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Finally - I have my film!! (with news clippings)

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ta...@4taconic.com

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Nov 18, 1998, 3:00:00 AM11/18/98
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Last Friday, a US Bankruptcy Court authorized the PA Attorney General's
office to release photographic materials turned over to it by David Ari Wilf,
owner of Ari Wilf Photography (later doing business as "Art of Weddings").
So, after five months of waiting (most of that time not even knowing if
*anything* in the way of pictures of my wedding existed), I finally have in
my possession the undeveloped film from our wedding day!

YIIIIIPPPPPEEEEE!

I have 13 rolls of film that, if they are all completely exposed, will yield
468 pictures. It is such a relief to finally have them!

FWIW, the scum-sucking jerk was fined a paltry $10,000. Since he has filed
for bankruptcy, I don't know if he will be legally obligated to pay the fine

Of course, we are luckier than a lot of people. First of all, we paid via
credit card. We have received full credit from First USA Visa, along with a
personal letter from the President of the bank, copied to the PA AG (nice
touch, I thought). Also, our property was clearly marked with our last names
and the date. So much of what the AG has is either cryptically labelled or
not labelled at all. And, finally, we were lucky in that Wilf actually
photographed our wedding himself, even if he was a complete a**hole the
entire time. He often told brides he had a staff, but would actually
subcontract the event and then never pay the outside photographer.

After having worried about it for so long, I think we're going to wait until
after Thanksgiving and decide what to do next!

-Tara

For those who are interested, here are snippets of two news articles, giving
examples of what a jerk this guy is:

Here come the brides, not smiling
They were looking for their missing wedding photos -- at a branch of the state
Attorney General's Office.
By Angela Pomponio
INQUIRER SUBURBAN STAFF

Some of the hundreds of couples David Ari Wilf photographed at their weddings
are no longer married. Some have long since moved out of the area. Still
others now have children.

"We're getting kids before our wedding pictures," joked Shannon Megella, who
was married in 1995 and is expecting her first child in three weeks. Though
she left yesterday without her finished portraits, Megella said she was lucky
to have received 300 proofs from Wilf. "At least we'll have something to show
them," she said.

Other customers felt neither so happy nor lucky, said Kathleen Walter, a
senior consumer-protection agent in Fisher's office.

"I don't think any of them are really satisfied. They're sad," Walter said,
standing near a photograph of an unidentified bride and groom kissing.
"Unfortunately, some of them haven't gotten anything, or they've gotten a lot
less than they paid for."

At least one couple managed to walk away from the business squabble with a
happy ending. Carol Marchesani found her entire wedding album with 499 photos
in Fisher's office. Up until now, she said, the only photographs she had of
her April wedding were those that friends gave her.

"I'm just so glad I finally have them. There are so many great ones," she said
while going through the album. "My favorite is of our first dance. I was
crying, and he caught it for the picture."

Deputy Attorney General Katherine Rebillard said she was not optimistic about
a civil suit seeking $20,000 in restitution from Wilf for other customers.

"I don't think they're going to see the money," Rebillard said. "He has filed
for bankruptcy and has filed so many times."

Ken Hanley, whose wife, Lori, was one of the first to arrive at Fisher's
office yesterday, said they found only 12 rolls of unprocessed film from
their wedding. The Hanleys, who paid Wilf $1,800, will have to have the film
developed and printed on their own.

"Now my question is, how do I know they're mine for sure?" Ken Hanley asked.
"At this point, I don't trust anyone. It makes you guess everyone's second
nature. I used to be easygoing until this."
++++++++++++++++++
Court fines photographer for contempt
He had been ordered to turn over pictures from numerous weddings. Now, he'll
pay $10,000.
By Angela Pomponio
INQUIRER SUBURBAN STAFF

Five months of phone calls to the Better Business Bureau and nearly $1,800
later, Tammy Herr of Norristown finally has the film of her wedding in hand.
Now, all she has to do is process it, select the negatives, and have them
enlarged.

Herr, 25, who was married in May, is one of at least 87 customers who since
1991 have paid thousands of dollars to photographer David Ari Wilf of
Norristown, yet never received the pictures he took.

Herr said she obtained her photographs by contacting one of Wilf's
subcontractors, who actually shot her wedding. The subcontractor, who told her
he was never paid by Wilf, gave her the film for $250.

"It's been rough," Herr said. "I just hope everyone else will get their
photos. Granted, we'll never see the money we spent again, but the photos are
still worth it. . . . I keep showing mine to everyone, and I won't let them
out of my sight again."

Barbara Petito, a spokeswoman for the Attorney General's Office, said that
some photographs had already been distributed to their owners, but that the
remaining items were marked only with a first name or the date of the
occasion.

"It's a shame. Some people never got a documentary of one of the most
important days of their lives," Petito said. "We have no other way of getting
in touch with them, so that's where we're at now."

Herr, who met Wilf last year at a bridal show at the Valley Forge Expo Center,
said she had learned a valuable lesson: "Definitely check out anyone you're
hiring for anything. Check the name with every Better Business Bureau."

By the time she called the Better Business Bureau about Wilf, Herr said, there
were already five complaints lodged against him on the same day.


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Michelle

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Nov 18, 1998, 3:00:00 AM11/18/98
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On Wed, 18 Nov 1998 14:21:02 GMT, ta...@4taconic.com wrote:

>Last Friday, a US Bankruptcy Court authorized the PA Attorney General's
>office to release photographic materials turned over to it by David Ari Wilf,
>owner of Ari Wilf Photography (later doing business as "Art of Weddings").
>So, after five months of waiting (most of that time not even knowing if
>*anything* in the way of pictures of my wedding existed), I finally have in
>my possession the undeveloped film from our wedding day!
>
>YIIIIIPPPPPEEEEE!
>
>I have 13 rolls of film that, if they are all completely exposed, will yield
>468 pictures. It is such a relief to finally have them!

That must be such a relief for you! I cannot imagine how happy you
must be right now!!!

Michelle


Michelle

unread,
Dec 11, 1998, 3:00:00 AM12/11/98
to
Hey Jill,

I think we have another one here that can't figure out who to address.
I have nothing to do with this thread, if I can recall correctly.

Michelle

On Fri, 11 Dec 1998 20:44:34 GMT, john...@hotmail.com wrote:

>michelle, do use a professional Photo lab that specializes in wedding and
>portrait processing. The prices may seem high to you but the Quality and
>reliability are much better.
>E-mail me if you need assistance
>john leech
>john leech photography, houston tx

Karen Simmons

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Dec 11, 1998, 3:00:00 AM12/11/98
to john...@hotmail.com
John,

I get the feeling you are new to newsgroups and, as a long time
participant in these groups - as a bride and as a vendor - I'd like to
offer some advice.

(1) Please check the age of the messages you are responding to. Many
of the messages you have posted responses to are several months old and
have been resolved. Some of them caused some rather lengthy threads
that people don't want to see started up again. Bringing them up now is
counterproductive.

(2) Please check the sender of the original message. Several times you
have addressed responses to someone who was not involved in the original
situation. Again, this is counterproductive and doesn't make you look
great, either.

(3) Check the name of the newsgroups in which you are participating.
The alt.newlywed group is not interested in wedding planning threads.
Most of the participants on that group were alt.wedding or
soc.couples.wedding alumni before they moved to the newlywed group and
either still read a.w. and s.c.w. or don't care.

(4) Finally, go easy on the advertising/self promotional parts of your
posts. Vendors who are helpful and participatory are truly welcomed in
these groups. Vendors who plug themselves at every turn not only find
themselves on the wrong side of the group, they make it difficult for
the rest of us. A sig file at the end of your message (like mine) lets
people know what you do and where you do it. Other than that, keep the
"me" parts to a minimum unless they are anecdotally relevant.

I have found the a.w. and s.c.w. groups to be friendly and welcoming of
me as a vendor and a bride - but there are rules to be followed if you
don't want to find yourself on the receiving end of some negative
feedback.

I hope this helps you in your posting and welcome to the groups...

Regards,

karen

--
-----------------------------
Karen Simmons, Photographer
The DK Gallery
http://www.thedkgallery.com
Atlanta, GA 404.233.1230
-----------------------------

gerigu...@aol.com

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May 19, 2016, 9:34:30 PM5/19/16
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If anyone has information on the the subcontractors Ari hired, please let me know. I have my proffs and the negatives but I don't have my video, two mem were the video-photographers. Please e-mail me any information you may have I got married on 3/22/1997 at the Staints Peter and Paul Cathedral in Philadelphia and the Reseption was at the Marroitt in the Philadelphia Airport. Thank you for any information.
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