An alleged wedding photographer in Kansas is in the spotlight for “scamming” couple and stripping the couple of memories of their wedding day by creating a fake emergency for a family. She is said to have repeated this several times.
As per KAKE News, Nick and Kirstie Steffen employed Caitlin Payne to be the photojournalist for their February wedding. They had hired her months earlier after having a meeting with Payne who is the owner of the company CP Wedding Photography, at an event for weddings.
On that day, Nick says Payne called him in a state of panic. Payne explained to him that her daughter had died involved in a crash with a car and that she was going to be able shoot the wedding in the evening.
According to a text message exchange among Kirstie and Payne that was reported in KAKE News the couple texted their photographer “It’s not a problem, but you have to take care of your child.”
Payne provided an alternative photographer to photograph the wedding of the couple instead. According to the couple the backup photographer informed the couple that they were “inexperienced in wedding photography” and had shot one wedding prior to.
Nick and Kirstie claim they were disappointed when the photographer who was backup provided terrible and dark photographs of their wedding. They were shocked. They also claim that the backup photographer admitted that he paid only 25percent of the amount they originally paid Payne for her services.
The couple was even more stunned when they came across an account on Facebook which revealed that Payne was not in an emergency room with her child whom claimed to be involved in a crash.
In photos that were allegedly shared through Facebook of Derby Drama Club Derby Drama Club on February 18 Payne was seen in attendance at her daughter’s performance on stage at Derby High School at the same time as her and her husband’s wedding.
It was also apparent that the photographer was at an retirement party she was a part of putting together after the show.
Not the only’scammed’ Couple
Nick posted a Facebook post about Payne in hopes of warning other couples. Nick’s post was greeted with hundreds of comments and many people complain about Payne in reply to the post.
Some couples have claim that Payne was not present or left their wedding earlier, or didn’t have their pictures taken promptly or at all.
In some instances couples claim that Payne was also claiming that the family member was involved in a car accident or an emergency in the family that required out of filming the wedding. In another case, Payne allegedly left a wedding early because she claimed that her mother had passed away.
The Photographer’s Response
KAKE News reports that Payne refused requests for an interview. The photographer informs the outlet that she was an innocent victim during the couples’ cases and had submitted police reports.
“Due due to the violence and violence that have resulted due to this incident, I’ll be cautious about sharing too many details,” she tells KAKE News.
“We’ve received multiple threats to kill us that have been received, a person appears at my home with a gun, as well as photos of my daughter who is underage being manipulated into something sexual. In addition, there was an attack.”
But, KAKE News reached out to Derby police as well as The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office, and The Wichita Police Department. None of them had records of Payne not reporting any crimes. In the course of investigating, KAKE News did find out that it had previously reported an article about Caitlin Payne, later Caitlin Hershberger twelve years ago.
In 2011, a number of couples complained they had received money from them to serve as an event planner, but afterwards, she didn’t perform her job.
The Steffens have finally managed to obtain an entire reimbursement from Payne. However, by sharing their story they Steffens hope this won’t happen to a couple again.
