Pioneer Press, St. Paul, Minn., Watchdog column

Debra O'Connor, Pioneer Press, St. Paul, Minn.

By Debra O'Connor, Pioneer Press, St. Paul, Minn.
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services

Dec. 14--Megan and Grant McGraw had a wonderful wedding day in August 2012. But 15 months later, the Apple Valley couple was increasingly unhappy that they hadn't yet received their wedding photos.

At an impasse with the photo studio, they finally contacted the Watchdog. Then bad turned to worse: The photographer's husband threatened to destroy the wedding images unless they agreed to pay more for many fewer photos -- and agreed to stop working with the Watchdog.

Megan Quist Photography of Brooklyn Park came highly recommended by Megan McGraw's friend, who had gotten lovely wedding pictures in a timely fashion. So in December 2011, the couple put down a 50 percent deposit on the $3,755 contract. The photo studio promised images of the wedding on a digital disc, plus professionally produced prints of each image.

The contract went into considerable detail about what would happen if the couple didn't pay up, or if a photographer got sick. But it contained no due dates.

Thanksgiving came and went. So did Christmas, Valentine's Day, Easter and Memorial Day. The McGraws said they were told the delays were due to health problems, personal problems, equipment malfunctions and a broken water heater.

As time passed, the McGraws received happy news that put worrying about their wedding photos on the back burner in favor of selecting baby furniture. So they were financially unprepared when suddenly they were told their photos were ready.

It was their turn to ask for a little more time to make the final payment. But when the money was available, their dealings with the photo studio turned acrimonious.

Over the months, there were apologies and promises of discounts from Megan Quist, the lead photographer. But by now, her husband, Carlton Quist, had taken over the customer service part of the business, and he didn't have a light touch.

Eventually, by email, he called Grant McGraw "delusional" and said, "I don't know if you are so very blinded by self-righteousness and some crazy left-wing sense of entitlement or just 'stuck on stupid.' "

Through an online review, the McGraws learned that another couple, Terry and Lu Carpenter of Chaska, also married in August 2012, had been in the same situation last summer and had to hire a lawyer and take the photo studio to court to get their photos, which cost them an extra $2,000.

The Carpenters ended up getting mostly unedited images but didn't pay the other half of the amount agreed to in the contract.

The Watchdog got no response to phone and email messages she left at the photo studio. She asked the Minnesota attorney general's consumer division to get involved, and a lawyer there quickly and persistently tried to contact the studio to mediate the matter.

Again, no response.

The McGraws received increasingly demanding emails from Carlton Quist. The original contract was void, he declared, and he proposed new agreements, each more disadvantageous to his customers.

The last proposal called for a payment of $125 more than the original contract but didn't include the originally promised prints of more than 800 wedding pictures. It said the McGraws must agree to pay him personally, rather than the photo studio, and that they must "disallow" the Pioneer Press from publishing anything about the dispute.

If the McGraws didn't sign the agreement by midnight, Carlton Quist said, he would destroy their wedding pictures.

"You might just maybe get lucky if you call after midnight with tears begging in an inquiry to see if by some wonderful chance I haven't deleted the images yet," he wrote. "And the price will likely be higher after midnight."

The Watchdog, the attorney general's office and the McGraws discussed hiring a lawyer to try to prevent the destruction of the photos and to represent the couple in court. The McGraws alerted the photo studio that they were going to take legal action.

Then Megan Quist emailed the couple to say she had just become aware of her husband's demands. "I can see that you have been very patient and gracious in this process, and I am personally very grateful," she told them.

She apologized for the way they had been treated, gave them a discount and brought them their pictures and digital images. After the couple had the goods safely in hand, the Watchdog emailed Megan Quist, who replied to her.

"Over the past few years, my partner and I have had a difficult time seeing eye-to-eye on many things in our business, including how to handle customer service issues and final transactions," she wrote.

"Consequently, I will be making some drastic changes at the start of the New Year. I will be moving forward on my own, without a partner ... I also wanted to say to you personally that I appreciate your work on behalf of the McGraws."

For her part, the Watchdog received thanks from the couple, met the baby and looked at photos of the beaming couple, their families and their friends.

"It was a very happy day," Megan McGraw told the Watchdog. "And it's nice to have the pictures to remember it."

Editor's note: Feel like an underdog because of a problem with a business, government agency or school? To ask the Watchdog for help, go to TwinCities.com/ watchdog, call 651-228-5419 or email [email protected]. Follow her at twitter.com/pioneerwatchdog</a>.

Avoiding the wedding vendor blues

What's happened to some Twin Cities engaged couples this year is enough to make them want to elope: Venues shut down without alerting couples who'd put down deposits; a photographer doesn't show up; a photo studio has to be dragged to court to give the bride and groom their photos; a bakery goes bust after taking a $200 deposit.

The fact that large deposits are routinely required months or even years in advance can leave couples financially and emotionally distraught when vendors don't live up to their agreements.

Some advice on how to avoid problems with wedding vendors.

Ed Butterfoss, Hamline Law School contracts professor: Legal remedies might not be as satisfying as getting what you asked for in the first place. Mediation through the Hamline Mediation Center or the Minnesota attorney general's office can be helpful if both parties are willing to sit down in good faith.

Patrick McVary, lawyer: "Reduce any verbal agreements to writing and include them in the written contract. If a term is not in writing, it may be difficult to enforce." When hiring a photographer, define when the photos are due, penalties for not having them done on time and what will happen if an equipment problem prevents getting the agreed-upon shots. For example, will the photographer reshoot staged shots with key people?

Matt Rush, Bellagala spokesman: "Two words: common sense." Look into the vendor's reputation via recent online reviews; ask your other vendors about their experiences with the one you're considering; ask for names of recent clients and talk to them; find out how long the vendor has been in business. Pay a reasonable deposit, depending on the service and how soon the work starts: 50 percent for event planner; 25 percent for photographer; maximum of $200 for a cake. A popular venue might demand -- and get -- a 100 percent deposit.

Jamie Miles, the Knot editor: "Do your homework; it's your best protection against fraud." Pay with a credit card. Get wedding insurance to protect against things out of your control, such as a vendor going out of business.

Dan Hendrickson, Better Business Bureau spokesman: "You wouldn't think such a positive thing can lead to such headaches and heartaches." Check out vendors at BBB.org, which gives companies grades and shows details on individual complaints.

-- Debra O'Connor

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