Wedding Box Photography terrible and incompetent service, refusal of reasonable resolution Flushing New York

My wedding date was 10/07/06, we hired a company called
Wedding Box Photography (http://wedding-box.com/) to provide a suite of services with the centerpieces being wedding day photography and videography. For the entire packaged deal, we paid a total of $5,700.00. WB is supposed to produce for us an edited video of 1 1/2hr length out of the wedding day footage they shot. Their service sucked from day one, but it is this video that is causing me to reach out.

In March of 07 WB provided us with the first edition of this video. We were to review it and, if necessary, request changes or add-ons. We noticed that the Bride's entire side of the family was missing from the family photos and we wanted to add our baby photos to the video (we provided a CD to WB containing our baby photos). Since these were simple changes, we were assured this could be done very quickly. Unfortunately, months and
months would go by, numerous phone calls and emails from me and my wife, before we finally received the 2nd edition in Aug of 07. The 2nd edition was still missing the Bride's side of the family and the baby photos
were done very poorly. We called, emailed, and we went to WB's place of business and showed them the video and showed them exactly what was wrong. As these were essentially the same requests as the first time, we
were again assured of a fast turnaround. We were assured we would definitely have it within a week. But, instead, more months would pass by, more phone calls and emails, and more complaining on our part, and still no video.

At this point, we reached out to the Better Business Bureau for assistance. BBB started corresponding with WB on our behalf. With BBB's involvement, we finally got to speak to an owner and the opportunity to air our grievances. In November, 07 we received a third version. This third version was completely different than the first two and did include the bride's family, but now our baby photos are missing entirely. Apparently the original videographer who worked on our video had since left WB and took our file with him. So WB had to start overwith our video which is why it's totally different. They also were no longer in possession of our baby picture file.

So now WB offered to give us just the raw footages and we would have to find another vendor to edit the video. Which I was fine with, but I asked for a partial refund since I now would have to pay someone else to edit the
video. They did not want to refund any monies to us.

BBB suggested that we contact the Dept of Consumer Affairs since they have actual enforcement powers. I filed a claim with the DCA in early 08. Failing to get a response from WB, DCA advised me to file in Small
Claims Court. I did so and sued WB in Small Claims. What I wanted was for WB to give us the raw footage and a partial refund. But, since one can only sue for money in Small Claims, I could not sue for the raw footage.

On our court date of 5/15/08, WB and I chose arbitration. The arbitrator found in my favor, but awarded me only $250, I sued for $2,500. So, I contacted WB and asked for the raw footage in addition to the $250 judgement. They refused, citing arbitration as the end of their contractual obligations to me and my wife. To get the raw footages, they're saying we would have to pay $150 to the videographer.

I think I'm really stuck in a bad situation. The video footage of our wedding day is obviously not a product we can get from anywhere else. Wedding Box knows this and is, in my opinion, totally screwing us. They ignored both the BBB and the DCA. And my suit in Small Claims really kind of backfired on me. The $250 I "won" is no where near enough to hire another vendor to do the editing work. The money's not important but clearly I need the raw footage to give to another vendor in order to do the editing work.

anonymous
new york, New York
U.S.A.