Couples have been left heartbroken and devastated after their photographer ceased trading weeks before their special day. Multiple couples from Wales say they are frustrated and baffled at what to do next, as they claim they are hundreds of pounds out of pocket before their wedding.
In an email sent to customers, Lee Brewer, a sole trader under the name South West Photo & Film, and previously known as Lee Brewer photography, said he had "declared bankruptcy" on Tuesday, July 27. The website for South West Photo & Film has since been removed and all social media pages have been deactivated.
Many say they are unsure if they will receive a refund for the money they paid to Mr Brewer, or receive their long-awaited pictures, while it has left others scrambling for new photographers and videographers under short notice. Couples claim Mr Brewer has not returned their calls and emails after ceasing trading, despite the photographer having already received their final balance payment.
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In a now-deleted post shared on the Southwest Photo & Film Facebook page, Mr Brewer said he had followed advice from an insolvency company and a decision to cease trading was made on July 27. The post, shared on July 28, said: "I have ceased trading as of 27-7-22 and am in the process of filing for bankruptcy."
Mr Brewer claimed no customers were requested to pay any money on the day of the closure or asked "by phone or to pay in cash last minute", and that all money will be "dealt with by the official receiver". He finished the lengthy statement by stating: “I’m just human and have made a mess of it, none of this was my intention in any way.”
Charlene Jones, 33, and Jonathan Eddy, 36, from Merthyr Tydfil, are getting married on August 30 and say they booked Mr Brewer for their big day, costing them £895. They claim they received an email from the company on Monday, July 25, reminding them to pay their outstanding balance of £545 - which they say they paid. On Tuesday, July 26, they said they received the receipt for confirmation and on Wednesday (July 27), claimed they found out he was no longer trading from an automatic email sent to customers and seen by WalesOnline.
The email said: "It is with the utmost sadness we would like to inform you that Southwest Photo and Film (formally Lee Brewer Photography) has ceased trading. We will no longer be able to provide any of our services to you at your wedding."
It added: "Unfortunately, I have been left with no choice but to cease trading and declare bankruptcy as of today 27.07.22. An official receiver will be in touch with further information.
Charlene said: “It’s just awful and heart-breaking when you've saved for years. I have four little children to look after - he’s just left hundreds of people to suffer.”
Her wedding is in three weeks, but Charlene has said the response she’s received from the community has been wonderful, with photographers offering discounts and student photographers offering their services for free. However, she says she is still £725 extra out of pocket to pay for another photographer.
Matthew, 30, and his soon to be wife Helen Leigh, 31, are another couple who booked Mr Brewer two months ago ready for their autumn wedding. The couple, who are getting married at Canada Lodge & Lake in Cardiff, claim they are at risk of losing their honeymoon money to pay for another photographer.
Matthew said: “We booked Lee for our wedding on October 1, 2022, over two months ago and he offered us a 10% discount if we paid in full. We thought that’s amazing, so we parted with just over £1,000 to secure him for our big day.
“We found out [Thursday] morning that the company has gone bust and we are beyond devastated. The problem is our wedding is now paid in full and we are at risk of losing our honeymoon money to pay out for another photographer. So I’ve tried contacting him by phone and text both to which he’s not responded to.”
The couple planned to spend their honeymoon in America and Mexico, with their family already giving them gift money in American dollars. Matthew said he feels like “it’s just going to go to waste now.”
Frances and Matthew Dando, from Llanrumney, married on June 25 and say they originally paid Mr Brewer £795 to attend the wedding, to photograph and film their special day. However, they claim he informed them that he would be subcontracting a photographer and videographer to attend the wedding - so the couple would be receiving a style of images they hadn’t seen before.
Frances said: “We booked Lee back in 2019 and paid a £100 deposit. We paid the remainder in August 2020 of £695. Our original wedding date was October 2020 and then had to change the date four times due to Covid. Each time we informed Lee and at no time did he tell us that he had changed his company name and that it wouldn't be him shooting our wedding, that he would be subcontracting it out.
“I was a bit cautious but gave him the benefit of the doubt. I spoke with the photographer and videographer and they were lovely and put my worries at ease. They came and shot my wedding and all was okay. But I had to pay an extra £150 [to Mr Brewer] for the photographer and videographer to arrive two hours earlier than I had contracted. Another £150 as the day ran over by two hours and another £150 as I wanted the ceremony and the first dance recorded in full.”
Frances says she found out on Facebook that Mr Brewer had ceased trading and has been desperately trying to get hold of him for their photos. As they made their wedding a phone free zone, she said they hardly have any photographs to remember their special day.
“My wedding was the 25th of June and I still haven’t received my wedding pictures from Lee. There is a chance we won't ever get our photos or videos - the most important day of our lives and no memories to look back on. I've been lucky enough to make contact with the videographer and photographer and I’m grateful that they still have my photos and videos, but they are also out of pocket so now I'm having to pay another £300 to get my wedding photos in my possession. They are just as much a victim in all of this.
“Some things are more important than money and just being able to gain access to have our photos and videos is a godsend in this awful situation. Myself and all these other brides need justice for the pain he has and is putting us through.”
In the now-deleted Facebook statement, Mr Brewer said fully-edited photos will be sent to clients who have held their weddings over the past three months. He said: "You will hear from me in the next few weeks regarding this. I will also be contacting clients who’s [sic] weddings our associate photographers and videographers have captured. This will take time but I will be in touch."
In the email sent to customers, Mr Brewer said: "If you have had a wedding with us in the last 12 weeks, and are still waiting for your photos/video, we will be in touch over the coming weeks with the information on how you can get access to your photo and video files. We appreciate this isn't ideal, but we will be in touch with the relevant information asap."
Danielle Roberts, 27, and Tomos Perry, 28, from Rhoose, are childhood sweethearts and have been looking forward to their upcoming wedding day for a long time. They say they initially booked Mr Brewer for their wedding due to him offering a NHS discount after the pandemic, but for the last three months they claim they have been trying to get a refund after cancelling their booking.
Danielle said she decided to hire a new photographer and planned to use the £1,500 refund towards the cost of the new photographer. She described the cancellation process as complicated, which consisted of emails back and forth between her and the company, and said she was sent a link stating that she needed to send off a handwritten letter to a specific address.
The couple say they then received a letter stating that it would take 60 working days for the payment to be refunded. On day 52 Danielle said she confirmed the refund again with Mr Brewer, who allegedly stated that the refund would be in place on day 60, the day before the photographer said he had declared bankruptcy.
She said: "It's had a massive impact on us, because I'm a nurse for the NHS and I'm back on maternity leave. We don't have the funds to pay for a new photographer and are relying on the refund."
In the statement shared on the South West Photo & Film Facebook page, Mr Brewer apologised for the situation and added: "It’s with the most deepest regret I have been forced to make this decision, I have spent years trying to build this business and now lost everything. In hindsight I should have admitted defeat during the pandemic but being one not to quit I kept trying to fight, rebuild and grow, with having to refund over 200k in the last two years because of the financial burden following the pandemic my business has failed as the result."
In his statement Mr Brewer said he had also been involved in a separate wedding business, Arlos Weddings, until last week, but stressed that the business was unaware of the situation, and "had done no wrong". He said: "My business partner on that venture had absolutely no idea I was making this decision and has done no wrong doing at all and has been in touch with everyone from that business. It is a completely separate company. He is no way affiliated to South West Photo and Film apart from being an associate shooter."
On a certificate of incorporation of a private limited company, found on Companies House, Mr Brewer is listed as a shareholder of the company.
A spokesperson for Arlos Weddings said: "Arlos Weddings Limited is in no way shape or form associated with the business of Lee Brewer trading as South West Photo and Film. Set up in November 2021, Lee was a shareholder of Arlos Weddings and worked as the main photographer, with myself on filming duties. This company offered a different, more in-depth service than South West Photo and Film. I am absolutely appalled by what has happened and the devastation that Lee has left behind.
"Due to the actions of Lee Brewer and subsequent fall out, I have made the decision to no longer continue with Arlos Weddings. The few people that had bookings with Arlos for 2023/24 have all been fully refunded by myself and I have helped to find suitable replacements. The company will be dissolved, owing no money to anybody. My thoughts go out to all of the couples affected by Lee's actions."
Mr Brewer has been approached for a comment. On Monday, August 1, the Insolvency Service said Mr Brewer was not listed on the the Individual Insolvency Register.
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