Unhappy Bride

<p>OK, first complaint I got in a long while.</p>

<p>3 months after the wedding, the bride emailed me saying she was disappointed with the quantity of the photos, specifically with their families, and the number of post ceremony shots.</p>

<p>It was rainy and cold, their families didn't want to stay for photos, I suggested taking photos at the altar but the couple was fixated doing it at a gazebo outside. Later at the reception, I tried to do more families shots but most of the families were no cooperative or willing.</p>

<p>There was a gap when the rain had stopped and I tried to get the couple out to do a few shots, but the bride called it quite after 5 minutes saying it's too cold. During the consultation, I did mention to the couple that wedding photo is weather dependant and the better the weather, the more shots they will get.</p>

<p>As to the quantity problem, due to some of their families have mobility issues, I don't see how they will get that many more shots of their families even if the weather had been great.</p>

<p>I do believe that the bride had forgotten what really transpired that day and a few decisions she made against my advice.</p>

<p>In my mind, I would like to give them a few large prints or canvas just to make them happy. But I'm not sure the freebies will really make the bride happy and I don't want to admit that I was in the wrong no fulfilling my contractual duties in the quantity department.</p>

<p>What would you do if you were me?</p>

<p> </p>

<p>I'd ask what shots she thinks are missing.</p>

<p>When you say "I don't want to admit that I was in the wrong not fulfilling my contractual duties," what exactly are you saying? Did you or didn't you?</p>

 

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<p>What would you do if you were me?</p>

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<p>Nicely remind her of the issues you just provided to us.</p>

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<p>When you say "I don't want to admit that I was in the wrong not fulfilling my contractual duties," what exactly are you saying? Did you or didn't you?</p>

 

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<p>I think I've fulfilled my contractual duties. But if I give her freebies, wouldn't that be self incriminating sort of speak?</p>

<p>As to the question about what to do - on the details you've provided I suggest you do exactly what John H suggested.</p>

<p>I am curious about one aspect, here: - <em><strong>"3 months after the wedding, the bride emailed me"</strong></em><br>

What was the period of time after she took possession or first viewed the images to when she emailed you?</p>

<p>WW</p>

<p>Thank you for the clarification, Jim. If you lived up to contractual obligations then I would simply remind this bride of all the things you mentioned in your original posting here (bad weather, uncooperative guests, etc ...). Remind her of the contract you both signed. Then tell her there's nothing more you could possibly do unless she wants to gather everyone and hire you again to shoot additional photographs. I agree with your concern about offering freebies to appease her. You don't want to give her the idea that you owe her anything. I do share the same question as William, though. How long has it been since you delivered all your photos to this bride? </p>

<p>Some brides have a "reality distortion field" and I agree with the other posters - giving her anything might be interpreted as an admission of fault on your part. It sounds like there was no fault on your part, that she is not disappointed in you as much as she is with the logistical problems of her wedding.</p>

<p>Talk to her. I had a similar situation come up where the bride expressed disappointment and frustration with the pictures and it turned out that it wasn't the pictures. She was upset for multiple other reasons that her wedding didn't go the way she liked, and the photographs brought her back to that disappointment - which she consequently blamed on the photos.</p>

<p>This sounds like an excellent opportunity to turn a challenge into an opportunity for good customer service. Don't give her any product or service, just talk to her. This is the part of the job where we turn into psychotherapists. Sometimes I jokingly think in my head that all wedding photographers should be required to take a course or two in psychology.</p>

<p>All of this aside, and to help avoid any potential issues in the future, does your (LAWYER REVIEWED) contract lay out the ground rules for logistical problems due to weather, missing people, venue-imposed restrictions, etc.? It should have a client acknowledgement of some kind that you are not culpable for any missed photographs due to circumstances beyond your reasonable control such as weather, people not being present, things like that.</p>

<p>Side note - you never know what lunacy a client will come up with. I recently had one write a nasty review because she thought (mistakenly) that one of my second shooters "hooked up" with her husband's aunt. When I told the shooter what she said, he was appalled and said he would gladly take a polygraph test to prove his innocence. When I confronted her with that and requested proof of her allegations, and advised her that she was actively engaging in libel, she took the review down. Oy.</p>

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<p>What was the period of time after she took possession or first viewed the images to when she emailed you?</p>

 

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<p>I delivered the wedding pictures to her about 3 weeks after her wedding. So the email came pretty much 3 months after she took possession of her pictures. Re-reading her email, it wasn't really badly worded. The most damning one was when she said "just wanted to let you know that we were disappointed with the family photos, or specifically, lack of thereof".</p>

<p>I believe now as some of you have suggested that this could be at least partly be caused by post wedding depression. I wrote her back in a nice way just to recite some of the facts without putting blame on her nor her guests. And I haven't heard back from her since. I don't think she's looking for compensation or anything other than a FYI.</p>

<p>So I guess that's that. I am surprised that doing what we do, this kind of thing doesn't happen more often. For that I think I am blessed. Thank you for all your responses.</p>

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<p>Thanks for answering. Given that she had the photos for about 10 weeks - I expect that was more than enough time for the matter to have been brought up by and discussed by the wider family and friend <strong><em>repetitively</em></strong>. That type of <em>repetitive</em> family/friends conversation would be more than enough for the Bride to forget many of the actual circumstances of the shoot.</p>

<p>I think it very likely that the polite response that you provided to her, will suffice.</p>

<p>WW</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Not all weddings turn out to be universally happy events.</p>

<p>Ten weeks out it is probable that the photos have been distributed to all of the interested parties, and some are not happy with their lack of prominence in the portfolio. I agree with the previous posters who have suggested that, at this point, you have no further obligation to the bride. She was likely already set up as the target of issues of which you had no prior knowledge or responsibility. You are not the actual target so don't assume that you own anything like that. Move on to the next project.</p>

<p>Good Luck!</p>

<p>Just tell her in detail like how you told us . </p>