Finally happened...

Bride to be calls me wednesday morning with sob story. Tells me she hired and paid for a photog that vanished after some horrible e-shots. 2 weeks no word, and the website has even gone offline.

She is getting married March 10 and needs a new photog ASAP. I give her the rundown on prices and services. She has seen my site and wants to book. She lives 2 hours away, and wants to do another e-shoot there and needs 100+ photos printed by the 7th for keep sake gifts for the guests. I do advertise in that city and have shot there often. We set the shoot up for today (Sunday) at 9 a.m.

I get up at 6, get ready and pack the car with lights, boxes, stands, reflector and camera gear. Drive 2 hours and..... No show. Won't answer calls or texts. Luckily I had to drop proofs off in that same town to another bride so it wasn't a total waste.

What I don't get is why the change of heart. I explained to her on Wednesday that because of the SHORT booking time I needed to be paid in full when the contract was signed today. She called back and asked if she could pay half now and half later. I agreed because she had just paid the other photog and felt bad for her.

Urg... People suck.

It's not a fish until it's in the boat. If I were in your business, I'd insist on a non-refundable booking fee with payment by credit card over the phone.

Getting married can mess with anyone's head. She probably was too embarrassed to call and decided that it was just easier to flake on you. Makes me wonder if the story about the first photographer was truthful.

Wow... That is just not nice.

That sucks and I fee sorry for you but personally I wouldn't drive for two hours in the hope of getting paid. With less than 2 weeks till the wedding and particularly with the story of the horrible e shoots (it's never completely one sided) I wouldn't move a muscle until the full fee for the wedding was paid.

jonwhite wrote in post #13974458
That sucks and I fee sorry for you but personally I wouldn't drive for two hours in the hope of getting paid. With less than 2 weeks till the wedding and particularly with the story of the horrible e shoots (it's never completely one sided) I wouldn't move a muscle until the full fee for the wedding was paid.

This.

jonwhite wrote in post #13974458
That sucks and I fee sorry for you but personally I wouldn't drive for two hours in the hope of getting paid. With less than 2 weeks till the wedding and particularly with the story of the horrible e shoots (it's never completely one sided) I wouldn't move a muscle until the full fee for the wedding was paid.

That pretty much says it all. jonwhite, I think you are going to be quoted a lot in this thread.

Michael,

I'm sorry that you went through this -- it's a terrible ordeal.

In the end, I guess you can chalk it up as a lesson to always charge a non-refundable deposit when booking a session. (I'm sure you will.) It just stinks that you got burned in the process.

Bryan

You expect the best in people but sometimes you just get the worst.

...

chrismallet wrote in post #13981159
... If I pick up on any red flags I bail.

Weddings are such an emotional time that it would be appropriate to be extremely businesslike regarding every detail - not less businesslike because you want to be a nice guy. The experience with the prior photographer should have been a red flag. It might have truly been the photographer's fault but the bride's recent actions suggest otherwise.