Attorney common seeks judgment towards wedding ceremony photographers

North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson’s office filed a motion for a default judgment Wednesday in a civil suit against a Triangle-area wedding photography company after the owners allegedly didn’t comply with a court order.

Jackson’s office sued Holly Christina Photography and owners Holly and Christopher Ayscue in February after more than 200 clients submitted complaints, The News & Observer previously reported. A default judgment is an automatic court ruling in favor of one party because of the other party’s lack of response.

The Ayscues are accused of charging couples thousands of dollars for wedding photography and videography services, then either failing to show for the wedding or never providing the promised photos and footage.

Wake County Superior Court Judge Bryan Collins Jr. ordered the couple in May to provide all outstanding photos and videos to clients by June 11.

Jackson now alleges the Ayscues failed to do so.

“They’ve had their chance,” Jackson said in an emailed statement. “Now we’re asking the judge to get these couples what they’re owed and impose serious consequences.”

Jackson’s office is seeking nearly $600,000 in restitution for 142 clients and $1.1 million in civil penalties tied to the 228 complaints, according to Wednesday’s motion. Eighty-six clients weren’t included in the restitution figure because they’d received refunds from their financial institutions, the motion states.

Local media began reporting on the allegations last fall, prompting the company to post a statement on social media claiming Holly Ayscue had been hospitalized. The company announced its closure in January, citing “unforeseen circumstances” in a Feb. 7 email to clients, The N&O reported.

The couple also face pending criminal charges in Forsyth County after a Winston-Salem woman accused them of failing to fulfill a nearly $5,700 contract for her wedding, The N&O previously reported. Those charges remained pending as of Wednesday afternoon, and the couple are out on separate bail bonds.

It’s not clear from court documents how many clients have received overdue photos and videos. A Feb. 27 email from the company included in Jackson’s office’s motion shows Holly Christina Photography asking a client for her mailing address to send physical SD cards. The motion doesn’t say if those cards were ever sent.