Review: Studio Blue Photography

Let me start out by saying that, with reviews, I am in no way trying to knock an artist/vendor for their efforts, but instead trying to critique performance and inform the masses, aka our readers.  With this, my first review, I have been inspired to write, not because of an all-around horrible experience and not because I am over-the-moon thrilled about it either-as it stands, I am giving Studio Blue 2.5 stars (out of 5).
One of my best girlfriends was married this past October 17th in an intimate ceremony held at the Como Conservatory in St. Paul, truly a magnificent venue.  The weather was perfect, the bride-stunning, and the day progressed without incident.  But, if I am to be picky (and I am), the photographer arrived late.  Not terribly late to the point that the bride even really noticed, but late enough for the mother of the bride to make a phone call.  Half of the bridesmaids had already had their hair done and the bride's veil was already fixed in place by the time Brian from Studio Blue arrived.
Brian seemed young, and carefree; naturally, he picked me out right away as the "party girl" and so the two of us bonded quickly.  Brian and his assistant spent the next 5 hours before the wedding with us-the female half of the wedding party.  He hung out while we had lunch, he helped us keep track of personal items, hell, he was there (eyes averted) as the bride slipped her dress on-taking photos nano-seconds after she pulled it up to snap family-appropriate pictures.  He was there to take advantage of photo opportunities that I am sure the bride, her family and the wedding party will treasure for years.  The main problem?  It has been 13 weeks, 13! and still no pictures of the day posted to his website or presented to the bride and groom.
Am I wrong to be aghast?!  His business card promises 12 weeks, which I thought to be absurd, but rolled with, because I was sure that he took 1000 photos that day and that it would likely take him some time to edit and organize-especially being that Kristen's wedding came at the end of the busy season.  I checked the Studio Blue website after a few weeks thinking that maybe, just maybe, I would be pleasantly surprised.  This past Monday was the 13th Monday that I had checked the site with high hopes-this time, being 98% sure that those photos would be there.  Nope!
I understand that there were a lot of pictures taken that day.  In addition to the ones for which we posed, the candids, the traditional family and bridal party shots, Brian also had a "photo booth" of sorts set up at the reception at which couples, etc. could be posed and shot-and in very unique ways I might add (for example, he had my boyfriend flip me upside down-in a bridesmaid dress-and then swing me through his legs from behind his back-sounds interesting right-you should SEE the picture!).  This is one of the reasons that I am even more excited to see the end result-I want to order prints and have them framed; I'm anxious!
I want to give Brian and Studio Blue the benefit of the doubt on this one, I truly do, but it's getting to be less disheartening and more maddening.  I am sure that he is busy, I understand that he edits every shot before the bride and groom get their hands on them, I sympathize with the fact that he is a father of 4 and has a life outside of the studio, but as a business person, when you make a promise, you need to follow through.
I want to make sure to point out that I was impressed with Brian's commitment on the wedding day-he had some brilliant ideas for backdrops and poses-even though at times it seemed exhausting, I am sure that the pictures will make me forget entirely that I ever felt annoyed.  I will also admit, that I am likely a little more anxious than even the bride about seeing the shots, but I do know that on that day, Kristen was a little perturbed with Brian as well.  He failed to show up for the sunset shots of the bride and groom, he did not spend any time with the groomsmen during their prep, he was absent on the dance floor and at times, made us do ridiculously meticulous poses that took a very long time.
After all this, I would still have recommended Studio Blue; they have produced some fabulous photography and I continue to be impressed with the workmanship of the galleries on their website, but the length of time that it has taken does not sit well with me.  When (read: if) the photos ever get posted, I will make sure to update this review.  Patient, I am not, but maybe the photos are SO stunning that all of this angst will wash away when I get my hands on a print of the ten of us, dressed to kill and posed like a bunch of drunks in an old brothel (because THAT was one of my favorite poses-I told you that he was creative).