Post # 1
Member
22 posts
Newbee
So I am having my first wedding meltdown. The whole planning process has been pretty smooth, I haven’t been stressing things much, I’m letting my mom do most of the planning. The only thing I care about are my photos. Our wedding is in september and we booked and amazing photographer and cinematographer back in december, we paid for it all up front. Then just a few weeks ago we got a call that our photographer was fired from the company. He was the best photographer they had, so artistic and fun to work with and then they just assigned us another photographer. I asked him to please send me pictures of weddings he has shot and it took him 2 weeks to do so, my FI and I both had to call over and over for him to finally send it. I finally got the pictures yesterday and they are less than stellar. I mean to go from a photographer that was so talented and artistic to just a basic photographer, I am freaking out. I should also add that I come from a family of artists so I grew up in the art world and I have a trained eye for these things so I may be a little harsher about these things, but it literally looked like this guy just started taking photos, which is fine good for him, but NOT for my wedding. This is the only thing I care about and am willing to shell out the extra cash for. I do not want to hurt his feelings but I will regret it if I don’t do something. I want to ask for my money back and find a new photographer but I am scared that this close to the wedding everyone may be booked. I am just freaking out.
Post # 2
Member
3035 posts
Sugar bee
Sil-LaLa: Do you have the originial photographers information? Maybe you can contact him, see if he will still shoot your wedding and hire him outside your photog company.
I dont know what you contract states but if they cant give you the same quality photographer you might be able to get any deposits back
Or just break your contract with them and get someone else ( or the fired photog) and eat your deposit money.
Post # 3
Member
2691 posts
Sugar bee
Contact the company and explain that the replacement photographer is not acceptable for your needs, and list off the reasons why. Request for a different photographer to be assigned to you. Stay firm and explain that you will need to reconsider your contract if a suitable replacement cannot be found. Be poilte and professional; that’s the best way to earn favor with customer service departments.
You’ll also want to take a look at your contract to see what the termination policies are, should it come to that. Try reaching out to your original photographer individually. They may not be working for that company anymore, but they may be open to shooting your wedding still.
Post # 4
Member
2430 posts
Buzzing bee
bleusteel: I agree, you should be able to negotiate something more acceptable through this company. Explain that the photographer they assigned to you isn’t the style of photography you were hoping for.<br /><br />I also agree with PP that you should try to reach out to the original photog and see if he would still be willing. I would be sure to ask him if he still has the equipment he needs though — if he was working through a company, they may have provided cameras, lenses, editing software, etc.
Post # 5
Member
22 posts
Newbee
My only concern about reaching out to the original photographer is that i had a whole package for two photographers and a videographer. Also, I am a little concerned about why he might have gotten fired because he was the head photographer and he defintely made the company a lot of money, his work was so clearly above the rest, and we were told that although they could not share with us why he was let go all they could say was they could not trust him. Im not sure what he was up to but i am sure it was bad and i would rathet not be involved with that. I did just book a free engagment shoot with their photographer for monday, my FI wants us to give him a try first hopefully if we explain to him what we are looking for he can make it happen and i am going to bring some photo examples along to show him what i am lookong for. If the pictures are not up to par then i am absolutely going to have to put my foot down and request to see the work of their other photographers so that I can pick for myself or break the contract. These pictures are forever I cant worry about some one elses feelings. Its just so stressful that it has to happen this close to the wedding.
Post # 6
Member
203 posts
Helper bee
I agree with what was said about attempting to make contact with the original photographer.
Look over your contract carefully, I hope it’s specific about what photographer you’d be working with, as then you’ll be able to break contract should they not provide someone suitable for your needs.
Post # 7
Member
19 posts
Newbee
Ai… i feel ur frustration! My wedding also takes place in Sept. And my photographer emailed me one day and tell me “SHE HAS TO LEAVE IN THR MIDDLE OF OUR WEDDING!!!!! ” omg, i paid so much $ n its the only items i care telling me this. But at the end she gave in and agree to stay for the whole wedding. I am still very upset bc 1. I thot she was the best vendor n someone i can trust 2) even she said she will stay, i duno what is she gona do on my wedding day.
I dont want to break the contract yet i feel like i cannot trust her 🙁
Post # 8
Member
6100 posts
Bee Keeper
Sil-LaLa: I personally would talk to the company and let them know you hired them for this specific photographer and that none of the others are acceptable, and I would get a refund and find someone else. Coming from a wedding photographer’s POV, this is why hiring companies that employ multiple photographers is usually not a good idea. No one is more invested in the business other than the owner, which is the photography world is VERY true. I’m willing to bet that this photographer probably had a no-compete contract with the company, and was probably doing jobs on the side – hence getting fired.
Post # 9
Member
22 posts
Newbee
candy511: Thats terrible! I would be worried too because even if the photographer stays their mind is going to be some where else, if they even stay. Ugh thats so annoying!
Post # 10
Member
22 posts
Newbee
starfish0116: If I had my way thats what I would do but my FI wants to give him a chance with our engagement photos. Luckily, we will have the photos back in a couple of days after they are taken. I have already started looking at other companies because I have no faith that I will like the pictures, I can’t imagine his skill level changing drastically.
Post # 11
Member
275 posts
Helper bee
Try to look if it’s under your contract, that the specific person you’re hiring is listed in it, if it is, then ask the company that since you only took a package with them because of that photographer, to get him back for your wedding as that is what you have paid and agreed to. They can still have him remained as fired, only to comeback and do your wedding then go again. If not, I suggest you to search for another one now immediately and send tons of emails (better yet, call) to potential photographers for availability.
If the company refuses to do so, have them refund you a x amount of money from the package and hire a separate photographer.
Accept nothing less and good luck!
Post # 12
Member
557 posts
Busy bee
Sil-LaLa: I’d reach out to the 1st photographer and ask for a refund from the original package. If you’re dealing with a large wedding photography company, photographers come and go regualrl. The reason why he left may not be bad at all. There’s a chance he asked for more money (I’ve seen companies charge $2500 for a package and the main photographer will only see $350-500) or he decided he wanted to branch out and book weddings on his own
Post # 13
Member
3645 posts
Sugar bee
Hey OP, how is this working out for you? I really hope a good solution is found.
Post # 14
Member
22 posts
Newbee
Hi ladies! Thank you so much for all your comments. My FI spoke to the owner of the company and explained our dismay. The owner was very gracious and professional he apologized up and down for the stress this had caused us and explained that he would happily let us break the contract if we preferred and give us our money back because he doesnt want to ruin our big day. He also offered to personally shoot the wedding himself and let us know he has been doing this for over 30 years and trained all his photographers himself. He also said he would bring two more photographers with him on our big day for no extra charge. He sent us his pictures and we loved them and the fact that he was so genuine about making sure nothing ruined the day or caused any stress spoke volumes, it also showed us alot about his character that he was 100% willing to give us a full refund without any problems. We decided to stay with the company and use him as our main photographer. We def trust him and love his work and i am so at ease now that that was resolved!
