(WSVN) - A wedding day is remarkable and many couples want pictures and videos to relive the wonderful memories. But what if the person you hire never delivers the video? It’s why one worried newlywed reached out to Help Me Howard with Patrick Fraser.
When we met Ellen she was studying for the bar exam to become a lawyer.
Ellen Torres: “Exhausted. Drained. But motivated because I just want to pass this exam.”
For a mental break, she sometimes takes a look at her wedding pictures.
Ellen Torres: “Amazing. The wedding was everything I ever wanted and could have dreamed of and hoped of.”
The photographer delivered beautiful pictures and the woman she hired to for the videos of her wedding?
Ellen Torres: “I wouldn’t be able to tell you.”
Ellen and her husband got married in December of 2022. She paid VMF Film $3,900 to record her great day.
Ellen Torres: “My wedding, my reception, my ceremony, and also edit these videos and give me a video for Instagram, a ceremony video and just like an eight minute video of the whole wedding itself.”
The videos were supposed to arrive four months later in April.
It’s now 14 months later.
Ellen Torres: “Hi, Victoria, this is Ellen. I have called you about a thousand times. I’ve called her. I’ve emailed her. I’ve texted her. Nothing. Not even a text message as a courtesy.”
Ellen in not alone. Go online and other brides who could not get their videos from VMF write “Do not hire this company and “ghosted” by the videographer. Ellen even thought the worst.
Ellen Torres: “Well, I looked at obituaries, too, just in case, I mean.”
But the woman’s website is still up and when Ellen thinks about her wonderful wedding, she’s beginning to fear she’ll never be able to watch it.
Ellen Torres: “My first dance with my husband. My father-daughter dance. My husband stands with his mom. Everything is in there.”
Well, if someone doesn’t deliver a stove or a bicycle, you can get another one. But wedding videos are irreplaceable.
So Legally, Howard, where does Ellen stand?
Howard Finkelstein, 7News legal expert: “A wedding video is unique but the law is limited. A judge cannot force a videographer or photographer to finish the work. But a judge can order them to turn over the raw video or film and pay the cost to finish the job. If they lost the materials, you are out of luck and all you get is your money back, which no bride wants. That’s why I said the law is limited.”
I called and emailed Victoria Fregoso who runs VMF. She didn’t respond to me, but 10 minutes later, told Ellen she would have her videos in two weeks.
And she did.
Ellen Torres: “Yes, I got my wedding video.”
Victoria then sent me an email explaining she had “Unfortunate mix of extreme loss and grief, declining physical health issues, personal setbacks.”
She added, “I emphasize I am taking full responsibility for my mistakes and poor handling of my situation.”
Also, she’s no longer in the wedding business.
As for the video.
Ellen Torres: “It captured the day perfectly. From the ceremony to the speeches to the dances. Everything came out just beautiful.”
Now, as Ellen waits for the results of her Bar exam, she can watch her wedding videos that she got after her call to Help Me Howard.
Ellen Torres: “Mr. Fraser was very, very helpful. And once he contacted her and got involved, that’s when she was very responsive immediately, so I’m very, very grateful for Mr. Fraser and Help Me Howard.”
Mr? It’s Patrick, Ellen.
Howard is the older one. We call him Mr. Finkelstein.
Seriously though, Victoria was not a good business person but her video for Ellen was spectacular. I was impressed and glad Ellen was also.
Had a problem so long you feel like you are married to it? Want something to celebrate? Contact us. See if we can wed you to a solution.
With this Help Me Howard, I’m Patrick Fraser, 7News.
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Reporter: Patrick Fraser at pfraser@wsvn.com
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