Photographer

I'm new to the website and recently engaged! We are planning on getting married in April '09 at the Barcelo Maya Beach hotel (Riviera Maya). I was browsing photographers and didn't realize they were so expensive! The average was about $3500! Is this how much they usually cost? I guess I don't really know....does the "hotel photographer" do just as good of a job or is it better to hire someone else? Please let me know! I'm lost! Thanks!

Hi and Congrats on your engagement!!! Photography was always on the top of our list, and considering how beautiful Mexico is, I didnt want to take any chances, so I'm flying someone from home. However, there are plenty of great photographers in Riviera Maya area from what I can tell just by browsing on this forum. Decide what's important to you. See what people say about the photographer from your hotel and take it from there.

Let me put a plug in for the great photographers that are members of this forum.

It really depends on your budget, preferences, etc. - for us, photography was very important so we easily put over that $3500 into it, but we didn't have to. I do think photography is one of those things that you often get what you pay for - at least as a general rule. You can definitely get a photographer for less than $3500, but they may not be as high quality as someone you'd pay $5000+ and/or you may not get as much (hours, albums, etc.). You just have to decide what is right for you.

congrats on the wedding and welcome to the forum...

 

well i guess it all comes to budget and taste and how much you will value the photos down the line.

 

ive known couples who never looked at the photos hardly ever and then theres some that look at them constantly and have the photos all over their house and sent out copies to family who all enjoy them.

 

there are some great resort photographers and there are some terrible ones. you just have to do the research and mull over the budget and how much of the time down there you want photographed. some photographers will photograph just the day of and maybe a ttd and some will photograph every day while down there. when you break that down and consider that sometimes they are down there for several days its actually not a bad investment if you think of all the things you will have photos of.

 

i guess you just have to think about if the value of the cost of the photo memories will be to you. if you are the type of person to never really look at the pictures again then perhaps its best to invest the money elsewhere in the wedding. but if you are the type of person to take pleasure in seeing photographs from your wedding day after day then its a small price to pay to have a real professional there the entire time.

 

 

welcome again and happy wedding to you

I guess you're right...I think we might just save up and pay for someone to do a good job. I would probably be the type to keep looking at them. Has anyone ever used the hotel photographer?

there have been lots of reviews on the hotel photgraphers. you should do a search on the hotel you are staying at and then see if people have posted any photos from their photographer or used them. if not just contact the resort and find out which photogrpahers they use and ask to see their portfolios. that should let you know a little better the quality of their work

i understand where you are coming from! i did not want to spend that much money on pictures but was really nervous about the hotel photographer. our wedding is in June and I wanted a preview of their work. the hotel sent me the website to see the pictures which were good but i really wanted to hear it from a bride that had been through it! so i just kept asking on these forums and at trip advisor if anyone could send me their photos to look at. after awhile i did get some responses and was happy to see the photos were good and some even sent my their videos...now, that was my experience. i have heard some hotel photogs are awful, so you should for sure look into it!!

last time I checked, Barcelo has a strict no outside photographer policy...

FWIW

There is always the option to use the hotel photographer for the wedding & meet a local photographer off the hotel property for a photo session. It could either be between your wedding & reception if there is time. Or the next day for some trash the dress shots or just day after pictures together.

Search around the forum & you will find great photographers for every budget.

Some hotel photographers are good but others are not. I was not impressed by the option my hotel had.

Have you already booked this hotel? Another option would be to switch to a hotel that lets you pick your own photographer. I really hate the "no outside vendors" policies.