KANSAS CITY, Mo. - It is one of the most important days of your life. For their wedding, every bride wants perfect pictures to capture the memories of that special day.
Kansas City has many seasoned wedding photographers. But Call For Action hears the horror stories when a photographer fails to fulfill their end of the bargain. In those complaints, newlyweds often are forced to wait months, even years for wedding pictures or video.
Addie Rodell loves to flip through her wedding album. She married her husband Kirk in July, 2009. But now, two and a half years later, Rodell is forced to wait to see video of her wedding. The photographer she hired has yet to deliver.
""We put our trust in him and we felt really deceived,""Addie Rodell said.
The Rodells contacted Call For Action several months ago. They hired Imagine Studios, a husband-wife photography team, to photograph and videotape their wedding. They paid $5,000 for the services.
The couple got their still photos. It took a year and a half after they walked down the aisle to get them. They said they call to find out their video is not done.
""When I called and I asked, are you about done with my video, he said, you know, we haven't even started on it. I knew something was not right,? Addie Rodell said.
""It's very disappointing? He just doesn't reach out,"" Kirk Rodell added.
Unfortunately, their story is not unique. Over the last year, Call for Action has helped others, from brides to class reunion classmates, get their pictures when a photographer failed to hold up their end of the deal.
But top professionals in Kansas City?s wedding industry advise you to take a few simple steps to make sure your pictures turn out perfect and arrive on time.
""The photography at the end of the day is the only thing you're walking away with,? said Kansas City wedding planner Kim Ho. She added, ?It is important that you are spending the money on a good quality photographer.?
Next, check out the photographer's experience. Go to their website and blog to look at recent work. Get a list of references and interview them. Plus, as with any important deal, get the specifics in writing.
?The contract will lay out what you are getting for your money, how much you are spending, when your payments are due and when you'll see your images,? she said.
Call For Action contacted the Rodell?s wedding videographer, Shawn Beuscher. He said the business, Imagine Studios, is now closed. Beuscher said he and his wife have divorced. He agreed to hand over the raw, unedited video to the Rodells. They agreed and signed a document releasing Beuscher from ?all prior contractual agreements?.
""We were just so excited to even have it in our hands. We didn't really expect to even see him again,? said Addie Rodell.
After two and a half years of waiting for their wedding video, the couple just wants to see their special day then move on with their lives.
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