A newlywed’s worst nightmare has been realised after their wedding photographer fled the country with a deposit for snaps of their special day. What’s been going on with the sheer volume of horror wedding stories recently?
Multiple couples have come forward to allege that Sydney-based photographer company, Phao Photography, rinsed them of their cash without coughing up the product.
“Dozens” of couples are now in limbo after their claims were brought to light this week in an investigation by Nine’s A Current Affair.
“He [Phao Photography’s Sam Ansari] was not responsive by email, I couldn’t get in touch with him through phone calls, he was just you know, off the grid,” a devastated bride by the name of Monika told the show.
According to the program, she’d initially booked the company for her big day in September, transferring a $6,000 deposit to secure the date.
Shortly after, the couple reportedly copped an email from Ansari letting them know he’d sold the business along with all of its clients, assets and assets.
Surely not! Weddings are stressful enough as it is.
I couldn’t even imagine getting an email like this a few weeks out from the ceremony.
Many of the couples were able to secure a backup photographer in Laith Jabro who was shocked by what happened.
“It’s extremely stressful, extremely stressful,” he told A Current Affair.
“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.”
Following the sale of the business, Ansari is now reportedly living in Dubai.
PEDESTRIAN.TV is not insinuating he or his former business is at fault.
“We deserve an answer, we don’t deserve to be left in the dark. I want my money back,” Monika pleaded.
This news comes just days after 30 people became ill after attending a wedding in Melbourne on Saturday, according to the Department of Health.
Image credit: simonkr via iStock.
