San Diego

Couple's San Diego Wedding Photos Swiped After Man Takes Photographer's Camera

Joelle and Steven Ferris were married in a dream wedding in San Diego on Oct. 19, but their photographs disappeared after an unknown man swiped their photographer’s camera during a post-wedding celebration

An international couple who had their dream wedding in San Diego had to leave without a very important part of their big day: their wedding photos.

Steven and Joelle Ferris were married Thursday in a romantic ocean ceremony aboard a catamaran, with the picturesque Point Loma Lighthouse as their backdrop. It was the very place where they got engaged.

Their friend-turned-wedding photographer snapped away, capturing those magical moments when they said “I Do” and finally became husband and wife.

"It was a perfect day," Joelle told NBC 7.

But the couple’s sweet day soon soured.

After their ceremony at sea, the couple and their small wedding party went to Waterfront Bar & Grill in San Diego’s Little Italy neighborhood for their reception. Their wedding photographer had his camera with him and sometime during the night, an unknown man walked up to the area where the camera was lying and took it.

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Steven and Joelle Ferris
Steven and Joelle Ferris were married in San Diego on Oct. 19 but nearly all of their wedding photos disappeared when an unknown man took their photographer's camera.

Surveillance video from the cameras inside the business showed the suspect in action. He checked out the area, put the camera over his neck and then covered the camera with his vest. He then picked up his beer, surveyed the room again and walked out.

"I just couldn’t' believe it," Steven told NBC 7, recounting the moment when they realized what had happened.

"I was just – I had to leave," said Joelle. "I was in tears, to be honest."

The unfortunate incident was only compounded by the fact Joelle’s father, who's battling cancer, was not able to attend their wedding. Many of those photos were taken for him.

"We knew, or we thought we knew, we'd have the photographs to be able to take home to show him," Steven said.

The only photos of the wedding that remain are cellphone pictures casually taken by their friends aboard the catamaran.

The general manager of the Waterfront Bar & Grill said the man who appears to take the camera in the surveillance video used a credit card at the restaurant that night. That name was given to the couple.

Meanwhile, the Ferrises wedding photographer contacted the San Diego Police Department, and investigators were taking a look at the case.

The couple said they're not interested in pressing charges against the suspect – they just want the camera back and the SD card that contains their pictures. They’re willing to forgive and forget.

“We've all done some crazy stuff after a few drinks,” Steven said. "These memories will last a lifetime but it's the family back home we really want these for."

The couple doesn’t have much time to wait for a resolution. They flew in from their home in the United Kingdom for their wedding and will be in the U.S. only for one more week.

They chose San Diego for their big day because it’s where they first met in 2014. Steven was in town for training for the Royal Air Force, while Joelle was finishing up her graduate degree at the University of San Diego.

It was the most fitting place to have their wedding which, even without many photos, still developed into their happily ever after.

After NBC 7's story aired, the Ferrises received the update they'd been wishing for: the camera was returned to the Waterfront Bar & Grill.

The owner of the restaurant said the man who took the camera saw the NBC 7 story and called the restaurant. He returned the camera to the business and told the owner that he thought it was his friend's camera and had one too many drinks when he took it.

Steven told NBC 7 Saturday that he and his bride were elated to get their pictures back.

"It turns out it was a drunken mistake and the guy felt awful for taking it," he said.

Joelle's cousin will pick up the camera and meet the couple in Miami later this week before they return home to the U.K.

"We still can't believe it - so happy!" Steven added.

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