‘You ruined our wedding’: Photographer fails to arrive to wedding after the couple's last-minute location change, they sue him for contract breach

Author image for Bar Mor Hazut
Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Jun 3, 2024 12:00 PM EDT

Planning a wedding might be one of the most challenging experiences in a couple's relationship. We were taught to believe that our wedding day is one of the most important days of our lives, so we all want it to be the most perfect day we could make it be. This means we will plan it to perfection, which can be quite a stressful endeavor. 

One thing that a couple should never ever settle on, is their wedding photographer, because that person is in charge of creating the biggest memories from that day. The couple in this Reddit story definitely regretted not taking their wedding photographer choice more seriously. They signed a contract with an amateur photographer who simply failed to arrive on their special day. The photographer claimed it was because they kept changing their venue location due to poor weather, but does that excuse not showing up? The couple surely doesn't think so.

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  • 01
    "This could end my career"
    via Canva
  • 02
    Couple hired me as a photographer at their wedding and I didn't show. They want to sue me now.
    via u/cmonman1993
  • 03
    Hi, A couple on a community What's App group chat were reaching out to hire a photographer for their wedding.
    via u/cmonman1993
  • 04
    I knew a friend of mine who used to be a photographer and she was ok lending me her camera for the event, so I reached out to the couple to let them know I could do it.
    via u/cmonman1993
  • 05
    They asked me if I had a portfolio, and I used to photograph college graduations part-time a few years ago, but no weddings. Due to this, they were really (I mean REALLLY) short- changing me.
    via u/cmonman1993
  • 06
    They offered me a total of $80 to be a photographer at their wedding and reception, and cited that they were taking a risk by hiring me but wanted to give me a chance. I was hesitant, but that
    via u/cmonman1993
  • 07
    money goes a long way for me and I was down bad lately so I accepted. They sent me a contract which had our names and location of the event and other boilerplate language and I signed it.
    via u/cmonman1993
  • 08
    The venue was really far away almost 2.5 hours away, but I had a friend who lived there and he was currently visiting me and was going to be going there anyway so I was going to hitch a
    via u/cmonman1993
  • 09
    ride with him and stay at his place a few days before the wedding. Everything was going smooth, until a few days before the wedding they said that there is a
    via u/cmonman1993
  • 10
    storm and possible tornado forecast and they can't have the wedding venue at that location anymore since it was outdoors and they were going to move the wedding indoors in a church right next to my house. That was
    via u/cmonman1993
  • 11
    perfect since I now didn't need a ride to the other city. I let my friend know, and a few days later he went to the city by himself. 3 days before the wedding, the couple decided to move the
    via u/cmonman1993
  • 12
    wedding back to the city 2.5 hours away since the forecast was looking better. I didn't even have a ride anymore since my friend left. I told the couple that it won't be possible for me and
    via u/cmonman1993
  • 13
    they ignored me for 3 days. I assumed they probably decided to go with someone else. Literally on the day of the wedding the husband is blasting my texts asking me where I am and that I'm missing important
    via u/cmonman1993
  • 14
    moments from the wedding. I show him the text that I sent and he said he didn't read it because he was busy with the wedding. He asked me to call an Uber, but those were insanely expensive
    via u/cmonman1993
  • 15
    and I'd actually be at a huge loss taking an Uber. He said he was not going to pay for it since it was my job. I couldn't do anything else. I asked if he knew someone still in town I could hitch a ride with and
    via u/cmonman1993
  • 16
    he said no. He then started sending texts and saying some crazy (and also rest) stuff. I block him and turn off my phone.
    via u/cmonman1993
  • 17
    When I turn it back on, I find that I was apparently the only photographer at the wedding and they didn't have anyone else. They now want to sue me for contract breach and emotional damage. I can't afford a lawyer
    via u/cmonman1993
  • 18
    and I called 5 people in my area and all of them are asking for $300-$500 per hour to look over my contract. The couple are also posting my profile picture all over facebook
    via u/cmonman1993
  • 19
    and tagging me and saying I ruined their wedding??? And their friends are also commenting mean things. I'm not sure what to do at this point. Please any advice would be greatly appreciated.
    via u/cmonman1993
  • 20
    bcnadvocat · 4 days ago Let this be a reminder that you always need to charge proper prices for everything you do. You didn't care about the event because it was such small potatoes, and they didn't respect
    via u/bcnadvocat
  • 21
    you because you allowed your time to be bought for so little. Everyone all around should have taken this a bit more seriously. Anyway, wouldn't bother paying a lawyer to review anything unless I absolutely had to, i.e. they were actively suing me. I agree emotional damages are probably not recoverable here.
    via u/bcnadvocat
  • 22
    RoboNeko_V1-0 - 4 days ago Not just setting your own prices, but also make your own contract. The business should be writing the contract, not the buyer.
    via u/RoboNeko_V1-0
  • 23
    monkeyman80 · 4 days ago • It's really up to the contract and what was agreed. Unless you had outs for weather, or friend giving you a ride none of that matters. Emotional damage isn't a case here, it's a contracts case.
    via u/monkeyman80
  • 24
    I would avoid signing contracts until you understand what you are responsible for in the future, not just professionally but any of it.
    via u/monkeyman80
  • 25
    4011s 4 days ago They sent me a contract which had our names and location of the event and other boilerplate language and I signed it. If they take you to court, you should expect to have issues explaining why you failed to show
    via u/4011s
  • 26
    after signing the contract saying you would. You breached the contract unless there were stipulations on cancellation or venue changes.
    via u/4011s
  • 27
    LeastCleverNameEver · 4 days ago . edited 3 days ago NAL, but a creative who regularly does contract work. You up my friend. You never should have taken this job - you didn't have the necessary equipment, you didn't have
    via u/LeastCleverNameEver
  • 28
    reliable transportation, you didn't have experience, you didn't ensure the bride and groom were notified (you keep reaching out until you confirm with them) AND you took a pay rate that works out to less than minimum wage when you factor in travel.
    via u/LeastCleverNameEver
  • 29
    This may go to small claims, in which case cross your fingers. Either way, don't do this again. If you want to get back into professional photography, take local jobs YOU KNOW YOU CAN GET TO, build a portfolio of portraits (ask friends to pose for
    via u/LeastCleverNameEver
  • 30
    free, make a day of it, offer free baby/pregnancy announcement photos to friends and family, etc), and for Gods sake, write your own (or download your own free template) contracts.
    via u/LeastCleverNameEver
  • 31
    apparent-evaluation · 4 days ago You don't need to hire a lawyer. Yes, you messed up. As absurd as the amount of money was, you did promise to be there. Not showing up was unprofessional.
    via u/apparent-evaluation
  • 32
    But they are not going to be able to successfully sue you for emotional damages. Maybe they could sue you for their $80 back and something extra. I would just block them and ignore them and
    via u/apparent-evaluation
  • 33
    block them and ignore them and not engage at all. If they actually sue you and you actually have a court date, then you shouldn't ignore that.
    via u/apparent-evaluation

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workplace-stories jobs photography job work reddit story wedding advice contract couples workplace entitled Reddit illegal photographer
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