Michelle Riesland Prime Elegance Photography Stole my payment in full, destroyed my wedding memories by ignoring me for months and failing to produce my wedding photos Durham, North Carolina

I contacted Michelle Riesland in April 2009 about photgraphing my wedding.  The original photographer I had booked had to back out (and refunded my deposit) because her husband got PCS orders across the country and she was leaving.  Michelle was the only photographer I could afford who was actually available on my August 1, 2009 wedding date.

Because I live 90 miles from Durham and work full-time, I looked at her online photos and spoke with her on the phone a few times and based on that I sent her a deposit check for $511 on 4/30/09.  The check was promptly cashed.  We had a couple of phone calls discussing my wedding and what I wanted in photos from that day, and I sent the remaining balance of $419 on 7/15/09, which was also promptly cashed.  At that time my photography package was paid in full.  The package I purchased was:

ULTIMATE WEDDING PACKAGE
4 hours before wedding coverage
Rehearsal Dinner
UNLIMITED Wedding Coverage
6 hour Reception Coverage
ALL photos I take (Usually Between 400-600)
Travel to ANYWHERE in NC = 300-400 miles
Bridal Portrait - Includes - Edites using Photoshop CS4, Sitting Fee, 1 16x20, 1 8x10, 1 5x7, 10 4x6s
Wedding Album - Description - Love Story Book, pictures are actually printed on the pages with a story next to the pictures from the start of your day until the finish.
ALL Engagement Photos and session - Includes - Sitting Fee, Edits using Photoshop CS4, 1 8x10, 1 5x7, 10 4x6s
Entire CD of ALL pictures - Description - From your Engagement Photos, Bridal Photos, Rehearsal Dinner, Before Wedding, Wedding, Reception, and when you drive away
Additional Help on wedding day between pictures
10 8x10s
20 5x7s
Photo release saying you can print as many pictures as you would like

She showed up on my wedding day and did take lots of pictures, over 500.  I don't remember the exact number, but I believe she said it was around 580.  My husband deployed a few weeks after the wedding, and as we had not had time to get our engagement photos taken, she told me that we had 12 months to use the rest of our package.  I also never got my bridal portrait photos either, and was planning to do them after the wedding.

On September 15, 2009 I tried to call her, since I had not heard from her in six weeks and I had not seen a single photo.  Both of the numbers I had were disconnected.  I checked her website to find it had disappeared.  On 9/17 I emailed her and asked how things were going with my pictures and let her know that I wanted a response.  I got a very brief response on 9/18 telling me that my wedding album was already in production (I had YET to see a single picture, let alone approve an album layout).  She stated in that email that the production was backlogged due to wedding season but that she was sending my photos now so I didn't have to wait.

I told her to cancel production on the album until I had seen and approved the photos that went in it.  Her responses got less and less friendly and when I finally was able to start leaving her voice mails again asking for return calls they were all ignored, as were my repeated emails.  It wasn't until I left her a voice mail telling her I was getting a lawyer if I didn't get my photos that I got an email (not a phone call) stating, in not even a complete sentence "package was not going through please send me your address again".  This is a load of crap.  She has my address, I have NO problems getting mail from my husband in the middle east, she has simply not sent anything.  On 10/5/09, after a more direct email from me regarding legal action, she emails that she had no idea I hadn't gotten my pictures and that she would send another disc.  She also stated in that email that she tried to call me and couldn't get through, that it just clicked and went to voice mail.  In my email response I called her out on that by informing her that my husband calls me regularly from the middle east and has no problems getting through, so I knew she was lying.

On 10/8/09 I emailed Michelle and told her under legal advisement (so she knew I had spoken to a lawyer) that she would provide me with a valid tracking number from UPS, Fedex, or the USPS by 5:00 pm the next day for the package with my disc of photos inside, or that I would take legal action.  I get a sob story email back saying her son had stepped on her laptop so the screen is broken and she can't see anything on it.  I replied with a brief "any computer repair shop can get anything off your laptop for you at this point".  She didn't respond.

On 10/14/09 I got an email from Michelle stating that she had mailed off my pictures.  No tracking number was included.  When I emailed her on 10/20/09 I told her that I had no photos and that I was coming to Durham on Thursday, 10/22 to pick them up.  I asked what time was good for her.  She did not reply.  I emailed again 10/21 and told her I was coming on 10/22 and I needed to know what time was good for her.  She replied only because I told her I was proceeding in court.  THIS is the ridiculous email I got back from her:

"No, I had sent them through the regular postal service.  AGAIN, same address I am not sure what is going on.  If you do not believe me I'm sorry, but it is the truth.  I put it into my mailbox, and then sent it to the address you gave me.  I am going out of town today because I am moving to TX, I have to go to TX today till Saturday, then I am getting the final load of my things and I will be moved to TX for good this coming Tuesday.  However you can come to my old house, and pick up the CD, I will leave it at my door step today before I leave.  That address is 4908 McCormick Rd Durham NC  27713."

This was yesterday.  I was in a PANIC because I still had NO wedding photos.  I called my best girlfriend and asked her to go to Durham with me last night, because I was not about to wait until today.  I called the only number I had for Michelle to let her know.  A woman answered, I said, "Michelle?" Her, "No, this is Tracy."  Me, "May I speak to Michelle please?"  Her, "Let me see, I think she just left.  Who is calling?"  Me, "Melissa, the bride she's been jerking around."  CLICK.  Hung up on me.  I called back and got the voice mail.  I told her I was on my way to Durham and she needed to have my pictures ready to pick up.

My friend and I drove the 92 miles to her house.  There were cars in the drive, the tv was on, and a motorcycle pulled in and around the back right after we got there.  I decided I really didn't want to go on her property and get shot for trespassing, so I called Durham PD and asked if they could send an officer to assist with the situation.

When the officer arrived I told him the story.  The first thing he did was ask if I had filed a police report.  I said that I hadn't, I thought it was something I needed to pursue in civil court.  He told me that it absolutely was criminal fraud, and even though I didn't have a contract that SHE had signed (of course she never sent it to me) I did have the copy that I had signed, and since she provided it to me she was responsible.  He said that if the disc was not there we would file a report right then, but he went up to the house and amazingly, there was a disc on her porch.  We popped it into the laptop, and there were 258 photos from my wedding day, many that had been edited and  retouched.  Many were blurry and not retouched also, but at least I did get SOME.

At this point, she still owes me a LOT of the package I paid for.  I have given her 24 hours from about 4pm this afternoon to respond with how we are going to proceed.  If she ignores me, I'm calling Durham police and filing a police report.  I STRONGLY URGE all the other brides out there in the same situation to contact the Durham police and file a report.  The officer stated that by taking my money and not providing services paid for she is breaking the law, and the dollar amounts involved make it a very serious offense.  She has clearly done this enough times and taken enough money to have a REALLY good case against her.  The officer seemed genuinely surprised that I hadn't filed one yet.  The McCormick Rd address above was on all her correspondence as her business address, but since I was there last night I can say it clearly is a home.  I am not going to sit back and let her take my money and not provide what I paid for.  I am absolutely going forth with criminal charges if she doesn't fix it.