Tuesday, Attorney General Jeff Jackson sued Holly Christina Scott Ayscue, Christopher Owen Ayscue, and their wedding photography company, Holly Christina Photography, alleging that the defendants misled and defrauded brides, engaged couples, and their families.
Since January, the Department of Justice says it's received 166 complaints from customers alleging more than $750,000 in total financial loss.
"This photographer left engaged couples and newlyweds stranded without a wedding photographer, without refunds, and without memories from one of the most important days of their lives," said Attorney General Jeff Jackson. "Even before they shut down, they were deceiving customers to maximize their own profit. We're taking them to court to get justice for these brides and grooms."
Wilson first told you about Holly Christina Photography in January, when brides and mothers of brides said the company ghosted them.
One of those brides, Destiny Mantz, said she couldn't get in touch with Holly Christina, "Her phone was no longer working, so there was no way to get a hold of her." Another bride, Alexis Sullivan, hired HCP and said, "They did not show up to the meeting, and they have not responded to two emails, a text, and an Instagram DM, so my wedding is in 60 days."
Despite Wilson reaching out multiple times to Holly Christina Photography, they never responded to ABC11. Instead, the company posted on its social media pages that they have ceased operations. Days after shutting down, Holly Christina Photography did send this email to some customers, announcing the closure and saying to email them if they have questions.
Since shutting down, while three brides tell us they have received their raw pictures from Holly Christina Photography, and some customers disputed the charges with their credit card and won those disputes, other customers say they still have nothing. Attorney General Jackson said to Wilson, "Thanks to a lot of media reporting early on, we have the evidence that we need to take legal action." Included in that legal action, "Part of what we're asking the court to do is order that they are no longer able to provide this service because frankly, they can't be trusted," Attorney General Jackson added.
Dana Chavis, a mother of the bride, is one of the 166 complaints filed with the NC Attorney General's office and says this civil action brings relief. She adds, "I am ecstatic. I really hope that they get punished and they have the consequences for what they've caused us for these couple of months." She paid Holly Christina Photography more than $5,000 to document her daughter's July wedding. Once the company announced it shut down, she filed a dispute with her credit card company, and got notice she won the dispute and got her money back.
Of the complaints filed with the NC Department of Justice, the office states:
- At least 92 clients requested refunds on their down payments on future wedding bookings, but haven't received them.
- At least 38 clients received only a sneak peek of their photos but are still waiting on the full gallery they paid for, as well as the videos.
- At least 35 clients received only the raw photographs and videos from their wedding, without any editing they paid for.
As we first reported, we heard from several brides who booked their wedding with Holly Christina Photography on the same day as other brides in different parts of the state, but said they had no idea other brides would be booked on the same day.
According to the court documents filed by Attorney General Jackson, Holly Christina Photography also double-booked or triple-booked weddings on at least 60 dates in different parts of the state, including two separate dates that had five weddings scheduled. The suit also states that, at some of these weddings, they used backup photographers without getting approval from their clients. They also placed undue pressure on clients to book their services, often deceptively advertising that only one "last spot" was available. At least 76 people who filed complaints with the Department of Justice felt rushed to take the last spot available.
While Wilson has not received any response from Holly Christina Photography, she asked Attorney General Jackson if his office has, and he said, "Our office has reached out several times. We have received almost nothing in response from these folks. Now that we're taking them from court, I expect that to change."
Wilson did speak with two brides who said they got an email Monday night from Holly Christina Photography saying they are preparing to send their raw wedding pictures on an SD card, and asked for those brides' mailing addresses.