OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – A friend took pictures on her wedding day because Macy Blake was focused on a cancelation message from Schirmbeck Photography.

“It was three hours before I walked down the aisle and I had no professional photographer to work with,” Blake said. “I had no time to get anybody there.”

Keeping half for engagement photos, the owner of Schirmbeck Photography, Kelsey Livengood, refunded Blake $500 and gave 6 News an explanation for missing the client’s big day.

“I made it 30 minutes into my drive and I had to pull over in a gas station,” Livengood said. “I had a seizure and went straight to the emergency room.”

Andrea Johnson is grateful her aunt took photos after the same wedding photographer didn’t show.

“She messaged me three hours before my wedding that she was not coming because her son broke his arm and she was in the ER with him,” Johnson said.

The photographer says it was actually her daughter with the emergency, but she refunded about $300 of the customer’s $500 in installments of $50 per week.

“If I owe anybody a refund, they’re more than welcome to come talk to me and remind me that I owe them a refund,” Livengood said.

But refunds aside, Christie Blankenship of CB Wedding Services says half a dozen brides have called over the past two years asking her to step in when Schirmbeck Photography has canceled.

“[They call me] anywhere from the day of [the wedding] to eight days before and their hearts are broken because they’re out of budget at that point,” Blankenship said.

Livengood says that’s not true.

“That doesn’t sound right to me,” Livengood said. “In my 12 years of doing photography, I’ve maybe had to cancel four weddings. Maybe.”

And it’s not just weddings, but family portraits, too. Lindsey Lundeen scheduled a family photo session last Halloween with Livengood.

“She canceled when we were already ready to go and was trying to reschedule again, but the schedules weren’t going to work out for us,” Lundeen said.

Livengood refunded Angela Bosak $80 after a similar incident.

“We showed up at our location 15 minutes before it was to start and she messaged me back on her business page saying that she had to cancel due to her husband taking the car,” Bosak said.

The Better Business Bureau gives Schirmbeck Photography an “F” rating.

“A lot of the complaints we forwarded to the company, which they haven’t responded to,” said Jim Hegarty with BBB. “We did notify them that we were investigating a pattern of complaints.”

But Livengood says she books 150 photo sessions for the holidays and 30 weddings per year.

“If I’m canceling a lot, I wouldn’t have the full business I have right now,” Livengood said. “I do have good reviews, people just aren’t posting them.”

And if forced to cancel, Livengood says she’ll develop a plan to make refunds, adding she’s paid back several clients already.

“They just need to come to me and let me know and I’ll make it right, bottom line,” Livengood said.

Some clients tell 6 News that they’re still owed money by Livengood, but special memories that deserve a trained eye are priceless and can’t be recaptured.

“Those are pictures I’ll never get back,” Blake said. “I’ll never be able to redo them.”

The BBB says it will work with Livengood to resolve the complaints if she asks for help. Livengood told 6 News that she plans to contact the bureau.

The Nebraska Attorney General has already provided mediation that led to the monthly repayment for one client.

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