Warning ROR!

[Jenn]

I don't follow the ROR stuff, so maybe you all know about this already, but Robin DePaula just posted this on her blog...

 

"I have been dying to post this all day. I had the honor of photographing the wedding of Taherrah & Andre this past Saturday evening at the Riu Ocho Rios (ROR). Wedding was absolutely beautiful, just I had figured it would be . . . photos to come soon! Sunday evening on my way down to photograph her & her bridesmaids for a fun, girls session, I was escorted off the property due to having a policy against professional photographers photographing there! They had taken photos of me while photographing this wedding & also the next morning during their TTD session. I had an issue with them back in April while there for some other weddings - they also had those photographs out.

 

I am upset that I didn’t get to say goodbye to my wonderful clients, or get to do her last session! Pisses me off to say the least. I wanted to post this as a PSA for any brides plannning to get married there, and don’t want to settle on having the resort photographer photograph your wedding!!!"

 

I'm sure Taherrah will give us more info when she gets back from her honeymoon, but since there are so many ROR brides, I wanted to pass the info along. I spoke to Robin tonight, and she was booked as a guest at ROR... scheduled to leave on Monday!

[kater]

What This is so frustrating! It seems like everyone goes round and round with ROR's photography policies. I can't believe they escorted her away when she was a guest! This makes me nervous b/c I'm bringing two outside photogs (my bosses!) and they're paying to stay there. If they get kicked out, there will be hell to pay! What should we do to avoid this

[KHarrod]

This makes me upset all over again because they stated that I could have an outside photographer as long as they were a guest.

[jesjess]

And what about Family?? My dad bought a special camera to make professional pictures,,Is he allowed to do that

[drbrainfreeze]

Whatever you do, get it in writing!! This makes me nervous as well. It seems like Michael is behind a lot of this. If he wants people to stop saying what a horrible person he is, he needs to stop acting this way!! Many brides choose to use him and are happy with him, so hes getting business. But some of us just have a different vision of what they want out of their photographs. Isn't it enough that we are already paying for a guest pass and the "breach of contract" fee

[Spazz]

That is ridiculous!!! I remember when she had issues back in April at another BDW wedding there. Something really needs to be done about the policy at ROR.

[ACDCDCAC]

wow that really bites! i just cant believe that these resorts would try to make a bride choose something they dont want for the most special day of their lives!

[JUSTUSTWO]

I am totally speechless! I can't believe this happened to her. And I can't believe that they took pics of her from our weddings in April!!!!!!!!!

I spoke with her before she left & wouldn't have imagined this happening!!! SIGH

[KHarrod]

This is what they sent me and I will be taking this with me just in case any problems occur.

 

Dear Kenya,

 

Thank you very much for contacting Riu Sales Wedding Department.

 

I would like to inform you that as long as your photographer is part of the wedding guests and stays at Riu Ocho Rios, there is no fee. If you need a person for the video and to do the DVD please contact Michael.

 

If you shall require further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me.

 

 

Warm Regards,

 

Arlett Santos

Sales Wedding Coordinator

Ocho Rios, Jamaica

Weddings By Riu

America's Division

Email: [email protected]

Website: Wedding Packages by Destination. Honeymoon Holidays. Weddings by Riu

 

Please note that in order to have a wedding at our RIU Hotels & Resorts, the couple and the 80 percent of the total amount of the wedding guests must stay at the hotel where the wedding will be performed. This is a strict Riu policy we must follow.

[Jenn]

For those going to ROR I would really question them about this issue... Per Robin, she was escorted off the property without being able to speak to the bride and groom. In April, she was apparently told this was a "life or death situation" so she didn't argue and left quietly. I'm not sure how they meant that statement, but it certainly sounds threatening to me, not to mention how unprofessional the whole situation is. Robin was booked as a guest of the resort, so when she was thrown out a day early, she went back to MoBay and essentially camped out in the airport for the night until her flight.

 

The whole situation is scarey if you ask me! They seem to make their policies up as they go, and if your photog gets escorted off property, you may not know what happened!