New Jersey brides say they haven't received their cherished wedding photos
Several New Jersey brides claim cherished memories from their wedding days last year are still in the hands of their wedding photographer.
Several of them spoke with CBS News New York about their experience with booking Christina Hernandez Artistry, now operating under the name Wandering Stardust Collective.
"The photos are very important"
According to her contract, Sara Venezzio of Toms River was supposed to get at least 150 photos within 10 weeks of her October wedding. Now, 16 weeks later, she's only seen five photos capturing the joy of her wedding day. Venezzio wants her professional photos.
"The photos are very important because they had some elder family members there, so they won't be around forever. Obviously we want that memory," Venezzio said.
She said she felt confident booking the photographer, based on their initial communication in 2023.
"The communication was really good up until after the engagement shoot. Then it started to taper off: Something came up, something came up," Venezzio claims.
As it got closer to her wedding day, Venezzio's concerns grew, but she says the photographer reassured her the night before.
"She had posted on social media that she was, she said, about to shut my whole business down. So this is the night before my wedding. So I messaged her, obviously in a panic, and she's like, 'Oh, don't worry, I'll be at your wedding," Venezzio said. "An hour prior to when she's supposed to arrive... she said 'Oh, my Uber just canceled. But don't worry, I'm sending someone else' to my place."
Someone else did show up, but all the photos have not. Venezzio paid $2,000.
"Very stressful and disheartening"
"Very stressful and disheartening," Venezzio said. "It was a lot for me to work extra shifts and, really, like, save up for us money."
Communication since has been limited, Venezzio said. She's since connected with others with similar complaints, like Caitlin Levine of Morganville, N.J. Levine said she paid the photographer $8,000 for photos and an edited video of her June, 2024 wedding. She says to this day she's received about 200 photos, but no edited video.
"Just having to hound her and get these," Levine said. "And it was just really frustrating because I didn't know what to believe. I didn't know if, you know, she really was going through a hard time, or if I was being taken advantage of. I, really, I still don't know."
CBS News New York tried calling the photographer through the number listed on her business Instagram, but only got a message saying the number is not in service.
"There's nothing more that I want than to deliver the final product"
In a lengthy email response, the photographer said, in part, "I had to temporarily change my contact information because of the nonstop harassment." She went on to say "I am sorry for the delays... I am currently re-editing and will send them out as each one finishes. I will always view that I make art with my couples and capture their love authentically, and there's nothing more that I want than to deliver the final product."
"We wanted to spread awareness so that it does not happen to anybody else," Venezzio said.
CBS News New York reached out the New Jersey Attorney General's office. A spokesperson said the Division of Consumer Affairs has no complaints on file against this individual, or her company.
