A suburban New York wedding photographer is being sued by a recently married couple who allege in a lawsuit that he botched pictures of their big day and even asked guests for their advice on getting good shots.
Throughout the November 12, 2024 event, photographer Michael Ivory “appeared rushed and unfocused, requiring guidance from guests and plaintiffs on how to take proper pictures,” according to a breach of contract lawsuit obtained by The Independent.
Patrick Brown, 46, and wife Cheryl Carley, 54, say in their complaint that Ivory’s shots were “blurry, poorly composed,” and “failed to capture important aspects of the wedding,” such as shots of the bride with her bridesmaids, candid photos of guests and the cake being blessed.
Ivory, who is based in Yonkers and has since cut off all communication with the two, and later allegedly tried to blame the bride, claiming she was four hours late to her own ceremony – an allegation the newlyweds vociferously dispute.
“We had to rely on family members and guests to pull in all of their photos,” Brown told The Independent. “If we would have known that they would have done a better job than this guy, we would have never hired him. Our guests’ photos came out ten times better than his did. It’s been very, very, very disappointing.”
Brown and Carley shared a batch of their wedding photographs, which included images that were, among other things, entirely out of focus, completely off-center, and too dark to make out any of the subject’s facial features.
“When we told him our concerns, he started to become very unresponsive, belligerent, disrespectful,” Brown said, “… So then me and my wife were like, ‘No matter how painful, or what it costs us, we’ve got to take this guy to court.’”
Ivory and his attorney, Santo Baravecchio, did not respond on Friday afternoon to a request for comment.
“I cater to the need [sic] of my clients by bringing their visions to life with a lens,” Ivory’s website tells prospective clients. “Catering to each and every project with calculated precision, zeal, and the intent to build a long last [sic] relationship with every client. I give my best in all that I do because I listen to the needs, wants, and details of what each every [sic] client is look [sic] for… When it comes to photography I will always give premium service experience.”
According to Brown, he and Carley were impressed not only by Ivory’s online site, which features pictures of Rihanna and other celebrities, but also with his proposed plan to shoot their wedding.
“When we were seeking different vendors, we came across him and said, ‘Let’s give this guy a try,” Brown told The Independent. “He was like, in the middle between the low tier and the high tier [price-wise]. He came across very charming, attentive, he showed initiative and follow-up: ‘Hey, let’s do this, let’s do that,’ all the right things that you want to hear. On-point.”
The two agreed to pay Ivory $3,200 for his services, according to their complaint, which was filed June 13 in New York County Supreme Court. However, it contends, their expectations went completely unmet when their nuptials rolled around. With more than 250 guests in attendance, Brown and Carley told Ivory he might want to consider bringing along a second photographer, the complaint says. But, it alleges, Ivory didn’t heed their advice.
As a result, the complaint maintains, Ivory “failed to capture the following traditional and customary moments of the wedding.”
It goes on to list various things they asked for, but claim they never got, including: “bridesmaids’ and groomsmen group photo with the bride, individual photos with the bride and her bridesmaids, the bride and her groomsmen, bridesmaids and groomsmen together, candid moments with guests at their tables, bridesmaids on the staircase with the bride, bridesmaids assisting the bride, person blessing the cake, Sean playing the trumpet, Justin playing the drums, venue Ambiance, grand entrance/foyer, decorated tables/centerpieces, lighting (string lights, chandeliers), architectural details (columns, arches), outdoor scenery (gardens, views).”
When Brown and Carley reviewed the first tranche of pictures from Ivory, their complaint says they “faced difficulties in viewing and selecting photos due to technological limitations… including prominent watermarks and reduced quality.”
Yet, the complaint goes on, Ivory “failed to offer any resolutions or alternatives,” resulting in a stalemate. The month after the wedding, following weeks of back-and-forth, Ivory informed Brown and Carley via text that he would “cease all communication” and would deliver the photos they grudgingly selected within 10 to 12 months, according to the complaint.
In early May, Baravecchio, Ivory’s lawyer, emailed Brown and Carley’s lawyer, attempting to place the blame on Carley.
“Mr. Ivory advises the bride was 4 hours late,” Baravecchio claimed, a contention Brown and Curley strongly denied.
However, Baravecchio said Ivory would “expeditiously provide the photographs selected by your clients,” although “[n]o refund will be forthcoming.”
Brown and Carley are not alone in experiencing deep disappointment over their wedding shots. Other wedding photographers have also attracted complaints. Earlier this year, another wedding photog made headlines after more than a dozen pissed-off brides complained to the New Jersey and Pennsylvania attorney general’s offices about the shoddy quality of their pics, or, in certain instances, never having received them at all.
In April, a Chicago couple went public with a horror story about their wedding photographer, who failed to deliver their photos at all, later insisting he had been hospitalized and had no way of getting in touch with them. A few years earlier, another wedding photographer was accused of deleting all the photos he took at one couple’s ceremony after they allegedly denied him a meal break.
On the other side of the coin, when one Texas couple took to social media with complaints about a photographer they claimed had withheld their wedding photos, the snapped accused the pair of defamation, ultimately winning a court judgment of more than $1 million.
To Brown, it’s a matter of doing proper due diligence well in advance, saying, “Even if it costs you a little bit more money, pay it.”
“Get references, do your homework, do a much deeper dive on their background and quality of work,” he told The Independent. “You only get to do this once. It’s very unfortunate that we had to learn it the hard way.”
Brown and Carley are seeking their $3,200 back from Ivory, plus interest and court costs.
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