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3 Colorado brides say they were scammed by same wedding photographer

Trae Smith of 728 Films and Photos
Posted at 7:20 PM, Sep 19, 2017
and last updated 2017-09-19 21:20:15-04

SILVERTHORNE, Colo. -- Newlyweds Sarah and Tim Larose say they are the latest Colorado couple to fall victim to a wedding photographer's scam after he failed to hold up his end of the deal.

The college sweethearts tied the night in Silverthorne on August 5.

"It means everything. That was the most important day of our lives," said Sarah. "I was so excited to have videos of that."

Larose said they hired Trae Smith of 728 Films and Photos to be their videographer, but he never showed up. Instead, another woman came in his place.

"Trae is apparently canceling on you. He's done this before. We're going to come shoot your wedding," Larose said the other videographer explained.

Larose now says Smith won't pay the other videographer he hired.

"It kind of broke my heart," said Larose.

Caught in the middle, she said her wedding footage and $1,500 she paid for the video is being held hostage.

"To have my dad's speech on tape would mean the most to me," said Larose.

Denver7 called Smith, but no one answered.

We also tracked down Brianna Marscheider, the Colorado Springs videographer who shot Larose's wedding and has the footage.

"We're just waiting for Trae to pay us," Marscheider, the owner of TYL media, said over the phone. "It's super unfortunate, and it's a horrible situation, to be honest. Especially for the brides."

Marscheider said she is considering legal action, but if Smith doesn't pay she will give the bride's their raw footage.

"I trusted my gut, which was a terrible mistake it turns out," said Larose.

Larose said she found Smith on Wedding Wire and after he offered a reasonable price, she fell for his compelling sales pitch.

"He said the reason my prices are so good is because my actual career is a videographer for the Broncos," she explained.

Denver7 reached out to the Broncos. A spokesperson said they have no record of Smith ever working there. 

"I think he's a scam artist," said Larose. "I want exactly what was promised. I want our raw footage, and I also want the edited footage that was detailed in our contract."

Two other Colorado brides with similar stories

A Boulder couple says they were also scammed by Smith after they hired him as a wedding photographer and never showed up on their big day. Jamie and Kyle Block have no pictures of their wedding, other than cell phone images, and said they are short $3,000.

Sarah Koehler and Alexj Koehler got married June 19 and also hired 728 Films to do the videography. Like Larose's experience, Koehler said Smith didn't show up the day of their wedding and is now refusing to pay the other videographer who did.