Wedding videographer deletes footage; Houston-area bride exploring legal rights

HOUSTON

The bride tells us she hired a videographer from a wedding expo. He showed up to shoot the wedding, but four years later, she still has nothing but photographs to remember her special day.

"In July of 2009, we hired Ken Andrews Video and Photography," Stacey Williams said.

Williams tells us she paid Andrews $1,200 to video her wedding. Andrews contacted her two months later, requesting more information from her, she said.

"Wanted some names of our wedding party, and wanted some songs to add to the video," Williams said.

Williams told us she sent Andrews the names and a music CD about six to eight months after her wedding. She said she made numerous calls, inquiring about the video, but still, nothing.

"Then this last time I called him, a few months back, he says that he deletes all footage after two years," Williams said.

When she heard that the footage may be gone, it was upsetting.

"My father-in-law has since passed away. My grandfather, my husband's grandmother, and one of my uncles," she said.

When we reached out to Andrews, he did not want to appear on camera, but sent us the following statement:

"She did call me in September 2009 and stated that she would send me the information that was needed to complete her DVD, but she never sent me anything... I am sorry, but at this time I do not have her video, and because of her cursing and threats and the four year plus time period, I have considered this matter closed."

Andrews told us he didn't even hear anything from Williams for at least four years. As far as the footage, he said he deletes videos after two years because he does not have the equipment to store it longer.

Williams said she did send him the requested information, and she is now exploring her legal rights.

But the question is: did she wait too long?

The People's Lawyer, Richard Alderman, said the statute of limitations is four years. But it still may not be too late.

"She may also have a claim under a doctrine known as unjust enrichment. This is equity. This is just do what's fair," Alderman said. "Courts have a lot of discretion in those cases to do what they think is right."

Richard Alderman also told us the statute of limitations could run past the contract date because the videographer continued business communications with the bride after the wedding. It will be up to a court to determine that cutoff date, if it goes that far.

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