Wedding Picture Woes

October 2, 2006 (WLS) -- A wedding can be the most important day of some people's lives -- but some area couples say their memories were either lost or ruined by what they call a bad wedding photography service. ABC7'S Cheryl Burton has been looking into the consumer complaints about this company.

The Chicago-area Better Business Bureau says in the last year Rembrandt Studios has accounted for most of the complaints in the entire photography industry. Rembrandt Studios has offices all over the Chicagoland area. A Rembrandt spokesperson says they are addressing the complaints and have thousands of "happy" customers. Meanwhile, angry brides say the company left them with wedding photo woes.

"There's plenty of tall people in this world and I have seen pictures of them with their head included!" said Beth Milewski, customer.

Complaints of heads cut off, shadows, awkward hunching, and out -of- focus shots. They're wedding picture disappointments from brides like Beth Milewski.

"Things weren't centered, the lighting was horrific, there are horrible shadows," Milewski said.

Milewski showed ABC7 dozens of proofs that she believes can't be fixed with technology, especially her husband's missing head.

Milewski hired Rembrandt Studios for her June of 2005 wedding. A year and 4 months later, she is still trying to work out her complaints so she can get her complete album. Rembrandt admitted to ABC7 that her photographer had never done a wedding on his own until hers.

"They really sabotaged my entire wedding," Milewski said.

Rembrandt also paid for a studio reshoot, including hair-dos and tux rentals, for some of the wedding party, but Milewski says that still didn't correct all of the problems from the wedding day.

The Better Business Bureau says in the last three years consumers have filed at least 36 complaints against the company. The majority of them have been in the last year and make up for more than half of the complaints in the entire photography industry in the Chicago area.

"You're getting at least half of the complaints filed in the industry -- there's a problem," said Steve Bernas, Better Business Bureau.

Denise Medina says a picture of the entire bridal party together was missing from her proofs.

"They told me they would try to recreate the picture by taking four or five pictures and putting them together to come up with one bridal party picture," said Medina.

Medina says that never happened and she is still waiting on other pictures to complete her order.

"It's two years later and we still don't have our album complete," Medina said.

"Where are my books? Where are my proofs? Where are my pictures?" said Marcia Serio, customer.

Serio got married in October of 2004. She says, after two years, she recently received her completed order.

ABC7 called Rembrandt Studios several times in the last month -- but never heard back -- so we stopped by the company headquarters in Stickney.

Off camera, Rembrandt's director of photography, Michael Pipo, told us he didn't know there were so many complaints and that Rembrandt has done its best to address the complaints from the brides in our story. He also says some problems may be from weddings that occurred before he started two years ago.

"They really ruined any chance of having memorable photographs or memories and really enjoy that one special day that was for us," said Beth Milewski, customer.

One of Rembrandt's co-founders also recently added that the company has had problems with deliveries form suppliers. The Better Business Bureau says Rembrandt Studios is now starting resolve its complaints.

You can avoid wedding picture woes. Find a photographer that a friend has used. Also meet with that photographer in person and look at several samples of his or her work. You can also assign a person at your wedding to be in charge of making sure your photographer is getting the shots you want.

Also, don't forget you can simply check any company's record before hiring them on the Better Business Bureau's website.

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