Photographer He'll

[tootiredtoclean]

Booked my wedding photographer about this time last year. Everything was going well and answered all my questions plus has done lots of shoots for friends etc. Now I cannot get hold of her. Have had no contact since the beginning of the year, tried emailing and Facebook messaging. Apparently according to her page her phone currently isn't working as it has been cut off! She has been fully paid and my wedding is now a month away. I don't want to upset her, annoy her, by sending her more messages but I am now in limbo and don't know what to do. I can't ask someone else as I would need the money I paid her to pay for them and I am stressed about just waiting to see if she turns up. Photos of the day are so important to me!
I'm so stressed about this it's unbelievable! Just hoping for some advice/help on what I can do. Is this normal or not? I have no idea!

[tootiredtoclean]

Autocorrect changing the tittle from hell!

[delilahbucket]

Do you have a contract and do you have wedding insurance? How did you book, i.e. have you met face to face or has it all been done online? If online she should be displaying her address under the Consumer Contract Regulations.
I would send one last communication giving her until x date to communicate or you will be booking another photographer and taking steps to recover your money. If you have a trace of communication with her you can look at going to the small claims court.

[tootiredtoclean]

@delilahbucket no contract! Stupid I know but I wasn't too worried as everyone I know has used her. Communication all online. Keep trying to arrange to meet and she will agree and then not say when she's available. There is part of her address online but not all. Although I have seen on her private Facebook she was moving to a studio. I have a full trace of communications and proof of payments. Just hope I'm panicking about something that's not going to happen! But I feel like it is

[delilahbucket]

Issue her an ultimatum. Dress it up with niceness and "sorry to bother you but" if you want, but she needs to contact you now. She can't just go off the grid a month before your booking.

[Floooopy]

Can you use a different email address / phone number to pose as a new client? See if you can find the studio she's moved to and pretend to want to book in. Have you tried Google searching for any other contact details/ address?

[SunsetYorks]

If she is a sole trader she should be registered on companies house?

[CrimsonCattery]

If she is a sole trader she should be registered on companies house?

Companies House is for companies. By definition, sole traders are not companies.

[SunsetYorks]

Ah apologies I’m wrong!

[tootiredtoclean]

Thank you for your ideas! I unloaded all my worries to my mum. She tried to phone today and found her phone number is no longer in use, so not just me being blocked. She works in the local shop so has done some digging and got me a new number so hopefully we will have some contact. Hoping she may just be on holiday or something and my anxiety is just going in to over drive. Going to give her another week as a deadline before I start looking into over options and getting my money back