KEVIN HILL wrote:
Dead groom deposit fury
   

       
   


A BRIDE-to-be who cancelled her wedding photographers when her fiancé DIED was told she could not have her £150 ( $260 USD) deposit back.

Grieving Rachael Gate, 31, was informed she could use the down payment the next time she needed pictures taken.

She said yesterday: “It’s such a completely painful and sad time of my life. I think a little compassion could at least have been offered.”

Rachael’s fiancé, 40-year-old health and safety consultant Jon Baglee, died of a heart attack five weeks before the couple’s scheduled wedding day.

The shattered bride- to-be, of Darlington, Co Durham, cancelled her arrangement with local photographers Risbeys a week later.

Rachael said: “I signed a contract and understand I don’t have legal rights to get the money back. But given the circumstances, I thought I may have been given it.”

She has demanded an apology and complained to the Master Photographers Association.

Risbeys said Rachael had been made aware the deposit was non-refundable. They added photographers had already spent a number of hours with her before the cancellation.

Bosses issued a statement saying: “All personnel at Risbeys send their condolences to Miss Gate and to the family of Mr Baglee for their loss.”

The photographers association said it had no power to intervene

It may sound cold....but the contract was binding.....and as far as we know it had no "groom died" clause......sorry for her loss....but I understand where the photographer is coming from......he more than likely passed up a few wedding dates because hers was booked.....

And correct about photographers association having no power.....most are pretty much competition clubs....if you can afford to have your work prepared by their rules....take a x number of improvment seminars....which BTW...are run by them....and attend their competitions....you earn points on the way to becoming a "Master Photographer".....oh! and don't forget hefty annual dues!

Lexi Evans wrote:
I would give the money back, or at least part of it. They state they had spent some time with the couple before-hand, so I might just take a bit of that. I understand where they are coming from, in not giving the money back, but as someone with emotions and understanding, i would be compassionate.

Compassionate is the keyword here.  Had the B&G broke up, then yes, hold to the contract.  There was time for the photographer to reschedule something else.  She cancelled a month before the wedding date.  Even if not, it's not like he was going to make money off the grieving bride anyway.

An ounce of goodwill will go farther than a pound of hard-nosed "we have a contract."
I repeat:

.....jackass.