific concerns do you have that he hasnt addressed?? is it his style or are you just not feelin him anymore?
our deposit was $1K and our church wedding int until aug 2009 - yep we booked her that far in advance b/c she's amazing and we didnt want anyone else...
good luck!
Well, according to your info it's an August wedding and that's the most popular month of 2008, so unless he's a complete unknown, he should be able to get another booking. That said, I wouldn't put all my eggs in that basket. You can try advertising your wedding date to other couples to see if you can get a booking for him without being penalized. My biggest concern is that it's important to you and he's not your style. Photography sounds like it's in your top three, so I'm inclined to say cancel the contract and find a photographer that suits you.
Not related...yay for another Seattle reader!
Wish I could say something encouraging, but it sounds like you are either going to have to find someone to take your place for the day, or take a loss on the deposit if you really want to go with someone else. Photography is one of the most important things that you need for that day, so if he's that incompetent, then go with someone else, but if it's just that you don't particularly care for him, and he's not a total hack, then maybe you need to just go ahead and use him because $800 is a lot to just throw out....unless you guys can afford to. If it's not going to wreck havoc on your budget, then absolutely find another photographer while trying to get someone to take your place for that day.
Out of curiousity....how did you end up booking w/ him? It sounds like you weren't really feeling him because you said that you hoped he would be better by now.
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I am sorry to hear that. We also lost a $2000 deposit on a venue that in the end we needed to change for various reasons. There is nothing you can do about it unless you find a replacement. Good luck!
I really don't mean this rudely, but you got yourself into it and you don't really have any real cause for breaking a legal contract. From what I read, you booked him hoping he would get better. My opinion, if you were really that into photography or knowledgeable of it as an industry, you would have known better then to book him with a "so-so" portfolio, and just really hope he gets better.
If I were you, I would be really happy they are offering you the opportunity to find a replacement for your day. Put ads everywhere (newspaper, local wedding ads...so on), but if I were you - I'd sweeten the deal by offering $100 of the deposit to take your spot, don't expect someone to just jump on taking your day as it sounds like he's not the type of photographer that has people lined up waiting to book him...no offense to the photographer, or you.
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I lost $600 on a deposit for a photographer I wasnt happy with (same deal...if he rebooked the date, he'd refund the money). He was a nice guy, we just ended up wanting to go another direction.
It was the best thing I ever did for my wedding thus far. I LOVE my new photographer and while $600 IS A LOT of money, I dont regret it at all.
You have to follow your heart. Good luck!
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Thank you gals!
This photographer did our engagement pictures (long before I signed the contract). I find that he is very friendly, professional and accomodating. That's one big reason I booked him.
He only has a few weddings under his belt (he has a full time job in other areas), but I felt he was very enthusiastic about photography. This is the reason that I thought he'd be much better through more practice (and photography conference etc I knew he went to). It's been a few months now since I booked him, but I am just really not digging his pictures.
For me, photography became such a BIG deal to me later on in the planning process, despite the fact that we had booked a super reputable photographer in my area. Their photography was just very "typical bridal" and I wanted to go a different route.
Again, best decision I ever made, to let them go. I made the FI do it to make it a little less painful on me. I'm a chicken, and he didnt mind :)
Do you think you'll regret staying with this photographer or do you think you'd just PREFER another one? I guess therein lies the difference. If you think you'll be disappointed with your pictures, then you should probably go elsewhere...it sucks to eat the cost, but it sucks as well to hate your wedding pictures.
sphbride - Wow, when I read your post I thought... did I write this? $800 deposit. I like him, but I've now seen so many more photog's blogs since when I booked, and he just isn't measuring up. Plus, we are paying A LOT for him, and I am finding people I like better that are less expensive. However, the people I've liked are already booked :(
I feel like my guy used to work really hard maybe when he was new, but now it looks like he puts in less effort. I have 2 friends that are also using him - and they are really happy with him, but I also know they aren't spending as much time on wedding blogs as I am, so they don't know there is better for less... My FI thinks I should leave good enough alone and we should just stick with him. Hopefully we will have our E-shoot soon and maybe that will put my mind at ease. Sigh.
If you can't find a replacement, maybe you can work out a revsion to the contract where instead of having him take your wedding photos, he could take your rehearsal dinner photos, bridal photos, or trash the dress photos (or some combination of these). That way he could put your deposit toward something that is less critical to you, and you wouldn't have to pay for these with the new photographer you hire for your wedding.
Just a side question, have you found a photographer that you like better, and is this photographer available for your date? I found it harder to find a good photographer available for my date than a good venue.
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I already paid down a big deposit on my photographer (almost $800), but I am changing my mind. Unless I can find another client for him on the same date, I'll be charged the full deposit. Has anybody gotten out of the photography contract? Advise please?
I am very much into photography myself so it's a huge deal for me. And I am just disappointed each time I visit his blog. He's fairly new to this, I was hoping he'd be better now, but he hasn't met my expectations.
Wedding is approaching. Do you think I should just bite the bullet and not change? And hope that he will get better ...