Texas
I contacted a wedding photographer via craigslist in my home state. She sent me an email with a price listed for a full day's photography of my daughter's wedding. I did not meet with her and therefor do not have a written contract. On the day of the wedding, a lady arrived and took pictures of the wedding itself. She drove to the reception location, (an hour away) but when she got there, declared that she didn't have enough battery to take pictures at the reception. She also stated that she normally charged by the hour, and didn't know that she was going to have to work so long, and she was going to leave. She said I had been talking to her sister via email, so she didn't know she would have to stay. She demanded full payment up front, though she had only taken the wedding photos and not the reception photos. I paid her in full in cash because I was concerned that if I did not pay her she would not release the photos that she did have. I intended to ask her to reimburse me for the half she did not photograph later. (I was in the middle of setting up the reception when she demanded money.) Two and a half weeks after the wedding, I emailed her to ask if the pictures were in the mail. She sent me a return email stating that I had only paid a portion of the money owed, and that the pictures would not be coming until I paid the rest. She also stated that she was sorry that it took so long to get back to me, but the holidays were busy. Also, she was sorry about the confusion about the times of the wedding, but the wedding itself was photographed and that is what mattered most anyway. I do have witnesses to the full payment, one who is not a family member and two who are my daughters. I want the photographs, and half of the money back for the pictures which were not taken. I kept both emails from her- the one stated cost and that she would be there all day, and the one stating that there was confusion and she wanted more money. I also note that the emails were signed by two different people, though from the same email address.
What can I do about this? Will these emails stand up in court, and can I prove payment with my witnesses? I am so upset because I now have no pictures of the wedding itself. Thanks for any advice. Money is a huge issue(it was $175 which is not much to so me, but much to me), so I cannot hire a lawyer. I am a substitute teacher, and I paid for this myself. Thanks again.
I contacted a wedding photographer via craigslist in my home state. She sent me an email with a price listed for a full day's photography of my daughter's wedding. I did not meet with her and therefor do not have a written contract. On the day of the wedding, a lady arrived and took pictures of the wedding itself. She drove to the reception location, (an hour away) but when she got there, declared that she didn't have enough battery to take pictures at the reception. She also stated that she normally charged by the hour, and didn't know that she was going to have to work so long, and she was going to leave. She said I had been talking to her sister via email, so she didn't know she would have to stay. She demanded full payment up front, though she had only taken the wedding photos and not the reception photos. I paid her in full in cash because I was concerned that if I did not pay her she would not release the photos that she did have. I intended to ask her to reimburse me for the half she did not photograph later. (I was in the middle of setting up the reception when she demanded money.) Two and a half weeks after the wedding, I emailed her to ask if the pictures were in the mail. She sent me a return email stating that I had only paid a portion of the money owed, and that the pictures would not be coming until I paid the rest. She also stated that she was sorry that it took so long to get back to me, but the holidays were busy. Also, she was sorry about the confusion about the times of the wedding, but the wedding itself was photographed and that is what mattered most anyway. I do have witnesses to the full payment, one who is not a family member and two who are my daughters. I want the photographs, and half of the money back for the pictures which were not taken. I kept both emails from her- the one stated cost and that she would be there all day, and the one stating that there was confusion and she wanted more money. I also note that the emails were signed by two different people, though from the same email address.
What can I do about this? Will these emails stand up in court, and can I prove payment with my witnesses? I am so upset because I now have no pictures of the wedding itself. Thanks for any advice. Money is a huge issue(it was $175 which is not much to so me, but much to me), so I cannot hire a lawyer. I am a substitute teacher, and I paid for this myself. Thanks again.
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