FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) – Months after a North Dakota-based photography business shut its doors leaving brides and grooms scrambling days and weeks before saying, ‘I do,’ another wedding media business announced it has closed up shop.
Tolman Media, which subcontracted with North Dakota and Minnesota photographers and videographers, announced that as of Feb. 15 the business “officially ceased operations and been dismantled. All assets have been sold, there is no cash remaining in the business, and no further employees, members, managers, or officers active. All websites, emails, and contact information has been shut off.”
The company holds several LLC registrations with the state of Utah, but none in North Dakota or Minnesota.
In a statement on its website, Tolman Media states that “all weddings that were originally booked through the Tolman Media booking service have now been transferred directly to the photographers and videographers to fulfill themselves.” The company states the closing comes “as a complete surprise.”
The North Dakota Attorney General’s Office says as of Friday morning, it has not received any complaints from Tolman Media clients, but urge consumers to do so if you have been financially impacted without receiving any of the contracted services from Tolman Media. You can file a complaint by clicking here.
The remainder of Tolman Media’s statement on its dismantling states:
“A few months ago, four licensees running their own, individual LLC entities but using the Tolman Media trademarks and name, went bankrupt. These ex-licensees owed their photographers and videographers large sums of money for work that was already done (which they never paid before shutting their doors). These four failed licensees, using the Tolman Media name, caused an influx of bad reviews, angry customers, and disgruntled creatives that posted their experience and opinions all over the internet. We were able to respond to these reviews, but all this negative publicity ultimately ended up very seriously hurting Tolman Media’s bookings during what was supposed to be its most profitable season.
It all came to a head during the weekend before Valentine’s Day, a YouTube video was posted, falsely accusing founder Brennan Tolman of taking advantage of his photographers and not paying them. Brennan called and confronted the creator of the video, explained the situation with the licensees, and that in the areas owned and managed by him, things have been run with the highest standard. Unfortunately, the YouTuber thought he had an interesting story, and even with Brennan’s multiple requests, he refused to take down the video.
Over the course of that weekend, the video blew up amongst Tolman Media’s photographers and videographers, and booked current and future clients. Even the preferred venue vendors of Tolman Media were getting hate emails for the association of our brand. Photographers quit, now thinking that they would never get paid for any upcoming jobs; current clients wanted to cancel their contracts; and ultimately, Tolman Media’s name, as well as the reputation of founder, Brennan Tolman, in the wedding industry had unfairly become severely damaged.
All of us at Tolman Media HQ are extremely saddened by this chain of events, as we have always strove to treat all of our clients, photographers, and videographers, with the utmost respect.
We are extremely saddened but are grateful that all of our booked brides will still get amazing coverage from their Tolman Media- trained photographer and videographer.”
This is a developing story. Stick with Valley News Live as we continue to learn more.
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