PaulSchrank

Let me add that the Gran Bahia Principe and the Gran Palladium are two AI resorts here that have never given us a problem. They welcome us (outside photo/video vendors) because they understand the true value of happy, satisfied clients.

Quote: Originally Posted by kemiller How much would it cost to use their photographer? It sounds like it could expensive paying for your own, flying them down, paying for lodging and paying the $500. You should do the math to see if it makes sense going with theirs. Just a suggestion. Kemiller, your suggestion only proves that their policy works. I'm not trying to slam you for suggesting it (sorry), but this is exactly the thought process they are looking for, it sort of justifies the policy.

Luisa at Micas de Miralls (Micas de Miralls weddings in Playa del Carmen and Riviera Maya) coordinates weddings and has connections with these groups. [email protected] I have a client now, who raves about her.

I think the person who can help you in Playa is Maria Tripaldi at Weddings in Playa Has Experienced Wedding Planners to Coordinate Destination Weddings, Receptions and Mayan Ceremonies in Playa del Carmen Mexico. email: [email protected] She's a wedding coordinator who's worked here for a while.

Low light performance is what you pay for in more expensive cameras. A disposable camera will only work well under ideal lighting conditions. Fortunately, an outdoor, afternoon beach wedding provides ideal light. Put the cameras on the chairs for the ceremony and encourage your guests to take pictures of each other. It's the candid pictures of guests (especially during the ceremony) that you will really appreciate down the road. You'll have plenty of pictures of yourselves.

I just posted the Wedding Day Edit from the Royal in Playa del Carmen. The entire thing was shot at the resort. Getting ready in the rooms, ceremony in the Gazebo and reception on the beach at night. Disfrutalo. Vimeo / Sandy & Mark Wedding Day Edit

I've shot weddings at the Royal. The gazebo location is really nice and very private. I've done two receptions on the beach there and it's a great setting, also quite private because everybody leaves the beach after sunset. I think the Royal is a great place. I'm now finishing a video of a ceremony at the gazebo that I will post online soon.

I'm an "outside vendor" in the Riviera Maya (video, not photo) and this can be an issue. Some resorts are really good about it and welcome us, others are not. One of the mega-chain AI resorts here charges what they call a "penalty" to bring in outside vendors. You must pay $300 to the photo shop to NOT use their services. Often times the photo shop is contracted to a third party and I imagine that's the case here. They've come up with a deal that insures they get paid for every wedding, regardless. Imagine trying to leave a store without buying something and being told you had to pay a penalty to take your business elsewhere. A colleague of mine just got an email from a previously mentioned AI. They demanded a $500 fee be paid for the right to shoot there,. This is a quote from their wedding coordinator's email "This amount should be paid cash to the weddings office the morning of the wedding." I'm surprised she didn't ask for it in a brown paper bag, it's pretty clear what's going on here. Buying a day pass is normal for anyone you invite in from outside the resort for your wedding. It's a nice gesture for your vendors as well. It allows us to move about, get food and drinks as needed, and not be questioned or hassled by the staff. The above mentioned fees are in addition to the day pass fees. Americans like myself can get by for a while saying we are friends/guests of the couple but eventually someone begins to recognize us as "outside vendors." This is what happened with the above mentioned colleague. I think this has been a closed monopoly for a long time. The concept of free market capitalism is relatively new and they don't know what to do, so they're fighting it. I've realized that it's a mistake to assume that the best quality/price wins. I've seen a resort photographer with a consumer grade, point and shoot camera. I've seen the resort videographers show up at the chapel in shorts and T-shirts with a five year old handheld video camera. It seems to be a gamble to rely on the resort services. I know that many wedding coordinators make more money from vendor commissions and mark-ups than they do with their salary or coordination fees. Many vendors know that by offering higher commissions they will get the work and coordinators will give you all sorts of reasons why you have to use a particular vendor, some are valid, but often it's the higher commission that they will receive from their "preferred" vendor. I know this sounds like sour grapes, it can be frustrating. The only way it will change, is if consumers demand a free market. It's a shame to say out loud, but don't assume that your happiness and satisfaction is paramount. The motives are often cash-related. There are many vendors and hotels/resorts here that are sincerely concerned about your happiness and satisfaction and who will insure that you get the finest quality service available. I don't want to burn bridges by omitting anyone from the good list or naming anyone on the bad list on a public forum. Julie (itsme7396) has posted here about her wedding. I worked at that wedding and everything was top-notch from start to finish. It was also well-timed and had a great cadence. I was surprised by the fact that both the photographer and I were hired for five hours and we got everything from Pre-Ceremony preparations to all the reception events and some of the general dancing. Normally at an AI a LOT of time is spent waiting or moving from place to place. With five hours of coverage, sacrifices have to be made or the coverage needs to be extended to get everything, this costs more money. It's also very hard to put a value on the frustration of waiting and conforming to the resort's schedule and logistics. At a smaller hotel or resort, you get more for your money from your vendors because your not paying them to wait, and you're more likely to get a well-timed event that keeps your guests happy and engaged. A well-timed event, where everything is within walking distance and no one gets bored or annoyed, is something that's hard to consider up-front, but will always end up being valuable in many ways. If you're already booked, or considering booking at an AI, you have a lot of clout to bargain with as the couple bringing them business. Tell them you'll be bringing in photographer(s) and/or videographer(s) as invited guests. Expect them to be treated as all your invited guests from outside the resort and don't tolerate any additional fees or penalties for choosing not to use their services. Nobody wants 40 American/Canadiens complaining on the internet, on message boards like this. You the consumer have a right to demand free market competition. They have the right to expect you to purchase a day pass for outside guests.

OK, if I'm going to pick one in Playa del Carmen that's special it would be H&C Super Carne. They have one thing on the menu, arrechera. It's a marinated steak. You have a choice of potato or onion on the side and I recommend 1 person getting the onion to share. This is a special treat meal that I go for every couple of weeks. It's on Calle 1 Sur and Avenida 25. It's near the Playacar entrance and the small airstrip.

I live in Playa del Carmen near 30th Avenue. 5th Avenue is the main drag for tourists and 30th is the main drag for locals. Here you'll find some of the best restaurants with really great prices. At the corner of 30th and Constituyentes are three great places: Nativo (1/2 block N on 30th) - great food (good breakfasts), great smoothies but no coffee. Cactus (1 block N on 30th) - the menu del dia for 65 pesos is wonderful. A choice between two appetizers and a main course with drink Cocina El Paso (1/2 block S on 30th) - A real mexican hole in the wall lunch place for the adventurous. 35 pesos menu del dia (choice of three dishes with drink). Some of the best food I've had, cooked by Mom and daughter, served by the son. Open noon - 4PM.

I have a video from the chapel at Xcaret on my site. It's the Ceremony Edit from Angela & John's wedding. Playa Weddings - Video Samples of weddings in the Caribbean There are some great shots of the photo session in the park in the Pre-Ceremony sequence as well. We didn't seem to have a problem with the crowds. The chapel is at the end of a pathway that you would not walk up unless you were going to the chapel for the wedding. The priest in this video came with the couple from their church. I don't know what minister they provide. I will say, it was one of the most spectacular and impressive places I have shot a wedding at.

I grew up in West Allis and got my degree at UWM. Much of my family and friends are still there and I go back every Summer. I always say, Wisconsin is the best place on earth (for three months a year). Looking forward to hearing from you. Trips Down the Aisle in WI contacted me, I bet that was from you. Thanks.

I live in Playa del Carmen. In July it starts getting hot in the daytime. I usually stay in between noon and 2. The water is really warm and the beach is nice in the morning or afternoon. It's too cold now for the morning swim. The nights are always nice in July but you'll appreciate A/C in your room. It's just mid-day that can be a bit too hot. Summer rates are lower and start at most places around May 1st.

It's always a good idea to check a resort's policy towards outside vendors if that is an option you would like to have available. I am an "outside vendor" who has been working in this area for two years. The policies vary and seem to always be changing. It can be very frustrating to book a resort and be surprised by restrictive policies. Always ask up front, "what are your policies regarding outside vendors?" If you need to negotiate, you may find you have more leverage before you book, rather than after. P.S. I have posted several video clips from different resorts and locations in this area on my site Playa Weddings - Videography in Playa del Carmen and the Riviera Maya

I am the videographer and owner of Playaweddings. I live here in Playa del Carmen. All the work on the Playaweddings site is mine. Thank you, I'm glad it can be a good resource. It's so much easier when you can see and hear a wedding at these different locations before making a decision.

I've just posted a new video from the RIU Palace Riviera Maya resort on my homepage Playa Weddings - Videography in Playa del Carmen and the Riviera Maya I was really impressed with this wedding. Everything was well done and you can see some of the private reception at the end of the clip. (if you take the time to download the high-res quicktime file the quality is much better). I work with Edith, the wedding coordinator at the RIU. I don't know if she also does weddings at the RIU Mexico. There are more clips from this wedding and another wedding at the RIU Palace Riviera Maya at Vimeo / Reena & Luke Wedding Day Edit Vimeo / Erica & Bob Ceremony Edit

Itunes will take any songs from CD and encode them into mp3 files. These files will go on your iPod. Any song in the mp3 format can go on the iPod. There are many sources for mp3 files online, both free and for purchase. The songs purchased on iTunes are a special flavor of mp3 (m4u) that cannot be easily shared, they will work on your iPod but not on somebody elses iPod. Apple does this to make the record companies happy, they don't like everyone sharing their mp3s. Any song file that ends in .mp3 can be used on your iPod and anybody else's computer or iPod.

I understand that the later model iPods will eliminate the gap and even crossfade if you set up iTunes on your computer to do it, then update your iPod. I can't test this since my iPod is ancient, but I checked the Mac message boards and they say it works. Check it out. The crossfade option is in the menus for Preferences > Playback on a Mac. I think on a PC it would be Options > Playback.

Hello, my name is Paul Schrank. I am a wedding videographer in the Riviera Maya area. my website is Playa Weddings - Videography in Playa del Carmen and the Riviera Maya Please take a look at the samples on my site. I'm an American from Milwaukee, Wisconsin living in Playa del Carmen. I've been here two years shooting weddings on the beach and I could never imagine a better job.