White Oak couple paid nearly $4K for wedding photos they say were lost

CINCINNATI — A Tri-State couple says they spent nearly $4,000 on wedding photography, only to learn afterward that many of the pictures from their big day were missing.

Now, Erika and Gary Even are sharing their experience in hopes other couples can avoid a similar situation.

“You spend all of this time and all of this money, and you want it to be perfect,” Erika said. “And it was. It was absolutely perfect.”

But she said one important piece of that day is now gone.

“I couldn’t have asked for anything better, other than having photos of my family,” she said.

WATCH: They paid nearly $4K for wedding photos. Then hundreds went missing

Couple says many important wedding photos were missing

Erika and Gary said photographers spent hours documenting their August wedding at Pebble Creek Golf Course.

But when it came time to receive their pictures, they said they learned something had gone wrong.

“We found out she lost the pictures,” Gary said.

According to the couple, they were told there was a problem while the photos were being transferred to an editor.

“He told me he only got 30% of the pictures,” Erika said.

Erika said what they did receive left out many of the photos they had expected from the day.

“I don’t have a single portrait of me in my dress," she said. "There is more solo pictures of our DJ.”

She said that included family portraits and individual photos with each bridesmaid and groomsman.

“None. Not a single one,” she said.

Erika said she was told an attempt had been made to recover the missing files, but that the recovery process ultimately resulted in them being deleted.

The couple said the experience has been devastating.

“We’re older, but we had never been married before,” Erika said. “We decided we were gonna have this big wedding. We spent quite a bit of money, and you trust someone to take portraits of your day, not thinking they’re just gonna go missing.”

They say they paid nearly $4,000 before the wedding

The couple said they paid nearly $4,000 in full before their wedding. Erika said the photography company told them twice that a refund had been issued to their credit card, but she said they have not received that money.

WCPO 9 reached out to the photography company about the couple’s situation. The owner said the couple's claims were false but declined to discuss the matter further.

How to protect your money when hiring a wedding photographer

Wedding photography can cost thousands of dollars, so couples should treat hiring a photographer like any other major purchase. Before paying, get key protections in writing.

Here are some questions worth asking:

• How much do I have to pay upfront?
  
  • Be cautious about paying the entire bill far in advance of the wedding.
• How are my photos backed up?
  
  • Ask what happens to the images between the time they are taken and when they are delivered to you.
• What happens if photos are lost or corrupted?
  
  • Don't assume you will automatically receive a refund.
• Does the contract explain refunds?
  
  • Look for specific language explaining when you would be entitled to some or all of your money back.
• When will I receive my photos?
  
  • Make sure the delivery timeframe is spelled out in the contract.
• What exactly am I purchasing?
  
  • The contract should clearly describe the photography package and what you are supposed to receive.
• Who will actually photograph the wedding?
  
  • If you're hiring a company rather than an individual photographer, make sure you understand who will be doing the work.

Before you hand over thousands of dollars

Take a few additional steps before signing a contract or making a large payment:

1. Read recent customer reviews. Look beyond the overall rating and pay attention to repeated complaints.
2. Check the Better Business Bureau. See whether other customers have reported problems with the business.
3. Get promises in writing. Don't rely on verbal assurances about delivery, backups or refunds.
4. Keep your contract, receipts and correspondence. Save emails, text messages, invoices and payment records in case there is a dispute later.
5. Think carefully about how you pay. Before making a large payment, review the dispute protections offered by your payment method.
6. Ask about backup procedures before you book. Your wedding can't be recreated, so find out what safeguards are in place if equipment, memory cards or files fail.

For Erika, sharing what happened isn't going to replace the photographs she says were lost. But she hopes it may prevent another couple from going through the same thing.

“I don’t want it to happen to someone else,” she said.

The bottom line

Before hiring a photographer or another expensive wedding vendor, research the business, carefully read the contract and make sure payment terms, deliverables, backup procedures and refund policies are clearly spelled out in writing, so you don't waste your money.

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