We used Jeff from Shoot the Bride Films for our June 2011 wedding. If you have seen his work, it goes without saying that he is very talented at what he does. Our video was so movie-like - our family and everyone who's seen the highlight video can't believe it's a wedding video. The only reason why I didn't give him 5 stars is because his 2nd shooter showed up late to get the boys getting ready so we only have a few seconds of that on the highlight film. He showed up on time to get getting ready shots of the girls and stayed late into the night. He even did a same day edit for us so we could ensure we had a highlight video to watch the next day. We made sure that we talked to him about what we wanted and got him our music selections well before our wedding date. He delivered the highlight film as promised in our contract and even hand-delivered to my office to ensure we had to prior to our 2nd reception. He really is dedicated to his work. read more

AWFUL. and I am horrified that brides from 2011 are giving him 4 and 5 star reviews, considering he NEVER DELIVERED on many contracts from 2010 to this day. It is extremely amusing to me he has time to tape other weddings, yet not edit weddings of brides who have already paid him and have been waiting since last summer!! I was married in June of 2010. I never ever ever received any edited videos whatesoever. I had to end up begging him to simply send my raw footage over 13 months after we got married - which, as you can imagine, is extremely difficult to view because it is in many files, shakey, etc. I am now going to have to pay (again!) someone else to try to make a normal video out of my raw footage. He promised me everything by Christmas 2010....we finally got raw footage in July 2011. Jeff completely began to ignore my phone calls, emails and text messages around November of 2010. To this day, I have not heard from him since November beside receiving our raw footage in the mail a few weeks ago. Don't kid yourself - he has done this things similar to this to over TWENTY other couples.(READ THE FILTERED REVIEWS BELOW!!) He will lie to you, make false promises of delivery, etc. and then suddenly completely ignore you. I gave him the benefit of the doubt, being incredibly patient for 6 months even though my contract said I wuold have my videos 6 weeks after the wedding. After I realized he was scamming me (and he realized I was no longer naive), I wrote and called dozens of times BEGGING, even offering to PAY MORE, just to get my footage. I don't believe that these other reviews are totally independent people - I think they know him through family or friends. DO NOT TRUST YOUR WEDDING TO THIS GUY. Huge huge regret. I wish I could go back and not hire him!! read more

I cannot believe this guy is in business still! I, too, had a horrible experience with Jeff. He videoed my wedding in June 2010. He showed up at the wedding on time and stayed the entire day. After the wedding, however, he refused to communicate with me. He avoided me in every way possible. He did not return phone messages or emails and did not answer his phone or respond to facebook messages. I took him to court. He did not show up! I finally received my videos in March 2011 after contacting his wife. The end product was not what I expected. His recording was shaky and his coverage incomplete. He didn't even catch my wedding party walking down the aisle! This was a very stressful situation and I cannot believe that anyone would even consider hiring him after all the postings on the knot.com. Sadly he has done this to at least 10 other couples many of which are still waiting for their videos even after their first anniversary. This guy is arrogant, insensitive, and he is a liar. If you are considering hiring him, please take my advice and don't do it! You'll be waiting for your videos like the rest of us! You're crazy if you do! If I could give him 0 stars I could. Please don't make the same mistake I did. read more

My experience with Jeff has been positive and I would say I'm a fan. His work is really fantastic and he has been good about communication with me. Our wedding was April 30, 2011 and I received all of my promised videos in a timely manner. The final product was fantastic and I was very happy with the result. Jeff was extremely professional on our wedding day and, unlike many other videographers, actually trained in film and how to operate a camera that doesn't do everything automatically. (Ask Fig Media to shoot DSLR and see what response you get). I won't make excuses to brides that had issues with Jeff in the past but I think it's been only recently that Shoot the Bride Films became Jeff's full time job. That might explain why he had a rough time getting videos done in a reasonable time frame. Jeff's rate is extremely reasonable in comparison to other filmmakers in the Chicago area too. I would definitely work with him again. UPDATED: For the record (and in response to other reviewers) I'm not related to Jeff. I was introduced as a friend of a friend of a friend so I'm not getting any special treatment here. read more

Do not use this vendor. Here is my story, I booked Jeff with a deposit in February of 2010 for our September wedding, he was very late to our initial meeting without a phone call, that should have told me something. A few weeks before the wedding I started reading on theknot.com that Jeff was not easy to get in touch with and so I called him to confirm him for our wedding. I called several times and he never returned it. I had my wedding planner call him and he finally responded to her to confirm. Jeff showed up at the wedding in September of 2010 and shot video all day. He was personable and professional on that day only. He collected my check the day of the wedding and promptly cashed it. I contacted him a few weeks after my wedding with my songs, then he went MIA. Any and all attempts over the next several months to contact him by e mail, phone and facebook message were totally ignored. Then he took down his facebook page with all his business information. I decided to do some investigation to see if this had happened to other brides. I found over 20 couples and have personally communicated with all of them. He did this to all. Showed up at the wedding, shot video, then went MIA refusing to communicate. I finally got my videos about 5 months after our wedding. There was an edited short film and an edited long form video. Both came separately. Both were of fair quality, with no bluriness or shakiness. Jeff lied to me and told me he forgot to send my short video in the envelope with the long video. He said it was done and would mail it out the next day. I never got it. I started emailing him and bugging him and about 3 weeks later I got it. What is distressing is that this is not a one time occurance that can be attributed to being busy, or a few brides not understanding "the creative process takes time". THAT IS NOT IT AT ALL WHEN HE has done this to literally scores of couples and their stories are more horrific than mine. Some are over a year out and he still is shooting weddings and has delivered on those, however the girls who paid him long ago are still waiting. He is a joke of a businessman, with no ethics or morals, he cashed the checks of many long long ago and they still have no precious wedding memories and it breaks my heart for them. Many just begged for their raw video so they could get their precious memories, so he never even delivered edited final product to most that did finally get their videos after many months of begging him for it. DON"T WASTE YOUR MONEY on this vendor. To this day I still have brides that I have never communicated with before asking for help in getting their videos. Their weddings were shot in 2010. read more

If we were able to give negative stars this would be the time to use them. I am another one of the brides scammed by this guy. He seemed great when we met him to sign the contract. A family man, very personable and outgoing. Everything was GREAT until the day after the wedding. I sent him the 3 songs that I wanted on the video (something he was very stern about receiving so that the videos would be edited on time) and never heard from him again. Being a business owner myself i wrote numerous emails to him telling him that I understand when business gets busy it is hard to keep up and if that is the case please just let us know, but that fact that we haven't heard anything is starting to worry us and still never heard anything back. It is now a year later and we have no video, no short film, no raw footage and no sign of Jeff. When i did get in touch with him he finally responded to a text in late january and said that he would have my videos to me by feb 12 if i signed another contract with him. which i clearly did not (obviously the first contract meant nothing). I am at a loss for what to do. IF YOU ARE ANOTHER BRIDE CONSIDERING HIRING JEFF MANIMBO DO NOT!!! HE WILL TAKE YOUR MONEY AND RUN. PLEASE READ THE FILTERED REVIEWS ABOUT JEFF ALSO THIS IS NOT A JOKE. Someone with numerous lawsuits filed against them should have their business license taken away but he is clearly still filming weddings. I hope this can save another bride from making this HUGE mistake. read more

Negative stars. Got married 11/19/11 and no video. Got his contact info last year and he promised to deliver the video then skated again. Anyone have his contact info? Email me amberkujath@gmail.com I'm determined to get my video! read more

SCAM ALERT! Do not hire him! I have yet to receive my wedding footage, and I know of many other brides who have also not received footage from their wedding. Jeff is nothing more than a con artist! He won't even send us the raw footage. Good luck trying to get a hold of him after your wedding. It brings me to tears just thinking about our wedding footage being lost forever! read more

If I could give no stars, I would. 1 big huge tip - DONT DO IT! There aer several brides waiting for their videos that were shot back in May! He wont return phone calls, emails, etc., he changed the facebook page where all the business information is gone... please dont do it. you'll lose your precious video memories for a quick buck with this guy. Don't believe me? Go to theknot.com and ask about it.... read more

I was shocked to see reviews from 2011 clients here stating that Jeff has been working on their videos. This is really disappointing given that my wedding was almost a year ago and Jeff still hasn't delivered my finished videos even though the contract stated that he would do so within four weeks of my wedding. I haven't even heard from him in months and have no idea when he will deliver my memories. I am sad to be in this situation and truly hope that no one else puts their trust in Jeff as I wouldn't want another bride to experience what he's put me through. read more

Jeff video-graphed my sister's wedding 2 months ago and did an amazing job. He blended in perfectly within the setting/environment and captured moments without intrusion (very hard to do!). I've hired Jeff to film my wedding in October and after seeing the final outcome, I'm nothing short of thrilled in knowing that that my wedding video will turn out just beautifully. read more

been 8 months and still no video of our wedding.. NOT GOOD!!! either give us our money back or give us the raw footage... i don't even care if we get a full DVD that you will rush to make... It is really sad that it has come to this... if you can't complete the work, don't take on more business... you can't even return phone calls or e-mails... WE FEEL VIOLATED!!!! USE CAUTION WITH THIS COMPANY! read more