Local photography business accused of being a wedding day nightmare - KMOV4

soworos.blogspot.com

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (KMOV) - Local photographer Whitnie Wagster is accused of doing bad business.

Customers said photoshoots meant to capture precious memories turned into a disaster and ruined their special day.

“I don’t have all of the getting ready pictures. I don’t have all the pictures of walking down the aisle. I don’t have a picture of my husband’s expression,” said former client, Sara McClure-Cheeney.

Sara McClure-Cheeney got married in June and says her wedding day was not picture perfect. According to the bride, hiring the company, The Leopard Photog, owned by local photographer Whitnie Wagster is the reason why.

“It was probably like 30 minutes before I was supposed to walk down the aisle. I had messaged her. I’m like, ‘hey I’m just making sure you have the address and that you know where you’re going and making sure you’re still coming’. She goes ‘oh I’m sick. I have a second photographer that’s going to be coming,’” McClure-Cheeney said.

According to McClure-Cheeney, the backup photographer never showed up and neither did a refund in her bank account. She said her wedding photos were taken on a cellphone.

“I have what my friend was able to capture and that was it,” she said.

News 4 reached out to the owner of Leopard Photog, Whitnie Wagster, but she declined to go on camera for an interview. Wagster did provide a comment saying the allegations are false and that she did give customers refunds.

“All the pictures she ended up taking for the wedding were really blurry and just not professionally done,” said Anthony Abotobik.

Abotobik got married in February and says Wagster showed up late and left early at his wedding.

“She was sitting on the stage just looking around at the ceiling,” said Abotobik. “I walked over and said ‘can you take some pictures?’ and she said, ‘of what?’”

“It’s terrible what you’re doing. You’re ruining memories,” said former customers Aaron and Melissa Brenner.

The Brenners said they paid Whitnie Wagster a deposit to shoot their daughter’s first birthday. According to the couple, she kept pushing the dates back until they canceled the photo shoot.

“I took pictures on my phone and then when I posted them she sent me question marks asking who took the pictures,” said Melissa Brenner. “I said I did because she’s my daughter.”

The couple also shared with News 4 that Wagster was working under a different company name in 2019.

Wagster’s current photography website, The Leopard Photog, remains active. The company’s Facebook page, however, has been deactivated.

“These are one-time events. Weddings, first year, second year, whatever it is, you cant get these back,” Aaron Brenner said.

All the clients in this story said Wagster never gave them their money back.

Whitnie Wagster gave this statement to News 4:

“Clients have received their refunds where they were indeed in the right.

No client has ever “forced” to take photos on their phones. That is a choice they have made and not with my knowledge.

Excuses? I have been sick and had to cancel and have them reschedule which they have done or been refunded. I have 3-5 business days to process refunds. All of which is done. I have all my records of refunds.

1 client has recently received terrible blurry images MISTAKENLY DUE TO ERROR IN UPLOAD

The bride was made aware immediately and changes were made

This said bride showed up uninvited to my home banging on my doormat 7:30AM

I have people harassing me and stalking my personal page screen shotting my children’s photos (minors 6 & 8 years old) posting them with disrespectful nasty things. Completely inappropriate.

Unfortunately, in any industry technology can go down and things could potentially be lost. We experienced that a year ago and sadly images were not salvageable and a bride lost her precious memories. This bride was in fact refunded and signed a NDA and Release of Reliability of this occurring.

I missed a wedding this year due to a sinus infection and hired a second photographer who no showed. That bride was refunded.

To say I am perfect and have not made errors in my business would be inaccurate. I have made mistakes and I have errored in things, I am human.

I have not taken a brides money and just ghosted them and never show up.

I have never left clients standing in a field waiting and waiting for me to show to a session and just take their money.

All clients sign contracts before a $1 is every sent to me.

Deposits are NONREFUNDABLE and that is quoted at the time of quoting a price for sessions.

Clients have received a service and product and been happy and pleased with both. Then days later will state they weren’t happy and want a refund. At that point a refund is refused. Service and product were provided and once reviewed upon receiving the images they were happy with.

If a client receives service and product is lost, refund no questions asked. Most will accept a free session that is offered as well.

No shows are refunded in the event that happens. Loss of images due to my negligence or technical problems/issues I will offer a session redo. But if it’s refused the next resolution is to refund everything except the NONREFUNDABLE deposit.”

Copyright 2022 KMOV. All rights reserved.

Adblock test (Why?)

"local" - Google News
July 09, 2022 at 10:07AM
https://ift.tt/KWNwrCO

Local photography business accused of being a wedding day nightmare - KMOV4
"local" - Google News
https://ift.tt/OwiBapk
https://ift.tt/D1eCSTa

Bagikan Berita Ini