Photographer cancelled 2 weeks before wedding!

How horrible. Hope you find someone else. I'd be completely stressed out, the photography is so important to me!

I'm sorry to hear this. I don't have anything constructive to add. Just hope you can find someone who can help you out. Do tell your friends and family and encourage them to take pictures. We had some lovely shots from friends.

If you have wedding insurance you might get some help on that front? They might be able to pay the difference between the voucher and anyone you find now, as this is totally out of your control. Try your legal insurance too. Good luck!

Sadly, insurers wriggle out when they can. They will refer to the photographers contract where she said she would supply an alternative photographer should she be unable to attend the wedding. It is thereby incumbant on that original tog and not the insurers.....I wish it wasn't that way, although have heard lots of brides say on this forum that claiming is never easy.

The problem is that at the price the tog was charging, she wouldn't be able to get another. The best option would be to sue the original photographer through a small claims court for breach of contract. (She hasn't supplied the promised alternative tog as stated in the contract, therefore this bride is out of pocket)........Oh, and you want an £800 tog as that is her original price)

Peter

Just thoughts and I dont know for sure---

The part of the contract that we have been shown does not make any promises that she will provide one - it only says that she reserves the right to supply one, but not that she will.

Also if you have accepted the repayment then that could be taken as that you have agreed to the cancellation and the contract has therefore been mutually agreed to of been ended.

But then she does say in the event of unforeseen circumstances, in which case you could perhaps argue that a "family wedding" (if it were true) is not an unforeseen circumstance but it is infact a foreseen one. An unforeseen event would be one such as having a piano dropped on your head and not a family wedding that has most likly been booked longer than yours as you booked your wedding in March didn't you ?.

These were exactly my thoughts too.

If you have wedding insurance it's worth getting in touch and asking for their advice. Our insurers were wonderful when the band we booked vanished and didn't try to wriggle out of anything. They were supportive, informative and helpful every step of the way. They even offered to cover the cost of the difference in price when we booked a new Band (the new band we found were more expensive)

(We are with John Lewis)

My friend had to claim under her wedding insurance and she got paid the difference between her original tog and the one she had to book. I guess it depends on the policy the taken out so we can only speculate as to what would happen here.

it doesn't cost to check i suppose...

Hi Leanne, just seen your post - so sorry for what's happened to you. Two suggestions - have you put a post up on the Kent Wedding Shop Facebook page? I got a car from there 3 weeks before our wedding when I was let down. Secondly, a friend of mine started her photography business about 6 months ago - she did my bridal prep pictures and they were amazing! I don't even know if she's free but if you're interested I can put you in touch with her? She's in Purfleet.

This ^^^

I would do this as a matter of course, regardless of the situation.

We had heaps of brilliant pics from our guests, so many even, that our "unofficial" Wedpics album is twice the size of our official album and so much fun to flick through.

Best wishes.

What a horrible situation - especially with such short notice.

However, the costs incurred with getting a new photographer, this is something that should be covered by your wedding insurance. I know mine defo covers the increased costs involved with getting a new supplier if one and/or another cancels. This seems to be a pretty standard clause, so well worth giving them a call asap.

Good luck

Hello everyone again :-)

Thanks for all of your responses, apologies its taken so long for me to reply, I've been in a 2 day workshop the last 2 days, which I could have done without and couldn't get any internet access :-(

However, I am meeting with another photographer tomorrow at my venue, she is available on our date, I've looked at her work on Facebook and her website and she was recommended from a friend who is a partner in a bridal boutique, so I am hoping that her portfolio is just as good as she is bringing this with her tomorrow :-)

I already have the Wedpics app and was thinking about putting a handmade 'bookmark' in the order of service asking guests to use it to share their pics with us, so hopefully we will get all of the unofficial photos as well.

I do have wedding insurance with Debenhams, the Emerald option which covers photography up to £7,500 (although I need to double check with them what this covers). I'm not confident that I will be getting a refund from Wowcher any time soon as I received an email from them today which said:

"We are aware you have been copied into an email requesting a cancellation of your wowcher for An 8-hour wedding photography package inc.300 edited images, prints and more with Kay Mills Photography. Please don't worry at this point we are working with them to get a better resolution for you. I will be in touch with you within the next few days."
I've responded to ask for clarification on 'a better resolution' and explain that it is now 11 days until I get married and I need to arrange another photographer!

Just hoping that the new photography is as lovely as she seems and that my insurance policy will help me out somewhere, fingers crossed.

Thanks again everyone for your responses, it's given me hope.
Leanne
xxx

If you don't want to name and shame then I would edit out the photographers name above? Even though I think its good to know who did this to you so that future couples wont fall foul of her.

I think it's only fair that other couples are warned, just in case they considered booking with her.

It could have been a genuine family wedding that clashed with mine but after reading the comments on here I am less inclined to believe that :-)

Happy to edit the post if people think I should remove the name?

No I quite agree with leaving it in to do just that and warn other couples, these photographers shouldn't get away with something like this, it may make them think next time.

Hi Leanne,

How did your meeting with the alternative photographer go? Did you get something booked?