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Forum Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 1/18/2008 10:47:27 AM
Posts: 7,
Visits: 13
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Hello. Congratulations to all of the brides that are beginning to plan their weddings. I have been married for almost six months, and would just like to give you some advice about choosing your photographer.
The main reason I joined now was to warn you about my photography company - Celebration Studios. They have offices in a few places in NJ (Clifton, Montclair for example). Go to celebrationstudios.com to see more if you'd like.
My wedding was in July of 2007, so I'm just hitting the 6 month mark. Booking them was no problem (of course). I booked out of the Clifton, NJ office. On my contract, I was told about 8 weeks for proofs and online viewing. Well, I got my proofs 13 weeks later, and it took an addditional 2 weeks for online viewing.
Then I had what I thought was my album design session on November 14, 2007. I was told that since they were changing their website, it would be another 2 weeks until my pictures were online with the new Pictage website (their affiliate). They also went into this spiel of how doing this will make it so much easier for brides to do their albums in the future, and it will be quicker to get everything done, with a turnaround time of no more than a few months. Well, that's fine and dandy, but how does that help me, as well as all of the other brides that are still fighting them NOW?? So at this point, they took my thank you card order, and surprisingly enought those were done within a few days. At this point I gave them a little credit, and thought maybe they really were just backed up for the summer months.
Well, that was a mistake. It is now January 3, almost 2 months since they told me my pictures would be online, and I still have nothing. They also told me they will not give me the CD with all the pictures until after everything is done, since they are "owned by the photographer" - whatever, that's total BS. And I also paid in full, so I'm out alot of money. I have left them SOOOO many phone messages since before Christmas, and I have only received one email back from them, saying I will be the first to know when my pictures are available on Pictage, and that they should be available January 1st. Well, it's after that date, and still I have nothing.
If you want more proof that I am telling you the truth, go to THEKNOT.COM and check out their message boards, there are a few links for Celebration Studios and it will show you all how serious this really is. There is a very good chance that if you book with them you will NEVER have your pictures. Also, go to the Better Business Bureau website (BBB.ORG) and type in Celebration Studios. They have had 43 complaints in the last 36 months!!!!!
Please do your research before you book a photographer, I am begging you. There are brides that have been married over a year and still don't have any of their albums. And if you know anyone else that would benefit from this information, please share it. I do not want to see anyone else go through the same sh*t that I, or anyone else is going through right now.
If any of you have any more questions, please let me know......otherwise, please check out The Knot and the BBB websites, PLEASE!!
Take care all, and have a great time planning your weddings!!!!
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Forum Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 1/18/2008 10:47:27 AM
Posts: 7,
Visits: 13
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| UPDATE FOR CELEBRATION STUDIOS -- Hello again. I just recieved am email from them yesterday, trying to explain the process they are going through. I can't access my email from work, so I will post their response later, but not once in the email did they say they are sorry for taking so long. One "I'm sorry" would've been better than nothing. And they also said that the picture would not be online until FEBRUARY -- that's alot longer than the original "2 weeks" that I was quoted.
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Forum Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 1/12/2008 11:57:52 PM
Posts: 1,
Visits: 1
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| I have been waiting for my wedding portraits, wedding album and parent albums for over a year. Luckily, I recieved my thank you cards and wedding proofs. I have complained twice to the Better Business Bureau. I am no disgusted that I have no memories of my wedding to share with anyone. I have gotten several emails telling me that when they hear something they will let me know. That is ridiculous and I am really upset because I am sick and tired of waiting for something that I should already have in my hands. When they wanted their money they got it on time. This is aggrevating because I have been waiting for over a year for my pictures. I have had it. I think everyone needs to band together and sue the company because we need to stop this company from taking the money of any other brides in the future.
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Forum Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 1/18/2008 10:47:27 AM
Posts: 7,
Visits: 13
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| I'm so glad someone responded to this. I know there are alot of brides that are WAY past the one-year mark, but if you go to THEKNOT.COM, I think there is some link that will send you to a Yahoo group of people who complained to the company. There is also a post that gives you the email address of the president of Celebration Studios. Even if he doesn't respond, I think it would, at the very least, pi$$ him off to have his inbox full every single day. I have called them Jan 2 and 3 (twice each day), Jan 8 (once), Jan 9 (twice), and twice today, and had to leave messages that were NEVER returned. I called them at 9AM today (WHEN THEY OPEN), and I got a machine. You're gonna tell me that every single person there was already busy the minute they open???? Gimme a break!!! I'm trying to keep my cool about this, and have hesitated going down to the design center in Clifton in fear of losing my temper and breaking alot of stuff, but sometimes I wonder what it will take to get through to them. What would be really nice is if we could get a bunch of clients together and all go down there at the same time, and demand some answers. I'd love to see them stumble over their words.
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Forum Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 1/18/2008 10:47:27 AM
Posts: 7,
Visits: 13
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| http://www.wnbc.com/news/15059777/detail.html Well, this place just keeps getting better. This is a link to the news story that channel4 did on this shithole company. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE -- if you used Celebration file a police report and get a lawyer....that's what alot of people are starting to do. Also go to the NJ state website and file a complaint with the consumer affairs department. I have also emailed Channel 2, 4,7 and I called Channel 11. I advise you to do the same. I will keep you all posted if I hear anything else. 
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Forum Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 1/18/2008 10:47:27 AM
Posts: 7,
Visits: 13
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| THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT POST TO ANY B&G WHO HAVE ALREADY BEEN MARRIED AND HAVE PAID CELEBRATION STUDIOS............ Just found this website that is attached to a Yahoo group about CS that will list any of the photographers that used to work for Celebration Studios. Remember -- most of them are freelancers who were screwed just as much as we are here. http://ex.celebrationstudiosphotographer.com/ Please go here to see if your photographer is listed and if he/she is, there will be contact information there for you to contact him/her directly. I just spoke directly with my photographer and he said that once he makes sure he can legally send me my pictures, he will burn them on a CD and send them to me. You see, we were VERY happy with him, and I didn't realize right away that he was just as hurt in this fiasco as all of us are. So all hope is not lost ladies. Fighting for the money that was already paid might be the hard part, but at least there is hope in getting your pictures to at least take to another photographer. Hope that makes some of you feel a little better
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