HOWARD CITY, Mich. -- Emily and Dustin Metzger may have to just rely on their memories of their wedding day after their wedding photographer's camera was stolen with all their photos on it.
They had a perfect wedding day Sept. 22 in Cedar Springs that ended in a perfectly awful way for the Howard City couple.
"The camera and all our memories are gone," Emily said.
"I took the ceremony pictures of her and her granddad walking down the aisle, and her and her husband doing the vows, doing the rings," said wedding photographer Jacklyn Adams.
But then, Adams had her husband put the camera in their van just after 9 p.m. that night.
"He locked it, we have one door on our van that gives us trouble," she said.
It appears someone took advantage of that, taking not only the camera but two wallets that had her daughter's fundraising money, checks and gift cards.
"I feel really bad because all of her pictures of the day are gone. I couldn't imagine not getting my pictures for my wedding," Adams said. "I need it back, it's her pictures and a camera that I need."
While the couple deals with the devastation, they're looking at a silver lining: some wedding guests did something that Emily asked them not to do.
"We have some pictures that people took with their cell phones, even though we had a sign out that we have a photographer and we didn't want that. Now I'm thankful people didn't follow directions," Emily said.
As they check places like Craigslist and pawn shops for any sign of the camera, Jacklyn and Emily have a message to whoever stole it.
"I don't want to press charges on anybody," Adams said.
"At this point I would do just about anything to get her property returned and to get our memories back," Emily said.
A police report was filed, so they're hoping investigators get some answers. The newlyweds are going on their honeymoon this weekend but say not having their wedding photos continues to hurt because they planned on using those pictures to make 'Thank You' cards.
If you know anything about this theft and want to help get the couple's wedding photos back, you can contact Emily Metzger by calling 616-570-6202 or email at emmie200990@gmailcom.
