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Wedding day Fiasco- Please help us!

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R

RDwojak

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I WAS MARRIED ON OCTOBER 31, 2000 AT A LOCAL WEDDING CHAPEL. THE LOCATION WAS NOT A CHURCH BUT YOUR TYPICAL FULL SERVICE CHAPEL THAT PROVIDES MANY SERVICES FROM INTIMATE TO LARGE CEREMONIES. WHEN WE INITIALLY BOOKED OUR DATE WITH THEM THEY HANDED US A PACKET OF INFORMATION INCLUDING NUMEROUS BROCHURES & INFORMATION ON ADDITIONAL SERVICE PROVIDERS. ( A PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIO/PHOTOGRAPHER, DJ SERVICES, FLORISTS, ETC.) AT THAT POINT THEY SUGGESTED THAT WE LOOK INTO USING THESE SERVICE PROVIDERS BECAUSE THEY HAVE WORKED OUT A DEAL WITH THE OTHER COMPANIES TO GIVE DISCOUNTED RATES FOR CUSTOMERS OF THE WEDDING CHAPEL. AT THAT POINT I ASKED ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER SHE HAD GIVEN ME INFORMATION ON (THE ONLY ONE SHE GAVE ME INFO ON ACTUALLY) AND SHE HIGHLY RECOMMENDED THEM AND SAID THAT THEY HAD BEEN DEALING WITH THIS COMPANY FOR YEARS AND THAT THEY HAVE NEVER HAD ANY COMPLAINTS WITH THEM OR THE QUALITY OF THEIR WORK. SHE EXPLAINED THAT THEY RECEIVE A COMMISSION (I BELIEVE IS WHAT SHE REFERRED TO IT AS) FOR ANY CUSTOMERS THAT BOOK THEM ( THE PHOTOGRAPHY COMPANY) THROUGH THE WEDDING CHAPEL. SO I CALLED THE PHOTOGRAPHER & SPOKE WITH HIM SEVERAL TIMES. WE DECIDED ON THE PACKAGE WE WANTED TO PURCHASE, DISCUSSED PRICING, FORMATS, ETC. AT THAT POINT HE DID EXPLAIN THAT TO HOLD THE DATE OR TO GUARANTEE ME THAT DATE THAT I NEEDED TO PUT DOWN A DEPOSIT OF 1/2 THE MONIES THAT WERE DUE FOR THE TOTAL PHOTO PACKAGE. WE AGREED TO THE PRICING & DEPOSIT TERMS & THEN DISCUSSED HOW PAYMENT WOULD BE MADE. THE PHOTOGRAPHER EXPLAINED THAT I COULD EITHER COME TO HIS STUDIO AND PAY BY CASH OR CHECK OR IF IT WAS MORE CONVENIENT I COULD MAKE MY PAYMENT AT THE WEDDING CHAPEL USING CASH, CHECK OR CREDIT CARD.
APPROX. 1 1/2 WEEKS WENT BY & EVEN THOUGH WE HAD TOLD THE PHOTOGRAPHER THAT YES WE DID WANT TO USE HIS COMPANY WE WERE WAITING FOR THE MONEY TO MAKE THE DEPOSIT. I THEN RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHER ON MY ANSWERING MACHINE STATING THAT IF I STILL WANTED TO BOOK THEM THAT THEY WOULD NEED THE DEPOSIT FOR HALF THE MONIES LIKE DISCUSSED PREVIOUSLY. THE NEXT DAY I PHONE THE PHOTOGRAPHER & LEFT A MESSAGE ON HIS MACHINE (WHICH ALWAYS ANSWERS FROM WHAT I KNOW THEN THEY JUST RETURN CALLS AS THEY GET TO THEM NOT SURE EXACTLY ON THAT) BUT LEFT A MESSAGE STATING THAT I WOULD BE GOING TO THE CHAPEL THE VERY NEXT DAY TO DISCUSS OTHER DETAILS & TO PAY FOR THE FINAL 1/2 OF MY CEREMONY & THAT I WOULD MAKE MY DEPOSIT FOR THEM THEN. I MADE MY DEPOSIT WITH THE CHAPEL, GOT A RECEIPT STATING THAT SPECIFIC AMOUNT OF MY MONEY WAS FOR PHOTOS AND THEN SAID TO MY HUSBAND NO ALL I HAVE TO DO IS TO PHONE THEM TO CONFIRM. AT THAT POINT I WAS INFORMED THAT IT WASN'T NECESSARY THAT THEY WOULD CALL & LET THE PHOTOGRAPHER KNOW THAT THEY HAD RECEIVED A DEPOSIT FOR MY PHOTO PACKAGE. APPROX. 1-2 DAYS AFTER I MADE MY DEPOSIT THE PHOTOGRAPHER PHONED THE CHAPEL TO SEE IF I HAD MADE PAYMENT & WAS TOLD BY THE OWNER ( DIFFERENT THEN THE EMPLOYEE I HAD DEALT WITH (WHICH WAS THERE MOST OF THE TIME) THAT PAYMENT HAD NOT BEEN MADE. WHICH WAS NOT THE CASE. WE HAD RECORD OF IT & WERE TOLD NOT TO CALL THAT THEY WOULD CONFIRM. THE WAY EVERYTHING WAS HANDLED & THE RELATIONSHIP THAT BOTH COMPANIES EXPRESSED THAT THEY HAD WITH EACH OTHER AT THAT POINT THERE SEEMED TO BE NO REASON TO QUESTION A CONFIRMATION. MOST OF THE PHOTOS I GUESS ARE DONE BY THIS CO. AND THEY DID THIS ALL THE TIME. TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO MY CEREMONY I HAVE BEEN INFORMED BY THE PHOTOGRAPHER THAT DUE TO OUR PREVIOUS CONVERSATION STATING THAT I WAS GOING TO US HIS CO. & MT MESSAGE STATING THAT I WAS GOING TO MAKE MY DEPOSIT THROUGH THE CHAPEL THAT HE PHONED AND AGAIN ASKED IF A DEPOSIT HAD BEEN LEFT BECAUSE HE HAD ANOTHER JOB OFFER & WOULD STILL BE ABLE TO DO BOTH BUT NEED TO MAKE SOME ARRANGEMENTS IF THAT WAS THE CASE AGAIN HE WAS TOLD THAT NON DEPOSIT HAD BEEN LEFT. HE STATED HE FIGURED WE HAD CHANGED OUR MINDS LIKE SO MANY OTHERS DO & DID NOT CALL TO BOTHER US IF WE HAD CHOSEN ANOTHER COMPANY. 6 DAYS PRIOR TO THE CEREMONY WE WENT INTO THE CHAPEL TO PAY FOR A TOTALLY UNRELATED ISSUE ( THE MARRIAGE LICENSE) AND RIGHT OF THE BAT THE FIRST THING THE EMPLOYEE (SAME ON INITIAL DEPOSIT HAD BEEN MADE WITH) ASKS ME ON HOW I HAD PLANNED ON PAYING FOR THE MONIES STILL DUE FOR THE PHOTOGRAPHER. i EXPLAINED TO HER THAT THE PHOTOGRAPHER HAD TOLD ME THAT I WOULD BE MAKING THAT PAYMENT ON THE ACTUAL DAY OF THE CEREMONY. SHE THEN STATED THAT I COULD MAKE THE PAYMENT THEN IF I WOULD LIKE BECAUSE IT'S MUCH EASIER THEN TRYING TO CHASE PEOPLE DOWN THE DAY OF THE CEREMONY TRYING TO COLLECT MONEY. SO WE HAD NO PROBLEM WITH THAT AGREED THAT IT WOULD BE EASIER ACTUALLY. AGAIN WE WERE TOLD THAT SHE WOULD CALL THE PHOTOGRAPHER & INFORM HIM THAT FINAL PAYMENT HAD BEEN RECEIVED. I NEVER SAW ANY REASON OR THOUGHT I HAD A REASON TO QUESTION THERE PROFESSIONALISM WITH EACH OTHER AND CONSIDERING THEY DO THIS ALL THE TIME THAT WITH THAT COMPANY. SO HERE WE GO THE DAY OF THE WEDDING. THE WEDDING WAS SCHEDULED FOR 6:00 PM BUT WE WERE TOLD TO BE READY BY 5:30 AT THE LATEST SO THAT I COULD HAVE A FEW PHOTOS TAKEN IN THE DRESSING ROOM & SO EVERYONE COULD GET LAST MINUTE INSTRUCTIONS. WE HAD DECIDED TO WAIT UNTIL 6:30 TO START THE CEREMONY DUE TO HEAVY TRAFFIC SO MORE PEOPLE COULD HAVE A CHANCE TO GET THERE. AT 5:50 I HEAR THE OWNERS (ONE WAS THE MINISTER) ASKING MY HUSBAND HOW THE PAYMENT FOR THE PHOTOGRAPHER HAD BEEN MADE. MY HUSBAND STATED THAT I WAS THE ONE THEY NEEDED TO TALK TO BECAUSE I WAS THE ONE WHO HAD DEALT WITH HIM & KEPT TRACK OF EVERYTHING. I TOLD THEM EXACTLY WHEN PYMTS. WERE MADE WHO I MADE THEM TO, WITH CHECK OR CREDIT CARD AND THAT TWICE I WAS INFORMED BY THEIR EMPLOYEE THAT CONFIRMATION WAS MADE WITH PHOTOGRAPHER. SO BEING NOT IN THE RIGHT FRAME OF MIND I NEVER THOUGHT THEY WERE QUESTIONING THAT BECAUSE HE HADN'T SHOWN UP BUT BECAUSE THEY WERE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF I HAD PAID BY CHECK OR CREDIT CARD ON THE FINAL AMOUNT.
FROM WHAT I HAVE BEEN INFORMED OF WAS AT 6:15 (15 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE CEREMONY WAS TO START THEY CAME TO MY HUSBAND & FINALLY SPIT OUT THE FACT THAT THE PHOTOGRAPHER WAS NOT THERE & THAT THEY COULD NOT REACH HIM. MY HUSBAND THEN ASKED IF THEY HAD INFORMED ME & THEY TOLD HIM THAT I WAS SO NERVOUS THAT THEY WERE AFRAID TO UPSET ME ANY FURTHER AND DIDN'T THINK I SHOULD BE TOLD FOR MY OWN BENEFIT. AT THAT POINT AS MUCH AS MY HUSBAND WANTED TO DO SOMETHING BEFORE HE NEW IT THE CEREMONY HAD BEGAN AND ALL HE COULD DO WAS STAND THERE WITH THIS BLANK GAZE ON HIS FACE. I COULD TELL THE MINUTE I WALKED DOWN THE ISLE I COULD TELL THERE WAS A SERIOUS PROBLEM. I KEPT TRYING TO ASK HIM WHAT'S WRONG, RELAX, ARE YOU DRUNK, EVERYTHING I COULD BUT HE STOOD THERE EMOTIONLESS. HE SAID HE COULD ONLY THINK AT WHAT POINT IS SHE GOING TO REALIZE THAT THERE IS NO PHOTOGRAPHER. WHICH STUPIDLY I NEVER DID. THE WHOLE CEREMONY WAS AWFUL. WE WAITED 11 1/2 YEARS FOR THIS DAY, HAD ALL OUR FRIENDS & FAMILY AND HE WANTED THAT DAY MORE THEN ANYTHING AND YET HE COULD BARELY PAY ATTENTION TO THE MINISTER. FINALLY RIGHT AFTER THE CEREMONY ENDED HE TOLD ME THAT THE PHOTOGRAPHER HAD NOT SHOWN UP. I FLIPPED OUT. THE OWNERS SAID THEY NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS LIKE THAT WITH HIM BEFORE & COULDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT HAD HAPPENED. AFTER ALOT OF CONFUSION & FINALLY GIVING UP ON TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE HE WAS THEY REFUNDED THE MONIES WE HAD PAID FOR THE PHOTOGRAPHER AND FOR THEM THAT WAS THE END OF IT. I HAD TO SPEND THE NEXT DAY FOR TWO HOURS TRYING TO TALK WITH THE PEOPLE AT THE CHAPEL ABOUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED & I WAS NEVER GIVEN ANY ANSWERS.. SEVERAL MORE DAYS WENT BY & I FINALLY GOT AHOLD OF THE PHOTOGRAPHER ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT HE HAD NEVER BEEN CALLED. NOT AT ANY POINT DID THEY INFORM HIM OF DEPOSITS OR FINAL PAYMENTS WHICH ACCORDING TO HIM ISN'T AN ISSUE. THEY HAVEN'T HAD ANY PROBLEMS BEFORE. BUT THAT HE HAD ALSO PHONED TWICE AFTER FIRST INITIAL DEPOSIT WAS MADE INQUIRING IF ANY MONIES HAD BEEN LEFT & WAS INFORMED BY THE OWNER THAT NO MONIES WERE GIVEN FOR THE PHOTOGRAPHY. SO AFTER I HAD MET WITH THE PEOPLE AT THE CHAPEL & INFORMED THEM HOW HORRIFIED I WAS & HAD NO PICTURES OF MY WEDDING NOW WHICH CONSIDERING I HAD AN INSERT GOING IN ALL INVITATIONS THAT STATED ONCE WE RECEIVED OUR PHOTOS THAT EVERYONE WOULD BE RECEIVING A COPY, MADE ME EVEN MORE UPSET. NOW I HAD PROMISED 100 PEOPLE OR SO SOMETHING THAT I DIDN'T EVEN HAVE ON TO OF NOT HAVING ANY MEMORIES OF THAT DAY. SHE THEN TOLD HIM THAT SHE HAD SPOKEN WITH HER EMPLOYEE AND THE STATED SHE HAD PHONED THE PHOTOGRAPHER WHICH WAS A TOTAL AND COMPLETE LIE. AFTER EVERYTHING THAT HAD HAPPENED I WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO KNOW IF SHE EVER CALLED HI IN THE END INSTEAD OF WONDERING FOR DAYS IF IT WAS HER ERROR OF THE PHOTOGRAPHERS. I INFORMED THE WEDDING CHAPEL THAT THE ONLY WAY I WAS GOING TO WALK AWAY FROM THIS DREADFUL MESS AND NOT PURSUE ANYTHING FURTHER SUCH AS LEGAL ACTION WAS IF THE PHOTOGRAPHER AGREED TO RESHOOT MY PHOTOS (USING A BETTER FORMAT THEN ORIGINALLY AGREED UPON, PAID FOR THE PHOTOS THEM SELVES , PAID FOR THE TWO TUXEDO RENTALS AGAIN, AND PAID FOR BOTH MY MAID OF HONORS & MY DRESSES TO BE RECLEANED. IF NOT I TOLD HER I WOULD HAVE NO OTHER RECOURSE TO TAKE THE CHAPEL TO COURT SINCE THEY ACTED AS SERVICE PROVIDER TO COLLECT THE MONEY FOR THE PHOTOGRAPHY COMPANY AND THEN THEY WOULD THEN HAVE TO TAKE ISSUE WITH THEM THEMSELVES. OR BASICALLY DO WHAT I HAD TO DO. THE PHOTOGRAPHER WHEN I SPOKE WITH HIM AGREED TO RESHOOT THE WEDDING IN A BETTER FORMAT, BUT HE WOULD NOT PAY FOR THE CLEANINGS & I;M. UNSURE IF HE WAS INCLUDING THE SEVERAL HUNDRED FOR THE PHOTOS PRINTS THEMSELVES. BUT BECAUSE HE FELT BAD EVEN THOUGH IT WAS OBVIOUSLY NOT HIS FAULT HE WOULD DO THAT FOR US. I FEEL THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE A RIGHT TO DECIDE NOT TO INFORM ME IN THE BEGINNING. ATLEAST IF I WOULD HAVE KNOWN PRIOR TO THE CEREMONY I WOULD HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO MAKE OTHER ARRANGEMENT WITH OTHER PEOPLES PERSONAL CAMERAS OR QUITE POSSIBLY DECIDED JUST TO RESCHEDULE THE WHOLE THING. THEY HAD INFORMED BOTH OF US ABOUT EVERYTHING JUST THE SAME & EVEN THOUGH THEY KNEW THAT I WAS THE ONE HANDLING THINGS & HAD DEALT WITH THE PHOTOGRAPHER THEY TOOK IT UPON THEMSELVES TO DECIDE I WOULD BE MORE UPSET NOT KNOWING BEFORE THEN I WOULD BE TO FIND OUT AFTER. WHICH IS THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF HOW I FELT . I COULD HAVE ATLEAST TRIED TO SALVAGE SOMETHING, BUT WAS NOT EVEN GIVEN THE OPTION. I NEED TO KNOW IF I HAVE A VALID CASE AGAINST THE CHAPEL FOR NOT ONLY MY CEREMONY COSTS BUT FOR THE AMOUNT THAT IT WOULD TAKE FOR ME TO HAVE NEW PHOTOS, AND FOR DAMAGES CONSIDERING THEY HAD THE OPTION OF TELLING ME FOR 45 MINS. THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM & CHOSE NOT TO. I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF I CAN GET DAMAGES FOR MY DAY BEING RUINED, IT JUST OVERSHADOWED EVERYTHING. I CAN NEVER RECREATE THAT DAY. I CAN'T ASK EVERYONE WHO ATTENDED THE CEREMONY TO SHOW UP FOR A RESHOOT SO I WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO GET BACK WHAT THEY TOOK THAT DAY. AND BETWEEN THE PHONE CALLS THE PHOTOGRAPHER MADE ASKING ABOUT THE MONIES AND THE TWO TIMES THEIR EMPLOYEE"SO CALLED CONFIRMED' PLUS THE TIME PRIOR TO THE CEREMONY THE WAY I SEE IT THEY HAD FIVE DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES TO STOP THIS FROM HAPPENING AND DIDN'T.PLUS NOW THE EMPLOYEE THAT WAS THE ONE CONFIRMING WITH THE PHOTOGRAPHER OPENLY ADMITTED THAT SHE GUESSES SHE SHOULD HAVE CALLED. sHE EVEN WAS LAUGHING LIKE IT WAS NO BIG DEAL. WE ALSO HAVE A COPY OF RECEIPTS THAT HAVE PHOTO DEPOSIT WRITTEN ON IT, BUT ON THE COPY OF OUR "CONTRACT & LICENSES APPLICATION WITH THE CHAPEL, NOTHING IS FILLED IN THE BOX FOR $ / INFO REGARDING THE PHOTOS. SHE NEVER WROTE IT DOWN. I DIDN'T EXPECT TO SPEND THE TIME I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ON MY HONEYMOON THREATENING PEOPLE WITH LAWSUITS BUT I NEED TO DEAL WITH THIS NOW... SO PLEASE GUIDE ME TO THE PROPER AREAS REGARDING THIS ISSUE. THANK ANYONE FOR THE INFORMATION YOU COULD SUPPLY ME WITH !!RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA
 


I AM ALWAYS LIABLE

Senior Member
My response:

Please help us to help you. To help us, please take your Cap Lock off and re-type your post. This will help to increase your chances for a response to your post. It also appears that your post is quite lengthy. Since we want to help you, it would be appreciated, and in your interest, if you could re-write your post to shorten its length.

Some suggestions would be to remove any extra words that do not go to the heart of your question and issues. Also, if you have any emotional or editorial type words or phrases, please remove those also. In other words, be your own worst critic, and stick to the facts.

Additionally, if you haven't already done so, please use paragraphs rather than running each sentence into the next. This, alone would make your post easier to read and understand.

Thank you for your kind cooperation, and I'm sure, after you've re-posted, someone will be with you shortly to assist you.

Thanks,
IAAL

P.S. If you haven't mentioned your State name, or the State where your problem has occurred, please tell us in your first sentence.

 

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