‘Our wedding photographer disappeared days before our wedding’

“We gave him a $6000 deposit and now he’s just gone. No responses to emails or phone calls, nothing,” the devastated Sydney bride reveals.

Pilar Grace

less than 2 min read

September 28, 2023 - 2:24PM

Family Life

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It was only a few weeks before Monika and John’s wedding when disaster struck.

They’d planned their big day carefully.

The venue was lined up, menus chosen, dress and suit fitted, flowers chosen and they'd booked a skilled photographer to capture every moment.

The Sydney couple had secured the shooter with a $6,000 deposit, but as the wedding day drew nearer, they realised the photographer had disappeared.

“He was not responsive by email, and I couldn’t get in touch with him through phone calls. He was just, you know, off the grid,” Monika told A Current Affair.

A few days later, they finally heard from the photographer by email.

He wrote to say that he'd sold the business to another photographer, and the sale included all the bookings.

But when Monika and John contacted the new owner, they were told he wouldn’t be shooting their wedding; he’d only bought the business name.

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The Sydney couple was devastated when their wedding photographer disappeared. Photo: A Current Affair

Wedding photographer saves Sydney couples left in lurch

At least 10 couples had a similar experience, paying a deposit to Monika and John’s photographer and being left with no one to capture their special day.

After some frantic ringing around, they were able to find a new photographer, a man who said he’s been contacted by 10 other couples who were left in the lurch by the original photographer.

“It’s extremely stressful, extremely stressful,” he said. “I mean, if people booked a year ahead and they lost some money, maybe there’s plenty of time to reorganise things, but two to three weeks, four weeks, it’s very hard.”

Although the new photographer has saved the big day, Monika is still furious and wants the original photographer to answer for walking away with deposits from so many customers .

“We deserve an answer, we don’t deserve to be left in the dark,” she said. “I want my money back.”