Bride Cancels Wedding, Wants Depsoit Back

HiepBuiPhotography wrote in post #16027401
As the professional, you're supposed to run this by the amusement park to get their permission. I assume you checked the weather also and made them aware that there would be a chance of rain.

They knew about the rain, yes.
And the amusement park - I've shot there before with no issues. It's an old park from the 40's, and I've never had problems there before.

What do you mean you don't have a choice?

I have to agree with what others have said, some people will never be happy, no matter what you do. Don't walk away, RUN and be glad you dodged the bullet.

int0xicatedxluv wrote in post #16027408
They knew about the rain, yes.
And the amusement park - I've shot there before with no issues. It's an old park from the 40's, and I've never had problems there before.

That doesn't mean that they should take the blame because you guys got kicked out (at least that's what I sense you're implying). You should still be responsible.

HiepBuiPhotography wrote in post #16027410
What do you mean you don't have a choice?

You are speaking as if I have a 'choice' to walk from the wedding.

int0xicatedxluv wrote in post #16027402
I can't win this one why, because the customer is always right?

"If" I walk? I don't think I have a choice lol

We know from experience that the customer is not always right, but anyone who has worked in customer service knows you cant convince them that they are not right. You are making this personal, and I get that, you've been rejected it sucks. So now you are trying to win back their love. Let go of the personal feelings and just understand that they are a bag of trouble. Trying to hold them to your contract means you will be working for a couple you dont trust, they will have a photographer they dont like, and thats not a recipe for success.

HiepBuiPhotography wrote in post #16027421
That doesn't mean that they should take the blame because you guys got kicked out (at least that's what I sense you're implying). You should still be responsible.

Oh jeeze. Maybe posting here was a mistake. I'm not blaming anyone. I'm saying that the engagement shoot did not work out the way it should have, for various reasons out of everyone's control.

gonzogolf wrote in post #16027426
We know from experience that the customer is not always right, but anyone who has worked in customer service knows you cant convince them that they are not right. You are making this personal, and I get that, you've been rejected it sucks. So now you are trying to win back their love. Let go of the personal feelings and just understand that they are a bag of trouble. Trying to hold them to your contract means you will be working for a couple you dont trust, they will have a photographer they dont like, and thats not a recipe for success.

Right...
And I don't want to shoot their wedding at this point.

So I guess I have two options here.

1. Walk away, return half of their non-refundable deposit.
2. Or shoot their bridal shower and keep the half of the non-refundable deposit, and then walk away.

You're being a little too sensitive with those giving you advice. In any event, the next step seems obvious.

I get where you're coming from, but you'd benefit from a thicker skin as well.

Best of luck.

Edit: To be honest, I looked at your blog post and at the pictures of this couple and I wouldn't be happy with those images either. If you only got a dozen photos and half of them were renegade shots and rain killed any further shooting, perhaps a venue change (indoors?) or reshoot could've been scheduled.

To my eyes the images are unappealing and flat. The couple has the same nuzzled posing repeatedly, so there is no variation overall, and gives them an unnatural feeling. You can see this in their faces, as well.

The prevailing opinion so far is to cut them loose, but it still seems to me that the shoots can be saved. I would send her a note explaining that you'd be happy to work something out, but that you need to know more about her unhappiness before you can make an informed action. Specifically, how many images she was expecting from a guerilla shoot (I still don't know how many you took), what you can do to make her happier with the results of that shoot, and why, if she's unhappy, she still wants you to shoot the wedding. Tell her it's not about the money, and it's not about deposits or contracts. It's about having her be happy with the images from her engagement, for the rest of her life. What can you do to make her look at those pictures ten years from now and be happy with them? Reshoot? Reprocess? Give her more of them?

If none of those work (or you don't feel comfortable asking her those questions) then you should indeed bail.

CraigPatterson wrote in post #16027451
The prevailing opinion so far is to cut them loose, but it still seems to me that the shoots can be saved. I would send her a note explaining that you'd be happy to work something out, but that you need to know more about her unhappiness before you can make an informed action. Specifically, how many images she was expecting from a guerilla shoot (I still don't know how many you took), what you can do to make her happier with the results of that shoot, and why, if she's unhappy, she still wants you to shoot the wedding. Tell her it's not about the money, and it's not about deposits or contracts. It's about having her be happy with the images from her engagement, for the rest of her life. What can you do to make her look at those pictures ten years from now and be happy with them? Reshoot? Reprocess? Give her more of them?

If none of those work (or you don't feel comfortable asking her those questions) then you should indeed bail.

Thank you very much I am taking this advice and moving forward with some questions to her to hopefully get a better idea of why, and where she has been unhappy, then I will go from there.

int0xicatedxluv wrote in post #16027437
Right...
And I don't want to shoot their wedding at this point.

So I guess I have two options here.

1. Walk away, return half of their non-refundable deposit.
2. Or shoot their bridal shower and keep the half of the non-refundable deposit, and then walk away.

Well, that changes things a bit. If you don't want to do the wedding, there's no point in doing the shower.

Seriously, don't shoot anymore unless you really need the money. I would not want to deal with her anymore. Some people have an idealized picture of themselves and not even Avedon could meet their expectations. This sounds like a case of that to me...

I would keep the reply brief and professional (no questions! let it go!) and wish them well with their wedding and be done!

int0xicatedxluv wrote in post #16027458
Thank you very much I am taking this advice and moving forward with some questions to her to hopefully get a better idea of why, and where she has been unhappy, then I will go from there.

Awesome - you're very welcome. Please keep us updated. It would benefit me in my dealings to know whether you and she could work it out, so I'd love to know either way.

Best of luck!

Cuechick wrote in post #16027462
Seriously, don't shoot anymore unless you really need the money. I would not want to deal with her anymore. Some people have an idealized picture of themselves and not even Avedon could meet their expectations. This sounds like a case of that to me...

I would keep the reply brief and professional and wish them well with their wedding and be done!

The issue here is that they are asking for their NON-REFUNDABLE deposit back... and threatening to write bad reviews of me if I do not return it.