I just got an email from Cinthya, my wedding coordinator at RIU...i'm just going to paste it here:
"Dear Laura,
The information that I sent you before you can find it available in our web site, even in the website says that is very important that you read this document cause you will be able to find our policies in there, the policy from the photographers is not something new, this has been our policy since the beginning, now there is one thing, Riu does not allow outside vendors but in the case of the photographers if you want to bring your photographer from home it´s not any problem but he/she will need to stay at that the same hotel where the wedding is going to be or if you want to hire a photographer from outside (from this area) you will need to paid 400 usd to the hotel and they will be able to be in your wedding.
Our photographer company will have their website in a couple days, so you will be able to see their work.
Kind Regards
Cinthya P."
so I guess I'll just pay the outside vendor fee....