09/03/2024
To All Clients and Supporters:
I have attempted to handle this situation privately and directly with those involved, but recent events have made it clear that a public response is necessary due to the attacks on my character and the misrepresentations about my professional conduct. I want to provide the facts for anyone seeking the truth.
• Contract Duration: I have never had a 6-8 week contract. My contracts have been for 6 months, 6 months to 1 year, and 12-18 months, with the latter being more common. The 6-8 week timeframe mentioned on my brochure referred to the typical time it takes me to complete one film as a one-person crew.
• Communication with Clients: I have consistently communicated with and updated all my clients as needed. The clients who posted yesterday were last updated on August 5th, 2024, contrary to claims that they hadn’t heard from me since March, December, or 18 months ago. During that update, the conversation concluded with the client saying “Thanks,” and we haven’t spoken privately since. I have provided updates many times before this as well.
• Origins of the 6-Month Contract: The 6-month contract in question was created when I was 19 years old. Back in 2021, when I had only 7 weddings to my name, I was still using this contract. At the time, I didn’t foresee needing a contract longer than 6 months—I was inexperienced and underestimated the time required for each project.
• Overbooking and Its Consequences: In 2021, I gained significant traction and, without fully understanding my limits, booked 20+ weddings for both 2022 and 2023. I have known for quite sometime that this was a mistake; I was overly enthusiastic and thought I could manage, but I couldn’t. By 2022, I began to see the problematic situation I had created. I acknowledge that I breached my initial 6-month and 1-year contracts, and I have been actively working to rebuild trust for over a year now.
• Challenges and Learning Curve: I recognize that my communication has not always been the best. I was overwhelmed, scared, and dealing with personal health issues, hoping for understanding and patience. I was naive. In response, I communicated my struggles and created a smaller schedule with clients who were willing to wait. In 2023, I decided to significantly reduce my workload, booking only 6 weddings for 2024, and 6 months ago, I stopped accepting new bookings altogether.
• Intentions and Current Actions: I want to clarify that I never intentionally overbooked myself and have not continued to do so. It was never my intention for projects to take this long, and I am committed to delivering the high-quality work my clients expect without compromising due to time constraints. I am working diligently, as my health allows, to complete all pending projects. No footage has been lost, and I am determined to deliver films that are meaningful heirlooms.
I take full accountability for my lack of communication in the past and understand the frustration felt by those waiting for their final product. I see you, I hear you, and I share in your frustration. I am doing everything in my power to resolve the situation and deliver on my commitments.
I am a human being, and as much as I wish I could escape life’s challenges, that is not how my story went. I cannot change the past, but I am committed to moving forward with transparency and integrity. I am currently enlisting help to expedite the editing process and ensure that every wedding film is completed and delivered. I am also very excited about this, and know I should have made this change sooner!
Thank you for your patience and understanding. I am deeply committed to my craft and to fulfilling my promises to each of you.
Sincerely,
Katelyn Lee
