I just want to warn everyone else so that you don't have the experience we had with our wedding pictures. We hired a guy who seemed really nice and even had some nice pictures to show us ahead of time. We were spending so much we decided we needed to cut some corners. If I had one thing over to do for my wedding I would spend more on a photographer. WE basically have no wedding pictures. The ones we got are overexposed or under (not sure) but they are very sandy looking and light, some are not in focus . It's really a big mess. I can't believe that after I spent so much on our trip my dress and everything that we don't have that beautiful picture I was expecting that would be now hanging on our wall. Luckily lots of guests took pictures so we have plenty of pictures but nothing that is truly beautiful to show what our wedding was really like. At least we have our guests photos.
I just thought I better say something after reading that some of you are planning on hiring students and all. I am now hiring a local photo professional to take some pictures of me in my wedding dress but can't convince hubby to get dressed up again. Funny with my being tight on our budget I am actually ending up paying more since I'm getting these portraits taken.

Hi Jas,
So sorry to hear you had a bad experience with your photographer. Your photos mihgt not be completely "lost." It might be worth it having someone look at the photo CD and help you with Photoshop to see if anything can still be saved. You might be surprised how versatile that program is. Also, I have had bad experiences with certain printers (and excellent experiences with others) and I would also try having someone back home reprint one or two photos for you to check. Just a few tips, hopes I have been of help.
I know how horrible it is not to have photos of such special moments. You will always have the memories, they say... BUT the photos are a great reminder of what you should "memorize"...
Good luck, Margaret

Hi, I feel bad for you.

Margaret is right, just have some pictures reprinted and ask the lab technician if he could open up the level on the dark pictures a bit. Depending on the image quality this might help. Overexposed pictures are rarely saved. The only thing you can try is to have them printed in black and white, but if the pictures are extremly overexposed, I think it's over with those.

For all the other future brides, make sure you check the photographers background, ask ask and ask lots of questions, like shooting in auto mode or manual etc.. In auto mode, the camera will set itself to what the camera wants, and not what the photographer wants. You have some "photo takers" and you have Photographers.
I personally filter out all the pictures after a wedding, and color correct all the good pictures one by one in Photoshop. I even erase, on request, some "bugs" on the pictures, so you will get clear and crispy looking pictures.