So last night, Abby was talking to an old friend of ours and we heard a heartbreaking story of how a bride got deceived into paying more for her wedding pictures. The bride was trying to help out an acquaintance start a wedding photography business and had a verbal agreement with the photographer. The wedding photographer ask if they could bring a second photographer and the bride happily agreed. A while after the wedding, the bride asked the photographers for her images. The photographers refused. They said that if the bride didn't cough up more money they would not give the bride her photographs. They even went to the extent of telling the bride that if she didn't pay them more money they would delete the pictures. This is indeed a very sad occurrence.

As a bride, how do you protect yourself from situations like this?

1. Make sure that the photographer is licensed. More than likely a licensed photographer will not con you.
2. Make sure everything that you want is included in a written contract. The contract can be on paper or via email. If its an email make sure that the address of the photographer or business address is included. Google the address to make sure it is a valid address.
3. No matter how well you know the photographer ask them for a contract.
4. If you find vendors through a website review the website to make sure that they can't change customer feedback.
5. Use the BBB and yelp to find out more about the photographer.