A wedding photography company has been slapped with a AUS$100,000 (NZ$113,000) payment order after dudding dozens of couples on their big day.
Emily Andres of Parramatta-based firm Andres & Co has been outed by NSW Fair Trading after no-shows and failing to deliver snaps to newlyweds over two years.
The watchdog placed a public warning on Andres & Co in 2024 after receiving 68 complaints from couples who did not get the expensive packages they paid for.
AAP has attempted to contact the company without success.
Facebook's wedding discussion pages from the area are awash with angry and anxious brides after contracting the company.
One self-described "sad and stressed bride to be", posted in urgent need of a stand-in photographer after realising they'd been "completely ghosted".
"Another Andres and Co victim here. We have a wedding booked in for 3/10/24 ... Joey was forthcoming and great at the start with us," they posted.
"Once a deposit was paid, we have had no contact from them despite calling and emailing them for weeks on end ... right now I have no faith that he will even turn up for our wedding day. "
On Tiktok, a newlywed shared her frustrations after buying a photography package but receiving nothing back.
"He shot all of the most amazing coverage of my ceremony ... now he's not responding to anything," she said.
She told others to "trust your gut" when hiring for their special day.
"Alas I wish I trusted mine. I wish i went and found someone new when all the story broke out ... and now I'm suffering."
Subcontracted photographers or production assistants also shared their frustrations online at not being paid for work.
On Monday, NSW Fair Trading announced the complaints produced a successful prosecution.
Andres was found responsible for 15 breaches of consumer law, fined AUS$48,250(NZ$54,720) and ordered to pay another AUS$51,760(NZ$58700) to compensate couples.
"There is only one opportunity to capture a wedding day, and this trader has robbed many couples of that moment," NSW Fair Trading Commissioner Natasha Mann said.
"While no monetary penalty can change that, I am pleased to see the trader being held to account."
The offending took place between March 2023 and February 2025, including couples that were left up to AUS$5000(NZ$5670) out of pocket.
Andres & Co have four weeks to appeal the decision and fine.
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