It almost as if @cryman.notary knows the intimate details of my story: I became a Notary Public 25 years ago, when I worked for a bank. A client of the bank received a $13K cashier’s check and he asked before he deposited the check, when the funds would be “available”. NOTE: The word in quotes is the operative word here; it is different from when funds are “cleared”.
Now I did not ask the reason for needing to know the “availability” of the funds as that would have been an invasion of his privacy but he also did not offer any information either. Turns out this was a transaction to buy his used car but was issued for twice the value of the car and required him to return half the value of the check. The issuer ultimately cancelled the purchase and requested our client to return the remaining money, which he did.
Lo and Behold, two weeks after he deposited the check, returned the first half of the money via Western Union (you already know where I’m going), and then the second half of the check (also, through Western Union!), the check bounced. So not only did our customer lose the sale of his vehicle but was bilked for twice its value - wait for it, by a Nigerian Doctor! Had he asked when the funds would “clear”, I certainly would have advised to wait a minimum of two weeks before using any of the money.
Once it was revealed the nature of the transaction and who was involved, it became abundantly clear, he got scammed. He took the issuer’s identity (a Doctor) as a fellow professional and allowed himself to be scammed.
So if the “bride” in your scenario issue a check to you for more than your services as a Notary Public performing a simple ceremony and you were to forward money to a third party (the Photographer?), one or both are in on the scam - of you.