Woman’s nightmare 24 hours before wedding

Serious questions have been raised about a government department meant to protect consumers as complaints climb after Aussies paid thousands.

A bride and groom had to frantically scramble just 24 hours before their wedding to find a replacement photographer after they uncovered the company’s troubles splashed across the news.

Kate Allan had paid out the remaining invoice of $4070 to photography company Andres & Co on October 10 but became alarmed when the firm failed to return calls as the wedding day approached.

The Sydney woman was unaware at the time that multiple brides had spoken out about their devastation to news.com.au in September when they revealed that they had spent months chasing photos or videos.

Later photographers and videographers who worked as subcontractors for Andres & Co revealed their increasingly desperate attempts to get the money owed to them and the reasons why they were told the business faced troubles.

Questions have also been raised about NSW Fair Trading after the government organisation revealed they were investigating the company in September amid 46 complaints — yet unsuspecting brides like Ms Allan are still being caught out.

Kate Allan and her husband paid almost $6000 for the photographer and then had to scramble with 24 hours before their wedding to find a new one. Picture: Supplied

Complaints with NSW Fair Trading have now jumped to 57 about Andres & Co since October, news.com.au confirmed.

Couples who booked Andres & Co last year were also left scrambling to find a replacement photographer – a situation Ms Allan founder herself in the day before her wedding.

She said Andres & Co was responsive when she was confirming the correct bank details to pay the invoice earlier this month, with the couple forking out a total of $5820 for their wedding package.

But then she said it felt like she was “ghosted”. She said emails were “completely ignored” and phone calls weren’t answered as he wedding approached on October 19.

“I kept ringing. I rang like 20 times on Friday, the day before the wedding,” she told news.com.au.

The couple had a frantic scramble just 24 hours before their wedding. Picture: Supplied

Frantic, she told her fiance she couldn’t get in contact with Andres & Co.

He then dropped the bombshell that he had googled the company and discovered articles outlining the company’s troubles leaving her “shocked”.

“I broke down in tears not knowing what to do as it was 24 hours before my wedding day,” she said.

“We then tried calling and it would ring once then go to voicemail and after a few times it wouldn’t even ring.

“I was worried basically I was going to have no photographer or videographer and receive no photos and so we were left scrambling to find a photographer.”

The 29-year-old had booked Andres & Co for their wedding in September last year.

She said she did eventually hear from Andres & Co on the Friday afternoon prior to the wedding via text message about timings for attending different locations.

Kate Allan’s fiance dropped the bombshell on her just 24 hours before the wedding. Picture: Supplied

But pleas for Andres & Co to call her urgently went unanswered and she felt she couldn’t risk it. She found a new photographer.

“I tried calling Andres & Co again and then I sent a message saying you have left me no choice but to outsource with another photographer. I said how am I supposed to know you are going to turn up on my wedding day and give me service I paid for? They didn’t reply and didn’t turn up on the day,” she said.

“I didn’t think I would have to fork out extra money and we have just moved into a brand new house – it was a lot. I wasn’t anticipating spending an extra $7000 for my photographer.”

Text messages from the bride. Picture: Supplied

Ms Allan, who has been with her partner for 12 years, said the experience was “very stressful” and is critical of a lack of action from NSW Fair Trading.

“You feel like how can people do this? It’s the biggest day of your life and to just be ghosted and people taking your money is so wrong,” she said.

“I went on to the Instagram and I went on to the website and everything is still up. The ABN is still active I’m like how is that still allowed? How has Fair Trading not been able to shut it down?

“You think obviously being gutless and taking people’s money you could go into hiding and close everything down but the company is still operating.”

She added the couple were planning on making a police report as well as lodging a complaint with NSW Fair Trading.

Text messages from the bride. Picture: Supplied

A spokesperson for NSW Fair Trading the organisation had seen issues raised by consumers about Andres & Co include paying for photography and video services for their wedding but after paying the business becomes non-responsive, while others say the business attended their wedding but have not supplied all of the product paid for.

“NSW Fair Trading has attempted to contact the business to resolve these issues, but the business has not responded to these requests. As a result, NSW Fair Trading is currently investigating Andres & Co,” they said.

“In the course of this investigation, NSW Fair Trading has identified that the business’ phone numbers have been disconnected and contact to email addresses was either undeliverable or no response was received.

“Consumers should not make any payments unless they can confirm contact with the business.

“They can also consider seeking a charge back with their financial institution and consider lodging their matter with the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal.”

News.com.au contacted Andres & Co for comment but did not hear back.

[e-mail]