This week on Weird and Wacky Wednesdays: Wedding Edition – When Photographers Fail to Deliver
Wedding season brings joy. It also brings risk. Photographers carry the memories. When they fail, couples lose those memories. Some turn to the courts to try to get justice.
New York couple sues for blurry photos
Patrick Brown and Cheryl Carley hired Michael Ivory to photograph their wedding. They paid $3,200. They expected clear and well-framed images of key moments. Instead, they received blurry and poorly composed photos. They say the photographer failed to capture the bridesmaids and the cake blessing. Ivory blamed the bride for arriving four hours late. The couple was forced to rely on guest photos. They filed a breach of contract claim and sought a full refund.
Chicago couple gets no photos delivered
Amanda and Eric Briggs booked photographer Chuck Olu-Alabi for their May 2024 wedding. They paid $3,700 upfront. Olu-Alabi attended the wedding and took photos, but never delivered them. He blamed illness and hospitalization. After months of excuses, the couple filed a lawsuit in April 2025. They said they wanted the photos more than the money. They eventually received the images only after a local news outlet aired the story.
Couple scammed by stock-photo portfolio
Alexa Logan and Colin Tapp hired a man named Mike Huffman in 2021. They met him on Zoom and paid a $1,500 deposit. His portfolio included attractive, professional photos. They later discovered he had used stock images to build that portfolio. After the wedding, they received dark, poorly framed photos. Huffman claimed he was battling cancer and cited that as a reason for the delays. Other couples came forward with similar stories. Huffman eventually stopped replying to calls and texts.
$22,000 court order in B.C. wedding case
Kaman and Ramandeep Rai hired Aman Bal in 2015. They paid $8,500 for photography and videography. They received neither photos nor videos. After six years of delay, they took the matter to court. Bal claimed the couple failed to pay a remaining $3,500. The court found no evidence to support that claim. It also noted a pattern of similar conduct by Bal in other matters. The judge awarded the couple $22,000, including damages.
Wedding vendors have legal duties. These cases show what happens when they fail to meet them. Failing to deliver promised work can result in lawsuits, judgments, and reputational damage. Wedding photography is not just a creative service. It is a business arrangement. And when vendors breach that arrangement, courts may step in.
